Everybody enjoys watching a well edited and produced video. But have you ever wondered what goes into making a near-perfect video that stays on people’s lips and memory for days to come? Well, such a video has to have gone through several stages of productions. Video editing is the final stage that entails taking raw footage and then polishing it to make it appealing and ready for broadcasting. In other words, video editing refers to rearranging and manipulating video shots to create something new. This means that the person editing must choose the best shots, arrange them in order, add graphics, sound and special effects.
Nowadays, you can use the various computer software and digital technology available to edit pictures and sound. Some of this software include Final Cut Pro or avid and Adobe Premier Pro. Final cut is quite complex and it requires a lot of training to familiarize yourself with the many tools and options it avails to editors but Adobe Premier is a bit easier to maneuver. Editing with software is also referred to as non-linear editing system. You only need to install the software on your computer and import the raw footage that you want to edit, and then start editing to your desired quality.
However, this was not usually the case in the past because editors had to literary cut the reels of film using scissors. Other types of editing include linear video editing, offline editing, online editing, and vision mixing. Some of the projects that you may work on include commercials, TV programs, feature films and corporate videos.
Digital editing is the most popular tool of editing especially for commercial purposes. A video editor has to work under the guidance of a director so that they can actualize what the director had envisioned. However, things are much easier if the director or photographer doubled up as the video editor because they will know exactly what to shoot and how to edit. This is mostly the case when someone is making a personal video that they intend to upload on, Vimeo, YouTube, or any other similar site where people can upload videos.
In a nut shell, the work of a video editor involves the following activities:
- Receiving instructions or discussing about the project with a client or director;
- Transferring video footage/film to computer;
- Assessing the footage and making the decision on which shots to cut and which ones to keep;
- Cutting and combining shots using editing software;
- Ensuring that the shots combine together to form clear storyline even if the shots do not follow the right sequence;
- Making an assembly edit or a ‘rough cut’ out of the selected material;
- Using digital technology to enhance picture quality;
- Adding graphics, titles, sound and visual effects;
- Creating a polished version.
Nowadays, video editing skills are used widely in the corporate world because companies need to create videos and advertise online. Most companies have resorted to hiring professional video editors who can attend to video related tasks. Others prefer outsourcing the work to freelance video editors or small editing companies. This way, they stay ahead of the competition by ensuring that they have a steady flow of quality promotional videos.
Ideally, video editing is not a difficult task and it requires both skills and creativity to execute well edited and produced videos. Any business doing online marketing can benefit massively from impeccable video editing.
