Video editing is a creative career process that provides people with the ability to turn raw footage into captivating stories. Even for video amateurs, it might be rather challenging to start working directly with a video editing tool, however, it is crucial to start with the basic steps to have a good quality video that will look like it has been made by a professional.
It does not matter if you are working on YouTube videos, vlogs, social media, or even short films since the methods highlighted here will help improve your projects. Further, below are some of the recommended 15 video editing tips that can help any beginner.
1. Choose the Right Video Editing Software
Any basic video editing tasks require one to select an ideal tool to use in creating the desired work. When choosing software, for a beginner, some basic applications can be combined with the availability of some opportunities in a necessary set for a professional.
Some of the frequently used software available in the market include Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve which are suitable for basic as well as professional levels of editing. Free movie makers are also available and they include iMovie for Mac users and HitFilm Express for Windows users. For this reason, most of the platforms provide intensive learning tutorials and a community where you can learn faster.
Choosing the right software also means knowing what you will be editing with the program and what kind of hardware it is suited for.
Tips for Selecting the Right Software:
- Budget: Discount for Identify if you require a no-cost software or if you can afford a paid solution.
- Hardware Requirements: Make sure the computer that is used for the software doesn’t hinder the performance in any way.
- User Interface: Select software with structures that are easy to understand and tools that must be easily located.
- Support and Tutorials: Select a software that has good resources on the internet which may include tutorials.
2. Organize Your Footage Before Editing
When you are selecting your software, organization boils down to the primary factor to help you in an efficient editing process. Reorganization of the workplace leads to a lot of time wastage as well as frustrations.
First of all, add all your media assets video clips, audio, images, etc, and categorise them in folders if necessary. Renaming – give the appropriate name to every file and where possible use scene, angle, or shot type as file folder names. This makes it easier for one to search the footage especially when working on large projects.
Best Practices for Organizing Footage
- Create Folders: Organise clips into respective folders that include B-roll, main interview, sound fx, and music.
- Label Your Clips: This involves renaming the files that you have in your video to contain relevant information such as scene number or take.
- Back-Up Your Files: Do not forget that you need to back up all your raw footage on an external hard drive or the cloud.
3. Master Basic Editing Cuts
This editing is mostly about how different clips can be joined together to form a story. Let me list some of the basics that you must achieve if you want to create great designs immediately: One of the first is cutting. Cuts are not the same everywhere and therefore each type has its unique use. The most common types include:
- Hard Cut: A transition in which there is an instantaneous change of scenes from one video clip to the next. This is the minimum cut that is needed and requires nearly no work done by the video editor.
- Jump Cut: It’s a cut that takes out an amount of time; it cuts away the middle of an action, the boring passage.
- L-Cut: This transition is where the sound from the first clip cuts off and merges right into the second clip making it more fluid.
- J-Cut: Contrary to L-cut where the sound from the next scene plays before the actual picture begins to set the stage for the next scene/shot.
Cutting Techniques to Improve Workflow
- Trim Excess Footage: First, eliminate any unnecessary footage from the original video; this is the basis of the next step – editing. If possible, restrict the action line to one or the dialogue line to a single line.
- Cut on Motion: Use the jump cuts during the scenes of actions to bring out the continuity when changing clips.
- Use Shortcuts: There are always shortcut ways to cut and trim your software; it is wise to learn them to make work faster.
4. Use Transitions Sparingly and Effectively
Transitions may be considered as the framework that either makes or breaks a video. The transitions which are quite popular such as using the page flips or the wipes for example, look very unprofessional.
Do not get creative with your transition elements such as the use of wipe effects, and slide or swipe elements, rather opt for the use of simple fades, dissolves, and transitions among others. These subtle transitions make the slideshows nonintrusive in their presentation while keeping the viewer’s attention on the content being presented.
How to Use Transitions Properly
- Stay Consistent: It is advisable to make use of these transitions consistently in your video because otherwise, the viewer feels confused.
- Match the Tone: For scenes that involve feelings or deep thinking slow fades will be appropriate while for scenes with much action, quick fades will do.
- Avoid Overuse: It is too much, though, to do too many transitions. Employ them only where required So, do not expand its use to areas where it is not needed.
5. Organize and Optimize Your Timeline
This is where the real magic happens or where the timeline of your essay or article is likely going to be created. That’s where you edit the footage, arrange the clips, and the voice-over, and transition to the effects to have the complete video. Try and format your timeline correctly so that it is easily edit-friendly, no clutter, please.
It would be helpful to color code the media according to the nature of the input (video, audio, graphics, etc. ). For the nitty and gritty details like cutting between scenes, pan in on your timeline, whereas for the big picture, like looking at how your video is put together, pan out.
Best Timeline Practices
- Label Tracks: Create several channels for videos, voice-overs, music, and sounds in the car.
- Layer B-Roll: Put B-roll footage on a different timeline track on top of your main footage so that you can invert them often.
- Save Often: Accidents do occur, including the situation in which the software may crash; therefore, it is always recommended that one should save the project frequently, and make a copy of the work.
6. Understand Color Correction vs. Color Grading
The distinction between color correction and color grading is crucial to constructing a professional and movie-like video. Color correction corrects any exposure or white balance problem hence ensuring that your shot has uniform illumination. Color grading gives creativity to your project, it sets the mood of the piece by changing color values. A lot of video Editing software has features such as the curve and the LUTs (Look-Up Tables) to help with this.
Steps to Proper Color Correction and Grading
- Adjust White Balance: Ensure that the whites in your footage are pure white and do not have any other color in them.
