Whenever one seeks to successfully edit video, there are a few key things that they must take into account. These things include everything from the seemingly mundane guidelines to the blatantly obvious rules. However, many people neglect to pay heed to these standards, which is why there are so many sub-par videos on sites like YouTube.
Capturing the Moment
Good, clean, well-shot raw video is absolutely pivotal to successful video editing. The downfall of most amateur video is a lack of clarity and focus on the subject. There is no remedy for poor video quality. For this reason, I highly recommend investing in a camera with satisfactory resolution. Today, entry level HD cameras have prices in the $100 range. Most of these will be satisfactory for any movie or video that you plan to make.
Once you have the camera taken care of, you must then turn your attention toward the actual filming of the video. This is also exceptionally momentous because too much camera shake or a lack of focus on the intended subject is not only very hard to correct later on, but it also draws the attention of the viewer away from the actual content of your movie. If you have ever watched a “behind the scenes” or a “making of” video, you will have seen that professionals tend to have their cameras mounted on heavy stands or trolley-type things that can be moved along tracks. This makes for a smooth shot that gives the film its professional look. You can achieve these same effects at home with a tripod or a chair with wheels on the bottom. Another rookie mistake that people make is to show too much background in their shot. More than likely, there is nothing that the viewer needs to see in the background. If this is the case, keep the shot tight around the subject. It will save you cropping and video degradation later.
Piecing Together Your Work
After you finally have your video, it is important to put it together in a manner that makes sense to the viewer. Most often, people will put video together chronologically, maybe with a few flashbacks and flash forwards to explain current conflicts. This is exactly how it should be done. Don’t jump around too much, unless it is absolutely necessary. If you feel that it is, think again. The more straightforward a plot, the easier it is to keep viewers occupied. If it is overly detailed and intricate, the viewer spends more time trying to figure out what just happened than thinking about what is happening. This seems like a minor, insignificant difference, but think about what happens when YOU watch movies for the first time. You get the idea of what’s going on, but you learn so much more when you watch the movie the second time because you know where the plot is going. Your goal here is to create a movie that does not need to be watched over and over again.
When you think about it, the world today doesn’t spend much time thinking about the video that it consumes. People just take in what is presented to them. They are not simpletons or idiots, they are just conditioned this way. For this reason, they would much rather watch a video that is simple and easy to understand than to watch a video that they actually have to think about.
Polishing the Video
Now that you have your raw clips in a timeline, you actually have to begin to edit your video. This includes cutting out unsavory bits, adding in transitions, making use of filters, and numerous other tasks.
First, we shall begin with the editing out piece. This is the part where people get lazy They figure that no one will notice certain things or that no one will care. This kind of thinking is unprofessional, and it should be avoided at all costs. Take your time to make a good edit. If there is something in the shot that shouldn’t be, take the time to crop the shot. If there is a part where someone is using excessive “ums” and “likes,” take the time to pull it out. there is no reason that the viewer should have to watch that. Your goal should be to produce excellent content to the best of your ability.
The next stage that I want to talk about is adding transitions. Every video editing program has a number of transitions that they suggest you use. However, many people over use transitions. There is no reason to include a transition between every single clip in your timeline. A basic rule of thumb that I use when deciding whether to use transitions is to only insert them when there is a change of scene. By this, I mean that you don’t need a transition when you have simply cut something from a take.
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