Editing your videos is the most time consuming and technically-intimidating part of creating videos for your video blog, sales page, or on your main website.
Yes, I know your pain.
There’s the first step, of just getting all of the video into your computer. Compatibility problems with your software, the time it takes for your computer to process the raw footage, what file types your computer accepts to import …
There’s deciding if you are going to use entry-level software like Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, if you are going to up-level to Adobe Premier Pro or Final Cut … not mentioning actually learning how to use the software …
And you haven’t even started editing yet.
Then there’s deciding what footage to use, dealing with sound and lighting problems, where to make the cuts, transitions, titles, graphics, whether you will add music, photos, cutaways, b-roll footage, how to convert and expert your video …
It’s overwhelming.
I get it.
And, I get that I’m a bit of a weirdo.
Because … I love editing videos.
I love editing videos, because that’s where I find the story.
Editing is where the creation happens, where I take what I thought I was going to shoot, what I had planned in my outline, the message I thought I was going to speak … and learn what the video is really about.
I love editing videos, because I can craft how I want to be seen.
I can find the funny. I can find my message. I can find the one time out of 5 or 6 shots where I got it right and sound moderately brilliant. Or at least not like a complete idiot.
Editing is my art.
But you don’t have to edit.
Yes, I know that I sell a program that teaches you how to edit videos (among other things).
But editing is not required to create videos that bond with your audience and speak your truth.
Instead, you can create videos that are “recorded live.”
In other words, you just shoot your video, from beginning to end, and post it. Maybe you add a title at the beginning or a call to action at the end. Maybe you add nothing.
Recorded live is a huge time savings.
You can shoot a video and get it up in a matter of minutes. You can shoot from anywhere and easily upload from anywhere straight to yourtube or facebook … even right from your phone or laptop.
Recorded live is real.
When you include all the “uh’s” and when you forget words and and plane flew overhead and the demo didn’t quite work the first time … that can be endearing. You’re taking us behind the scenes, not hiding behind pillars, you’re sharing your message with us, raw.
Recorded live works.
But recorded live doesn’t work for everyone.
It takes practice. You must be able to carry your energy for the entire shot. You must at least get your message across, because there’s no fixing it later (without a completely reshoot). You can’t let us get bored.
And some of you are so intimidated by the shooting, the idea of having your face on camera, that the meek protections that editing has to offer will help you be okay with letting the world see you on video.
And that’s the bottom line.
Edit or don’t edit. I don’t care.
Whatever it takes to get your damn video up.
If it means you need to edit. If it means you can’t edit.
Later on … you can futz with it, add transitions, cutaway to b-rolls, get a new haircut, use better lighting, do a better job maintaining your energy, actually remember to do your call to action … yes.
You can and will improve everything.
But, in the meanwhile … edit. Don’t edit. Whatever.
Just post the damn video.
Do you edit your videos? What’s hard about editing videos, for you? Do you prefer videos that have been edited or the recorded-live video style?
To learn how to make your own videos, check out my newest video program 3 Days to Video live virtual workshop or get the free Quickstart to just learn the basics!
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I'm Elizabeth Potts Weinstein, a writer, teacher, and coach.