When it comes to content creation today, competition is thick.
Having a well-told story that’s brilliantly scripted and well thought out isn’t enough when it comes to great content. Your video needs to look as good and as professional as possible if you’re going to get past our increasingly short attention spans.
That’s where editing comes into play.
While it often gets a bad rap as a tedious, slow process, it can actually be a lot of fun and provide great insight into how and where your content can improve. With these 6 tips below, your editing skills will go from amateur to pro in no time!
6 Tips to Edit Videos like a Professional
1. Planning is essential
As obvious as it may sound, planning is incredibly important when it comes to editing.
A lack of planning can not only cause you to take longer than you ordinarily would but it can have an effect on the ook of your video as well. When you take the time to plan your video you ensure that the quality of the footage matches the quality of your edit.
During your planning phase, ask yourself about what you’re wanting to show, achieve or communicate with the video and in each shot. Everything should mean something and build towards the sum of what you’re trying to achieve with your video.
Since any good video is about telling a story, planning is massively important. How can you tell a story without knowing the beginning, middle, and end? Making use of scripts and creating a storyboard will help direct your videos and subsequently, inform your edits.
2. Choose relevant software
One of the most important steps in leveling up your editing skills is making sure to choose the right software for you.
Most paid-for options will offer everything you need to perform standard video edits, but you may prefer one over others for their usability, interface, or features. The more comfortable you get with your editing process the more advanced and niche tools you’ll want your software to have.
After Effects, Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve are some of the most widely known and used video editing software out there.
The key is to choose what works for you and your editing style instead of just the latest, most advanced video editing program out there.
3. Perfect your audio skills
Your audio quality is actually just as important than your professional video quality.
Most people are willing to watch a video that’s not shot in HD or that’s even a little grainy, as long as the quality of the content is good. Scratchy, static filled, indistinguishable audio on the other hand, is enough to make anybody hit the “back” button within a few seconds of starting to play a video.
Because audio matters so much, a good microphone is the first piece of equipment you should invest in. Get the best one you can afford. Once you’ve got that sorted, focus on your actual sound recording.
- Capture clear audio by putting your microphone as close to the subject as possible
- Use a pop filter to eliminate blips and crackles on the finished recording
- Be aware of any background noise that your microphone might be picking up
Once you’ve sorted that, it’s easy to tune out things like traffic, birds, and even the noise of the wind and have you left with nothing but crisp, clear audio.
4. Use the right light
Lighting can make a major difference in the quality of video, so it’s important to make it one of your top priorities. If you don’t use the correct lighting, your video will look amateurish, no matter how good the rest of it is.
Generally speaking, sunlight is one of the best light sources for video if you’re going to be filming in natural light. If you are, try and get your footage in the morning or evening, when the light is softer.
Unfortunately, relying on the weather isn’t always possible so you’ll have to be fairly versatile with your lighting. And knowing a little can go a long way when it comes to getting your lighting right. The image below may help you understand a basic lighting setup.
Rest assured, as long as you know the basics, you’ll be able to up the quality of your video by leaps and bounds.
5. Color correction is key
Color is an incredibly important component when it comes to video and video editing. Color can be manipulated to highlight or focus on certain subjects, make an audience feel specific emotions or set the mood or atmosphere of your scene.
When it comes to editing with color in mind during your videos, there are two areas to focus on: color correction and color grading. Color correction involves making sure that the colors of your footage are consistent in each scene. Color grading on the other hand has to do with giving your film a specific look.
Both are essential when you want your scenes to look as realistic as possible as well as to help to differentiate certain scenes from others.
6. Captions are an attraction
An often underestimated aspect of video editing and production are captions or subtitles.
While it’s easy to assume captions are directed only at the hard of hearing, studies show that 80% of viewers who used captions aren’t hearing impaired. This is because many in the US speak English as a second language and who rely on captions and subtitles to enhance their understanding.
According to Verizon Media, 80% of U.S consumers are more likely to watch an entire video when captions are available. In addition, Facebook has shared that as much as 85% of video views are viewed without sound on their websites.
If it sounds like a difficult and tedious process, don’t worry, in today’s world there are some great programs that will help convert a video to text online.
To put it bluntly, there’s really no downsides when it comes to including captions. In fact, captions offer nothing but positive effects on both your video and your audience.
Final Thoughts
WIth content creation and video content gaining more and more traction every year, it’s essential that you can tell your contents’ story the way you want to.
If you’ve got an idea or concept you believe in, you’ll want to do it justice and editing can be a great way to do so. As much as you’d probably like to outsource it to some “guy in a chair” , it’s okay to not be there just yet. Yet.
Luckily, this guide is here for you.
Using these 6 tips to edit videos like a professional will have you doing just that. No guy in the chair is required.
Digital Web Services (DWS) is a leading IT company specializing in Software Development, Web Application Development, Website Designing, and Digital Marketing. Here are providing all kinds of services and solutions for the digital transformation of any business and website.
