Pro Editor Uses CAPCUT For A Day...

Nicolas Grant
28 Jul 202306:07

TLDRA professional video editor tests five popular video effects using both After Effects, a high-end editing software, and CapCut, a free mobile app. He compares tracking, masking, speed ramping, green screen, and lock-on effects. Surprisingly, CapCut performs many tasks faster and almost as well as After Effects. While After Effects offers more precision and higher quality results in some cases, CapCut impresses with its simplicity and speed. In the end, both programs have their strengths, but CapCut proves to be a strong contender for quick, effective video editing.

Takeaways

  • 🎬 After Effects is a high-end professional video editing software, while CapCut is a free mobile app.
  • 🤔 The creator will test five video effects on both After Effects and CapCut to compare their capabilities.
  • 🚶‍♂️ The first effect is tracking, where an object follows another in a video. After Effects took 10 minutes, and CapCut was faster with similar results.
  • 🖼️ The second effect is masking. After Effects uses rotoscoping and took 30 minutes, delivering better accuracy than CapCut, which was faster but less precise.
  • ⏩ Speed ramping was tested next. Both After Effects and CapCut performed well, but CapCut was simpler and faster, surprising the creator.
  • 📺 The fourth effect is using a green screen. After Effects handled the green fringe around objects better than CapCut, giving it an edge in this round.
  • 🎯 The final effect is face tracking. After Effects took longer to process, but CapCut offered a simple one-click solution, making it much quicker.
  • 👍 CapCut surprised the creator with its ease of use and speed, particularly for tasks like tracking and speed ramping.
  • 👎 After Effects, however, was still more accurate and provided better results for more complex tasks like masking and green screen work.
  • 💡 In summary, while After Effects is still the superior choice for professional-level detail and precision, CapCut impressed with its efficiency and simplicity, offering strong results in less time.

Q & A

  • What is the main purpose of the video?

    -The video aims to compare CapCut, a free mobile video editing app, with After Effects, a professional video editing software, by testing five different video effects on each platform.

  • What is the first effect tested, and how do both software handle it?

    -The first effect tested is object tracking. After Effects took about 10 minutes to track the object, while CapCut completed the task much faster. Both results were similar, but CapCut was faster, making it the winner for this test.

  • What is the second effect, and which software performed better?

    -The second effect is masking, which involves revealing one object while hiding another. After Effects used rotoscoping, taking around 30 minutes to complete, while CapCut used a simpler method but produced less accurate results. After Effects won this round due to its higher accuracy.

  • What is the speed ramping effect, and which software performed better?

    -Speed ramping involves speeding up footage to create smooth transitions between shots. After Effects provided smooth results with motion blur, but CapCut was much simpler and faster to use. CapCut won this round for its ease of use.

  • What problem did CapCut face during the green screen effect test?

    -CapCut could not remove the green fringe around the edges of the green screen footage, which After Effects was able to do using a special button. Therefore, After Effects performed better in this test.

  • What is the lock-on effect, and how did both software handle it?

    -The lock-on effect is used to keep the camera focused on a specific part of a subject, like an eye. After Effects took 20 minutes to complete the effect, while CapCut required only a simple button click and a few seconds of processing. CapCut won this round due to its simplicity.

  • Which effect was most time-consuming in After Effects, and why?

    -Masking was the most time-consuming effect in After Effects, taking 30 minutes to complete. This is because the process requires manually tracing the object for every frame of the video, a task known as rotoscoping.

  • What was the overall winner based on the five tests conducted?

    -CapCut won more tests due to its speed and simplicity, though After Effects often produced more accurate and polished results.

  • Which software does the editor seem to prefer for professional results?

    -The editor prefers After Effects for professional results, as it consistently delivered higher accuracy and better quality in effects like masking and green screen.

  • What was the editor's reaction to CapCut’s performance?

    -The editor was surprised by how well CapCut performed, especially in terms of speed and ease of use. Despite its simplicity, CapCut was able to achieve results similar to After Effects in some cases.

Outlines

00:00

🎬 Comparing After Effects and CapCut: Professional vs. Free Editing

The narrator introduces After Effects as a high-end video editing software and CapCut as a free mobile app. The goal is to compare both by testing five video effects on each platform. The overarching question is whether the professional editor, After Effects, will still be superior or if CapCut can compete. The experiment begins with basic tracking to compare the two.

05:02

📍 Object Tracking: A Test of Precision and Speed

The first test focuses on object tracking, where one object follows another in a video. The narrator films a walking sequence for both software. After Effects allows quick tracking by placing points, finishing in around 10 minutes. However, CapCut, while being a new experience for the narrator, delivers similar tracking results in significantly less time. The faster processing of CapCut earns it the win in this category, surprising the narrator.

