,
I am proud to announce the immediate availability of OpenShot version 1.2.2! We have been hard at work on this version since April 2010. While a 5 month long release cycle was not really what I had planned on, I'm happy to see this version finally get released!
Round of Applause
Before I give you a run down of the new features, I want to take a moment to thank all the great and talented people who stay up late with me working on this project. Andy Finch has been helping me since the very first days of OpenShot, and without his help, OpenShot would probably not be here today. Olivier Girard is one of the biggest promoters of OpenShot, writing articles, assisting new users, and was the primary contributor to the awesome OpenShot help manual. Maël Lavault has been a huge help on LaunchPad, answering questions, submitting patches, and was a huge help on this latest version. To all the people who have helped me, THANK YOU SO MUCH for making OpenShot the great application it is today!
Before I give you a run down of the new features, I want to take a moment to thank all the great and talented people who stay up late with me working on this project. Andy Finch has been helping me since the very first days of OpenShot, and without his help, OpenShot would probably not be here today. Olivier Girard is one of the biggest promoters of OpenShot, writing articles, assisting new users, and was the primary contributor to the awesome OpenShot help manual. Maël Lavault has been a huge help on LaunchPad, answering questions, submitting patches, and was a huge help on this latest version. To all the people who have helped me, THANK YOU SO MUCH for making OpenShot the great application it is today!
Getting Started
Now, let's talk a bit about version 1.2.2. Where did 1.2.0 & 1.2.1 go? Why did we skip straight to 1.2.2. Well my friends, that is an interesting story, but one for another day. Just know that 1.2.2 is the official release, and it's awesome! I might be a little biased, but seriously, this is a really great release.
Video Highlights
As is tradition, I have used OpenShot to create a short video showcasing some of the new features. I mixed in some great overly dramatic music, and a few screen-casts to create a true masterpiece. Okay, I admit, the video is not quite a masterpiece, but if I said that, nobody would watch it.
3D Animated Titles
Now, let's talk a bit about version 1.2.2. Where did 1.2.0 & 1.2.1 go? Why did we skip straight to 1.2.2. Well my friends, that is an interesting story, but one for another day. Just know that 1.2.2 is the official release, and it's awesome! I might be a little biased, but seriously, this is a really great release.
Video Highlights
As is tradition, I have used OpenShot to create a short video showcasing some of the new features. I mixed in some great overly dramatic music, and a few screen-casts to create a true masterpiece. Okay, I admit, the video is not quite a masterpiece, but if I said that, nobody would watch it.
OpenShot 1.2 Highlights from Jonathan Thomas on Vimeo.
New Features:- Improved Stability
- 3D Animated Titles (powered by Blender 2.5)
- Custom Transitions
- New Audio & Video Effects
- Time-line Improvements / Animations
- Improved Effects User Interface
- Improved Theme Engine (New netbook friendly theme)
- Razor Improvements (now supports snapping to play-head)
- Improved Language Support (Rotate effect now works in all locales)
- New DVD Export (Create compliant DVD images)
- Improved Preferences Dialog
- Improved Exporting of different frame-rates
- Numerous Bug Fixes
3D Animated Titles
We have taken the power of Blender, some really cool animated title templates, and mixed them together with the simple and user-friendly style of OpenShot to create a truly unique feature. Everyone can now enjoy creating their own animated title sequences! Of course, none of this would be possible without the great Blender open-source 3D animation package! Colin Levy, the director of Sintel, even contributed a slick title animation to OpenShot! Blender has so many good features, but most are difficult for the average user to tap into. I hope that we can expand this relationship even further in future releases.
[click for larger image]
New Audio & Video Effects
Many new effects have been added to this release. However, a few effects had to be removed, due to crashes and instability on some systems. We replaced the missing effects with even cooler ones, so no tears. My favorite new effect is called Chroma Hold. This effect turns your video into grayscale except for 1 color. I've seen this effect used on TV commercials many times, and now we can all use it!
