Basic Video Editing (page 2)
Basic Video Editing Mistakes
Too many cuts or too few cuts: The speed of your cuts determines the pace of your video. With its ponderously long shots, 2001: A Space Odyssey is very slow-paced, while music videos often have multiple cuts per second and are very fast-paced and frenetic. Find a happy medium that follows the pace of your movie.
Jump cuts: Jump cuts happen when you cut between shots without moving the camera. The people in the shot suddenly move, as though they've "jumped." You can cover these up by insert editing cutaways.
Too many effects: Just because you have a star wipe in your transition folder is no reason to use it. Unless you're making a late-night infomercial, be sparing in the use of transition filters and effects.
Editing For Multiple Audiences
There's nothing that says you can have only one edit of a video. One of the great features of non-linear editing systems is the ability to save multiple versions of a video. You can easily make a three-minute teaser trailer of your vacation, or you can make multiple versions of Our Trip to the Zoo, each of which spends more time one person or family.
Learn From the Pros: One great thing about video making as a hobby is the easy access we have to the masters. Just turn on your television or pop in a DVD, and you can watch the work of the world's greatest editors. Pay attention to editing techniques all the time - you can be learning while everybody else is merely watching TV.
Contributing Editor Kyle Cassidy is a visual artist who exhibits regularly and has written books on technology and photographic art.
