Unveiling the “magic” of video editing
Let’s take a dive into the fascinating world of video post-production and unravel the intricate process of video editing. If you're unfamiliar with the term, post-production refers to the “fantastical realm” where video footage transforms into a polished masterpiece. It's the phase where the real magic happens, and we're here to shed light on this often misunderstood journey.
Whether you're collaborating with us, another company, or even venturing into video editing yourself, understanding the post-production process is essential. Often, clients are unaware of what truly goes on behind the scenes. They only know that after the shoot their footage “disappears into the abyss” and returns, hopefully, as their vision turned reality. Here, we’ll address common misconceptions and provide clarity to everyone interested in comprehending the intricacies of this creative endeavor.
Uploading and organizing footage
Our adventure begins as we return from a shoot, carrying all the precious footage we've captured on our SD cards. Back at the office, we hand over the cards to our dedicated editor. The first step is transferring the footage from the cards to an external hard drive and then organizing it based on the cameras used. For instance, if we shot an interview with a two or three-camera setup, we organize the footage into folders according to wide shots, close-up shots, B-roll and interviews, and also pull the audio from our recorder and any graphics the client has shared or photos we’ve taken. Just to be safe, we also back up everything a third time onto our server, a process that takes about two to three hours due to the high quality and large size of the footage files.
Selecting soundbites
Once all the footage is safely transferred and organized, the next step involves creating a project file using Adobe Premiere Pro, our preferred editing software. With all the housekeeping completed, it's time to roll up our sleeves and start cutting the footage. Our typical videos involve interviews accompanied by B-roll footage. We begin by focusing on the A-roll, the interview footage, cutting out our producer’s prompts and carefully selecting the best responses from each company representative based on their strongest sounding bits that align with the messaging we established in our pre-production strategy. Sometimes companies want to pick the quotes themselves, which is totally fine! In that case, we share links to the footage in our reviewing portal where people can play back the video at slower or faster paces and easily leave comments on which sections they like best. Our editor will then cut out the excess interview footage so we only have the selected sections.
Blending audio and visual
After addressing the A-roll, it's time to work on the B-roll. We cut the footage to synchronize with the verbal cues, reinforcing the interview soundbites with captivating visuals. Typically, we have anywhere from 50 to 100 shots of B-roll. We select the ones that match best with the audio segments.
With the audio and video synched together, it’s time to focus on music. Music is a powerful element that can make or break a video, drastically altering its impact. To ensure the selected music aligns perfectly with the video's objectives and complements the visuals, we consider factors like the target audience and the desired emotional connection when choosing from our extensive licensed music library. Whether it's rugged rock for manufacturing or inspiring tunes for renewable energy, music plays a vital role in enhancing the overall viewing experience.
Once the music is chosen, we lay the track in our editing software and assess its duration. We make adjustments to ensure it fits the video seamlessly. Adobe Premiere Pro allows us to identify beats within the timeline, enabling us to cut and match the visuals accordingly.
Now it's time to put everything together and start building the framework of the video. We begin with the interview footage, cutting to the beat and arranging the clips to form the backbone of the video. It's akin to putting up the outer walls of a house during construction.
Depending on the project, we might prioritize audio or color correction next. For color grading, we use a specialized editing software renowned for its color grading capabilities. It allows us to make precise adjustments, especially when dealing with footage that may initially appear washed out. Color grading allows us to tailor the video's appearance, ensuring the colors pop and resonate with the audience.
Audio quality is equally important to visual elements. Given the constraints of shooting environments, we often employ denoising techniques in the editing software. To achieve high-quality audio, we rely on a combination of tried-and-true effects to meticulously fine-tune the audio, going frame by frame to eliminate background noises, adjust levels and optimize the overall listening experience. Our goal is to ensure the interviewees sound their best, regardless of any external factors (ambulances, air conditioners, chatter in the next room, etc.) that may have affected the recording.
Ready for the rough cut
As the pieces of the puzzle come together, it's time to incorporate graphics and lower thirds. These elements add visual interest and convey crucial information to the audience. Whether it's displaying names and titles, or motion graphics like animated logos and call-to-action slides, we ensure the visuals align with the video's tone and purpose. Depending on the complexity, we might create these graphics using software like Photoshop. Once everything is in place, we have our “rough cut” that undergoes internal review before sending it off to the client for their initial feedback in our review portal.
All of these steps are why a typical 2 to 4-minute video can take anywhere from 15 to 20 hours to edit. Longer videos or projects with additional requirements will naturally require more time. Also, bear in mind that our editing team is often working on multiple projects simultaneously, prioritizing projects according to deadlines and other factors. This is why post-production typically takes us a few weeks.
We hope this blog sheds some light on the editing process and dispels the notion that post-production can be completed in a matter of days or a week. While we work hard to turn around projects as quickly as possible, we hope you can appreciate the effort and meticulous attention to detail that goes into each project to deliver the highest quality product we can to you!
Even for a relatively short video featuring interviews and B-roll, the journey to achieve a rough cut for the client's first review involves substantial dedication and creativity. Post-production truly is a labor of love, combining technical expertise with artistic vision to transform raw footage into a captivating visual narrative.
To learn more, watch or listen to our podcast episode with our lead editor “From Raw Footage to Final Cut: Understanding the Video Post-Production Process.”