✂️ Masking & Rotoscoping: Accuracy vs. Efficiency

Next, the narrator tests masking, a technique where an object is revealed by cutting out part of a video. After Effects uses rotoscoping, which involves tracing the object frame by frame, taking around 30 minutes to complete. CapCut, on the other hand, uses a single-line tool, making the process faster but less accurate. After Effects delivers better precision, earning it the win in this test despite CapCut's efficiency.

⏩ Speed Ramping: Professional Complexity vs. Simple Efficiency

The test moves to speed ramping, a technique where footage speeds up for smooth transitions, often used in ads or car videos. After Effects produces a smooth result with motion blur, but the process is intricate. CapCut achieves similar results effortlessly, shocking the narrator with its simplicity. CapCut wins again due to how quickly and easily it handles the effect.

🟩 Green Screen Magic: Removing the Fringe

For the fourth test, the narrator uses green screen footage. In After Effects, applying the effect is as simple as dragging it onto the video, with the additional feature of removing the green fringe around objects. CapCut also has a green screen effect, but it cannot handle the fringe removal as effectively as After Effects, leading to After Effects winning this round.

🎯 Lock-On Effect: Simplicity vs. Customization

The final effect tested is the lock-on effect, where the camera stays focused on a specific part of a subject, often used in dancing videos. After Effects allows for detailed tracking by placing a point on the eye, taking about 20 minutes to complete the effect. In contrast, CapCut simplifies the process with a single button that tracks the subject in seconds. Though both are effective, CapCut’s speed and ease of use impress once again.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡After Effects

After Effects is a professional-level video editing software used for creating advanced visual effects and motion graphics. In the video, it represents the 'high-end' editing tool that the creator is comparing with CapCut, emphasizing its detailed and complex functionality, like advanced tracking, masking, and green screen removal.

💡CapCut

CapCut is a free, mobile-friendly video editing app that offers a range of video editing tools. The video compares it with After Effects to test if a simpler, free app can match the features and efficiency of professional software. CapCut is surprisingly effective in tasks like tracking and speed ramping.

💡Tracking

Tracking in video editing refers to the process of attaching a graphic or effect to a moving object in a video. In the video, tracking is tested in both After Effects and CapCut, with CapCut surprisingly performing faster and easier, even though After Effects traditionally excels at such tasks.

💡Masking

Masking is the process of hiding or revealing parts of a video to create special effects. In this video, the creator uses masking to cut out objects from footage, comparing the time-consuming and precise rotoscoping in After Effects to the quicker but less precise method in CapCut.

💡Speed Ramping

Speed ramping involves changing the speed of a video clip to create a smooth transition or dramatic effect, often used in car videos or action sequences. The creator tests this effect on both After Effects and CapCut, with CapCut proving simpler and faster to use despite After Effects being known for precision.

💡Rotoscoping

Rotoscoping is a technique where editors manually trace over video frames to create a mask or cutout. It's used in professional editing to achieve precise masking. The creator explains how this is a tedious process in After Effects, while CapCut offers a faster but less accurate alternative.

💡Green Screen

Green screen refers to the technique of filming in front of a green background and later replacing the green color with a different video or image. The video compares how After Effects and CapCut handle green screen effects, with After Effects having more advanced tools for removing green fringes around objects.

💡Face Tracking

Face tracking is a video effect where a specific part of the face, such as the eyes, is locked onto and tracked throughout the footage. The creator demonstrates this effect in both After Effects and CapCut, with After Effects offering more control but CapCut being faster and more user-friendly.

💡Motion Blur

Motion blur is a visual effect where fast-moving objects in a video appear blurred to simulate the way objects move in real life. In the speed ramping section of the video, the creator highlights the smoothness and motion blur added in After Effects, enhancing the realism of the effect.

💡Professional Editor

A professional editor refers to someone who uses high-end, advanced software like After Effects to create polished, complex video projects. The video’s creator, a professional editor, is comparing their usual tools with CapCut to see if this free app can compete with or even replace their professional software.

Highlights

Introduction to comparing After Effects and CapCut for video editing.

The first test involves tracking an object in a video.

After Effects successfully tracks the object within 10 minutes.

CapCut delivers similar tracking results in less time, making it five times faster.

CapCut surprisingly wins the first test for tracking speed.

The second test involves masking and rotoscoping to reveal objects.

After Effects uses rotoscoping, which takes 30 minutes but gives a precise result.

CapCut’s masking is quicker but less accurate compared to After Effects.

After Effects wins the masking test for delivering more precise results.

The third test is speed ramping, a popular effect for transitions in videos.

After Effects delivers a smooth result with motion blur for speed ramping.

CapCut performs extremely well in speed ramping and is significantly simpler.

CapCut wins the speed ramping test due to its simplicity and effectiveness.

CapCut struggles with removing green screen fringe in the fourth test.

After Effects excels in green screen removal with better edge handling.

The final test, the lock-on effect, is achieved quickly and easily with CapCut.

After Effects offers more customization for lock-on but takes longer to execute.