How to Learn Video Editing

Video editing is the art of combining and cutting video clips to make new meanings based on these combinations. Anyone looking to enter an in-demand creative field or enter a vibrant artistic community may want to consider learning video editing skills. The number of options for learning Video Editing might be overwhelming at first glance. There are books, video tutorials, classes, and more to choose from; it all depends on your learning style and personal preferences. 

Here, we’ll discuss the various methods of learning Video Editing so you can make an informed decision about how you’d like to get started.

What is Video Editing?

Video editing is the art of taking multiple different film clips and manipulating them to create a single finished video composition. Video Editors cut together clips, add, remove, and mix sound, digitally alter and remove elements of the film, and add special effects in post-production. Taking cues from the arts of cinematography and photography, video editing is a necessary component of producing video content. It is also a hidden art, as Video Editors strive to make their presence invisible, creating a seamless edit that washes over audiences.

Video Editors use tools like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro X to create finished video projects by blending different video and sound files. Video Editors are responsible for synching audio and visual elements of the film, ensuring continuity between individual frames and scenes, and cleaning up elements of the film, such as correctly handling green screens or removing ambient sound and replacing it with desired music. Video Editors will work with directors, cinematographers, and producers to dictate a video's pace and movements, and even though their work isn’t always lauded, they represent an essential part of making professional quality video productions. 

Read more about what video editing is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Video Editing?

Video editing lets creatives make both subtle and significant alterations to video files. They can make minor but meaningful edits to combine multiple clips, alter audio volume, speed up and slow down footage, or correct color and lighting. They can also make significant changes, such as altering backgrounds using a green screen and chroma key software, adding in special effects or music, or removing background obstructions. These kinds of edits will come together to help creatives produce professional quality videos, and learning these skills will open the door to a high-paying and in-demand career field.

Learning video editing skills is also useful for creatives hoping to break into the world of content creation themselves. Rather than editing videos for other people, you’ll be able to create and edit your own content, giving your online presence a professional quality that can set your work apart from the competition. Whether you are making YouTube tutorials, scripted content, Lets Plays, or you want to stream on Twitch or YouTube, learning the basics of video editing can help take your content to the next level.

In-Person Video Editing Training

For many students, hands-on, in-person instruction is the most efficient way to learn. These courses let students interface directly with expert instructors and work alongside like-minded colleagues with whom they can collaborate and network. In addition, these courses give students a tactile experience of editing alongside other students, letting them work together to understand difficult concepts and make more informed editing choices. The drawback to these courses is that they tend to be only available at certain locations, often located in one or two major cities, so students who don’t live near a metropolitan area may find their options rather limited.

Noble offers in-person video editing courses at its Manhattan campus. These courses are ideal for students who can commute to the city, offering students the chance to learn from expert instructors and take advantage of Noble’s tech labs. These intimate learning environments are ideal for students looking to meet like-minded editors and learn in a small classroom environment. Students not living near Manhattan may be interested in other options, such as the courses offered by headTrix, Inc. in Los Angeles or Ascend Training in Chicago. To see a complete picture of your options for in-person video editing classes, you can use Noble’s Classes Near Me tool.

Live Online Video Editing Training

Students not located near their preferred in-person training center may wish to consider live online training as an alternative option. These courses are designed to replicate the advantages of in-person instruction and allow students to interact directly with live instructors. They can ask questions, receive feedback, and get assistance on difficult topics without having to leave their homes. The drawback to these courses is that students will have to provide their technology, and even with the help of live instructors, some of the intricacies of video editing may take longer to learn at a distance.

All of Noble’s in-person video editing courses are available to be taken as live online classes. These courses come with the same benefits as Noble’s in-person instruction, from live instructors to free retakes. These courses are ideal for students who want high-quality video editing training but aren’t located near Manhattan. Noble also offers users a Classes Near Me tool to help them find and compare Noble’s live online video editing classes with the courses offered by other service providers.

Free Online Courses & Tutorials

Students who aren’t ready to enroll in a live online course may wish to consider taking advantage of free introductory courses to become comfortable with the tools and techniques of video editing. While these courses won’t replace professional training, they are ideal for students who want to prepare themselves for more elaborate video editing classes.

Noble provides students with a large number of free video tutorials on the Video Editing and Motion Graphics playlist. These videos include a detailed Intro to Premiere Pro seminar and several short videos explaining how to use tools like the razor tool or create slideshows in Premiere Pro. In addition, Noble offers frequently updating videos on their free seminars page. These videos will give students the instruction they need to become comfortable with film editing software like Premiere Pro and After Effects. These seminars are designed to ease students into the practice of online video editing training so that they can succeed when they enroll in a live online class.

Read about more free video editing videos and online tutorials.

On-Demand Video Editing Classes

Students looking for more flexibility in their video editing training may be interested in forgoing live instruction in favor of an on-demand course. These courses are more varied in form and style, giving students greater control over the pace and structure of their education. Their primary advantage is that they give students who need to work around their schedules more options for when and how they will receive their training. The drawback to these courses is that without live instructors, students will be on their own if they have difficulties, and they won’t be able to get direct feedback on their edits, which can slow students down when it comes to learning the philosophies of video editing.

More so than live training seminars, the cost and style of on-demand classes vary wildly. Some courses are mainly recorded videos, others are individual work modules, and some combine the two. Some require students to buy courses individually, and some are part of a premium subscription model. Please consult Noble’s on-demand video editing courses page to compare these options.

