Lightworks Pro Video Editor for Windows from Lightworks is a full-featured and highly advanced NLE, with a rich history dating back to when only a few editing systems and several niche systems were available in the Hollywood and TV industry. Lightworks was above the niche systems. One of the advanced features is Analog Style Audio Scrubbing -- it lets you hear clear audio, whether dialogue or otherwise, as you scrub. Your purchase provides you with a one-year license renewable in one year at the cost at that time.
Lightworks Pro supports a very diverse set of codecs, diverse set of I/O devices (including two RED Rockets), flexible multi-cam editing, stereoscopic 3D, edits 5K resolution in real-time, performs GPU accelerated multiple secondary color correction, features in-depth audio control tools, and much more.
Lightworks Pro goes the full circle on project sharing. It lets you share media, bins, and edits in real-time with full permissions control over which user has read / write access. Lightworks Pro Project Sharing is easy to configure and to maintain, and it works on any network storage.
A great place to start learning the deep ins and outs of the program is the Lightworks Community forum, full of Lightworks editors from all over the world contributing support. The forum has thousands of topics about all aspects of Lightworks and the industry in general. Furthermore, Lightworks is backed up by a team of support engineers and a team of developers all ready to help.
32-Bit and 64-Bit Performance
Your Lightworks download is available in 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The 64-bit version lets you use larger memory capacity, which increases codec performance, particularly for Long GOP formats such as H.264.
Editing
Resolution, format, and codec independent timeline
Edit at 23.976, true 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, or 60 fps
Advanced real-time multi-cam editing with unlimited sources (subject to hardware and storage capability)
Source/Record three-point editing
Insert and Overwrite editing
Replace, Fit to Fill, backfill
Drag-and-drop replace editing
Extend and Split edits
A/V Sync indicators on timeline
AutoSync -- single-click re-sync of whole timeline
Multi-colored markers for edits and clips
Matchframe for clips and subclips
Drag and drop multiple clips from a bin into your edit, bin, or sync group
Drag and drop onto the edit timeline as Insert or Replace
Drag and drop supports Audio Linking (moving video with corresponding audio; can be turned on/off)
Drag and drop multiple clips across multiple tracks
Storyboarding -- arrange tiles in Bins, adjust in and out points, and convert to an edit with a single click
Edit at 23.976, true 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, or 60 fps
Advanced real-time multi-cam editing with unlimited sources (subject to hardware and storage capability)
Source/Record three-point editing
Insert and Overwrite editing
Replace, Fit to Fill, backfill
Drag-and-drop replace editing
Extend and Split edits
A/V Sync indicators on timeline
AutoSync -- single-click re-sync of whole timeline
Multi-colored markers for edits and clips
Matchframe for clips and subclips
Drag and drop multiple clips from a bin into your edit, bin, or sync group
Drag and drop onto the edit timeline as Insert or Replace
Drag and drop supports Audio Linking (moving video with corresponding audio; can be turned on/off)
Drag and drop multiple clips across multiple tracks
Storyboarding -- arrange tiles in Bins, adjust in and out points, and convert to an edit with a single click
Real-Time GPU Effects Architecture
With a fast effects pipeline architecture that uses the full power of modern GPUs, Lightworks can handle many layers of real-time effects in SD, HD, 2K, 4K, and even 5K. You can even adjust parameters during playback giving you the best experience in effects editing for an NLE.
Multi-split screen Viewer for original shot comparison
Node-based effects layer and compositing tool
Alpha Channel Matte Transitions
Global Transitions adds effects between In and Out points
Quick Transitions direct from the timeline
Real-time effects in SD, HD, 2K, 4K, and 5K
Speed Tool for varispeed changes
Keyframe graphs
Fold and Unfold effects
Real-time blurs
Real-time chroma key
Color
DVEs
Keying
Masks
Mattes
Mixes
Stereo 3D
Stylize
Titles
Plug-ins
Audio
Unlimited user effects templates
Copy and paste effect attributes to multiple clips
Bezier and Linear movable motion paths
Numeric (as well as keyframe) control over variables
Stereoscopic adjustment tools
User Library of Effects available online
Multi-split screen Viewer for original shot comparison
Node-based effects layer and compositing tool
Alpha Channel Matte Transitions
Global Transitions adds effects between In and Out points
Quick Transitions direct from the timeline
Real-time effects in SD, HD, 2K, 4K, and 5K
Speed Tool for varispeed changes
Keyframe graphs
Fold and Unfold effects
Real-time blurs
Real-time chroma key
Color
DVEs
Keying
Masks
Mattes
Mixes
Stereo 3D
Stylize
Titles
Plug-ins
Audio
Unlimited user effects templates
Copy and paste effect attributes to multiple clips
Bezier and Linear movable motion paths
Numeric (as well as keyframe) control over variables
Stereoscopic adjustment tools
User Library of Effects available online
Up to 5K Resolution Editing
Resolution independent projects and timelines provide a far less restricted editing experience. Lightworks supports up to 5K file formats for real-time editing and up to 2K in real-time output monitoring without any additional hardware.
Broadcast Monitoring with SDI Hardware
Display your edits on broadcast monitors through SDI hardware for crystal clear compliant monitoring. Audio offset adjustments allow picture and sound to remain in sync no matter what output route they take.
Diverse I/O Device Support
Lightworks I/O
Lightworks I/O3D
Matrox MXO2
Matrox MXO2 LE
Matrox MXO2 Rack
Matrox MXO2 Mini
Blackmagic
RED Rocket
Lightworks supports the entire Matrox line-up of MXO2 devices for superior I/O support - HD-SDI, SD-SDI, analog and AES audio, input and output. With support for desktops and laptops, the MXO2 range provides comprehensive connectivity in a portable form.
Lightworks supports up to two RED Rocket hardware cards in a single system, providing real-time 4K and 5K full resolution playback. Even with a single card, you can edit in full resolution 2K with no additional I/O hardware.
Lightworks I/O3D
Matrox MXO2
Matrox MXO2 LE
Matrox MXO2 Rack
Matrox MXO2 Mini
Blackmagic
RED Rocket
Lightworks supports the entire Matrox line-up of MXO2 devices for superior I/O support - HD-SDI, SD-SDI, analog and AES audio, input and output. With support for desktops and laptops, the MXO2 range provides comprehensive connectivity in a portable form.
Lightworks supports up to two RED Rocket hardware cards in a single system, providing real-time 4K and 5K full resolution playback. Even with a single card, you can edit in full resolution 2K with no additional I/O hardware.
Mackie Protocol Support
Support for Mackie's communication protocol means the Lightworks audio mixer and fader automation can be driven from an external Mackie mixing console.
Console & Keyboard
A Lightworks console and keyboard, both optional, are custom designed to provide an intuitive and engaging editing experience. The console features common editing commands and user definable presets, and the keyboard has standard editing features, advanced modes, project functions, and direct links to the Lightworks community.
Batch Import
Queue up multiple imports from different locations -- with multiple selectable rates, resolutions and transcode options.
Transcode on Import
Lightworks can handle many formats natively. But for those times when you want to standardize on a single format, Lightworks offers Transcode on Import. Go from Long GOP to I-Frame, MXF to QuickTime, or vice versa.
Wide Format Support
Lightworks supports a wide range of codecs and containers, including DNxHD, ProRes (import only), AVC-Intra, RED R3D, DPX, and H.264. Please click on the "Specifications" tab to see a full list.
AAF for Interoperability
AAF is fully supported in Lightworks for both import and export and is an ideal way of moving edits between non-networked Lightworks systems or sharing with other software such as Avid Media Composer or ProTools.
Native RED R3D Support
Lightworks supports native RED R3D files for import and provides the ability to playback the files at resolutions from 1/16th up to full resolution. Real-time full resolution playback is possible with the RED Rocket card.
DPX
8-bit, 10-bit, and 16-bit DPX files are fully supported in Lightworks for import and export, at resolutions up to 4K.
Stereoscopic Import and Export
Syncing up left and right eye media for a stereoscopic workflow can be painfully slow, so Lightworks takes that strain away, automatically handling the sync for you. Import and export as you would with regular media, with no need to change the way you work.
Export Bins and Projects
Lightworks can export a bin of clips or an entire project. Lightworks makes this as easy as exporting a single clip: you just drop your export tool over the item you want to export -- a clip, an edit, a bin or an entire project.
