So, you’ve shot your video, captured your footage, but now, you are not quite sure what to do with it? It’s possible you may be in need of video editing services.
The smart phone industry has revolutionized the ability for both amateur and professional videographers to capture video easily and affordably. Deciding how that video footage will be used is an important consideration.
Many people are only interested in using video to capture moments or events with the intent that their footage will be uploaded to a hard drive or cloud storage service and be kept for occasional viewing or for posterity. While they may plan to come back and look at the footage from time to time, there is no plan to do anything with it other than that. Some people are satisfied with their video in its raw (unedited) format. Others may use video editing applications right on their smart phones (ex. Luma Fusion) or computers (ex. iMovie) to do simple video editing, such as trimming the front and end of the video, cropping the video, adjusting lighting and white balance, applying special filters or effects and adding captions or music, just to mention a few.
Who Needs a Video Editing Service Then?
Companies with a desire and budget to hire a professional videographer to capture an event or project, may not use the same videographer to edit the video footage. This might happen in the case where the videographer’s skillset includes only that of being good at capturing video, but lacks the skillset of or desire to be a video editor. Other examples could include cases where the videographer only had time to capture the video footage for a client, but did not have the time or resources to edit it. Another example is when video footage is captured in the present, but it is unsure how it will be used and quite possibly may not be used until a later date. Revitup Media Productions has worked successfully with a number of clients with these kinds of circumstances. There are also additional reasons outside of hiring a professional videographer that are worth noting here as well.
While the ability to perform simple video editing (comparatively speaking) on a smart phone or computer has come a long way in recent years, the answer to the question, “Who needs a video editing service?” can be answered with another question; “What is the intent of the video that has been captured and how will it be used?” In other words, was it captured to be shared “as-is” (perhaps with minor video editing), to be archived or was there a broader purpose in mind? It must also be asked, “will the video footage be for personal use or will it be used in company branding or promotions”?
Many businesses have team members who have the ability to capture high quality, usable video either with their smart phone or point-and-shoot camera. In some cases, someone in-house may even have a prosumer or even a more professional level DSLR or mirrorless camera capable of even more options and very likely, better footage. With a little training (check back later to see our video titled “7 Steps to Better Social Media Video” coming to this site soon), many people are capable of capturing the footage they need to promote their company’s personal brand or products. However, without creative video editing, video shared can do as much to dimmish these as contribute to its success. That’s where a professional video editing service comes in.
Professional Video Editing Services
Professional video editing services have specialized tools and their staff is skillfully trained to take video production to the next level. Depending on the quality of the footage delivered, a video editor is able to bring that video footage into a video editing software application, such as Final Cut Pro X, Premier Pro or DaVinci Resolve and work that specialized “video editing magic.” Major adjustments can be made to the raw footage in the software that go far beyond anything that can be done on a smartphone app or in a less than professional level video editing software on a computer. Examples of these advanced enhancements are: color grading and color correction, trims and transitions, titles, motion elements and audio design and correction. Additionally, there is a plethora of plugins (specialized applications within proprietary software) and other elements available for professional level video editing software that “supercharge” video production. A good video editor will know how to use these tools in a way that will positively display the goods and services companies have to offer.
How Do Video Editing Services Charge?
While there are likely to be other exceptions here, most video editing services will charge one of two ways. The first might be a package rate where a client details what they need and the video editing service offers them a package that will encompass what is needed. The client is not aware of the number of hours needed for the project, only the amount it will cost them to have the video editing service complete the project. Other companies may do something similar, the difference being, these companies tell clients how much they charge per unit, say… their hourly or daily rate, and then give the client an estimation on the number of hours it will take to complete the project. In this model, the client is only billed for the actual number of units (hours, days or some other measurement) that it takes to complete the project. Revitup Media Productions uses the hourly-rate model for video editing services and when offering a quote to a client, estimates the number of hours a project will take.
Conclusion
There are many other considerations that could be added here, however, suffice it to say, there are times when the need for a video editing service will not only be an option, but an absolute necessity in order to achieve the professional results that many businesses desire. We hope the information offered here will be useful in helping anyone reading it make a more informed decision when deciding whether or not they are in need of a video editing service.