All About the Job of Video Editors, Their Tasks and Video Software Used
Editing is the purest form of filmmaking, the art of visual storytelling that often goes unnoticed and unappreciated. However, uniting pictures, sounds, and special effects into an impressive piece of art requires special skills and creativity that not every person is able to demonstrate. In order to become a successful editor, one needs not only an abundance of imagination but also patience and breadth of view, attentiveness, and a keen eye to ensure the adherence to a storyline and original tone. An editor edits film footage or raw video for various types of projects and platforms, whether it be TV shows, commercials, or internet-based media such as YouTube, Instagram, or Vimeo.
How Hard the Video Editor’s Job Is?
There is a misconception that a film is always ‘shot the right way’ and assembling the elements together is a fast and painless process. You just take the pieces and glue them together according to a given blueprint.
However, in reality, the amount of material filmed for each movie is enormous, and it is the editor who is entrusted with choosing all suitable elements and forming them into a stylish and effective composition. Although an employee collaborates with producers and film staff in order to get a clear understanding of a script that is to be restored from all raw footage, producers are often banned from interfering too much. Indeed, too many cooks spoil the broth, so the most important person in this process is an editor. Their fingerprints are all over the final version of a movie or a video.
What Are the Basic Tasks of a Video Editor?
Examining All the Recorded Tape
It is necessary to examine tapes, look for errors, and extract parts that do not correlate with the storyline. Nowadays, all this work is done on a computer with high-end video editing software. Therefore, such work has become much more accessible to amateurs.
Arranging Footage into a Comprehensive Story
An editor selects and cuts footage, arranges it into a proper order, and applies a smooth transition between different frames. Even though a film’s success is always assigned to the director and actors, it’s often an editor who converts a bunch of frames into a breath-taking blockbuster, informative documentary, enjoyable comedy, or impressive environmental movie.
Synchronizing Pictures with Sound to Achieve Certain Emotional Effects
Create sound effects by recording specific audio clips or choose audio effects from a database of sounds to include in the final version of a video or a film.
Film and video editors complete these tasks using digital equipment and video editing software to achieve high-quality sound effects based on the time code. In many cases, some songs are added to the background of a film or a video in order to reinforce the flow of emotions and strengthen the message being conveyed.
Editing the Final Version of a Video and Complementing It With Effects
Here comes a creative point: to edit a video of high quality, you should turn on the imagination to the fullest and use suitable special effects and themes. There is a multitude of video editing software that offer various amazing effects which make a video more attractive and enticing. For example, Movavi software features comprehensive editing tools and plenty of startling filters and transitions. This software is used to edit, select, and splice together content. It is also helpful in music integration and the syncing of raw footage to create the final product.
In order to enhance the final video, professionals often do the following:
- Input graphics to enhance footage
- Improve lighting, coloring, and imperfect footage
- Experiment with styles, adding special traits to the final product in order to make it outstanding
What Qualities Are Crucial for a Skilful Video Editor?
First and foremost, general computer literacy, the ability to work with digital equipment, video editing software, and understanding all of the components of video production is required.
An editor must demonstrate strong attention to detail. How many times have you noticed film bloopers that spoil the integrity and authenticity of the piece? A video editor must be able to spot any misplacements and inaccuracies instantaneously.
Sense of timing is also of crucial importance in order to perform editing as well as revisions within the allotted period.
Finally, yet importantly, a film or video editor must have the ability to work well in a team and be ready to cooperate with professionals.
What Does the Work Environment of a Video Editor Look Like?
Most often, a video editor conducts their work alone, periodically consulting with a director, sound producer, lightning technicians, costume designers, and other editors. Editors usually work in office settings and studios, although a working place and outfit used may depend on the complexity and scale of the task conducted. An editor may work at a Hollywood studio, operating for hours in the editing booth or in an office of a media company, continuously producing video content. Some work in television broadcasting or in the motion picture and video industries.
Editors of large budget features usually have a team of assistants working for them. The first assistant editor may partly edit video as well if it is considered necessary. Often assistant editors perform temporary sound, music, and visual effects work.
Many companies work with freelance editors on a regular basis; therefore, it is possible for them to create a unique and desired personal working environment.
What Changes Can Be Faced by Video Editors in the Future?
Bearing in mind the speed of development of the film industry, both hardware and video editing software are changing and becoming more complex. As in most industries, technology has a tremendous impact. There is a growing tendency to create dramas in virtual reality, so the process of editing can see significant complications in the future.
Conclusion
All in all, the work of a video editor is not as simple as it may seem at first sight. It requires not only knowledge of how to glue two pieces of footage together but also a sense of style, attentiveness, and passion. With the abundance of video editing apps, film and video editors typically choose to specialize in one type of software, best suited to impress and amaze the audience.
