Downloads

VideoThang, you make my art sang! You make everything--Easy! That1s what the purveyors of this free video/multimedia editor hope it will do, and for the most part it succeeds. Every effort has been made to render the program unintimidating as well as visually appealing. The GUI has the more the aspect of a youth-oriented social Web site than a standalone program: Projects are called "mixes," you can import video from Facebook as well as a Webcam and computer, and "Do Your Thang!" is splashed playfully across the top of the main window.

VideoThang installs and leverages two free applications: the AviSynth 2.5 renderer/editor and the ffdshow filters/codecs for its basic media abilities. VideoThang sits on top, providing a friendly face to what are otherwise rather harsh, geeky programs. Friendly it is, but it's also a bit limited. For instance, you can import .mp3 audio files, but not .wma or .ogg; jpeg and png images, but not bitmaps. Video import is more versatile with support for .mov, .avi, .wmv, .mp4, .3gp, .dv and even .flv. There are also the common fade transitions, color FX and zoom for photos, as well as a trim function for video. All in all, there's more than enough there to get the job done for most of us.

VideoThang may not be the most flexible multimedia editor in the world, but the trim/zoom basics are there, it's free, and it's so simple to use that just about anyone in the world should be able figure it out. If you're not looking for a whole lot of whiz-bang FX or options, it will produce the desired results with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of fun. VideoThang--I think I like you.

Note: This link takes you to the vendor's site, where you can download the latest version of the software.

--Jon L. Jacobi