A STARTING LIST OF EDITING PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES

FOREWARD (updated 09/2025)
Below is a list of various multimedia programs I have used and/or have knowledge of, for the purposes of multimedia content creation for social media purposes. This is by no means a complete list, nor is it a be-all-end-all. At the end of the day, it boils down to research and practice. Push yourself to learn different formats and styles, and you'll become all the better of an editor. When you're starting, each new video should be a technical challenge to teach yourself a new technique, or to familiarize oneself with the software.

I've also included a slew of websites and videos about writing, cinematography, audio design, and storytelling in order to educate and inspire. Keep learning, and have fun!


WORD PROCESSOR/OFFICE SUITE
Microsoft Office (permanent license, find cheap keys elsewhere): https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/p/office-professional-2021/
- Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access
OpenOffice: https://www.openoffice.org/
- Open source alternative to Microsoft Office, barely any development since Oracle acquisition/divestment
LibreOffice (descended from OpenOffice, active development): https://www.libreoffice.org/
- supports modern Microsoft Office file types (2007-365)

DOWNLOADERS
youtube-dl: https://github.com/ytdl-org/youtube-dl
- requires command line, unofficial GUI at https://github.com/MrS0m30n3/youtube-dl-gui
ytarchive: https://github.com/Kethsar/ytarchive
- lets you download YT livestreams (even unarchived) while live, splits audio/video into separate files
TwitchDownloader: https://github.com/lay295/TwitchDownloader
- Download Twitch VODs & clips, as well as chat. Re-render chat as JSON and video files.
VideoProc: https://www.videoproc.com/index_wap.htm
- free trial, permanent license unlocks unlimited downloads and further features
MakeMKV: https://www.makemkv.com/ ; https://forum.makemkv.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19634
- capable of ripping optical media, provided you have the right gear with proper firmware

NON-LINEAR VIDEO EDITORS
DaVinci Resolve: https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve
- industry standard, free license is incredibly powerful, Linux support, increasingly popular over Adobe CC
KDenlive: https://kdenlive.org/
- Windows, Mac, & Linux compatible, relatively lightweight, a bit janky but easy for Premiere/Resolve users to navigate
VSDC: https://www.videosoftdev.com/
- lightweight, Linux compatible
Pinnacle Studio: https://www.pinnaclesys.com/en/
- one of cheaper paid alternatives to Adobe

DIGITAL AUDIO WORKSTATIONS (RECORDING/BASIC EDITING)
Audacity: https://www.audacityteam.org/
- basic audio recording and editing
Reaper: https://www.reaper.fm/
- freemium professional audio recording, editing, and mixing; robust plugin ecosystem

VIDEO COMPRESSION/ENCODING
Handbrake: https://handbrake.fr/
- compresses videos to more manageable sizes, and can convert into new formats

GRAPHICAL DESIGN AND EDITING
Paint.net: https://www.getpaint.net/
- open source alt to MS Paint, supports layers
GIMP: https://www.gimp.org/
- open source, Photoshop alternative, can be rough around the edges
Krita: https://krita.org/en/
- open source, CSP alternative

MUSIC COMPOSITION & MIXING
FL Studio: https://www.image-line.com/fl-studio/
- professional software, free trial version
LilyPond: https://lilypond.org/
- open source, steep learning curve
- orchestral composition, can create sheet music
MuseScore: https://musescore.org
- open source, free composition program with orchestral soundfonts, cloud saves, etc.
- most popular free-ware due to community size and support
Dorico SE: https://www.steinberg.net/dorico/se/
- industry standard, incredibly limited free version
- founded by creators of Sibelius (industry standard)
FamiTracker: https://web.archive.org/web/20161017125803/http://famitracker.com/index.php
- original dead, dn Famitracker currently popular: https://github.com/Dn-Programming-Core-Management/Dn-FamiTracker
- 8-bit chiptunes; supports NES, Konami VRC6, Konami VRC7, audio sample playback, etc.
Furnace Tracker: https://github.com/tildearrow/furnace
- allegedly more powerful chiptune software than Famitracker


ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON EDITING
Aspect Ratio Cheat Sheet: https://www.unravel.com.au/aspect-ratio-cheat-sheet
Color correction/grading, LUTs: https://www.adorama.com/alc/what-is-lut-color-grading/
Every Frame a Painting: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjFqcJQXGZ6T6sxyFB-5i6A
- Every Frame a Painting is the grandfather of YouTube video essays
The Art of Editing and Suicide Squad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDclQowcE9I
Boring is Better Video Transitions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPSkXyvyeKs

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON AUDIO
Music Production for Beginners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi72cCOPUQU
Variation: 14 Ways to Compose with One Idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJfvFqT9XV8
The Culture Behind ARMS's Soundtrack: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JwSz176L8g
Mixing audio levels and Best Practices: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFfn9reGSew
Why Does Dune Sound Like That?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v2pbKWIV_g
Fred Newman's Water Sounds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UwlfZNG3xA
A Prairie Home Companion: https://archive.org/details/GarrisonKeillorArchiveVol06-ComedyTheater-RhubarbCassettes/67+Berthas+Kitty+Boutique-Cat+Box+Video-Garrison+Keillor.mp3

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ON CINEMATOGRAPHY
All Documentary Film Crew Jobs Explained in 15 Minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY_aJQEqjB0
Getting the A24 look in 3 mins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7qjm8MqbIY
Recreating The Batman to make Greg Fraser Proud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TD3g0-Smvew
Nine Shot Rule: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2N4hEbcX2N8

STORYTELLING INSPIRATIONS
The Wrong Way to Network as a Filmaker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fdd28rp_lJ0
The Schneidecker Paradox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_W3w_E7K4U
- content warning, contains Rob Schneider
Well, Someone Had to Explain the Liar's Dice Scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T44LuxdH0iw