Computer Applications II :: Lessons :: Video Editing
Editing Video
The post-production, or editing phase of a video can be tougher to plan since you can only work with the footage you are given. Luckily, if you did a good job on the pre-production phase and created a good shot plan it should make the job of editing that much easier. The program you use to edit doesn't matter as long as you keep the video visually interesting. If some shots don't look good because they didn't follow the Rule of Thirds you can try cropping the shots so they do follow the rule. Here are some other editing tips:
- Organize First: Put all of your shots in order in your video editor first. This is known as the rough edit. Once the shots are in order you will have a good idea of how your video looks before you begin editing.
- Don't Overuse Transitions: Transitions are easy to use, but flashy transitions are unneccessary and can make your video look less professional. Stick with a few basic transitions to use between scenes.
- Use Movement: Movement always attracts the viewers eye so use it to catch their attention. If you want them to notice something in a shot you don't necessarily have to pan or zoom if you can use movement to your advantage.
- Cut Quick, But Not Too Quick: In 5 seconds a viewer has garnered most of the information from a shot so you can use that as your baseline for shots. Quicker cuts will make the action seem to be moving faster, but they can hurt information retention.
- Remove Noise: Every video editor contains a "remove noise" filter to remove any background noise. Even good microphones can pick up background noise so make sure you know how to use this filter.
- Use Sound Effectively: Don't go crazy with sound effects and music, but well-placed sound effects and subtle music can enhance the impact of a video. Check out the video below for a great example of how to mix sound.
