How to edit videos faster
There are enough programs in which you can create a movie or a short video, but many of these options are only suitable for professionals.
So how to get better at editing videos if you’re just starting out? Let’s look at several ways to simplify the task.
Plan and organize
The creation of a video begins with developing the plot and script. Working with a clear plan is more convenient than randomly making adjustments and changes at any point.
The next step is structuring the material. For example, it’s better to transfer all the files necessary for the work to a separate folder, numbering them or using the names – whatever is more convenient for you.
Next, you need to prepare all the text material you plan to use in the video. These can be subtitles, captions, etc. When all the files are ready, and there is a plan in front of your eyes, it is much easier to start working on a project or continue it if something distracts you in the middle of the process.
Repurpose
If you don’t have many ideas for a video, but you’ve done something before, you can try repurposing.
Some common situations can be when the original video was shot in a certain frame format, edited for a particular medium, and with its own timing, but you need to quickly turn it into a video with a different aspect ratio. Or when you have a podcast and want to make a video version of it.
It’s pretty easy to do even if you don’t have much experience with editing as there are many simple online video editing tools out there.
Use the right tool
Depending on the end goal, you may need different tools. For example, if you want to quickly cut a video or tweak colors a little, it’s better to do it in a couple of minutes with the help of special tools than to open an advanced editor and look for the necessary functions in the list.
It also works the other way around – if you’re going to make a lot of changes in one editing session, it’s better to start a project and work on it in an editor rather than jump from one tool to another to apply minimal changes.
Thus, we’re back to the point about planning – with a clear plan, you will save time on choosing the right tool.
Automatize
If we talk about speeding up the process, it is worth mentioning automatic functions in video editors. These are the functions that, when applied, do what could take hours by hand, such as creating captions. A person would have to carefully listen to the audio and write down all the text, while the program automatically recognizes the words and applies them to the video.
Another example is auto beat sync, a feature available in some video editors. This unique technology allows making perfect video clips by synchronizing what is happening on the screen with the music. The editor itself, without the help of the user, imposes suitable effects and cuts the video. In addition, this technology looks for bad shots with a shaky camera or too dark ones and removes them.
Of course, you should remember that even the most advanced AI is not perfect, so don’t forget to save before applying auto functions and check if you get the desired result or if something needs to be corrected.
Learn video editing keyboard shortcuts
Hotkeys, or keyboard shortcuts, are useful for video editing. Often, beginners cannot realize the need for this simply because they don’t know about its existence and continue doing everything with a mouse. Shortcuts might seem hard to memorize because the combinations are similar and the list is too long. However, having learned even a few of them, editors can speed up their work immensely.
Of course, hotkeys vary from program to program. If you have a specific editor, it’s best to familiarize yourself with its combinations – some tools have very long lists of hotkeys. However, some shortcuts, such as Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to copy and paste a selected fragment, are the same in almost all editors.
For starters, choose and memorize a few keyboard shortcuts representing the most common operations that you would need in your project. Hotkeys greatly simplify life and increase the speed of work.