Every bit of your video must be edited efficiently to make it more appealing and audience-friendly, and learning how to do so is rewarding. Every time you travel on a business trip or catch up with pals, you make a video. Even if you captured it with a high-resolution camera, you’d need video editing software to edit it. 

With the release of amazing online editing tools, video editing has gotten easier. As a creative person, you should try your best to ensure that you edit properly. 

For those who are just starting up with video editing, we’ve put up this guide to help you get started on an interesting new route.

Things to Consider Before You Start

Video editing may be as basic or as complex as you want it to be. However, no matter how intricate you want the end product to be, you will find the process a lot more fun if you take a couple of minutes to plan ahead of time, ideally before you start recording any film.

What types of videos do you edit?

The requirements would be different if you needed to upload a video to your YouTube (news) channel. The criteria vary depending on whether it is linked to cinematography or documentary. Select the appropriate program for your ultimate result, such as a business video, YouTube videos, or a family vacation film, and begin editing. Above all, a software can edit movies and upload them to any site.

What features would you like the software to have?

Every type of online video editor has a learning curve, and the number of functionality the software contains is directly proportional to the amount of time it will take you to learn it.

Consider whether you simply need the basics, such as drag-and-drop editing and a short learning curve, or whether you want to invest time in learning a more sophisticated software.

Is my computer or laptop up to the task of video editing?

Because you’ll be doing all of your video editing on a computer, you’ll want to be sure that your computer can handle the work you’ve set out to complete. As you might expect, the more complicated elements you wish to include in your movie , you will need a more powerful computer or laptop. 

Recommendations for video editing

Looking at what the software you’ll be using suggests is the easiest approach to find out what computer capabilities you’ll need. Software that is less powerful needs less powerful hardware. However, the following should serve as an excellent beginning point:

Processor — A modern Intel Core i5 or Core i7 processor should be adequate. Newer AMD Ryzen 5 processors provide decent performance at a low price for budget setups.

Graphics Card – Whether or not you need a graphics card is determined by your software and the tasks. Some applications do not necessitate the use of a graphics card. You’ll need at least an RX 570 or GTX 1650 if you’re planning to perform a lot of rendering.

RAM – While some software needs at least 4GB of RAM, you must have at least 8GB, while more is preferred. You’ll be happier with 16GB or more if you’re doing very complex or high-resolution video editing (4K+).

Storage – Video, especially 4K video, needs a large amount of storage. Hard disc drives (HDDs) will function, but solid-state drives (SSDs) will be faster and more pleasant to use. If you’re going to be doing a lot of videos, get the maximum storage space you can afford.

Other factors to consider if you’re using a computer 

There are a few additional factors to think about in addition to these. As video files are so huge, you’ll need quick ways to get them on and off your computer. For transporting data to and from digital storage devices, USB 3.1, USB-C, and Thunderbolt provide relatively fast interfaces. If you want to upload videos to the internet, you’ll need a fast internet connection. 

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Editing

Making a video may be a difficult task with several levels, each with its own set of challenges. The editing process may be unpleasant if you aren’t prepared, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier and more fun.

Plan ahead of time and shoot 

This may or may not be possible depending on what you’re photographing. If you’re collecting home movies of events, for example, you’re going to be limited. However, if you have the time, consider sketching down a rough idea of what you want to photograph. Try to prevent having to reshoot a section later because you neglected to do it the first time. Attempt to maintain things as efficiently as possible so that your workflow is not disrupted afterward.

Decide your file management strategy 

You’ll probably have a variety of files to work within your final creation, including video clips, images and edited effects (such as title screens, overlays, and so on), audio files, and maybe more. Keep everything organized so you can find it quickly and easily when you need it.

Don’t overdo the effect 

When it comes to effects, it’s similar to seasoning food: a little goes a long way, and too much overpowers what you’ve created. More effects need more processing capacity, which might cause everything to slow down.

Choose music wisely 

Music may help your film stand out, but don’t allow it to become too distracting. Consider the copyright consequences of your music if you’re distributing your films publicly (on YouTube, for example). The safest option is to become royalty-free.

Taking regular work breaks 

Take pauses for your mental health as well as your eyesight. After too much time spent looking at a computer, things might start to appear the same. 

There’s a lot to do while you make a video. We have shared the basic learning for you. Wear your creative cap and get into the art of video editing, there are online tools to help you.