It’s all in the edit!

1. Ask for help
Don’t have all the equipment or know-how to dive straight into editing? No worries! Find a friend or adult with a top notch computer and some tech know-how. Chances are, they’ll have at least a clue about editing software and how to use it. Plus, a fresh pair of eyes on the project never hurts. YouTube tutorials are your best friend.

2. Vary Your Shots
Another important thing to consider while editing is to keep your content visually interesting. Rather than just using the same shot for the entire video, try to vary things up with more interesting angles. A nice rule to keep in mind is to make cuts based on the beat of the music or at pauses when people speak.

3. Storage and back-up of your film
Hard drives and memory cards can fail from time to time. If it’s important, keep a copy of it in a separate location. It’s always best to keep a copy of your project on your computer and on a separate hard drive somewhere else.

4. Play with pacing
Remember that the short shots and quick cuts will speed up the film and create an energetic vibe, while longer shots and fading transitions will chill things out. Audiences will respond best when you use a bit of both across your film! 

5. Less is more!
Let’s say you’ve gotten all excited in your editing, adding in quick cuts and sound effects galore – hold on there Edgar Wright, let’s slow things down a little bit! Having an over abundance of visual and sound effects can be super distracting from your story. If this is the style you’re going for that’s totally okay, but if it’s not, perhaps take a step back from the project, take a day to refresh or ask for an opinion from a friend or even us! Remember, one or two well placed effects will affect your audience in a more meaningful way.  Don’t saturate them!