Fxhome HitFilm Review

Fxhome HitFilm Text Review

Introduction To HitFilm:
HitFilm is a Visual effects and Video Editing application.
Fxhome is not stranger to video and filmmaking softwares. Over the years Fxhome has made several difference filmmaking softwares products. Like there Labs products for 3 example. CompositeLab Pro, EffectLab Pro and VisionLab Studio.

What can I say about HitFilm. Will on the the box it said.
Serious software for serious filmmakers.
Will in my opinion it should of said.
What you need in a video software.
Yes my viewer. HitFilm is just that. It's what you need.
When most people are looking for a editor there look for somehing that can edit and make visual effect but SHOCK I SAY to fine out that most editor don't make visual effect.

Will there reason for that is. There are 6 difference kinds of editor.

VIDEO EDITOR: Sony Vegas and Apple Final Cut
PHOTO AND IMAGING: Adobe PhotoShop and gimp
AUDIO RECORDER: Audacity and the Vocaloid
VISUAL EFFECTS COMPOSITORS: Adobe After Effects and FXhome HitFilm
WRITING APPLICATION: Microsoft word and Caltx
3D AND ANIMATION: Blender and (just shoot my now) Smith Micro Anime Studio Debut [ The pro verison is fine ]

But in truth all you really need is a Video and Photo Editors. But Compositors are fun to have.

Price Point:

The visual effect quality you get with HitFilm is somethen that you never seen at grate price point.
Now like with most big name editors there are two version of HitFilm.
HitFilm Standard that cost $150
HitFilm Ultimate that cost $400

But lets fact it. Your going to get the Ultimate version any how so why bother with the Standard version to being with.
To tell you guys the truth. I feel the opposite of cheated with HitFilm.

I feel like I should of paid more then the full price for Fxhome HitFilm Ultimate that cost $400.

Now it is true that there are was you can get Adobe After Effect for least then HitFilm. But you still need to get plug-ins for After Effect that may cost just as much or more then HitFilm per plug-in just to do what HitFilm can right out of the box.

Ease of Use:

YES Like with most software there is a learning curve too HitFilm.

HitFilm dose feel like the Adobe Elements Version of After Effects but with more power and professional features then Adobe Elements. What I mean by this It's like PhotoShop Elemants to will PhotoShop. Adobe Premiere Elements to Adobe Premiere Pro whould be a bad example because I never used Premiere Elements.
I should mention I do own Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects.

HitFilm isn't as overwhelming as After Effect is. But I do think even those After Effect is harder to learn then HItFilm. After Effect is still probaly better to learn from. But I still pick HitFilm over After Effect for beinger any day.
If your new to Compositing HitFilm is a good place to start.

Video Editing Features:

Unlike like most software HitFilm is both a compositor and an editor.
The editor features is basic at best. It's only a upgrade from a basic editor like Window Movie Maker or something. But it's not going to bet the power of your external editor if you have something like Sony Vegas.
But HitFIlm build in editor is still handly. Even those I mainly used it for exporting.

Visual Effects:

Visual Effects are the heart and soul of HitFilm.
You can do Hollywood style special effects without the blockbuster bugets.
HitFilm has a wide rangs of difference 2D & 3D Visual effects From.

Here's Example
Fully Particle Simulator that just as good as most After Effect plug-ins and whould just as much as HitFilm
Gunfire (one of the particle systerm presets)
Chome Keying ((green screen and blue screen)
Light Flare
Fire
Lighnting
Beam Saber (Light saber or Light swords)
Color Grading

And some chesses effects like the Insect Vision and Blood Spray that can be use for slime and proop effects. Yes I know I'm sick. And many more effects that I haven't listed.

I don't know how effect quality is compare to After Effect with plug-ins. (Yes I do own some plug-in for After Effect.) But as I mention before After Effect is just too overwhelming. What I do know is depenting on you still level the effect quality may very on person to person. Just like with After Effect.
From what seen from other people I whould say that the effect quality is It's TV's, Power Rangers or Smallville quality effect. You can still tell it's CG effect but good for effects. As long as you trying to tell good story that is tell a effect quality.

Now I'm not saying you can't do Hollywood style effects with HitFilm. There alot more the go into effects then just some fancy piece of software. But what I am saying that you can do blockbuster effect with the right techniques.

3D Compositor:

HitFilm is also a 3D Compositor. Which is kinda of basics.
You can import 3D tracking data and the particle systerm do work in 3D space.
However I should point out that it's not a 3D modeling software. You can't import or make 3D model. This is really the bigest down side to HitFilm in my opinion.
But beside from that. If you want to do some cool flying effect you can in 3D space and do some cool landscapes effect as will.

Now one of my favorites features HitFilm has is there point systerm. Which work in both 2D and 3D space. You can make a point and move it around to keyframe it and attached all the difference layers to that point to save alot of time animating each effect.

Customer Sarvice:

HitFilm Community Support is worth checking out. They have a grate online community with blogs, forums, videos, turtorial, and a Preset Library (as of this review the HitFilm Preset Library isn't out yet but they do have plans for it)
There customer Sarvice is just out standing. If there is any problem you have they will help out in a big way they can.
There isn't alot of turtorials out there for HitFilm yet because it's some new. The Fxhome team to have alot of grate turtorials on the site and many with work with both version of the software. Plus some tutorial do what project media files download available so you can see how the effect is done for yourself.

But If you know enough of about After Effect techniques you can follow some After Effact turtorial.
Here's example. I saw a cool ninja effect turtorial for After Effact and I follow it the best I can in HitFIlm and it work just fine.
Following After Effact turtorial should work for most effects but not all.

Final Score:

CONSUMER Level: 4 Stars Out of 5
HOME MOVIE MAKERS
Maybe more then you need in my opinion.

PROSUMER Level: 5 Stars Out of 5
INDIE FILMMAKER
HitFilm was made for the Indie Filmmaker in mine.

PROFESSIONAL Level: 4 Stars Out of 5
THOSE WHO MAKE THERE LIVING
Still fine HitFilm handy for it's Ease of Use.

Final Coments:
Truth be told the visual effect quality isn't as good as what you can get Adobe After Effects with hundred of thousands dollars worth of plug-ins. But still I fine Fxhome HitFilm to be a grate products. With it's grate ease of used to save time and money ( in more was then one), visual effect quality that is never seen at this price point and grate Community Support.

Fxhome HitFilm is truly a good estimate for any video or filmmaker toolbox.
I still feel I should of paid more then the full price of Fxhome HitFilm. (It's that good)

Thanks for reading