How to learn video editing fast using 5 professional steps
How do you learn video editing fast without getting stuck in tutorial loops?
Skip the software obsession and focus on real editing fundamentals. Use professional-quality footage, learn proven editing criteria, and practice with feedback instead of watching endless tutorials.
Stop obsessing over software — pick a hammer and start building
If you were a carpenter starting out, how much time would you spend picking out a brand of hammer? Not much. Maybe you'd read a couple reviews or ask somebody more experienced.
A carpenter isn't defined by the brand of hammer they use — they're defined by what they build.
But in the editing world, so many people get caught up arguing over software for years. Should I use Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, Avid, Final Cut?
My suggestion: just pick one of those four and get to work. They're all sufficient and can do the job, but none of them will magically make you a great editor.
Don't argue over what software is better in comment sections. You're just a carpenter arguing over brands of hammers, which is really just a way to avoid getting to the hard work of building something.
Watch one tutorial, then start editing immediately
Our carpenter picked out their hammer — now they need to learn how to use it. Maybe they watch a tutorial or ask for tips from someone experienced.
Which option sets our carpenter on the fastest path to getting better?
Option one: Watch a tutorial, get some tips, start their next build. Option two: Only watch hammering tutorials for days, weeks, months, maybe years.
Unfortunately, so many editors get stuck here because they equate editing with learning software. They go down rabbit hole after rabbit hole, watching software tutorial after software tutorial, avoiding the actual craft of editing.
My suggestion: quickly pick out a hammer and watch one or two software tutorials. If you know how to import footage, drag it into your timeline, and make an edit, you already know enough to get to the actual work of becoming a great editor.
Use high-quality practice footage from day one
Our carpenter picked their hammer and watched a couple hammering tutorials. Now it's time to source some wood — or in the case of editors, footage, sound effects, and music.
This may be the biggest difference between starting today and when I started in 1999. When I started, I was practicing with footage shot on mini DV camcorders by 14-year-olds. It wasn't very inspiring.
In film school, I was still practicing on footage shot on mini DV camcorders, just with slightly higher production value. It wasn't until much later that I got to edit really good-looking footage.
Compare that to today where you can join a site like Artlist and get instant access to beautiful footage shot on high-end cameras in locations around the globe. This is probably what I'm most jealous of for those starting editing careers now.
But our carpenter is still missing something. It's not enough to just start with a pile of wood. It's most helpful to start with some plans — for editors, that's usually a script or storyboard.
This can be trickier to find than straight practice footage. In film school, all the editors would compete to edit the stories that had the most promise, ideally the ones with higher budgets shot on 16mm or 35mm film.
My first recommendation: start building relationships with directors or producers who need editors. That definitely takes time. My second option: join a course that has an editing project you can practice on.
Want to master the editing criteria that professional editors use to create emotionally-impactful work? Download this free guide that reveals the 5 criteria top editors use to craft powerful edits.
Find an experienced editor to guide your learning
Could our carpenter start building something now that they have wood and plans? Yes. Is this the most efficient way to get better? Definitely not.
In any craft, the quickest way to improve is to apprentice under an experienced craftsman. This is harder to find today, but it's still what I'd recommend.
Remember, at this point you've only watched a couple technical software tutorials. You need to learn the editing criteria that real pros use. For me, it's emotion, story, rhythm, sound, and action — in that order.
I urge you to learn these concepts from a trusted guide and begin applying them with your newly acquired footage and script.
Finish projects and get feedback — don't tinker forever
Our carpenter has a hammer, learned to swing it, has wood and plans, and even has an experienced carpenter as their guide. Here's where most aspiring carpenters and editors get stuck: they tinker on the same project for weeks, months, or years without finishing it.
Or they do finish it, but they're afraid to share it because getting feedback is scary.
The key to becoming a great carpenter or editor is to work on a project, get feedback, refine it with that feedback, and then finish it.
What's the most helpful feedback? From other new carpenters? That can be helpful, but the best feedback to make sure you get better as fast as possible is from that more experienced carpenter who's been helping you.
Work on a project, get feedback, refine it, and finish it. Work on a project, get feedback, refine it, and finish it. This step never ends.
I've been at this for more than 20 years and I'm still taking on new projects, getting feedback from people ahead of me, refining it with that feedback, and finishing it. For every project, my goal is to learn something new so the next project I make is even better.
I know from experience that this is the fastest way to become a great editor. My main hope is that this will inspire you to take action, to start learning the real craft of editing and not waste too much time watching hammering tutorials.
Ready to accelerate your editing skills with professional guidance and feedback? Check out Edit Like A Broadcast Pro where you'll learn the criteria real pro editors use and apply it to engaging projects with direct feedback.
