opinion

Low-Cost Content Editing Tools to Get Ahead

Low-Cost Content Editing Tools to Get Ahead

The year is 1985. The movie is “Rocky IV.” A lot of you are too young to remember this cinematic masterpiece, but that’s why you have an old guy like me to highlight a relevant sequence. In the movie, now-retired fighter Rocky Balboa is about to get some kick-ass revenge on Ivan Drago, the guy that killed his bestie, Apollo Creed, in a boxing match. To say the fight is a mismatch would be an understatement, and the fighters’ training leading up is mismatched as well.

Drago has the most advanced equipment around, with a team of scientists at his disposal. Rocky has … snow, a giant log and bigass stones. In a nutshell, it’s crap that he found around his house. He then trains like mad, just using whatever he finds at hand, and his good ol’ ingenuity and revenge-fueled passion. And guess who wins? You already know: Rocky!

Sometimes you don’t have to have the fanciest things to get really good results. This includes computer programs to make your content and pages look better.

Herein lies the point of this article: Sometimes you don’t have to have the fanciest things to get really good results. This includes computer programs to make your content and pages look better. For instance, why lament the cost of Adobe products — which are objectively expensive — when there are free options that can get you some great results? Let me break this down into three categories: audio, video and pictures.

AUDIO EDITING

For all those people out there recording ASMR, “mesmerize” and other sound-based content, you may try to get by with something found on your phone. Then, when you want to take it to that next level, you may look at a program like Adobe Audition. But with a current price of $20.99 per month, maybe you don’t want to drop that money.

That’s right, Drago, we have a solution and it’s free! There’s a program called Audacity, and it’s excellent. I’ve personally used Audacity for years, and many pro audio people really enjoy this free multitrack recorder. Bonus: one of the best parts about free programs is that you can easily go to YouTube and find all sorts of tutorials on how to use them, from basics to the most advanced stuff.

VIDEO EDITING

It really does sound like I’m picking on Adobe, considering the fact that I have the full suite of products and use them regularly. That’s not the goal of this article. Real talk: early on in my career, I would use whatever free program I could get my hands on to save money.

The free software market has actually started to rival that of the more high-end software. In the video editing realm, the free version of DaVinci Resolve 17 has all the bells and whistles needed to produce quality video content. This program is probably overkill for regular quick tasks, though, and free programs like OpenShot are more than enough to get you the results you need.

IMAGE EDITING

When it comes to editing pictures, there are lots of options available. If you want a really good free alternative, though, one only needs to look at GIMP. GIMP is short for GNU Image Manipulation. This program has been around as long as I’ve been in the adult industry, and I’ve used it on and off for years when I needed to do some quick edits and didn’t have Photoshop.

The biggest takeaway from all this blathering is simple: sometimes you have to go free, but that doesn’t mean your work has to suffer. In fact, using these programs can make it easier to transition into paid programs. You go through a mandatory sort of training camp on your own when you learn how to video edit, enhance photos and manipulate audio with these tools. Most programs operate under the same basic principles, and the learning curve becomes that much easier when you’ve done the hard work using free tools.

In short, what I’m saying is that if you drag a log up a hill in the snow, you’re gonna get strong AF — and then, well, the sky’s the limit!

Andrew D. is the support manager for Loyalfans, an all-inclusive fan club platform. Find him on Twitter @andrewloyalfans and contact social@loyalfans.com for promo opportunities. Loyalfans can be followed @realloyalfans on both Twitter and Instagram.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

profile

WIA Profile: Paulita Pappel

Raised in Spain, surrounded by a predominantly Catholic community, Paulita Pappel grew up being told porn was bad. When she became a feminist, she was told her fascination with porn was not in line with her desire to empower women. This inner conflict made her feel like there was something wrong with her.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Complying With New Age Assurance and Content Moderation Standards

For adult companies operating in today’s increasingly regulated digital landscape, maintaining compliance with card brand requirements is essential — not only to safeguard your operations but also to ensure a safe and transparent environment for users.

Gavin Worrall ·
opinion

Understanding the FTC's New 'Click to Cancel' Rule

The Federal Trade Commission’s new “Click to Cancel” rule has been a hot topic in consumer protection and business regulation. Part of a broader effort to streamline cancellation processes for subscription services, the rule has sparked significant debate and legal challenges.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Key Factors for Choosing a Merchant Services Partner

Running a successful adult business requires more than just delivering alluring and cutting-edge products and services. Securing the right payment processing partner is essential to maintaining a steady revenue stream.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Identifying and Preventing Transaction Laundering

Recently, a few merchants approached me after receiving compliance notifications from their acquirer about transaction laundering. They were unsure what it meant, and unsure how to identify and fix the problem.

Cathy Beardsley ·
profile

WIA: Alexis Fawx Levels Up as Multifaceted Entrepreneur

As more performers look to diversify, expanding their range of revenue streams and promotional vehicles, some are spreading their entrepreneurial wings to create new businesses — including Alexis Fawx.

Women In Adult ·
opinion

Navigating Age-Related Regulations in Europe

Age verification measures are rapidly gaining momentum across Europe, with regulators stepping up efforts to protect children online. Recently, the U.K.’s communications regulator, Ofcom, updated its timeline for implementing the Online Safety Act, while France’s ARCOM has released technical guidance detailing age verification standards.

Gavin Worrall ·
opinion

Why Cyber Insurance Is Crucial for Adult Businesses

From streaming services and interactive platforms to ecommerce and virtual reality experiences, the adult industry has long stood at the forefront of online innovation. However, the same technology-forward approach that has enabled adult businesses to deliver unique and personalized content to consumers worldwide also exposes them to myriad risks.

Corey D. Silverstein ·
opinion

Best Practices for Payment Gateway Security

Securing digital payment transactions is critical for all businesses, but especially those in high-risk industries. Payment gateways are a core component of the digital payment ecosystem, and therefore must follow best practices to keep customer data safe.

Jonathan Corona ·
opinion

Ready for New Visa Acquirer Changes?

Next spring, Visa will roll out the U.S. version of its new Visa Acquirer Monitoring Program (VAMP), which goes into effect April 1, 2025. This follows Visa Europe, which rolled out VAMP back in June. VAMP charts a new path for acquirers to manage fraud and chargeback ratios.

Cathy Beardsley ·
Show More