SDI & FireWire Record / Playout
Lightworks has support for capture from SDI or FireWire-based devices through optional supported hardware. You can capture media from tape or live sources via RS-422 control and real-time on-screen preview.
EDL
Importing and Exporting EDLs provides a standard interchange between other post-production and finishing systems and Lightworks.
Multi-Cam Editing
Lightworks features a range of multi-cam tools available within the Lightworks Sync Group. You can use unlimited sources in any format or resolution for a totally intuitive multi-cam experience.
Unique Sync Group feature
Live Cut -- cut between angles during multi-cam playback
Sync to Lock Frame or Timecode
Sync with Edits
Unlimited Sources
Mixed Sources -- resolution, format and frame rate
Unique Sync Group feature
Live Cut -- cut between angles during multi-cam playback
Sync to Lock Frame or Timecode
Sync with Edits
Unlimited Sources
Mixed Sources -- resolution, format and frame rate
Stereoscopic Editing
Lightworks performs the background tasks of editing stereoscopic media, freeing you up to work on editing.
Support for complete stereoscopic workflow
Individual Left and Right eye media
Automatic sync on import
No change in editing workflow
Real-time adjustment toolset for alignment, scaling and color correction
Multiple output options: Anaglyph, Side-by-Side, Chequerboard, Left and Right Eyes
Monitor desktop, secondary display and SDI outputs all in different stereoscopic outputs
Export options for various formats
Support for complete stereoscopic workflow
Individual Left and Right eye media
Automatic sync on import
No change in editing workflow
Real-time adjustment toolset for alignment, scaling and color correction
Multiple output options: Anaglyph, Side-by-Side, Chequerboard, Left and Right Eyes
Monitor desktop, secondary display and SDI outputs all in different stereoscopic outputs
Export options for various formats
Storyboarding
Storyboarding in Lightworks allows you to go from a rough idea to a full edit in just a couple of seconds.
Independent Timeline
The Lightworks timeline is formats, resolution, and codec independent. If you're in a 24 frame project, you can import any content and put whatever you want in an edit. Just decide how you want Lightworks to output it.
Edit at Any Frame Rate
Lightworks supports all standard video frame rates - 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 50, or 60 fps. Import and edit all media together in a 24fps project and Lightworks will deal with pull-down and frame rate conversion seamlessly in background, all in real-time.
Comprehensive Drag and Drop Support
Lightworks features enhancements that let you efficiently drag and drop to insert or replace, and to drag sections of edits back to a bin for future use.
Full-Screen Output on Single or Secondary Display
On a laptop or dual display setup, output full-screen, real-time video with a single key stroke for SD, HD, and 2K preview through your VGA, DVI or HDMI port. A great alternative when you do not have a dedicated broadcast monitor or SDI outputs available.
Varispeed (Slo-Mo) Control
Adjust the playback speed of any clip, forwards or backwards, in real-time direct from the timeline -- no need to add an effect, and no need to render
Efficient Trimming Tools
Unjoin cuts, associated cuts, or multiple non-adjacent cuts for complex trims with minimal edit operations.
Ripple
Roll
Slip and Slide
Remove and Delete
Asymmetric, multi-track trimming
Dynamic trimming during playback
JKL trimming
Trim window
Timeline trimming
Keyboard and numeric moving and trimming
Close Gap
Single click drag and trim -- no separate tool required
Drag in Black
Auto Unjoin
Ripple
Roll
Slip and Slide
Remove and Delete
Asymmetric, multi-track trimming
Dynamic trimming during playback
JKL trimming
Trim window
Timeline trimming
Keyboard and numeric moving and trimming
Close Gap
Single click drag and trim -- no separate tool required
Drag in Black
Auto Unjoin
Much More than 100+ Video and FX Tracks
Lightworks supports a virtually unlimited amount of video and effects tracks.
Fast Editing
Lightworks is designed to work with about 33% fewer keystrokes than common.
Flexible User Interface
Lay out your viewers, bins, and other tools exactly where you want them, and Lightworks will remember the tool positions.
Hardware-Accurate Vectorscopes & Waveform Monitors
Checking your video for color and luminance levels often requires expensive external equipment. Lightworks includes real-time, hardware-accurate vectorscopes and waveform monitors to assist you.
