How to Edit Videos Like a Pro
So, you’ve been shooting footage for some time now, or you’re about to get started. You probably want to take our videos to the next level! All you have to do is to learn how to edit videos. Although it’s not a piece of cake, there are some things that can help you out. Here’s what you need to know to take your video editing skills from beginner to pro:
Choose your software
First, you need to pick the right software! That’s where you’ll spend most of your time editing. There are plenty of high-end, expensive options, but if you’re just starting out, you can rely on free software with similar features. Video editing software like MiniTool is free of charge. With its clear, easy-to-use interface, and great templates for editing projects, it’s a perfect tool that can get you started in no time. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see the progress you’ve made reflected in your videos. How satisfying is that?
Pick the right computer
A device itself won’t turn you into a great video editor overnight, but it can help a ton! Here are some things you should consider getting:
An SSD – it could be as much as double the price of a traditional hard drive. However, processing speed is crucial in video editing, and a fast storage drive will make accessing your files, footage, and software much easier, speeding up rendering, loading, and export times. If you take video editing seriously, that’s one of the best investments you can make.
Increased memory (RAM) – basically, the more RAM, the better, as it leads to faster editing speeds. If you’re just starting out, you should have at least 4GB of RAM, but professional editors usually have more than 8GB.
Good video cards and processors – you’ll need these to be able to create high-quality graphics and maintain faster rendering times. Moreover, an excellent processor will balance your computer’s performance, ensuring that all these additions won’t slow it down.
Organize your files
You need to establish a good labeling system if you want to edit your videos quickly and efficiently. You won’t be able to navigate through countless files, graphics, and formats if you just allocate them randomly. Try to create a folder structure that’s transparent and works for you the best. You can make separate folders for footage, graphics, images, audio, and project files. Depending on the size of your projects, you can divide these sections even further. Keep your resources in one area, and make sure everything has its place. This way, your editing process will be much easier.
Use the second source of sound
If you rely only on the sound recorded by your camera, sometimes it may be unclear due to all the noise happening around you. To boost the sound quality of your videos, use a separate recording system and a better microphone to record your audio. Keep in mind you’ll have to do it separately and sync the audio later on. However, if you feel you’re not ready for that kind of commitment, try to find a microphone that you can plug directly into your camera. If you want better audio, that’s the fastest solution.
Add great soundtrack
As an editor, you may be tempted to focus mainly on the visuals. While you’re perfecting your graphics and montage, you can sometimes forget about the audio completely. That’s a huge mistake! Next to visuals, sound is an extremely crucial element in the videos. It builds up atmosphere, sets the mood, and provides information that images can’t convey.
In order to get the best audio, you’ll need to spend some money to get high-quality, licensed music from a good royalty-free music provider. However, it will be worth it for sure! You can tell apart a great movie from a not so decent one based on the soundtrack only.
Back up everything
Everyone working on content creation knows how important it is to back up their data. Your computer could crash, your hard drive could fail, and those memory cards might stop working suddenly. You don’t need to experience it personally to understand how frustrating losing your work results can be. That’s why you should do regular backups of your files and important data. You can use cloud storage, but it can slow down your rendering times when it comes to video editing. However, a separate hard drive is a great tool to store copies of your projects. If you want to de-clutter your digital space even more, buy another hard drive and transfer your finished projects there. Then, you can delete them from your computer.
Be a storyteller
Now you’re more familiar with some of the technical aspects related to video edition. However, there’s one last thing you need to learn as you go – storytelling! Make sure your projects have a well-developed beginning, middle and end. Everyone could call themselves video editors after throwing a couple of clips together, but they don’t because there’s so much more to this job than pure craftsmanship. Whenever you’re editing, always tell a story to provide a well-thought-out structure for the finished video.
The bottom line
This short list is by no means exhaustive, but it can help you get started! If you’re really into video editing, follow these tips and keep on learning. Be persistent, and you’ll quickly improve your skills.