Editing a video is as important as shooting it professionally. A well-shot video may lose its appeal and fail to engage audiences if it is not edited strategically. During editing phase, the creative quotient and technical know-how of the artist is tested. Even if you are a beginner in this field, let not the prospect of editing a video as per market standards discourage you. Proven video editing tips discussed below would improve your productivity and deliver ability.
Techniques that render the video editing process more productive
The tips discussed below would familiarize you with ways to optimize on your time and complete the video edits more proficiently for compelling results.
Select the Best Video Editor Framework
Video editing process can be expedited if you are equipped with right software containing extensive feature sets with which you are comfortable working. The user interface and tool set must complement your working style and conducive to quick and convincing edits. Costly software preferred by others may not work for you.
Before deciding on particular software, you can try the freely available Lite version to understand if you are convenient working with it. Major video editing software include Autodesk Smoke, After Effects, Sony Vegas, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Lightworks, Final Cut Pro and Avid Media Composer.
Select a Workstation With Higher Processing Power
Irrespective of your preference for PC or Mac, the workstation must have higher RAM for facilitating faster real-time edits, huge hard disk storage to keep large sized video files, and significant processing power. This would make the rendering and edit previewing processes faster.
The storage drive that you are investing in must have optimum reading speed to ensure that data is exchanged between software and computer at lightning fast pace. The time needed to render edits, load and export them would also be significantly curtailed. 8GB of temporary memory or RAM is a compulsion for handling professional video edits at a commercial level. Processor power can be boosted with adequate video cards.
Creatively Weave A Compelling Storyline
Your professional editing skills would go in vain if the video fails to capture the attention of intended audiences. The editing process offers you the creative gateway to narrate a story in immersive manner.
To accomplish this:
· Prune away footage sections that you deem irrelevant
· Correct the sequence of the playable clips in coherent manner
· Enhance the aesthetic quotient of the video
· Embed the dramatic factor that motivates audience to relate with the video
· Ensure that the atmospherics are proper for eliciting correct emotions
· Convey the underlying message in emphatic manner
· Refrain from using cookie-cutter video effects commonly available
· Innovate and build upon your technical knowledge
· Develop and adhere to a fixed storyboard
· Improve the idea flow by making needful changes to scene transitions and effects
Be Systematic and Organize Your Work
The best way to add the cutting-edge to your video editing solution is to stick to a workflow that can make you organized and more efficient. All project related files must be stored in a designated folder for ease of access and reuse. Have multiple sub-folders to categorize video elements like footage, audio, pictures, graphics, project files etc.
Invest in an external hard disk for storing raw as well as finished video footage. This would render your computer more productive by freeing up space and expediting information processing. Transferring large files to external disk can take up significant time. To avoid this, use disks that are compatible with Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 port. Using a gaming mouse would help you assign different functions to various buttons that would fast-track editing. RAM can also be allocated more for editing and lesser for other customary background processes.
Take Advantage of Various Shortcuts to Expedite Editing
Talking of shortcuts, the first thing that strikes you is the various key combinations which can save mouse clicks and can pull off regular tasks relatively faster. All popular editing software allows customizing and using of keyboard shortcuts to make your workflow productive. Try to go through various shortcut options available and memorize them to be more efficient in your work.
You can also invest on an editing keyboard which would have various shortcut options printed over the keys. Else, you may go for removable editing keyboard cover. The keyboard would be compatible with your video editing software as they manufactured in bespoke manner to complement various software.
Become Familiar With Common Editing Parlance
Video editing is a sophisticated and highly specialized field. To excel in this, you need to master the terms that are commonly used by video editors and clients. If you are not familiar with the common terms in circulation, you can have a hard time communicating your views. Research about the terms intensively as soon as you embark on the first project.
Edit the Color element of the Video
The eclectic color correction options once available exclusively for static images are now available for videos too. Color is an important factor of the finished video that must be effectively handled for setting the spotlight on main subjects, calling forth relevant emotions, and setting the atmospherics in sync with scene’s prevailing mood.
Color correction ensures that the visual appeal of the scene is consistent with the theme. Color grading bestows a unique feel to your film and heighten the realistic quotient of the clips. You can add weight age to make them stand out by varying colors like monochrome is suitable for highlighting the vintage aspects of movie.