[click for larger image]
Timeline Improvements & Animations
We have added lots of polish and some subtle animations to all clip and transition movement, which is easier for the eye to follow. For example, clips that are not placed in a valid spot, smoothly (but quickly) animate back to their correct location. Clips that are removed animate into a dot and disappear. Same for transitions.
[click for larger image]
Improved Theme Engine (Netbook friendly theme)
The code that draws the time-line and buttons (our theme engine) has been drastically improved. Now theme artists can not only change the images, but the height, width, offset, position, alpha, and color of items. In theory, almost any video editor interface can now be created... assuming some artists want to jump in and help out. Also, a new theme was designed for netbook screens, taking advantage of the new theme engine.
[click for larger image]
GTK 2.18 Required
Okay, so what does this mean? In Ubuntu terminology, you must have Ubuntu 9.10 or greater to run this version of OpenShot. The glade library (which we previously used to display our interface) has been depreciated, and so we moved onto just using the GTK library. Many of the GTK features we are now using only work on GTK 2.18+, so with the assumption that most users are on 9.10 of Ubuntu (or greater), we decided it was not worth the effort to back-port to previous version of Ubuntu. However, it is possible (in theory) to adapt OpenShot to Ubuntu 9.04, but that's about as far back as possible, without recompiling GTK... and who wants to do that. =)
Download Today
The OpenShot PPA is the easiest way to install (and stay updated). It works on Ubuntu 9.10 and greater. Just follow the easy instructions, and enjoy! However, if you would rather download the DEB installers, you can do that as well.
Fun Fact
Did you know that in Kerala, India, a high-school textbook is including a chapter on OpenShot to be taught at all the schools in their city? How cool is that!
Conclusion
Thanks again to all the blog readers, users, supporters, translators, programmers, artists, directors, packagers, donors, and of course to my wife, Cindy, who allows me the time to work on this project.
Download OpenShot today and create some amazing videos... just be sure to tag your videos on YouTube as "Created with OpenShot, Yo!". Okay, you can leave off that last part, and just include "Created with OpenShot".
September 22, 2010 8:56 AM
Great work! My favourite video editing tool just keeps getting better! :)
September 22, 2010 9:32 AM
Congratulations, looking good!
September 22, 2010 11:31 AM
Chances of being granted a freeze exception and be available for Maverick?
September 22, 2010 11:44 AM
I am so happy to see this new version! Thanks you all guys working in this proyect! There have been lots of improvements since the first version I used. I use it a lot to make Ubuntu tutorials. Greetings from Mexico.
September 22, 2010 11:53 AM
//Fun Fact
Did you know that in Kerala, India, a high-school textbook is including a chapter on OpenShot to be taught at all the schools in their city? How cool is that!//
This is not a fun fact. a thing we can take great pride in.
//Chroma Hold. //
oh my god. thanks for that.
//clips that are not placed in a valid spot, smoothly (but quickly) animate back to their correct location. Clips that are removed animate into a dot and disappear//
i challenge apple to match that sizzler.
Thanks and congrats from India.
September 22, 2010 12:02 PM
Fantastic!
September 22, 2010 1:35 PM
@Anonymous,
Yes, we are currently working with Ubuntu to get a freeze exception. I'll keep everyone posted on how that unfolds. Thanks!
September 22, 2010 1:45 PM
@Prabhu,
I think you might have misunderstood my use of the phrase "Fun Fact". I am very honored that they have included OpenShot in their curriculum, and I will be working along side the educators to review the material after they have completed their draft. I wish more schools in the USA would also consider such a thing, as the open-source world has much to offer schools.
September 22, 2010 2:47 PM
Great work, OpenShot Team, I enjoy that update a lot!
Now, the only missing thing is possibility of editing libx264 settings, so it'd match the project. Until You implement that feature I (and the other users) have to use HandBrake to do some advanced work with H.264.
Viva la OpenShot! :)
September 22, 2010 3:49 PM
Congratulations! I have been looking forward to this release and I'm happy to see it's even better than I thought. Thanks to everyone involved in making it! Now I'm off to try it out!