- Balance Exposure: Just make sure that your highlights are not so bright and your shadows are not so dark.
- Apply Grading Last: Finally, color correction has to be done on the footage before applying creative color grading for the desired mood.
7. Add Background Music and Sound Effects
Sound is either a wonderful complement to your video or a terrible downfall to your masterpiece. Background music if selected properly can help define the mood or atmosphere, and SFX gives realism to the scene.
One of the most important things you need to make very sure that your music and sound effects do not drown your dialogue or main audio. Most of the online sources for music and sound effects have licenses that allow you to use the music without paying royalties.
Audio Tips for Beginners
- Fade in and Out: Add smooth starts and stops to your audio by fading music or sound clips at the start and finish.
- Balance Volume Levels: Keep background music softer than talking to avoid distracting listeners.
- Use Headphones: Put on headphones when you edit your audio to control the sound better.
8. Incorporate B-Roll for Storytelling
The B-roll consists of extra shots that help you tell your story without depending on your main footage. For example, if you’re making a travel vlog, a B-roll might include views of landscapes, city scenes, or people walking. Adding a B-roll makes your video more lively and gives you more options when you edit.
Using B-Roll Effectively
- Hide Mistakes: B-roll can hide awkward cuts or visual errors in your main footage.
- Make Narration Better: If you have a voiceover, switch to B-roll footage to keep things interesting to watch.
- Control Speed: B-roll can help you change the speed of your video making it slower or faster as needed.
9. Prioritize Audio Quality
Many new video creators don’t pay enough attention to sound quality. Take the time to clean up your audio by getting rid of background noise making audio levels consistent, and ensuring everything sounds clear. If you can, buy an external mic to capture better sound. Even a basic clip-on or directional mic can make your recordings sound much better.
Improving Audio in Post-Production
- Cut Down Noise: Use filters to remove background hiss or hum.
- Balance Volume: Make sure all audio clips have the same volume throughout the video.
- Make Voices Clearer: Use compression and EQ to help dialogue stand out.
10. Make Text and Titles Pop
Adding text like titles names at the bottom of the screen, and captions can give your video a more finished and professional look. Don’t overdo it, and make sure the text fits well with what’s on screen. Titles should be easy to read placed in the right spots, and timed with the rest of your video.
Best Practices for Adding Text
- Choose the Right Font: Use simple clear fonts that are easy to read.
- Keep Text on Screen Long Enough: Give viewers time to read, but don’t let it stay too long and disrupt the flow.
- Add Subtle Movement: Simple effects like fades or sliding in work best when bringing in text.
11. Slow Motion and Time-Lapse Effects
Slow motion and time-lapse constitute effects that are used mostly to add elements of anticipation or cut down prolonged procedures. If done well especially in film, they can make crucial developments stand out or give a feel of a longer duration.
When to Use These Effects
- Slow Motion: Good for action sequences or other glorious scenes that evoke emotions.
- Time-Lapse: Good for brief shows of lengthy actions such as during sunsets, heavy traffic, or even construction work.
12. Experiment with Zoom and Crop Tools
Cropping and zooming are both elementary yet deadly effective techniques. These methods can also be useful in dealing with how elements in a scene are framed. However, be careful against excesses- too much zooming can ruin the clear picture quality of the video and make it pixelated.
Practical Zooming Tips
- Focus Attention: Useful when there is a need to concentrate on a specific detail or area in a shot like a person’s face, an object, etc.
- Avoid Overuse: It makes the video childish and makes the video lack clarity since it has been zoomed in so much.
13. Learn Keyboard Shortcuts for Speed
Blazing fast editing with keyboard shortcuts Any editing software worth its salt will also have shortcuts for cutting, moving, and trimming clips applying effects, or adjusting the timeline. Learning a little about these will save you hours down the road.
Important Shortcuts to Learn
- Cut (C): Split clips at the playhead.
- Undo (Ctrl/Cmd + Z): Instantly correct mistakes.
- Save (Ctrl/Cmd + S): Save your project without breaking the flow.
14. Fine-Tune Your Video’s Pace
The pacing of your video represents the timeline of words in telling a story. When you tailor the pace, it means you can control how your film feels and keep the audience engaged. Quick cuts can infuse dynamism and engagement, whilst a slower pace can prompt thought or suspense.
Pacing Techniques to Follow
- Reflect the Mood: Ensure your pacing matches that of the mood.
- Add Variety: Different angles and fast/slow cuts keep your video from being boring.
- Flow: You want scenes to move seamlessly from each other so the viewer never feels cut off.
15. Review and Export Your Final Project
An important thing to remember is that of course, after you render the final video and finalize the editing, just watch the project a few times from start to end line by line only then you will understand where errors might appear or inconsistencies can happen. As always, remember to export your video with the correct settings for whatever platform it is going on after the final review. For example, YouTube likes 1080p resolution in 30-60 FPS, and Instagram comes with other requirements both for stories and post formats.
Export Settings to Consider
- Image Resolution: 1080Px or the highest that is supported by the platform.
- Frame Rate: Choppiness during playback can be avoided by matching your footage’s original frame rate.
- File Size: Compress the file to give better quality without taking all day to upload.
Master these 15 video editing tips to prepare yourself for a professional edit in no time at all.
By mastering these 15 video editing techniques, you’ll be well on your way to producing polished, professional content. As you gain more experience, you’ll develop your unique editing style and workflow. The key is to practice regularly and keep learning new tricks to enhance your videos.