So you’ve got your footage, now what?
Video editing is a very nuanced skill that requires hours of practice to become good at it. And when you’ve done a good job, your work will hardly be noticed!
That’s a good thing because your viewers will be fully immersed in the video and unaware of the hours of editing it took to get there. So read on to learn some helpful video editing tips that should improve your results and the flow of your work.
Table of Contents
1. Use a Powerful Computer
It doesn’t matter whether you’re working on Mac or PC here. Either will do just fine, as long as it is powerful enough. You’ll need a computer with a lot of processing power to make the editing job run smoothly and fast.
Choose an SSD hard drive for faster storage, and increase your computer’s RAM to at least 8 GB. A more powerful video card and processor will allow you to load faster, speed up rendering, and improve export times.
2. Choose the Right Software
There are lots of software options out there, so choose one that works for you. Consider aspects like user interface, features, and customizable options. With some research, you can easily find a good video editing software just like iMovie for Windows.
Choosing one that makes your workflow easier is the way to go.
3. Edit Out Mistakes
You’ll be the hero of the project if you can make the talent’s mistakes go away with your post-production magic. One good way to edit out mistakes is to cut to a different angle of the same footage or footage from a different take at the same point in the scene. This will provide continuity for the viewer and keep things moving along.
4. Stabilize Shaky Footage
If your video was shot with a handheld camera, it will almost certainly look shaky during playback. For the sake of the viewer, stabilize it! There are tons of stabilizing apps out there to cut back on shaky footage.
If you are using a decent software package, it should have a stabilizer feature built-in already. Stabilizing footage will add a smoothness and professional-quality touch to your end video.
5. Make Tight Cuts
Videos that feature a lot of speaking will benefit from an editor who makes tight cuts. This means to cut out unnecessary pauses using well-timed cutaways to close gaps in dialogue. You can even remove dialogue altogether to more succinctly get to the point.
You’ll probably be shooting for a specific run time, so here is where you can narrow down your focus and cut unnecessary or awkward footage. x
6. Add Text and Graphics
Your video may benefit from text and graphics to add additional information or introductory titles. You may want to add the name of a new speaker when they appear on the screen or add subtitle to videos. You’ll want to create a pleasant title sequence and give credits at the end using text and your logo as well.
7. Give Your Edits Room to Breathe
Working on the same project for an extended period of time can make editors desensitized to the footage and information. Take a break after a while and come back with a fresh perspective. This will help you keep the audience’s viewpoint in mind and make edits that will be powerful and impactful.
Video Editing Tips at a Glance
These helpful video editing tips should get you moving in the right direction and will help your video look good at the end. Different styles of video will require different skills in editing, but these cross genres and styles. Like anything worth doing, video editing takes practice!
If you found this article helpful, check out our how-to section for more useful guides!
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