At-Home Movie Magic: A Mini Guide to Video Editing for Beginners

Have you always wanted to be a video editing pro? Do you want to make fashion videos on TikTok, short films, or even music videos? 

Great video editing takes creativity, years of practice, and a lot of hard work. However, you have to start somewhere. Whether you’re trying your hand at it for the first time or you just want to make simple edits for personal use, getting started is the hardest part. 

We’re here with a brief “video editing for beginners” guide to get you started. Read on before you start editing a video for the first time. 

Do You Need Fancy Software?

If you want to be a pro video editor, it’s likely that you’ll need to upgrade your software at some point (though there are plenty of popular creators who still use iMovie or free apps). When you’re a newbie, though, you don’t have to waste your money right away.

Professional-quality software can be too intense for many computers. If you’re not ready to upgrade your software, try one of the video editing software free options instead.

You can even find powerful editing tools in your phone’s App Store. 

Start With Something Simple

It’s tempting to go headfirst into complex video editing projects, but you don’t want to overdo it right away. Many people who are new to video editing get overzealous with effects and music, and their videos look amateur as a result. 

When you’re editing a video for the first time, focus on things like cutting your clips, reassembling clips, and color correcting. This will seem like a slow start, but you’ll be giving yourself a strong foundation for the future. 

Take Time to Learn Your Software

It’s a good idea to have some basic “throwaway” clips that you can use to assemble your first videos. They’re not going to be masterpieces, but this is going to give you the opportunity to learn how to edit a video with the free software that you have available to you. 

Look at online tutorials for your specific video editing software. They’ll walk you through the editing process step-by-step so you can learn helpful tips and tricks.

Many beginners get frustrated and give up early on because they don’t understand their software. By testing everything out with “throwaway” clips from the beginning, you’ll have a low-stakes way to learn. 

Try to Mimic Other Videos

Look at short-form videos on apps like TikTok and Instagram. The ones that popular creators make are often made outside of the app with simple editing software (potentially even the software that you’re using). Try to mimic some of their edits.

For example, TikTok transitions are fun to learn and they’re effective despite being so simple. 

Video Editing for Beginners: Are You Ready?

Video editing for beginners isn’t easy, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to make fun video content for social media and more! Download your free video editing software and get started today.

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