8 Video Editing Tips for Beginners: From Recording to Editing

Whether you have shot a video for publishing it on YouTube, for yourself, or a movie or music, its post-processing is vital in giving it the requisite polish. If you are a beginner, there are high chances that you may be overwhelmed looking at the plethora of tools on offer and the creative liberty you have while editing.

Fret not. In this post, we’ll outline 8 video editing tips that will help you start editing your videos right away. From recording footage to editing it to perfection, these tips will enable you to make the process as clutter-free as possible.

  • Work on Video Pacing

Pacing a video well is imperative for a lot of reasons. The creator had a specific flow or tempo while filming the video. Editing ensures that they achieve it. If the editing is too fast, it may be difficult for the audience to absorb certain key elements. Conversely, if the editing is too slow, the watcher can taper off early. So, it is vital to find the right pacing for your video.

  • Use Wide Shots Only When Necessary

Putting in zoom effects can be tempting during the editing stages. While they may initially look impressive, in the long run, this can cause problems, especially with image quality. While wide shots look good in the opening and closing scenarios, once the dialogue begins, it is vital to shift to close-ups or medium shots to ensure optimum impact.

  • Think About What Music You Want to Add to The Video

Sound can be just as crucial as video footage regarding video editing and the impact the final output conjures. If you want to add background music or sound effects, think about what type of music would complement your video footage the best. For example, consider using upbeat tunes or sound effects for videos with a more commercial feel to make them pop. Also, make sure you understand the gravity of the moments well while adding music to ensure relevance and augmentation.

  • Use Text to Your Advantage

Using text as a placeholder, you can easily edit and add content without affecting the quality of your video. While it is vital to keep it simple, you can add texts during the video playback if needed, along with the usual beginning and closing billboards. Adding them subtly ensures your audience does not have difficulty decoding a complex scene.

Connect with appropriate video editing services to get the right effect if you hit a roadblock.

  • Plan Your Story in Advance

Get footage from all angles – this will help you edit the video and ensure it flows perfectly. Secondly, outline the scenes and create a structuring plan. It will ensure that your story is conveyed effectively and that the video is easy to follow. Once you have your story figured out, it’s time to film! Having a plan in place will enable you to execute different parts with greater aplomb.

  • Use Cutaways to Great Effect

By cutting away from the main subject of a video at times, you can create an exciting and engaging effect and garner more attention from your watchers. You can also use them to emphasize key points, add suspense, and more. In addition, having effective cutaways ensure you can deliver more in a stricter timeline.

And for those having difficulties, you can connect with appropriate editing experts to get the requisite help. For example, you are making a video in the real estate niche. In that case, connect with real estate video editing services to garner the necessary support.

  • Balance your Audio

Video editing can be a lot of fun, but it’s also a lot of work. That’s why it’s important to balance audio properly. For example, if the scene is dialogue-heavy, having music can make it difficult for viewers to decode what is going on. Also, imbalanced audio can lead to higher frustration amongst the viewers, and they can taper off sooner. When editing video footage, make sure you balance speech first and then work on adding music uniformly so that it doesn’t jump and pull from different scenes.

  • Avoid Jump Cuts

While editing videos, keep your cuts short and sweet so that the viewer doesn’t get bored or confused. Instead, use cross-fades between shots to smooth out the transition between videos. Sudden and inappropriate jump cuts can make the footage look amateurish. Use beta testing software to refine your edits before you publish them online!

The Conclusion

Thanks for reading! In this blog post, we’ve shared 8 video editing tips for beginners. By following these simple tips, you’ll be on your way to editing great videos that deliver the message while pleasing the eye.

So, what are you waiting for? Start editing today and see the results for yourself!