Choose Complementing Audio To Enhance Video’s Appeal
For a video to be successful with targeted audiences, only stellar visuals are not enough. You need to evoke the required emotions in audiences by using relevant audio tracks and musical compositions. Important moments can be made more dramatic with instrumental additions that subliminally would inspire the viewers to relate with the video. Atmospheric music or optimistic songs can complement the video’s theme perfectly.
Instead of amateurishly handling the audio section, it would be wise to have an expert hand help you out. You need to be cautious about using copyrighted music as you may run into legal hassles. Search the sites of music providers that offer royalty free access to tracks and use them safely. If you are willing to spend a few bucks, you can lay hands on high quality music. Most professional projects have budgetary allocation for music purchases.
Insert Additional Textual Content and Graphics For Immersive Feel
Apart from the text that appears at the end or start of the video, you can add more textual matter as the video progresses to highlight sections or clarify points to audiences. The text must not be stylish or too ornate to divert the attention of the viewers from the video. You may consider using fonts like times new roman or sans-serif in crisp and clean manner. The text must seamlessly float in and out to maintain the scene’s tempo.
You can use Photoshop or other software for creating and editing attractive graphics design. For creation of motion graphics, After Effects by Adobe is a preferred by most artists. If you are out of time and cannot learn the tricks on your own, you can use graphics templates readily available on purpose built sites.
Save Finished Video in Online Marketable Mode
As a beginner, your craze for ultra-high definition movies would influence your decision to save your finished work in optimum resolution. But this would not be a wise decision considering the fact that most professional videos are meant to be deployed online for marketing purposes. This implies that your videos must be exported in web friendly, compact and superior quality formats. The file should not be bulky enough to hinder fast uploading, streaming and online viewing processes. If you can’t decide on the optimum settings for exporting the file, you can use the ready made settings offered by YouTube and other similar video publishing portals.
By now, you must have acquainted yourself with the essentials for becoming a successful name in the video editing industry. Keep learning and honing your editing skills to experience success consistently.
Techniques that render the video editing process more productive
The tips discussed below would familiarize you with ways to optimize on your time and complete the video edits more proficiently for compelling results.
Select the Best Video Editor Framework
Video editing process can be expedited if you are equipped with right software containing extensive feature sets with which you are comfortable working. The user interface and tool set must complement your working style and conducive to quick and convincing edits. Costly software preferred by others may not work for you.
Before deciding on particular software, you can try the freely available Lite version to understand if you are convenient working with it. Major video editing software include Autodesk Smoke, After Effects, Sony Vegas, Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Lightworks, Final Cut Pro and Avid Media Composer.
Select a Workstation With Higher Processing Power
Irrespective of your preference for PC or Mac, the workstation must have higher RAM for facilitating faster real-time edits, huge hard disk storage to keep large sized video files, and significant processing power. This would make the rendering and edit previewing processes faster.
The storage drive that you are investing in must have optimum reading speed to ensure that data is exchanged between software and computer at lightning fast pace. The time needed to render edits, load and export them would also be significantly curtailed. 8GB of temporary memory or RAM is a compulsion for handling professional video edits at a commercial level. Processor power can be boosted with adequate video cards.
Creatively Weave A Compelling Storyline
Your professional editing skills would go in vain if the video fails to capture the attention of intended audiences. The editing process offers you the creative gateway to narrate a story in immersive manner.
To accomplish this:
· Prune away footage sections that you deem irrelevant
· Correct the sequence of the playable clips in coherent manner
· Enhance the aesthetic quotient of the video
· Embed the dramatic factor that motivates audience to relate with the video
· Ensure that the atmospherics are proper for eliciting correct emotions
· Convey the underlying message in emphatic manner
· Refrain from using cookie-cutter video effects commonly available
· Innovate and build upon your technical knowledge
· Develop and adhere to a fixed storyboard
· Improve the idea flow by making needful changes to scene transitions and effects
Be Systematic and Organize Your Work
The best way to add the cutting-edge to your video editing solution is to stick to a workflow that can make you organized and more efficient. All project related files must be stored in a designated folder for ease of access and reuse. Have multiple sub-folders to categorize video elements like footage, audio, pictures, graphics, project files etc.
Invest in an external hard disk for storing raw as well as finished video footage. This would render your computer more productive by freeing up space and expediting information processing. Transferring large files to external disk can take up significant time. To avoid this, use disks that are compatible with Thunderbolt or USB 3.0 port. Using a gaming mouse would help you assign different functions to various buttons that would fast-track editing. RAM can also be allocated more for editing and lesser for other customary background processes.
