GoPro edit, workflow best practice, general questions

[keylay]

Hi All,

I'm still reading different posts and google search results but I wanted to ask some general questions in hopes that someone might have experience that would save me a great deal of trial and error. Thank you in advance for any suggestions or feedback you have to any of my questions below.

Goal:
Take GoPro footage and edit into a final movie to be compressed with Handbrake using H.265 presents for smallest file size with decent quality.

Requirements:
Put together several large GoPro movie files into a single clip, requires video editor application.
Color correction to increase light due to dark footage, would be great but is not a "must have."
Export from any applications used for movie editing and color correction into best file format to have compression done with handbrake.

Questions:
1. I assume its best not to compress into MP4, H264/H265 or any other compressed format from your movie editing software before having handbrake do its compression. IE don't compress things twice. Is there a general format that anyone has used to export from their movie editing software that works best not to compress things so handbrake is the only software doing compression? Davinci resolve has lots of file format export options but trying all of these to figure out what works best might take awhile. Looking for any suggestions.

2. Is there anyway to use handbrake to increase light on dark videos? I initially assumed this would require a video editing software that had color correction options but when doing some trial compression runs with handbrake on H265 presets it actually made my exports much brighter than the original. Not sure why this worked but if there is a setting in Handbrake that controls this or anyone has suggestions on other software that works well for this please suggest.

3. Any suggestions for workflow, applications, file formats, encode settings and overall process to deal with GoPro footage.

What I have:
Handbrake 1.07 (2017040900) - 64bit
Windows 10 (64bit) with i7-6700k
Video editing apps currently trying: Camtasia 9.0.5, Davinci Resolve 14, PowerDirector 15

Thanks again for any help. I will try and update if I come up with a workflow that worked.

[mduell]

1. One of the common digital intermediates, like DNxHD or ProRes would be preferred here.

2. No, that's a job for your editing suite. Any brightness shift in HB is likely due to misflagged range.

3. Without detailed knowledge of your playback environment and preferences, no suggestions for the HB side.