Quick Transitions
A Quick Transitions menu gives you fast access to the most common transitions and wipes. You won't have to open an entire effects window for a simple dissolve.
Auto-Sync
You trim some video but forget to trim the associated audio, and now your timeline is out of sync. But with one click of the 'AutoSync' button, your timeline snaps back into sync.
Cues
Adding Cue points to clips and edits is a useful way to mark up your media or collaborate with other users. You can export Cue lists to help locate points of reference in the future.
Real-Time BITC Overlay
Output timecode and any combination of shot labels such as clip name, comments or other metadata in real-time, with no pre-rendering required. This is ideal if you're making viewing copies and you need to reference the original material.
Real-Time Letterboxing
Mask your entire edit with a letterbox in real-time. No rendering is required and the letterbox is fully adjustable on the fly.
Re-Link to Hi-Res Media
Work online or offline and always be able to re-link to hi-res media for a bandwidth-saving workflow.
Project Archive
Lightworks can archive entire projects or elements of a project -- picture alone or picture and sound. Lightworks Archives are a great way to backup your entire project in a safe and secure way.
Flexible Search Capabilities
Search for individual clips or groups of clips such as Bins, Racks or Edits. All metadata is fully searchable, and the search results can be turned into bins or edits with a single click.
Search for References
Search for elements within a bin or an edit. Create a search result that can be displayed as a new bin or a new edit. With a new edit, clips that match the search criteria can be left in place, providing a fast export method for editors and assistants.
AutoSave
Lightworks automatically saves and re-saves your project as you work.
Automatic Edit Backups
Lightworks incrementally backs up each and every edit. You decide how often to back up and how many versions to keep, ensuring you can always step back to a previous version if you need to.
Custom Bin Views (Save View)
View and organize metadata how you want to. Finding the right information can be time consuming, so Lightworks allows you to organize your bin views to display only the content that is relevant to you. You can then save this view and apply it to every other bin, or define the views for each bin individually.
Stereoscopic Effects
Lightworks has full support for Stereoscopic workflows, all the way from import, to edit, effects, and export. With its powerful multi-core media engine, Lightworks handles the complexities of keeping left and right eye media in sync and deals with effects and transitions seamlessly.
Real-Time GPU Accelerated Color Corrector
Adjust, replace or stylize your edit with primary and multiple secondary color correctors. Lightworks uses your GPU to provide potentially unlimited layers of real-time correction with a flexible toolset.
Node Based Effects Compositing
Layer and re-route effects, or build complex compositions using Lightworks' node-based effects composition and video routing tool. Turn individual effects on and off, and add new effects into the chain with ease.
Fold and Unfold Effects
Adding multiple effects can be difficult to manage, so Lightworks provides the ability to 'unfold' effects onto their own FX track. Each effect can be trimmed or moved like a regular clip. Fold effects back to tidy up the timeline view and provide a clutter free interface.
Real-Time Blurs
Blurs are often difficult to process. But GPU effects architecture of Lightworks enables easily adding blurs and adjusting them in real-time, with no rendering required for playback.
Real-Time Chroma Key
Key out blue screen or green screen easily with the Lightworks real-time chroma key effect.
Real-Time Titling
Lightworks provides a real-time titling tool that lets you preview fonts in real-time, with face colors, gradients, typewriter effects, and fades. All parameters are keyframeable for complete control over title animations.
Masks and Mattes
Create multi-point masks or use images with alpha channels. Alongside other effects, masks and mattes provide a powerful way to control a specific area of an image.
User Effects Templates
Save all your custom effects settings for future use. You can also share your effects templates with other users in the Lightworks Community. Using the open FX specification, you can also create new effects that can be added to Lightworks in real-time.
