Video editing has always been an interesting, creative, and growing field in the online world. However, mastering it needs patience, support, and understanding. And that’s what makes it an exciting journey for the video editors and enthusiasts. After all, it helps them to show their creativity and expression through video or visual content. Only through video editing, you can change raw video footage into exciting stories.
In this guide, we have decided to share some important steps and tips to start your career as a video editor. These steps will help you understand everything about mastering video editing no matter if you are a beginner or have some knowledge about video editing. So…let’s start your video editing adventure with the essential steps to master video editing.
Here we go!
12 Important Steps to Master Video Editing:
Let’s begin with the step-by-step procedure for mastering video editing skills:
1. Carefully Pick the Video Editing Software/Tool:
Let’s talk about the first and foremost important step: choosing the right video editing software. You must choose it according to what you like, your requirements or needs, and what is your skill level. For newbies, some software and tools are an amazing pick.
Adobe Premiere Elements is one of them. Plus, Mac users can use iMovie and we recommend Windows Movie Maker for Windows folks. It could be your starting ground. These options will not overwhelm you as they have the basics covered.
You can learn without getting lost in complicated stuff. It’s all about finding what clicks for you. So, explore these options and many others. See what feels right. This first step sets the stage. Choose wisely, and let the fun begin.
2. Importing Media Assets & Other Stuff:
Let’s move on towards the second step after selecting and getting your editing software. It’s time to bring in your goodies. You can think of it as gathering your ingredients in one place.
These are your video clips, audio tracks, and images! You can also count on the Graphics, gifs, and any other multimedia content. Now, let’s share a little tip: get them (everything) organized.
For this purpose, create folders to keep things tidy. Honestly speaking, this makes finding stuff way easier later. After all, no one likes a messy project. So, import all your bits and pieces and arrange them nicely.
3. Getting to Know Your Editing Software:
Are you ready to get into the video editing software? Awesome! Now, it is the time to have a little wander around your selected video editing software or tool. It is similar to exploring a new app on your phone.
First of all, see where all the cool buttons are. Then, explore them and use them. Also, figure out how you bring your videos and photos in (importing Media).
Check out that long strip at the bottom. That’s your timeline. So, getting comfortable with where everything is present in the software will make editing way easier later on.
4. Learning Basic Video Editing Skills and Techniques:
After getting your footage in your video editing software, it’s time to use video editing techniques and tactics. Now, let’s learn how to chop things up and move them around. You can think of it like playing with LEGOs, but with video. You can learn how to make cuts – like snipping away the parts you don’t need.
Then there is the trimming technique, which is like making a clip a little shorter or longer. And then, you can see how to drag and drop your clips on that timeline to tell your story in the right order. These simple techniques and tricks are super important to learn to master video editing.
Understand it with this example: It is similar to knowing your ABCs before writing a book. In the end, you will be surprised how much you can do with just these basics.
5. Understand and Learn Transitions and Effects:
So, you know how to cut and arrange your clips – fantastic! Now, let’s think about how one scene smoothly leads into the next. That’s where transitions come in to help you become a great video editor. Think of them as gentle handshakes between different parts of your video. Instead of jarring cuts, transitions like fades, dissolves, or wipes can make the viewing experience much more seamless, engaging, and professional.
After knowing how to do everything with transitions, try a few effects available in your editing software. Remember, these effects aren’t just about making things look fancy (though they can!). Effects can help you tell your story better. For example, you can use a blur effect to draw attention to a specific part of the screen or colour grading to set a certain mood.
So, experimenting with these tools can elevate your video and make it more captivating for your target audience. Just remember, like spices in cooking, use effects thoughtfully to enhance your story. Its purpose is not to overwhelm it.
6. Learn to Add Music and Audio Effectively:
You have learned to play with the visuals, which is great, but don’t underestimate the impact of audio. Just think about your favourite movies – the music and sound effects play a huge role in how you feel and what you understand. It is the same with your videos.
That’s why we recommend adding background music that can set the overall tone and mood. A happy and upbeat track can make your video feel energetic. On the other hand, a more mellow piece can create a sense of calm or reflection. To be honest, the key here is balance. You want the music to complement your visuals without overpowering any important dialogue or other sounds.
When you are speaking of other sounds, don’t forget about sound effects. These can punch up specific moments in your videos. For example, a door slamming shut. In this case, adding a sharp sound effect can make that action much more impactful. Or think about adding subtle ambient sounds to create a more natural experience.
