WHAT IS YOUR VIDEO EDITING PROCESS?

     This is a tricky question because there are so many ways I can go with this because of all the steps that need to be done in creating a video.  I will answer this on the basis that I was just hired as an editor to a piece a video together but if you have any questions feel free to email or call me and I will go into greater detail of my full process.

GETTING STARTED

     First, I look over all the media in the editing software.  If I am editing with Adpbe Premiere I set in/out points and and then put those clips on a separate timeline.  If I am editing with Final Cut Pro I mark the clips with in/out points, rate favorite and add keywords so I can better organize and keep track of what I intend to use in the video.

SETTING THE MOOD

     After that I try to pick out music I may use that I think works best for the video and other assets (graphics, sound effects and colors palettes) This will help with the cutting and developing the story. Once I am have a couple songs and some ideas I like I get watermarked music samples because we may need to change the music later.  I add all the media to the editing program.

START WITH BUILDING A FOUNDATION

     Then I add ALL the media I intend to use in the video to the timeline.  I try to get everything in the general order in which I want everything to be in.  If I am working off of a script I create a skeleton,  Put the clips that I want to use and in order where the VO Should be.  Getting the video/story organized and in order is vital because it leads the way to how everything will be shaped.
Here I duplicate the timeline (project) so that way I can continue working yet still having something tangible that I can go back to.

REFINE, REFINE, REFINE.

At this point I like to go over the video a couple times refining and tightening the video more to fit the goal project time and try to develop the desired mood and most importantly the intended message.

ADD GRAPHICS AND AUDITION.

     After I have refined and got the video to where it needs to be with timing and the message I like to add and create graphics and transitions and some sound effects because sometimes you will need to try different things because not all graphics work with all music.  This is also where I try a few different things and will once again Duplicate my timeline/project because I like to be able to go back and change things easily without losing too much completed work.

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK.

At this point I would say even though we’ve made a lot of progress I like to go back to the first duplicated timeline since we’ve made it to the graphics stage on the main project / timeline.

Here I take that first duplicate foundation and I make a little variation on the piece. I try to give this one a different mood/feel.  I try to cut this version to be more dramatic.  It gives the client more options at the end and also at the same time helps give a new perspective on ways the video can go.  I don’t create additional or existing graphics to this part of the video because this is just a test to see if there is another route we can take the story.

CONTINUE WITH THE MASTER PROJECT.

After advancing with the second version I go back to the master version of the story that we added the graphics to.

After the graphics and sound effects are added I like to color grade using a clip based color filter or plug in. (I like Color Finale Pro) I insist on it being clip based because if things need to be changed in the edit it wont hurt productivity.

After I go over the color I like to go onto improving audio.  At my edit suite I have a pair of pro audio monitors, a really cheap set of computer speakers, my laptop speakers, and two sets of headphones.  One pair of headphones is higher quality that cover the ear and the other is a set of earbuds.  Now, let me say I am not an audio engineer but I try to find the best middle where the audio sounds acceptable on all the options I have.

Once I’m done with the above I usually go over the video refining again because I always notice something that I may want to change or add.

A FRESH SET OF EYES ALWAYS HELPS

After I get it to the point where I feel its acceptable/entertaining and makes sense I show the video to a decision maker and a colleague to see what they think.   After I hear from another opinion I make a duplicate timeline and then make the changes that were suggested.

CLIENT APPROVAL OR ADDITIONAL REVISIONS

At this point I usually bring to the decision maker for a second time to see if they like the video or if they need addition revisions.  If they need additional revision then I just request them to take the time they need and go over the video a couple times and then let me know the following day so we can try to address everything at once.   They will most likely forget something and I ask that they are 100% before we continue.  After I confirm they are certain I make the requested revisions and then proceed.

If they like the video and no additional revisions are needed I will export a master version and then I kick out a bunch of different compressed file versions.    

Once the project is completed and the client writes off on it I wrap up all the project contents and then back up the files to hard drive archives and deliver the final compressed versions.