Videos are everywhere – you will find yourself looking up videos on the internet when you want to learn crafts, try new recipes, or even when you want to enjoy your leisure time. Videos have changed the field of marketing; you must have noticed that more and more companies are now making engaging video content and sharing them on their social media handles.
And behind every good video you watch, there’s a video editor who puts their handwork and creativity into it. Therefore, video editors are so on demand right now, and the demand will keep increasing in the near future. If you are passionate about video making and want to make it your career, now is the best time to start. Without further adieu, let’s discuss how you can kick start your career as a video editor.
Educational Options
To excel in this field within a short time, you must put time and effort into learning. Even though videos online video editors have the video editing experience much smoother and more enjoyable, you will see yourself perform better if you learn how to use professional video editing tool first. If you remain consistent, you will see improvement in just a couple of months.
Get A Film Degree
If you want to learn the ins and outs of the video-making industry, getting a film degree will help more than you can imagine. Plus, while learning filmmaking, you may find out that you can have a knack for other aspects of production. Having a film degree will also make it easier for you to market your skills, as most clients prefer to do background checks before hiring a video editor. Hence, there’s always a win-win situation if you invest in a film degree.
Teach Yourself
Even though it’s previously been stated that some clients prefer video editors with a film degree, it doesn’t mean that you will not be able to shine in this field without it. Videomaking is a creative field, and you can excel in this field by upgrading your skillset from time to time. There are unlimited tutorials available online for you to learn from.
However, once you feel that you have learned enough, do invest in some video-making courses to be a certified video editor because, in this competitive field, it’s always nice to be prepared. There are tons of affordable websites online that will teach you video editing and provide you with a certificate to help you get good clients in the future.
Marketing Materials
Once you have acquired all the skills you need to become a video editor, it’s time to focus on marketing them. This step will help the clients reach out to you with ease. Here are all the marketing materials you need:
A Demo Reel
As you already know, most people now prefer video content over blogs. To grab their attention use video editor tool to make a demo reel that showcases your previous work, your editing style, and more. Think of the demo reel as your portfolio and include everything you want your ideal client to know to hire you.
Keep the demo reel compact, try not to make it longer than 22 minutes, and try to grab the viewer’s attention in the first 10-15 seconds. Include high-quality clips and suitable music to keep it interesting, and don’t forget to add your contact information at the end of your video.
Personal Website
This is a part that so many video editors ignore; they prefer using video hosting websites to get clients over having their website. Well, of course, you should market yourself in video hosting websites, but having your website should also be on your bucket list. A personal website will set a good impression about you and help you get good clients.
Plus, you will have the freedom to design the website however you want. Add your contact information and the about you section, demo reel, services you provide on your website. Including a section about reviews and client testimonials is also a great way to attract clients.
Business Cards
Another useful marketing material to represent you has to be business cards, even though some people think they are pretty useless nowadays. Business cards are a quick way to make a first impression so, while making your business card, you have to be creative because you get a small space to say enough things about yourself that will make people look up on the internet to find out more about you.
If you want to stand out of the crowd, don’t go for the designs with film reels and cameras on them. Hiring a graphic designer may sound a bit expensive at first, but it’ll be worth it because they will design business cards that speak volumes about your work.
Business and Clients
Perhaps the best thing about being a video creator/ editor is that you can work in the comfort of your home. So, this part won’t take much time to sort out. Set up a workspace in your living space if you are an amateur. Make sure to invest in the desk setups to work comfortably. Once you acquire enough experience and money, you can always think about renting an office.
Even if marketing firms, event organizations, and businesses have video editors as their employees, there will always be vacation days, sick days, and an overflow of work pressure throughout the year. They would prefer having an extra hand during those times. So, offer freelance services to these businesses and let them know that you are available.
Tons of wedding functions, birthdays, and other events occur each year, and along with them occurs footage that begs to be edited nicely. Other than that, local businesses, gyms, and doctor’s clinics now want their videos made to reach more people. Hence, you will never miss clients if you do your best in every video you produce.
Conclusion
It takes more than just video editing skills to excel in this growing field. You can still be a good video editor with or without a film degree if you keep putting consistent efforts into your betterment. To achieve sheer success, you must keep upgrading your skills, showing your creativity, and providing quality services to your clients.