Edit Smarter, Not Harder with Lightworks 2023 Lightworks continues its mission to help you edit smarter, not harder, with the release of Lightworks 2023 — launching next week! This latest version includes many new features and improvements, including: Custom Layout Creation Added HDR workflows Video mask effects And much more! Lightworks 2023 The new Custom Layout Creation feature in Lightworks 2023 is a game-changer for users looking to tailor their editing experience to their specific needs. With this feature, users can now create their own custom layout templates and define the layout of ..read more

Editing matters in horror films. The building of dread, jump scares, and tension. They all rely on the editor's ability to create an atmosphere that feels alive. Editing tricks like jump-cuts, match cuts, fade-ins/fade-outs, etc., make viewers feel like they are inside the film, experiencing it for themselves. Editing can take a mediocre script or video and turn it into something extraordinary! That is why editors matter in horror films. They have the power to make or break any project, with their ability to build suspense and strike terror in viewers' minds. Here are five edited horror films ..read more

In filmmaking, color helps set the tone and emotions and can even define the genre. Color is as vital to setting the mood as the sound or the action on screen. Horror filmmakers use it to captivate the audience and create a flurry of emotions.  The filmmaker must appropriately apply hue, saturation, and brightness to achieve the intended effect. They also use color correction or grading to change the color and achieve the desired result. This post looks at how you can use colors effectively in horror films (and other genres).  What Is Color Grading in Films? Color grading is one of t ..read more

Why are horror films scary? Let's use an example of a recent horror film to answer this. I randomly picked one from a Google search of recent horror films: The Conjuring 2. Let's oversimplify the plot: the ghost of a grumpy older man doesn't want a beautiful family in his former home. I can’t imagine reading that sentence was particularly scary for you. Even though it contains the word ‘ghost’, the barebones premise isn’t likely to instill much fear. But it’s not the premise itself that makes a horror film scary. It’s the execution of it. The way that direction, editing, sound, lighting, and m ..read more

When you think about it, horror films are almost paradoxical. They're designed to scare, panic, or disgust us. These are all things we should actively avoid, yet it remains one of the most popular genres of filmmaking.  There are many reasons for this. It could be the adrenaline rush they provide. Or perhaps it's the sense of relief that comes from having experienced 'danger' without ever actually being in danger.  Regardless, there is an artistry to crafting these experiences. It's not simply a case of chucking non-stop gore or jump scares onto the screen. The tropes and trappings o ..read more

Coming Soon QScan is an industry-leading automated quality control platform for video of all levels. You don’t become industry-leading by taking your position for granted. We have been working hard with our customers to define the future of QScan, and now we are pleased to announce new features coming soon in QScan version 2022! We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, though. If you’re unfamiliar with QScan, here's an introduction to some of our top features! If you are familiar with QScan and its incredible AQC features then read on to see what’s coming next. Analyse Your Files up to Four T ..read more

There’s a Lot to Love about QScan! I know we're biased, but it's true! To prove the point, we've pulled together a list of our top ten headline features available in QScan right now! Before we dive into the list, you can watch our ‘Meet QScan’ video to get a snapshot of what QScan is all about. Now that you’ve met QScan enjoy this list of the ten most exciting features, in no particular order — they’re all important!  A Completely New User Interface A brand new user interface was designed and deployed, providing a better user experience, more accessibility and a fresh, modern way to QC y ..read more

Media offline footage It's like a horror film. Or maybe a greek tragedy. Something terrible, at the very least. You're living your best editing life, all is going well, and then DISASTER. All your media is gone. Your entire timeline is just a dead, grey mass of useless clips and your playback window displays nothing except those two haunting words: Media Offline. Why is your media offline? At this point, it's probably tempting to give up the editing life completely. Don't do anything drastic, though! We have a quick and easy fix to bring your media offline footage back to life. Firstly, thoug ..read more

DIY User Effects We've all been there. You've spent an hour crafting the perfect black white, soft focus, hard contrast flashback filter. The settings are just right, the look is perfect, and for one small, fleeting moment you know happiness. Then you remember that there are 47 other clips that need the exact same effects and settings, and regret starts to set in. You're going to have to manually recreate the effect on those 47 clips, and it's going to take ages. If only there was a better way. Well, good news for you friend. There is! and that better way is DIY User Effects! Getting set up S ..read more

Dark Video Editing Magic Some people said this episode couldn't be done. Some people even said it shouldn't be done. That it's unnatural to put video inside text. Man wasn't meant to wield such power, and yet I've wielded it anyway, and now you can too!  This week's Short Cuts is rapid and easy to do but gives you a fun little tool to keep in your toolbox. Video inside text is excellent for title cards, scene transitions, and a million other fun little creative uses. Getting set up The first thing we're going to do is create a plain back video inside Lightworks. This is useful ..read more