So, you need to learn how to adjust the volume levels of your music, dialogue, and sound effects is super important. You need to blend everything nicely. In this way, your audience can hear what is important and feel the emotions you are trying to convey. Hence, good audio can truly take your video from good to great!
7. Learn to Add Text and Graphics:
In this step, learn how you can add extra layers of information and visual interest. That’s where text and graphics become an important part of becoming a professional video editor. For this purpose, try adding titles to your videos. It is a fantastic way to introduce your video or specific sections.
They are just like signposts that guide your viewers. Moreover, subtitles can make your video accessible to a wider audience. More importantly, it is great to do so if they have trouble hearing or are watching in a noisy environment. They also help viewers who do not speak the language in your video.
In addition to that, graphics can add a professional touch and help illustrate your points. This could be anything – from lower thirds that identify speakers to charts and diagrams that present data visually. You can also use graphics to highlight key information or simply add some visual flex to keep things engaging.
Most video editing software offers various tools for adding and customizing text and graphics. You can usually control things like font, size, colour, and animation. Plus, you can experiment with these options to find what best suits your style and message in the video.
Just remember to keep your text clear and easy to read. Also, make sure your graphics are relevant and don’t distract from the main content. Hence, text and graphics can significantly boost the clarity and impact of your storytelling when used effectively.
8. Experiment with the Pro Tools and Advanced Features:
Once you have learned the basics of video editing, get ready to indulge in advanced tools, techniques, and features! For example, you can play with colour to make your video look just right – that’s colour correction. Have you seen those cool videos with people magically appearing in different places? That’s often green screen work!
And then, you can learn keyframing to make things move exactly how you want. These more advanced features often seem tricky to learn at first. But, they can make your videos stand out and give you more creative control. So, don’t be afraid to experiment and see what amazing things you can create with the advanced features of video editing.
9. Practice Video Editing Regularly:
There is a popular saying, “Practice makes a man perfect.” And, this quote suits perfectly when it comes to mastering video editing. Seriously, the best way to get amazing at video editing is simple: keep doing it!
Don’t just edit one type of video. Try your hand at different things – maybe a short film, a vlog, or even a simple home movie. You can play around with different looks and see what you like or what your client is asking (in case you are offering services).
And most importantly, don’t be afraid to push yourself with each new project. The more you practice, the faster you will get, the more you will learn, and the more awesome your videos will become. So get out there and start video editing. Do it every day!
10. Learn from Other Inspirational People and Stuff:
Do you want to get even better in video editing skills? Then watch what the pro video editors are doing. You can check out videos from experienced editors to see their techniques and get new ideas. The internet is full of amazing tutorials and resources that can teach you all sorts of new skills, ideas, and tricks.
Just remember, becoming a great or master video editor takes time. So be kind to yourself as you learn and stay curious and keep exploring new things. Most importantly, have fun telling your stories through videos. You will create incredible videos in no time and get the most out of your creativity with passion and practice. That’s it!
11. Set Up Your Workspace:
It’s time to focus on creating your ideal video editing setup. Hmm…having a good workspace for video editing can make a huge difference. A clean and efficient setup means you can spend more time actually editing and less time searching for things. It helps you stay focused and keeps your creative juices flowing. Let’s look at the essential steps to set up your workspace or video editing studio:
Physical Space for Studio:
First things first, find a comfy nook or a whole room (if you’re lucky) for yourself. It could be outside your home or in the home (that’s preferred). Make sure the lighting is just right – not too dim, not blinding.
You will need enough desk real estate for your important video editing devices/gear. It could be your computer, laptop, maybe some extra screens, and your trusty keyboard, mouse, or that fancy editing gadget. It will be a spot where you can get lost in your creative zone without feeling cramped.
Take Care of Ergonomics:
Now, let’s keep your body happy during those lengthy editing sessions. Sometimes, video editors get so lost in their editing sessions that they even forget to eat, walk, or do anything else. That means they need a comfortable and ergonomically great studio. So, you need to think of a comfy setup.
Your chair must have the right height so you are not hunching over. Plus, your screen should be right in front of your eyes. Seriously consider a comfy chair – your back will never hurt you. And little things like a keyboard tray or a wrist rest can make a big difference in keeping those repetitive strains away. In short, treat your body like the awesome editing machine it is.
Consider Computer and Hardware Capabilities:
Now, let’s talk about the main machines and hardware demands behind your video edits. The first one is your computer. You need a machine with some serious oomph – a speedy processor, plenty of RAM (at least 16 to 32 GB RAM), and enough storage to hold all your awesome footage.
