A video is a versatile tool that allows marketers to expand their brand’s visibility. This content is more popular than ever before. A Cisco Study says by 2021, 82% of all online traffic will consist of video. Moreover, 97% of marketers believe this content helps customers understand their products, making it one of the most effective advertising tools. It is time to embrace video editing services.
Whatever the size of your business, it’s possible to harness the power of video content. Whether you want to educate, promote your products, boost conversion, build a presence on social media, or increase engagement, video marketing will do the trick.
While video offers these immense benefits, many businesses are still not using it. Moreover, many brands have created video campaigns, but some of these are falling short for many reasons. Poor editing is one of the major pitfalls of most companies.
Failure to use expert video editing services is the weak link in video production. It is one of the primary reasons many brands have stopped using this powerful tool due to consistent poor results.
Remember, video editing is the main task in the post-production process. It can make all the difference in your marketing campaign. However, it’s an often overlooked phase in video campaigns, inevitably leading to disappointing outcomes.
If you want to unlock your video marketing campaign, it’s time to examine in detail the role of video editing in your campaign.
This post tackles the process, highlights the benefits, tools, and expertise required for compelling video production.
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What Do Video Editing Services Entail?
After the pre-production and production stages of video production, most clients are in a rush to go to market. However, a professional video producer will resist any attempts to overlook the post-production where the editing of the raw footage takes place.
Let’s not forget that video editing is a technical process that requires exceptional skills and the use of cutting-edge technology. Moreover, it is part technology and part story-telling. It also consists of a combination of technical functions and tasks which an editing team sequences together to achieve an aesthetic goal. Furthermore, it is a process of manipulating and rearranging raw footage to create a new production.
This process is just one part of the post-production process. There are many other tasks, such as rearranging, adding, deleting sections of raw footage, or audio files.
Some of the significant steps in the video editing process will include:
1. Planning Stage
Of course, the idea behind editing is to fine-tune the raw footage and create a flowing video, but there must be a plan. This stage of editing includes a meeting between the production team to determine the objectives of this stage.
Here, the team identifies editing goals, which can include:
- choosing the best footage
- removing unwanted footage
- adding enhancements and effects
- graphics
- audio
At this stage, the team can also aim at:
- creating flow in the video
- creating subtle mood prompts using mood music and visual effects
2. Identifying Resources/Technology
This stage of post-production relies heavily on the latest technology and equipment. Luckily, a video production company also recognizes the personnel, resources, or technology required.
For instance, they need the best editing computer and editing software. There’s also a need for expertise. Thus, experienced video editors will come in handy.
3. Logging your Footage
Transferring footage from your camera or recording device to your computer is an important step. It ensures all raw footage is now in one place and makes it easier to work on the material during editing.
When recording and shooting video, video producers use the best storage technology to guarantee the security of their footage. Any loss of data would eventually force expensive retakes. At the editing stage, the editor will sort through the source video material and start identifying what’s usable. Then, the editor labels different clips for use at later stages of the editing process.
This tedious process helps the video production team see the raw footage and determine if there’s enough material to use. Some directors will even order a re-shoot just by merely looking at the raw footage at this point.
4. Assorting/First Assembly
Now that the editor has an idea where different parts of the footage are, it’s time to assemble. This step entails finding and gathering the best takes in the raw footage. Therefore, the editor must be familiar with the storyline to ensure they arrange different clips into a timeline consistent with the video’s storyboard.
The idea here is to arrange the footage into a linear structured format, which gives the producer the first view of the flowing story. Of course, there’s a lot of work to do at this point. The editor will keep returning to this linear format many times in the editing process.
5. Creating A Rough Cut
There’s a lot of pressure from the producer and director to come up with something they can work with efficiently. The director will look at the rough cut, making it one of the tensest stages of post-production. Thus, this is where a rough cut comes into play. The editor hopes the rough cut get the go-ahead without any edits. Hence, a video editor will start fine-tuning the clips using the pace and flow of the story.
At this stage, the beginning and end of each of the clips are trimmed, then arranged in the timeline. This editing gives the video both a more realistic and human tone.
