How to become a video editor & make money

As more and more professionals turn to work from home and freelancing opportunities, there seems to be one growing area of interest, especially if you have creative skills to showcase. This emerging area of independent work is video editing. You can make a living by freelancing as a video editor if you are willing to work hard for it.

Here’s how you can earn money by online video editing.

1. Getting started

This section will talk about the skills, a list of the best online video editors you need, and how to train yourself in video editing.

Before we begin, it is important to understand that you can’t start to earn money instantly – you need to make a plan, learn the art and science of editing, and choose the right tool. It is not a bed of roses; remember, you have to be well-prepared with the skill sets.

Skills that a video editor must have

• Have an inherent interest in video editing
• Meticulous with an eye for detail
• Patience
• Be organized
• Ability to understand what a client wants

Acquiring skills for being a professional video editor

• Ensure that you attend a professional course, paid or free, on video editing.
• Some good online courses you can register for include paid courses from Skillshare, Udemy, Coursera, Larry Jordan, Inside the Edit and more. You can research online for more details.
• If paid courses are not what you are looking for, there are free tutorials and YouTube videos online that cover the basics of video editing. Look for videos from Clipchamp, Skillshare, Borrowlenses, etc.
• Remember that you need to invest your time and money (optional initially, you may have to spend later) to learn video editing.

Technical aspects

Invest in a desktop or a laptop that is meant for video editing. Go for devices with specs like:

• 16GB RAM or more
• Multi-core Intel processors, four or more cores
• Minimum 256 GB hard drive
• Memory card with 2GB space
• Good width of the screen, at least 19 inches
• The operating system could be Windows 10 and above, Mac or Linux
• Firewire inbuilt port or Thunderbolt Port, built-in or external

Choosing the right online video editor for your freelancing work

You have multiple choices here – professional editors to basic editing software.  The best online video editors are listed below.

InVideo – an excellent tool for beginners and professionals. Works on multi-platforms, has an intuitive web-based interface,  2000+ pre-made templates and more. You can edit videos in less than ten minutes using this software. Free and paid versions available.

Final Cut Pro – A tool by Apple, you can create and edit high-res videos. Intuitive design, free trial,  smart conform, multicam, transform overscan and more features

Adobe Premiere Pro – one of the best tools for social media videos and movies with integrated workflows

Filmora Pro – automatic audio sync, color precision, presets matte clean-up tools, affordably priced, and more

2. Finding work assignments

Once you have gained confidence in your video editing skills, it’s time to look for freelance assignments. The best way is to try freelancing websites. Some of the top ones are:

Mandy.com – one of the top websites for finding work

ProductionHub – you can look up internships and part-time jobs at this site

Motionographer Jobs – one of the best places online to find freelancing and full-time editing jobs

Creative Cow – not only freelance work assignments, but you can also use the site for troubleshooting and learning from the community

SimplyHired – this site is good for freelancing, including video editing

Apart from looking up online for a freelancing video editing job, you can look for part-time assignments locally as well. Contact event and wedding organizers, photographers, digital marketing agencies, advertising agencies and meet with direct end clients for business.

3. Tips to increase your earnings from video editing

Once you have started with assignments, it is time to increase your earnings. Here are some professional tips for doing so:

• Keep practicing – this is one area where you need to do the work yourself to learn more. So, practice editing to become a master of the art.
• Find your niche – just like brands need to be different for competitive advantage, you too need to specialize in a niche to get noticed and build your reputation. For example, you could specialize in YouTube video editing. If that is your forte, ensure that you do everything to gain mastery over it.
• Focus on making a strong portfolio or online presentation or even a website – your clients would love to see your work samples before they decide to appoint you as the editor. Hence, use the digital medium to make a visually impressive portfolio. You could also start blogging about video editing or make vlogs on YouTube to draw the attention of your clients. Remember to pack all your best edits in one place.
• Catch up on your speed – there will be clients calling up at odd hours for edits and changeovers. You need to be mentally prepared and be flexible enough. You have to be fast and prompt because missing out on opportunities could mean income loss.
• Before sending out files to clients, check every detail – your client must get the best work from your end. Label things properly and check for minute things before sending the file to the client.

4. Earnings as a freelance video editor

That’s an important question. The yearly earnings of video editors are estimated at $86,830 for full-timers (United States Bureau of Labor Statistics). For freelancers, the hourly rate is anywhere between $15.36 and $81.75. As a beginner, you may be working towards the lower end of the earning range, but as you get experienced, you can start charging more for your work.

Conclusion

Freelance video editors are doing well these days. If you strategize well and be focused, you can ensure that your cash flows never get stifled.