Powerful Video Editor Lightworks Released as Open Source

by Lisa Hoover - Apr. 13, 2010Comments (10)

lightworks thumb

EditShare, the company behind Academy and Emmy award-winning video editing software Lightworks announced plans to release its product under an open source license. Lightworks was most recently used to edit movies like Shutter Island and Centurion, but is also credited with helping create otehr films like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Mission Impossible.

Lightworks Open Source is packed with a ton of features including 3D editorial functionality, native RED editing, native 2K support with DPX and RED, and Universal Media File support. It can also share media and work in tandem with other editing software such as Final Cut Pro and Avid.

Under development since 1989, the Lightworks project was acquired by EditShare in 2009. The company says releasing it under an open source license so it can reach its "full potential."

“EditShare has built a reputation for offering open solutions that enhance collaboration. In taking this uncharted path with Lightworks, we follow this same principle,” said James Richings, Co-Managing Director, EditShare EMEA in a prepared statement. “Lightworks Open Source offers a highly collaborative development environment based on powerful and feature-rich underlying technology, which has come from over one million hours of software development."

EditShare plans to let developers create and sell plugins, options, or I/O devices through an online market place. According to Tara Montford, EditShare's Co-Managing Director, "We are increasing our development and support staff, and all contributed code will be thoroughly managed by our distinguished Lightworks team, ensuring the reliability of the new Lightworks Open Source editor.”

Lightworks won't be officially available until Q3 of this year, but you can sign up to be notified when it's released.


lightworks



Khürt Williams uses OStatic to support Open Source, ask and answer questions and stay informed. What about you?



10 Comments
 

Another cracking heads-up!


Linux needs quality video editors (those with user friendly GUIs) badly!


I was holding out for the VLC project VideoLanMediaCreator, but it doesn't look to be in my distro's repo and I'm not confident in installing source.


0 Votes

This is huge news for the video production industry and the video hackers out there.

I think Lightworks lost out to Avid in the late nineties but the system is awesome and something that letting the FOSS community loose on will improve hugely.


THIS IS BIG - Congratulations to EditShare for making the smartest move of all time in the video production space.


0 Votes

and the license is going to be "Open source"... like in GPL, MPL, APL, or "you can look at the code but not studie it, copy it or redistribute it?


0 Votes

"Powerful Video Editor Lightworks Released as Open Source" -- and then the article says "Lightworks announced plans to release its product"... Talk about misleading and incorrect title! And the license is "Open Source"... One of the Microsoft "open source" licenses, for all we know :-p


0 Votes

well i hope this article isn't as misleading as its title i would really like to see a true open source video editor worth using


0 Votes

Watch out. All that cynicism is contagious. This is terrific news, so let's take it at face value for now. And if you don't like the terms of the license, study the source code and write your own damn editor.


0 Votes

I've edited on a Lightworks system - they're great.

IMO better than using an Avid.

Unfortunatly, they've lost out to Avid over the years.

This is smart move on EditShare's (formally Gee Broadcast) part to help make Lightworks industry leading again.


0 Votes

from EditShare:

"...

Please remember as well that the process of going Open Source is not something that happens overnight. Before passing Lightworks code over to Open Source developers, there's the massive task of preparing the software, legally and technically.

..."


Wrong, i can happen overnight. Legally what? Is this project open source or not?!? Technically you have a bunch of programmer working on this software to clean it up etc... but the open source community can work for you. I don't get it. You are using FFMPEG, QT, all this would be a piece of cake to port to linux...


They say that near middle of 2011 they will release the code... let's see and wait.


0 Votes

To all you naysayers, just because the way the license seems dosen't make it open source doesn't mean it isn't.....and to the one who said they could make it happen over night did you forget or not know the software development process? to make the software in the first place as it was you have to add in all the activation stuff, well now they have to go and remove all that plus solve any existing bugs in it if they can themselves so stop complaining and give them time!


0 Votes

To all you naysayers, just because the way the license seems dosen't make it open source doesn't mean it isn't.....and to the one who said they could make it happen over night did you forget or not know the software development process? to make the software in the first place as it was you have to add in all the activation stuff, well now they have to go and remove all that plus solve any existing bugs in it if they can themselves so stop complaining and give them time!


0 Votes
Share Your Comments

If you are a member, to have your comment attributed to you. If you are not yet a member, Join OStatic and help the Open Source community by sharing your thoughts, answering user questions and providing reviews and alternatives for projects.


Promote Open Source Knowledge by sharing your thoughts, listing Alternatives and Answering Questions!