Free(ish) After Effects alternative

Cornucopiist

My kids have been shooting stop motion movies and putting them together in the built-in Windows video editor (if like 99% of Windows users you've never heard of it, it's part of the Photos app!)
But they're running into its limitations already.
I'd like to get them started on a real video editor. The 10yo is working with Audacity for his sound, so ignoring button overload is not a problem. I'd even try him on After Effects if I had a license.
I'm also in need of some serious video editing myself; so my question is: what freeware video editing tool is out there that is used in the industry at AE level?
I've seen some tools out there that are both free and a complete set, but the interfaces are different enough to worry about porting over skills...
Something that does only cutting is welcome, but I'd prefer something with good layering and effects capacity.
If you feel any tool has a reasonable price point please recommend as well!

Many thanks!

mts

Davinci ?

Cornucopiist

I got a loooot of feedback from a facebook group I posted the same question. These guys are into stop motion animation, so they do know their stuff. Pretty much all of them said Davinci Resolve (unknown to me beforehand) so that's what I went with.
Installed in on my GFs laptop for the kids, and now installing it on my own PC so I can try editing my game demos.