Trust me, a dedicated graphics card is very important if you want to master video editing. It will make rendering and watching your edits so much smoother and easier. If anything is not up to the mark in terms of hardware requirements for video editing, your computer system will slow down or it may crash.
Workspace Customization:
Here is a great thing about most video editing software: having your digital workshop that you can arrange just the way you like it. You can move around all those panels, windows, and tools until they feel perfectly intuitive for your flow.
Some editors even let you save different setups for different stages of your work. For example, one layout for getting your clips in order, another for video editing, and a special one just for changing colours.
Add External Monitors:
You can consider adding external monitors in your workspace. Seriously, if you can (or afford it), plug in an extra screen (or two!). Suddenly, you will have all this room to spread out your video editing world.
Just imagine seeing your whole timeline on one screen, your raw footage on another, and all your tools neatly arranged on a third. More screen space means less window juggling and more focused editing. It is a great way to master video editing quickly as it will keep your creative flow going strong.
12. Exporting Your Edited Videos
Finalizing and exporting your final video after a lot of video editing sessions involves a few steps to guarantee it reaches your audience effectively. First, selecting the right video format and resolution is essential. This decision impacts both the visual quality and how well your video plays on different devices and platforms.
So, you need to get a balance that preserves clarity while ensuring broad compatibility. Next, large video files can be cumbersome to share or upload. That’s why mastering video compression techniques helps you to reduce file size without noticeably degrading the image. This makes sharing and streaming much smoother.
Finally, your video is ready to be uploaded. For this purpose, explore the many popular video-sharing platforms and social media channels. Each platform offers unique ways to showcase your work and connect with a wider audience. So, always choose the platforms that best match your goals and objectives.
Tips & Tricks for Efficient Video Editing Workflow:
In this section, we are going to share a few rarely discussed tips and tactics that will help you get an efficient video editing workflow.
- When you are installing your favourite video editing software in your computer system, double-check that it’s the updated version of it. Otherwise, you may end up fixing unwanted bugs and software issues.
- Get your digital ducks in a row! I mean set up a neat folder system on your computer. Create separate spots for your video clips, audio goodies, images, and cool graphics. Then, name each one separately. Keeping everything tidy like this will save you a ton of headaches and precious editing time later on.
- You must calibrate your monitor to guarantee an accurate representation of colours. To get it right, use special gadgets or software to get those right colours. This means what you see is what everyone else will see. This keeps everything looking consistent, no matter where your video ends up playing.
- Always have a reliable backup system or backup storage to save your work. If, in any case, it gets destroyed or lost, you will have a backup of your work. You can have external drives you keep tucked away, the magic of cloud storage, or a network-attached storage (NAS) device. However, make it a habit to back up your projects and all those important media files regularly.
- Learn some keyboard shortcuts to level up in video editing software. It helps you do some tasks very quickly instead of a lot of clicking through the mouse or touchpad. Once they become your second nature, you will be zipping through your edits in no time.
- If you ever get that annoying stutter when editing big high-quality videos, try making “lightweight” copies of your footage called proxy files. These are lower resolutions. So, your editing software can work through them and give you smooth playback. When you are all done editing, the software magically swaps them back to your original high-res files for the final export.
Do you have any important tips in mind? Kindly share with us!
FAQs:
Why am I getting copyright issues in my edited YouTube videos?
This may be due to the use of copyrighted graphics, illustrations, or videos. To avoid legal issues, find royalty-free music, videos, graphics, and sound effects.
How long does it take to master video editing?
It depends on the person. If you practice consistently and keep learning, you will see big improvements in a few months. But to truly master all the ins and outs of video editing? That could easily take years of dedication.
What are the computer specifications for video editing?
For smooth video editing, get a strong processor like Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7. Then, have good RAM. 16GB or more is recommended. A separate graphics card is also required to boost performance. Plus, fast storage like an SSD can make a big difference too.
Can I edit videos on a smartphone or tablet?
Yes, some advanced mobile apps and tools let you edit your videos. However, you can’t edit them on your phone if they are dealing with bigger or more complex projects and pro-level editing. In this case, a computer or a laptop with special software is usually better.
Conclusion:
So, we have learned that mastering video editing is all about continuous growth. So, you can consider enrolling in specialized courses to gain structured knowledge and hands-on experience. Also, supplement this with insightful books that deal with the art and technicalities of visual storytelling.
But learning doesn’t stop there. Stay curious, explore new video editing techniques, and consistently practice your skills. Remember, the video editing skill is ever-evolving. So, have a mindset of lifelong learning to stay at the forefront of your field and take advantage of your full creative potential.
Just level up your video editing skills and never stop learning!
