Creating a cohesive video is not just about putting together clips and adding transitions. It is also about telling a story, conveying a message, and engaging your audience. In this article, you will learn some video editing techniques that can help you achieve these goals and make your videos more professional and effective.
Before you start editing, you need to have a clear idea of what you want your video to achieve, who you are making it for, and what you want to say. This will help you choose the right footage, music, voice-over, graphics, and style for your video. You can use a storyboard, a script, or an outline to plan your video and organize your scenes and shots.
It's crucial to plan out your content before diving into execution. Consider your audience, their preferences, the intended platform for your video, as well as the required format and duration. If your video is on the longer side, consider breaking it down into segments. This approach helps you establish a structure that you can then flesh out in a more organized manner.
Cutting your video means selecting the best parts of your footage and trimming them to the desired length. You want to cut your video in a way that creates a smooth and logical flow of images and sounds, and that matches the pace and tone of your story. You can use different types of cuts, such as hard cuts, crossfades, or L-cuts, to create contrast, continuity, or connection between scenes.
It is best practice to begin editing with the sound. If there is a narrator, it is advisable to have the speaker’s audio track before beginning the edit. The length of every sequence will be clear and the exact positioning of the shots will be easy. The same can be true for music. If the music will be composed for the film, it will follow the edit and we don’t need to care about it. But in most cases the budget will be too tight and royalty-free, pre-composed music will be used. In this case, it will add a lot to the flow of the video if the editing follows the rhythm and the phrasing of the music.
Transitions are the effects that you use to move from one scene or shot to another. They can help you create a cohesive video by showing the passage of time, the change of location, the shift of mood, or the relation of ideas. You can use different types of transitions, such as wipes, dissolves, or zooms, to create different effects and meanings. However, you should use transitions sparingly and only when they serve a purpose, otherwise they can be distracting or confusing.
It is important to establish a hierarchy of transitions. Jumps in time need to be visually distinguishable from changes in location etc.
Color and sound are two important elements that can affect the mood, atmosphere, and quality of your video. You can use color correction and grading tools to enhance or change the colors of your footage, and make them consistent and appealing. You can also use sound editing and mixing tools to adjust the volume, balance, and quality of your audio, and add sound effects, music, or voice-over to create a rich and immersive sound.
Titles and graphics are the text and images that you add to your video to communicate information, emphasize points, or create interest. You can use titles and graphics to introduce your video, display names, dates, or facts, or illustrate concepts or data. You can also use titles and graphics to create a brand identity, a style, or a theme for your video. You should choose fonts, colors, and designs that match your message and audience, and that are clear and readable.
The final step of creating a cohesive video is to review and export your project. You should watch your video several times and check for any errors, glitches, or inconsistencies. You should also ask for feedback from others and make any necessary changes. Once you are satisfied with your video, you should export it in the right format, resolution, and quality for your intended platform and purpose.