Basic video editing, color correction after capture?

[BOBcat76]

I have converted my 8mm analogue home movies to digital files by year and separated them under 2 topics like "family" and "annual golf with friends"

I'm thinking my next step is to try and enhance bad lighting/adjust color cut out unnecessary frames. Am I correct that this is such basic editing? I should seek the "most friendly"/ possibly free software. Do you have a recommendation for easiest to use?

DaVinci tutorials are intimidating on first viewing.

I'm assuming, just like any document, any of my new files I edit, get saved as a post edit/new name and nothing happens to the original, yes?

-- merged --

What I could have included was my problem of the most basic step of getting 2 related clips into the editing window prior to editing. It seems having a better filing system so I can drag and drop clips from just one file, I can then combine them to edit. Is there an "editing" term for this simple act of copy pasting before editing actually begins? "Opening 2 or more clips"?

[lordsmurf]

Adjusting color seems simple, but it's really not. It's both science and art.

There's several great options, such as:
- basic VirtualDub (with Colormill plugin)
- somewhat complex Avisynth scripting
- the DaVinci pseudo-NLE
- and quite a few others, both suggested software, and lousy software -- so be careful!

All of them require a learning curve, but can do what you want. For color correction, I really don't think any of them is easier than the others.

Most video/NLE software requires an export to get a new clip. Merely "saving" the project saves the timeline information, not a new video. I'm not sure if that's what you're asking here?

As far as the "getting 2 clips" issue, it sounds like you want something with a timeline, to add multiple clips, and adjust each independently?