ReelDirector enhances iPhone 3GS video editing

Apple's iPhone 3GS introduced video recording, trimming, and sharing by adding a higher quality camera and iPhone OS 3.0. These new features introduced a simple way to edit videos, but they won't be replacing iMovie on the Mac--the phone's video-editing capabilities are far too simple, since all you can do is simple trimming and no special effects.

ReelDirector (iTunes link), a new app for the iPhone 3GS by Nexvio, attempts to fill out the iPhone's video editing toolbox by adding advanced video editing features. It sells for $7.99, works best with iPhone OS 3.1, and is the first app of its type that we've seen in the App Store.

ReelDirector demonstration video:

ReelDirector lets you arrange and merge recorded video clips into a scrollable timeline filmstrip. Available watermark text overlays--in four styles with up to 36 combinations--let you tell people what they're looking at while your video is playing.

Twenty-seven available transitions make switching between video segments a lot smoother than the simple abrupt trimming used by the iPhone's native software, and the app lets you add, change, or delete transitions as much as you please. The changes aren't applied to your video, which is stored as a project file, until it is created to include the transitions. This is accomplished by pressing the Create button inside of your project to generate a new version of the video. Even then, if you don't like the results, you can edit your project, make adjustments, then regenerate it--editing is nondestructive and you never harm the original video footage.

Once you've completed your video, you can share it via e-mail or save it to your iPhone Camera Roll and later sync it back to your computer.

According to Nexvio, the company is planning on adding frequently requested features in future updates. We look forward to seeing how this app evolves and recommend it for people heavily into iPhone video creation.

ReelDirector tutorial video: