Juggling multiple video editing projects at once. How do you maintain quality control?

Time is an essential aspect when it comes to effectiveness in a certain work. Especially when the work revolves around specific deadlines that you must account for. Such clients would appreciate it if the editor could manage their time flow within their work, this is due to the fact that transparency between the two parties is crucial when it comes to professionalism. Knowing what is important and what is not could really change the perspective of how you operate a project.

An important aspect of time management is client expectations. We must set proper expectations to avoid putting undue pressure on ourselves at the start. Once proper expectations are set, then we can plan, schedule, and execute. Take advantage of available tools and tech. There are a number of project management apps available to keep things on track. Time blocking with hard stops and brain breaks help me stay focused and on task.

Effective time management is crucial when handling multiple video projects, and the absolute best tactic I've found in ensuring your work doesn't suffer is... don't. You can't be excellent at multiple things. If you put too much on your plate, your work will suffer. Do one thing exceptionally well. Then re-edit it again. And again. And again. Your attention and effort is limited. If you want to do good work you have to focus on one thing at a time. You won't be able to maintain multiple projects. If you think you can, and you are doing, let me ask you this one question... How much better would your work be, if you only had to do one at a time?

Keeping yourself accountable is key. You may have someone keeping you on track, but in my career, I have had to set and achieve my own milestones. Create realistic markers for yourself to hit. Hitting those milestones will not only chip away at the often times large project ahead of you, but it will also help your own morale throughout the process. It's also important to get fresh eyes throughout this process so you don't get too far down the line in your own echo chamber.

Each video deserves focus and time. Review what the style and intent of each video is when you go back to edit it. What are you trying to make the viewer feel? Then began editing the video with intention in mind.

There are a lot of moving parts in post, and if you have created workflow that is repeatable, easy to learn and easy to use...you only need to account to the human-element...that's the trickier hurdle!!! Setting naming conventions and file storage locations for every pice of media at the beginning of each project is your friend. If you're a production company, establish a repeatable system for this and everyone will always know where everything is....most of the time??

Naming each project is important. All the documents, assets and relevant items for each task should be named under a specific label. For example, on video production you might encounter names like MT-EP1-MASTER-(and a date) which represents a client, a number of episode and MASTER goes for the final piece delivered but... the date will be relevant since maybe there will be a different MASTER file and the date can be used to determine the latest version of it. V1, V2, etc works as well.

Being organized through the workflow of various projects keeps you in touch and connected to the projects. Connection for me, is it.

An example is whereby if you have some graphic elements, some audio and sound effect and, b-roll, it’s always advisable to organize them into different folders or directories where you can easily find them without having to waste time tracing the location in your pc after downloading.

I have an expert team of 3 editors, 2 graphic designers, and a scriptwriter. We collaborate to create engaging content. Editors ensure clarity, graphic designers produce striking visuals, and scriptwriters craft entertaining stories. Together, we enhance our projects to align with our vision.

Setting the QC on the calendar is crucial to keep things on schedule. Internal revisions should be on the calendar even if is just a 10 min check or a screening with different teammates. After that every client should be aware that when "the ball is on their side" they have to make the revision according to the calendar to avoid last minute changes as much as possible.

Having checkpoints is crucial for keeping the work on track and avoiding rework. They help identify and fix errors before they become major issues, maintaining the project’s flow. Additionally, investing in training your team to develop a critical and quality-focused eye is key. Teaching this skill during the process, even gradually, can make a significant difference and make project management much more efficient and smooth.

The basic approach to communication is to set up the channels at the very beginning of the project as well as the tools to be used during the journey. Emai, platforms, or even mobile apps are welcome but there should be a consistent way to communicate. Assets sharing, a platform for deliverables (Frame io, Slack, Podio, etc), and a way to get feedback are elements that should be set up from the beginning of the project in accordance with the people involved. Also, every once in a while, a reminder of the team's time zone in case of being too far from each other just to keep the notion of flow in responses.

Learning from... different teammates, their tools, their workflow in managing platforms or setting calendars/schedules. Is not the same doing videos for social media than a movie or a TV show, each one will require different ways to manage the process. Learning from ... mistakes. Getting too many projects at once can lead into: Team burnout. Low quality in the product. The need to delegate the effort causing less income. You need to learn how much can be done in certain amount of time employing a specific team.

Building trust within your team is the first step toward establishing a solid foundation for giving and receiving feedback. It’s important to focus on quality without becoming a micromanager. Use feedback wisely. Having one or two senior professionals to review the work can be really helpful, but remember: you need to keep one eye on quality and the other on deadlines. Quality is crucial, but managing time effectively is just as important!