Introduction

VIDEO EDITING has become an inseparable part of today’s media and entertainment industry and hence the increased demand for video editors. Video editing is the process of re-arranging or modifying segments of video to form another piece of video. The goals of video editing are the same as in film editing — the removal of unwanted footage, or parts of video, the isolation of desired footage, and the arrangement of footage in time to synthesize a new piece of footage. Thus the main task of the video editor is to edit soundtracks, film and video for the motion picture, cable and broadcast visual media industries. It is the video editor’s skill that determines the quality and delivery of the final product. Video editors are in great demand with the advent of streaming videos and movie clips in websites. As this field is becoming highly competitive, video editors can expect keen competition for job openings. The increased popularity of online video clips has also produced a large increase in video editing activity by internet users.

Video Editing is broadly classified as Linear Editing (Tape to tape), and Non-linear editing or Digital Video Editing. Linear editing involves copying just the required portions of a film from one tape to another. Any changes or additions needed could be made only by copying the edited content onto another tape, causing undesirable degradation of images. On-linear editing systems are computer-based, though there was a transitional analog period using multiple source VCRs or Laserdisc players. Footage is played into a computer and captured on a hard drive. The video editor who edits sound tracks, films and videos does it onscreen with professional editing software’s like The Final Cut Pro, Avid’s Media Composer, Adobe Premiere, Xpress Pro, etc. These software’s enables capturing of video and audio from any USB or fire wire input device, editing the video and audio components, combining them with transitions and special effects, syncing the audio and video clips, removing unwanted footage, adding sub titles, enhancing and exporting videos, etc to come up with the desired video.

Career

Though the entry into this field does not require any specified educational qualification however a degree or diploma in visual arts/ fine arts, multimedia/ information technology, media studies etc. will help the candidate to be placed high. They are responsible for the content of the finished video. Career in the video editing field is quite vast. They can get placed in any of the following areas

• Film Production
• TV Production Studios
• Web Design Companies
• Advertising and Multimedia Companies
• Post Production Studios
• Independent Production Companies
• Motion picture studios.
• Freelancing for Corporate Companies
• Online editing for reality shows, live matches, spot reporting, game shows, etc.
• Setting up of own editing studios.