September 22, 2010 6:24 PM
Awesome work OpenShot team, OpenShot is my favorite video editor on Linux, it's the only one I can edit 720p video on my old-school Dell Inspiron 1501. Much appreciated!
September 22, 2010 7:55 PM
Thank you so much. You make the linux world walk with chest out! One thing though, does one have to install blender in order to use the 3D effects?
On a side note, I have started porting it to Puppylinux 5.1.1. So far so good.
smil99.
September 22, 2010 9:36 PM
Oh my goodness, Openshot just keeps on getting better and better.
To everyone involved in Openshot, you have just made my day!
Alexander from Australia
www.clockworkpc.com.au
September 22, 2010 9:42 PM
@smil99,
Good luck on the Puppy Linux package! Yes, Blender is required, but OpenShot will fail nicely if a user does not have it installed.
Please take a look at the following FAQ, which describes how to install blender for use with OpenShot: https://answers.launchpad.net/openshot/+faq/1299
September 23, 2010 3:34 AM
Congratulations!!!!
I've used it for my wedding video on 19th June 2010 and it's my favourite video editor.
On linux ;-)
Great!
September 23, 2010 7:50 AM
I'd really like it if you had a new default theme instead of blue_glass. It's far too bubbly to be professional. It looks like crayons wrapped in bubble wrap.
That being said, you have an _amazing_ theme engine, allowing designers to reconfigure the whole interface, so it will be interesting to see what comes out of it, but I do hope the default theme gets changed for 1.3.
As for the video, you should have included a Chroma Hold example! I know it's on the site as a screenshot, but seeing it work real-time would have been neat.
Lastly, have you thought of making a Vimeo or YouTube group so you can make a OpenShot video making contest? Say 10 minutes maximum? I'd love to set up a separate website for you to help advertise and organize the thing. E-mail me from my identity, we'll chat and I'll show you my portfolio. I love to help out open source projects (Ground Control, GetDeb, Ubuntu Manual / QuickShot (and OMG! Ubuntu!)) and I love indie films, so what could be better!?
September 23, 2010 12:02 PM
I like the new theme - may be I prefer flat look to 3d aqua-like look.
Thanks for the great work. Looking forward to installing and using the new version.
September 24, 2010 6:59 AM
Thanks you for the this great release!!!
Can we have a glimpse to the future of OpenShot? What and when is the next targets of the project?
Thanks again.
September 24, 2010 7:17 AM
@Brett
A Openshot User Group is existing already on Vimeo and you can find it here : http://vimeo.com/groups/34834
Thanks for your help.
September 24, 2010 4:31 PM
Great work !! I love this tool! I have been waiting for something like this for yeaaaaaaaars !!!!
September 25, 2010 4:04 AM
hi
> "some great overly dramatic music"
it sounds really great! :-D where you got this from? i want it as mp3 :)
September 25, 2010 4:23 AM
Awesome news... :) My problem with the segmentation fault is gone!!! :) Now if only I could get ffmpeg to work properly with OGG videos without upgrading now to Maverick... :(
September 25, 2010 5:20 AM
Fantastic!
Only one area of concern - on several occasions blender started several threads and slowed the computer down considerably when using the new title effects. Other times blender ran just the one thread and speed was normal.
Any ideas?
Keep up the great work.
Gavin
September 25, 2010 2:17 PM
Awsome... Excellent...
PS: Should it say : "Only on GNU/Linux" instead of "Only on Linux"... ;-)
September 25, 2010 7:41 PM
And Just Another Version, I Like it Soo much. only one Question: Why did you removed the Water Effect?
That was one of the most coolest effects, How Can I use it Again, Beside installing an Older Version of Openshot? :D
September 27, 2010 10:12 AM
Looks great, cant wait to play around with it later; keep up the great work!
September 28, 2010 3:17 AM
@Christian - The Water effect has been removed from frei0r (the main effects engine) for stability reasons - hopefully someone might be able to fix it and add it back in the future!
December 28, 2010 4:41 AM
Thank you so much for this excellent program!
I am wondering which theme is the best for netbooks? Openshot (and other programmes) doesn't fit well on this little screen.
Thanks again!