Filmmaker Ashleigh Jadee breaks down various advanced editing techniques to help you develop your existing editing skills, check out her top tips below.
Recap 1 (00:37) - Ensure your footage is backed up and import into your edit.
You can use your computer, external hard drive or cloud based service to back up your rushes. 鈥楻ushes鈥 is a word used for your raw, unedited shots.
Recap 2 (00:54) 鈥 Create a sequence of your favourite shots.
Collate your favourite shots into a sequence on your timeline. Make a copy of this initial timeline, just in case something goes wrong.
Step 1 (01:08) 鈥 Pacing.
The pacing and tempo of your film can be altered by how quickly or slowly your shots change. Faster edits can add momentum and high energy to your film, with more slower edits drawing out emotion or even creating suspense.
Step 2 (01:44) 鈥 Refine your edit.
Edit out any unnecessary stumbles or long pauses in your film by using the cut button. The cut button can come in different forms, often known as a razor/blade tool, or split clip/add edit function. You can also swap the order of your clips by dragging and dropping.
Step 3 (02:53) 鈥 Add transitions between your clips.
Adding transitions between your cuts is a creative way of transitioning from one shot to another. Choose these wisely though, as too many may make your film look gimmicky.
Step 4 (03:30) 鈥 Cut your shots to the beat of the music.
Choose a track with a tempo and style that fits well with your film. By altering your edit cuts slightly, to fit the beat of the music, your film will look much more professional. This can be done with the cutting tool or by holding and dragging your edit points. Add sound effects and mix down your audio to make sure the levels are consistent.
Step 5 (04:52) 鈥 Colour Correction.
Altering the colour of your footage will give your film a unique look. You can add effects to your footage such as black and white filters or simply increase the saturation and contrast on your clips, to make the colours pop.
Step 6 (05:11) 鈥 Exporting your film.
As well as using the preset exports in your software, you can also change the frame size of your film to portrait or square, to suit the social media platform you wish to use.