Take Advantage of Various Shortcuts to Expedite Editing
Talking of shortcuts, the first thing that strikes you is the various key combinations which can save mouse clicks and can pull off regular tasks relatively faster. All popular editing software allows customizing and using of keyboard shortcuts to make your workflow productive. Try to go through various shortcut options available and memorize them to be more efficient in your work.
You can also invest on an editing keyboard which would have various shortcut options printed over the keys. Else, you may go for removable editing keyboard cover. The keyboard would be compatible with your video editing software as they manufactured in bespoke manner to complement various software.
Become Familiar With Common Editing Parlance
Video editing is a sophisticated and highly specialized field. To excel in this, you need to master the terms that are commonly used by video editors and clients. If you are not familiar with the common terms in circulation, you can have a hard time communicating your views. Research about the terms intensively as soon as you embark on the first project.
- Some fundamental terms include:
- J Cut: Audio would be followed by video
- L Cut: Video would be followed by audio
- Jump Cut: Trimming those parts of the video which are distraction or can be predicted; solely done to sustain the interest of audiences
- Montage: Clip sequencing to indicate flow of time; done to build ground for a new character or for transformation of theme
- Cutaways: Inserting transitional clips or themes that don’t pertain to the video’s primary subject; done to give the audiences a feel of the environment that encompasses the characters, or enhance the climactic tension, or for setting the mood for a particular scene
- Match Action or Match Cut: 2 visually related scenes within the video are cut together
- Cutting on Action: Adding fluidity and interest to the scene by cutting during movement of the subject and not after the movement is completed
- The list of lingos and jargons does not end with the above. There is exhaustive array of such terms, so it would be prudent to take time out for learning them
Edit the Color element of the Video
The eclectic color correction options once available exclusively for static images are now available for videos too. Color is an important factor of the finished video that must be effectively handled for setting the spotlight on main subjects, calling forth relevant emotions, and setting the atmospherics in sync with scene’s prevailing mood.
Color correction ensures that the visual appeal of the scene is consistent with the theme. Color grading bestows a unique feel to your film and heighten the realistic quotient of the clips. You can add weight age to make them stand out by varying colors like monochrome is suitable for highlighting the vintage aspects of movie.
Choose Complementing Audio To Enhance Video’s Appeal
For a video to be successful with targeted audiences, only stellar visuals are not enough. You need to evoke the required emotions in audiences by using relevant audio tracks and musical compositions. Important moments can be made more dramatic with instrumental additions that subliminally would inspire the viewers to relate with the video. Atmospheric music or optimistic songs can complement the video’s theme perfectly.
Instead of amateurishly handling the audio section, it would be wise to have an expert hand help you out. You need to be cautious about using copyrighted music as you may run into legal hassles. Search the sites of music providers that offer royalty free access to tracks and use them safely. If you are willing to spend a few bucks, you can lay hands on high quality music. Most professional projects have budgetary allocation for music purchases.
Insert Additional Textual Content and Graphics For Immersive Feel
Apart from the text that appears at the end or start of the video, you can add more textual matter as the video progresses to highlight sections or clarify points to audiences. The text must not be stylish or too ornate to divert the attention of the viewers from the video. You may consider using fonts like times new roman or sans-serif in crisp and clean manner. The text must seamlessly float in and out to maintain the scene’s tempo.
You can use Photoshop or other software for creating and editing attractive graphics design. For creation of motion graphics, After Effects by Adobe is a preferred by most artists. If you are out of time and cannot learn the tricks on your own, you can use graphics templates readily available on purpose built sites.
Save Finished Video in Online Marketable Mode
As a beginner, your craze for ultra-high definition movies would influence your decision to save your finished work in optimum resolution. But this would not be a wise decision considering the fact that most professional videos are meant to be deployed online for marketing purposes. This implies that your videos must be exported in web friendly, compact and superior quality formats. The file should not be bulky enough to hinder fast uploading, streaming and online viewing processes. If you can’t decide on the optimum settings for exporting the file, you can use the ready made settings offered by YouTube and other similar video publishing portals.
By now, you must have acquainted yourself with the essentials for becoming a successful name in the video editing industry. Keep learning and honing your editing skills to experience success consistently.