How do you edit videos with interviews?

1 Plan your interview

Before you start filming, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your interview. What is the main theme or message you want to convey? Who is your target audience and what do they need to know? How will you structure your questions and follow-ups? How long will your interview be and how much footage do you need? Planning your interview will help you avoid unnecessary footage, ensure you cover the key points, and create a logical flow for your video.

2 Record high-quality audio

One of the most important aspects of editing videos with interviews is the audio quality. You want your subject's voice to be clear, crisp, and consistent, without any background noise, distortion, or echo. To achieve this, you need to use a good microphone, preferably a lapel or a shotgun mic, and record in a quiet and controlled environment. You also need to monitor the audio levels during the recording, and avoid clipping or peaking. If possible, record a backup audio track with a separate device, in case your main audio track fails or has issues.

3 Trim and organize your clips

Once you have recorded your interview, you need to import your footage into your video editing software and start trimming and organizing your clips. You want to cut out any unnecessary or redundant parts, such as pauses, ums, ahs, or off-topic tangents. You also want to group your clips according to the topics or themes they cover, and label them accordingly. This will help you find and arrange your clips more easily, and create a coherent narrative for your video.

4 Add b-roll and transitions

To make your video more interesting and dynamic, you need to add some b-roll and transitions. B-roll is the supplementary footage that you use to illustrate or support your interview, such as images, graphics, animations, or other relevant videos. Transitions are the effects that you use to connect or switch between your clips, such as cuts, fades, wipes, or dissolves. B-roll and transitions can help you create visual variety, establish context, emphasize key points, and smooth out any awkward or abrupt changes in your interview.

5 Adjust the color and sound

After you have assembled your clips, b-roll, and transitions, you need to adjust the color and sound of your video. Color correction and grading can help you improve the appearance and mood of your video, by enhancing the contrast, brightness, saturation, and tone of your footage. Sound editing and mixing can help you improve the quality and balance of your audio, by reducing noise, adjusting volume, adding effects, and syncing sound with video. Color and sound adjustments can help you create a professional and polished look and feel for your video.

6 Add titles and subtitles

The final step of editing videos with interviews is to add titles and subtitles. Titles are the text that you use to introduce or conclude your video, such as the name of your project, your subject, or your call to action. Subtitles are the text that you use to display or translate the dialogue or narration of your video, for accessibility or clarity purposes. Titles and subtitles can help you capture the attention and interest of your audience, communicate your main message, and increase the reach and impact of your video.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?