Audio
Real-time Pre and Post Audio waveform display
Analog-style multi-track audio scrubbing
Subframe-accurate audio keyframing
Real-time audio adjustments during playback resulting in adjustable keyframes
Clip and Track Gain controls
OMF audio export with pan and volume levels
Real-time, software-based audio normalization on import
On-screen multi-track mixing console
Multiple mix Bus routing
External Mackie control surface support (MCU Protocol)
Real time fader automation Real-time audio filters and effects
Parametric EQ
Mixed bit-rates and samples on timeline
Audio level meters per track
Pan controls
Mute and solo controls
Direct to timeline voiceover recording
Analog-style multi-track audio scrubbing
Subframe-accurate audio keyframing
Real-time audio adjustments during playback resulting in adjustable keyframes
Clip and Track Gain controls
OMF audio export with pan and volume levels
Real-time, software-based audio normalization on import
On-screen multi-track mixing console
Multiple mix Bus routing
External Mackie control surface support (MCU Protocol)
Real time fader automation Real-time audio filters and effects
Parametric EQ
Mixed bit-rates and samples on timeline
Audio level meters per track
Pan controls
Mute and solo controls
Direct to timeline voiceover recording
Real-Time Audio Waveform Display
See your waveforms on the timeline with fast real-time display and the ability to view pre and post levels. No hanging around while the timeline re-draws.
Analog Style Multi-Track Audio Scrubbing
Analog-style scrubbing enables you to hear real audio at the speed you scrub.
Subframe-Accurate Audio Keyframing
Unlike video, audio is not defined by frame boundaries. Lightworks lets you adjust audio levels or add keyrames within a frame of video, providing you with much more accurate control over your audio with no penalty on performance.
Audio Mixer
Lightworks has a full multi-track mixer with Gain, Pan, Mute and Solo controls. It also includes multiple mix busses for advanced audio routing.
Clip and Track Gain
Change individual clip levels as well as entire track levels for total control over your audio mix.
Multiple Bus Routing
Advanced audio editing often requires the ability to control the overall output volume of groups of tracks. With Lightworks, you can route the output of tracks to individual busses to control the output levels in your master mix.
Real-Time Audio Performance
Regardless of the number of tracks you decide to use, Lightworks guarantees real-time performance of audio effects and playback.
Parametric EQ
Lightworks comes with a full 3-channel parametric EQ native audio effect, guaranteeing real-time performance across all tracks.
Direct to Timeline Voiceover Recording
Recording voiceovers can be difficult and often require other audio packages. With Lightworks, you can record voiceovers directly to your timeline whilst watching back your edit for perfect sync.
Real-Time Adjustments During Playback
The ability to mix audio in real-time during playback is often required to achieve the right end result. Lightworks has full level and node adjustment on any channel during playback in real-time.
Real-Time Fader Automation
Adjust nodes with fader automation in real-time, giving accurate results to your mix.
Mackie Protocol Support
Lightworks supports the Mackie communication protocol for tight integration with external Mackie mixers. This allows you to use a hardware solution for mixing audio, in conjunction with the real-time fader automation for ultimate control over your mix levels.
Real-Time Audio Normalization
Lightworks can normalize audio during import, saving you the time and effort of doing this at a later stage.
Mixed Bit Depth and Sample Support
Lightworks can handle mixed sample rates and bit depths in real-time with no conversion necessary.
Advanced Project Sharing
Combined with AutoSave, Lightworks project sharing features will keep you up to date working with your colleagues. You'll be able to see changes as they happen in real-time.
Support for Network Storage
With support for 1GB and 10GB Ethernet and Fibre Channel solutions, Lightworks is the most flexible NLE for shared storage environments.
AAF Interchange Presets with Avid, ProTools and Others
Lightworks efficiently collaborates with Avid Media Composer and ProTools. Lightworks features AAF import and export and has predefined presets to allow seamless migration of edits to and from many post systems. A fully featured AAF export toolset allows Lightworks to sit alongside any other system that supports AAF.
Lightworks Community
The Lightworks Community has editors from all over the world contributing advice, knowledge, and support. The forum contains thousands of topics about all aspects of Lightworks and the industry in general. It's a great place to start and to join in.
Industry Leading Professional Support
Lightworks is backed up by a world-class team of professional support engineers who know the product inside out. And when the engineers get stuck, a team of developers with over 100 years combined experience in Lightworks is ready to jump in.
Third Party Support
Boris RED
Boris FX
Boris Graffiti
Combustion
Adobe After Effects plug-ins
Premiere plug-ins
Eyeon Fusion
GenArts Sapphire
Boris FX
Boris Graffiti
Combustion
Adobe After Effects plug-ins
Premiere plug-ins
Eyeon Fusion
GenArts Sapphire