This stage also entails going through the multiple takes and picking the best. The editor has to make the tough choice to come up with the best takes for the final cut.
Other essential tasks at this include:
- removing extended unnatural pauses in dialogue
- unnecessary material such as preparation of a shot
- off-camera content
Editing also focuses on the structure and pacing of the film at this stage. Therefore, an editor will add pauses, transitions, titles, voice-over, and dummy narrations.
The idea is to bring to life the action in the story. Using pauses and titles not only captures the emotions, but it also helps convey the message.
6. Adding Enhancements
Music and other audio enhancement play a critical role in video production. Fortunately, you can choose from a plethora of musical sources to give more life to your video. Music can also help convey the message, set the mood, and much more. Moreover, music builds emotions around a message and makes it more impactful.
Remember, the music used should be royalty-free to avoid legal issues once the video is launched online. Luckily, it’s easy to create musical accompaniment for video productions.
Most video editing services online offer comprehensive solutions: from the pre-production to post-production, this can include the creation of audio enhancements. The audio used should also complement the type of content or the final intended message.
Video editors can suggest B-roll or alternative footage intercut with the main shot. These shots help to hide any jumps in the story.
7. Fine and Final Cuts
The excellent cut is a step further from the rough cut, refining every frame. The idea is to ensure every cut flows seamlessly from one to the other. Moreover, the excellent cut can be used by other experts in the post-production process, including special effects.
For the final cut, there’s closed captioning, audio mixing, color grading, and special effects.
The final step in the editing process is exporting the final cut in all required deliverable formats, suitable even for smartphones.
Why Video Editing Matters
For many clients, video editing is not necessary if the video is done correctly. They argue that the raw footage done by expert camera crew using professional equipment doesn’t require a lot of tampering. However, a professional video producer will grab great footage and conduct vigilant editing.
Remember, editing can make or break your video marketing campaign. As a result, it eliminates any unnecessary footage and guarantees a smooth flow of the storyline.
Any lapses or gaps would make your production unprofessional, even leading to loss of customer trust. Editing ensures the production team reviews every second of the footage and picks the best takes. Furthermore, the shots that make it to the final cut are carefully selected, bringing value to your video marketing campaign.
The creativity in a video is usually evident after the editing phase. The video will be crisp and concise while flowing with high precision. It is a process that requires attention-to-detail, and this enhances the quality of your production.
Working with a Video Editing Service
If you want to get the best results in your video campaign, it’s advisable to partner with a professional. The best production companies bring in a lot of expertise, resources, and technology that will help in the post-production stage.
They also have the experience to handle all kinds of video content. Be it an explainer, how-to-video, interview, product demonstration, customer testimonial, or any other video format; you name it.
Whether you need wedding video editing services, music video editing, video marketing editing, social media video editing, or corporate video editing, an established company will offer comprehensive solutions. A video editing team usually studies both your video’s production objectives and the campaign story before they start working with you. The idea is to tailor the raw footage to fit the storyboard.
The video editing process requires both a qualified team and the right technology. This is what a video editing service provider brings to your production. Consequently, working with a professional video editor saves you time and money and guarantees better quality work.
Video Editing Services Rates
Video editing services rates mostly depend on the time it will take to edit the project. When agreeing on the terms, it’s crucial to indicate the payment structure. Remember, every project is unique because the amount of raw footage you deliver to the video editor requires different levels of input to get the final cut.
A video with many insert edits or cut-aways, enhancements, dramatization, and different angles take a lot of time. Hence, the charges are higher. The same applies to productions with rapid edits, Color enhancement, intricate montage sequences, and sound mix.
Final Thoughts on the Video Editing Services
Video is the future of digital marketing. Moreover, it is one of the most effective tools for marketers. For the best results in your video production, you’ll need to invest in the best video editing solutions. It is the best way to guarantee the vision you have for your video is realized.
This process refines raw footage into a crisp production that meets your marketing objectives. So, what are you waiting for then? Get in touch with our team, and let’s start editing the fluff out of the content.