Which Learning Method is Right for Me?

Given the many options available for students looking to learn video editing, it can seem intimidating to get started. Whether a student learns in-person or online and whether to learn in a live course or asynchronously will significantly impact their training. Each of these courses has different advantages and disadvantages that students should consider when deciding what kind of course they want to enroll in.

The most immersive training option available is in-person instruction. These courses are taught by experienced instructors in a classroom setting, giving students the most direct opportunity to gain hands-on experience editing videos. Students can work with their instructors and colleagues to collaborate directly on video editing projects and receive direct feedback on their work. These courses tend to be the most expensive training options, and most service providers only teach the courses at a few locations, most often located in major cities. This can greatly restrict students’ abilities to attend these courses.

An alternative to in-person instruction is live online instruction. These courses allow students to experience live classroom training without needing to leave their homes. Students can still interact directly with their instructors and receive vital feedback, though they may miss networking opportunities. Plus, it affords students the ability to learn video editing skills on their own hardware, which can help them become more comfortable and proficient. The flip side is that students won’t have access to tech labs or other hardware, meaning they will need to acquire hardware and software independently.

Students who need more flexibility in their scheduling may want to consider an asynchronous on-demand class. These courses let students learn at their own pace, studying and watching lectures when most convenient for them, which can be necessary given people’s busy lives. These courses allow students to approach their video editing training from angles that prioritize their needs and learning goals. The drawback is that these courses don’t offer much support for students who become hung up or stuck on difficult techniques or concepts. Without live instructors to turn to, students will need to perform more labor attempting to overcome obstacles that threaten to impede their learning.

Why Learn Video Editing?

Students interested in the behind-the-scenes aspects of film and video production may wish to learn video editing skills. Video editing is an incredibly important aspect of filmmaking. Anyone who wants to work in the film, television, or online content creation industry should consider learning how to edit videos. Video Editors are in high demand as the marketplace for digitally produced content continues to grow, with trained and experienced video editors commanding an average salary of $80,000.

For students with creative aspirations, learning video editing skills is a great way to break into online video production, whether creatively or professionally. As the marketplace for amateur video production continues to expand, it is also getting more and more crowded, meaning that new creators need to set themselves apart. Learning video editing skills can help your up-and-coming content channel produce professional quality videos without needing to bring on an editor full-time. These skills will be relevant as long as you are making video content, so up-and-coming content creators, small business owners looking to produce their video advertisements, and Social Media Marketers looking to produce content for their clients all benefit from learning video editing techniques.

Level of Difficulty, Prerequisites, & Cost 

As with many creative skills, it isn’t hard to learn the tools involved in video editing. Students can pick up the basic functions of Premiere Pro or Final Cut in only a few days of training, and the advanced techniques will only take a few weeks to learn. The challenge in video editing is learning the theories and techniques that go into creating competently editing professional-quality videos. Video Editors will need to understand principles of editing and cinematography that teach them not just how to edit two images together but why they should edit those images together and what meaning their juxtaposition produces.

There are no formal prerequisites to learning video editing skills. Students will need to be proficient in working with computers and navigating multiple files, windows, and applications. For students interested in learning how to add special effects or create animation in post-production. Students looking to learn more about these skills should consult Noble’s graphic design course offerings.

Video editing will require users to license a video editing application, and many projects will require them to license more than one. For instance, students working with Adobe Premiere Pro may also need to license After Effects and Audition. The cost will vary from program to program, but most of them will cost as little as $20/month.

Read about how difficult it is to learn video editing.

Learn Video Editing with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Students interested in the behind-the-scenes aspects of film and video production may wish to learn video editing skills. Video editing is an incredibly important aspect of filmmaking. Anyone who wants to work in the film, television, or online content creation industry should consider learning how to edit videos. Video Editors are in high demand as the marketplace for digitally produced content continues to grow, with trained and experienced video editors commanding an average salary of $80,000.

For students with creative aspirations, learning video editing skills is a great way to break into online video production, whether creatively or professionally. As the marketplace for amateur video production continues to expand, it is also getting more and more crowded, meaning that new creators need to set themselves apart. Learning video editing skills can help your up-and-coming content channel produce professional quality videos without needing to bring on an editor full-time. These skills will be relevant as long as you are making video content, so up-and-coming content creators, small business owners looking to produce their video advertisements, and Social Media Marketers looking to produce content for their clients all benefit from learning video editing techniques.

Read more about why you should learn video editing.

Key Insights

• Video editing is the technical art of creating new video content by cutting together various video files. This is an in-demand creative skill, and students looking to learn how to edit videos have several options available.
• Live in-person instruction is the most immersive option available. In these classes, students can interact directly with experienced instructors and like-minded colleagues, but they will be limited to course offerings in their area.
• Live online instruction still allows students to work directly with their instructors and receive immediate feedback on their work. However, students will be responsible for providing software, which can be expensive.
• On-demand courses give students greater flexibility in the pace and style of their training but will require them to do extra work if they run into obstacles or need feedback/assistance.
• Free training options are available, which can be useful for new students, but anyone hoping to edit videos professionally will need more advanced training.
• Once a student has decided that they want to learn video editing and wants to compare the options available to them, Noble Desktop makes it easy to find the training options in their area.