Apple iMovie 10 versus Adobe Premiere Elements 12 comparative review – which video editing application offers the best …

Mac Creative > All Reviews > Software > Video > Video editing > Apple iMovie 10 versus Adobe Premiere Elements 12 comparative review - which video editing application offers the best all-round feature set

Apple just cant seem to make up its mind about iMovies interface, and the new iMovie 10 gets another slightly untidy makeover. The Project panel that occupies the lower half of the screen now provides a more conventional editing timeline where you can quickly arrange your video clips in a simple linear sequence. Thats simple enough, but the programs other editing tools are scattered around the workspace almost at random, with audio and video effects activated by the Adjustments button up in the top-right corner of the workspace, while transitions and titles have been moved down into the bottom left corner of the newly expanded Library panel. Users of previous versions of iMovie may feel a little lost at first, and we werent impressed by the fact that you need an Internet connection in order to use the programs Help files either.

In contrast, Premiere Elements started out with a complex and intimidating interface but has gradually become easier to use with each annual upgrade. The recently released Premiere Elements 12 provides three editing modes that cater to different levels of experience. The new Guided mode starts out by offering really simple, step-by-step help with basic editing tasks. Once youve got the hang of the basics you can step into Quick mode, which displays a simple editing timeline with effects, transitions and other tools neatly arranged along the bottom of the screen. More experienced users can opt for Expert mode, which provides you with a multi-track timeline that allows you to perform more complex and precise editing work.

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The simpler timeline in iMovie is relatively straightforward and easy to use, but the Guided mode in Premiere Elements is very impressive and does an excellent job of introducing video-editing work for beginners.

It may take a little while to figure out where everything is in iMovie these days, but at least its main editing tools still retain their admirable simplicity and ease of use. The main innovation introduced by iMovie a few years ago was the ability to skim through video clips. You can simply move your mouse cursor over any section of a video clip in order to view it in the main Monitor window. You can skim through a clip as slowly or as quickly as you like, and this makes it really easy to select just the scenes or even just a few frames that you want to use in your movie.

Other tools are equally easy to use. Just drag a clip from the Browser window and place it directly above another clip in the editing timeline and iMovie automatically displays its Video Overlay menu. This allows you to instantly create complex picture-in-picture effects, a split-screen effect that plays both clips side-by-side at the same time, or to add green/blue-screen special effects.