Even without shooting, the craft of video editing has a lot of moving parts. Planning, storyboarding, editing, and audio and video postproduction can be overwhelming tasks to juggle, particularly if you’re a beginner.
Chris Gates put together a helpful list of habits to avoid — “worst practices”? — that can help you stay focused and make better videos:
- Winging it. Follow a storyboard and don’t get distracted.
- Scaling it up. Work to your deliverables — no more, no less.
- A cluttered workspace. Stay organized on your real or virtual desktop.
- Overusing transitions. Use ones that suit the project, don’t default to your habits.
- Using jump cuts. Use them consciously, not lazily. Fill discontinuities with “B-roll” (or stock footage).
- Ignoring audio. Don’t let a bad sound mix ruin your movie.
- Underusing graphics. Explore a bit when it comes to credits and openings. Use type that complements your story.
- Abusing effects. Like spices, they’re best used sparingly. They can also quickly fill up your day.
- Stealing ideas. Learn from your heroes (and online tutorials), but don’t be obvious about it.
- Attempting to use every shot. Be selective. As they say in writing, “Murder your darlings.”
Check out the full post over on Videomaker.
Still from 17A063_145