A great example are Look-Up Tables (LUTs), which many film-makers use to give an edit a preliminary color grade, before working on a proper color grade further along the pipeline. We can understand Hitfilm’s reasoning for putting price tags on its more advanced features, but there are a few we’d argue are important editing tools. You can see them all via the Hitfilm Express online store, but the app itself will frequently remind you of what you’re missing. There are loads of add-ons for Hitfilm Express, ranging from effects like gunfire and particles, to color, editing and VFX extras. Hey, FXhome has to make money off its powerful software somehow. If you want to really make the most of Hitfilm Express, you have to pay - and we don’t mean by upgrading to Hitfilm Pro. (Image credit: FXHome) Hitfilm Express 2021: a vast paid library Lots of these effects say ‘’ at the end though, because Hitfilm Express isn’t 100% free… There are footage effects like distortions, filters and stylization tools, and some ones which might prove vital to keen film-makers, like a day-for-night colour grade (which didn’t look horrible, and could be useful for those unfamiliar with grading).

When you’re happy with how your footage on Hitfilm Express looks, it’s easy to apply effects - you don’t have to jump between different windows on the program, and you don’t have to download and learn loads of other programs (looking at you, Adobe), to make the most of it.

Hitfilm Express 2021: easy-to-apply effects

Other effects are easy to apply from this tab too, making it a one-stop-shop for any changes you might make to the footage - no jumping between different tabs like in many other editing programs. We can picture new editors starting with the former method, but gradually learning to appreciate the latter. In this way, it makes for a good stop-gap between the basic video editors that you might use for a home movie, and more sophisticated professional-tier software. When you’re looking to edit your footage itself, Hitfilm Express gives you both the easy option (simply resizing your clips with your mouse, by dragging at the corners or scrolling with your mouse wheel) or the complicated way (a transform tab with the position, scale and other metrics all viewable).

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