With content creation becoming a full-time job for many, video editing skills are a must have in everyone’s arsenal looking forward to creating video content for any platform including YouTube and Instagram Reels. Not having access to a powerful computer to edit videos is part and parcel of when people are looking to just get started. In fact, many content creators edit exclusively on their mobile phones.
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Here, I will introduce you to the basics of video editing. Also, multiple free video editing apps are available to download on both iOS and Android. The experience with paid apps like LumaFusion is definitely better, but using a free app like VN, you can achieve similar looking results.
1) Make Sharp Cuts
I’ve seen many people get carried away with fancy motion graphics, VFX and what not while they ignore the very basic element of video editing – Cutting.
Making sharp cuts is paramount for every edit. Trimming the extra fluff, bad parts of a shot, and analyzing what’s supposed to be a part of an edit is as important as the quality of the footage itself. So, read about different cuts and learn to create a flow by using the shots as transition tools.
2) Choosing The Right Timeline Frame Rate
Shot a video to be exported in 30 fps? Well then, you should create a 30 fps timeline before you begin the project. Frame rates, depending on the project that you are working on, can change the mood of the project.
Making a mini-vlog for Instagram Reels? Edit in a 60 fps timeline. Editing a feature film for your college project? Edit in 24 fps. Simply put, your project needs should govern the framerate you pick in your timeline and while filming itself.
3) Know Your Aspect Ratios
Trust me, you don’t want to post a landscape video on Instagram Reels. So, ensure that you edit in 9:16 for vertical video and only choose 16:9 or more “cinematic" aspect ratios like 1.85:1 for only long projects like films and YouTube.
4) Titles Are Your Friend But In Moderation
Never go overboard with the amount of titles and hence, text that you put in your videos. Overwhelming amounts of text can bore your audience and they are not going to read it anyway. Your audience is there to look at visuals, not read. So, give them what they want. For instance, ever see Apple commercials bombarding the audience with obscenely long copies? No, right?
5) Export Right
For once, let us assume that you have done everything perfectly. From color grading to cuts. But while exporting, let’s say, a 4K60 timeline, you chose to get the output in 720P 30 FPS. Now, if you do something similar, congrats, you have successfully ruined your project. Ergo, always export the right way.
Editing a 4K 30 FPS video? It should be exported in 4K30. Depending on the platform, you may choose to scale down the footage by exporting in lower resolution and bitrate, but unintentionally doing it is a dealbreaker. Also, pay empahsis to the codecs. If your editing software supports fancy codecs, only use them if your workflow demands it. You can’t upload a ProRes video to Instagram Reels, can you?
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