Video marketing has become an efficient marketing method for a lot of offline and online businesses. YouTube, the biggest video uploading site is currently the second most popular search engine online.

If you want to go into video editing, you can take advantage of the numerous free resources that are available on the internet. The following are some tips that will help you to earn money with video editing freeware.

• How to Get Free Computer Video Editing Software
• Top 10 Ways to Make Money Editing Videos
• 5 Websites That Pay Video Editors
• Can I Earn Money by Video Editing?
• How Can I Get Paid to Edit Videos For Free?
• How Can I Make Money From Editing?
• How do Video Editors Make Money on YouTube?
• How to Use Video Editing Skills to Earn Money
• How to Get Profit Off my Video Editing Skills
• How to Become a Freelance Video Editor From Scratch
• How to Make Money Online With Photo/Video Editing
• How to Earn Money by Video Editing in India
• How to Get Video Editing Work Online
• How to Make it as a Video Editor
• 14 Best Video Editing Software

How to Get Free Computer Video Editing Software

There are numerous options for free editing software. The most popular are the free editing programs that come with your computer’s operating system (Microsoft and Apple). Windows comes with MovieMaker while Apple comes with iMovie.

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You can easily find any of these programs when you start up your computer. If you cannot find these programs easily on your system, you can visit the Apple or Microsoft website for free downloads.

Free bundled software

Another way to get free video editing software is to check the bundled software that comes with your camcorder and other video production devices. These programs are usually limited in function but most of them will allow you to produce simple videos that will satisfy your clients.

When you use the program that comes with your camcorder, you have the assurance that it will work with videos that are captured by the device.

Check online

If you search on the web, you are going to find several free programs that you can use to edit simple videos. Some of them have been around for several years and new ones are still being released regularly. The only problem with these free programs is that they might not offer detailed instructions or a lot of support.

Demo versions

Another way to get free video editing software is to check out the demo or trial versions of professional video editing packages. Trial versions can be downloaded on the company’s website or partner websites. On the average, a trial version will last for 30 days.

If you have made some money within those thirty days, you may choose to buy the full version. Do not use any video editing freeware that stamps a logo on the finished video. This will not be accepted by your clients. Conduct a test run with the software to find out if the product name shows on your finished work.

Before you look for clients

It is vital to do a lot of practicing before you start marketing your service. Start by learning how to properly use your choice video editing program. Once you have become proficient in its use, create a few sample videos that you will show to prospective customers.

The best recommendation for anyone who wants to earn money with video editing freeware is to start with iMovie for Apple or Windows MovieMaker. Once you have become perfect in the use of these programs, you can download and start experimenting with some of the free demos provided by big names such as Pinnacle, Adobe or Ulead. However, you should know that you have to purchase professional programs when your business has grown.

Top 10 Ways to Make Money Editing Videos

If you want to make money editing videos, there are plenty of opportunities available. Whether it be working with companies to develop a perfect promotional video for their products, or athletes looking to highlight their skills to prospective universities, the opportunities are endless.

With that in mind, in order to maximize the amount of income from your video editing business, you should explore several different income avenues.

Let’s jump into 10 of them!

1. Freelance On Sites Like Fiverr And Upwork

In today’s world, there are plenty of places online to promote and secure freelance video editing work.

Sites like Fiverr and Upwork serve as a marketplace for people looking for all types of services including writing, video editing, and graphic design. It’s free to set up your profile and start advertising your services.

The only thing you have to do is create a few listings, set your pricing, and get to work.

That said, the challenge with these sites is that they take a cut of your profits. On the flip side, this is a small price to pay for the large number of potential clients that use their sites every day.

The exposure alone can be worth the fees.

Just be sure to price your services with these fees in mind. Also, it’s important to know that Fiverr and Upwork have different fee structures. So, one may be better than the other for you personally, so check them both out.

When getting started, you may need to charge a lower rate than normal.

Because clients look for freelancers with a solid rating, it may take a little time to build up your reputation on these sites.

However, if you consistently produce good quality work, you will be able to increase your pricing in no time.

2. Edit Videos For Local Businesses

Local businesses often need to create video content but don’t have the resources of a large company. These projects can include advertisements, investor presentations, or training videos.

Start with some local business owners that you know to see if they need any help. If they don’t have work for you, they might know another business that does.

Don’t forget to consider non-profit or government organizations such as charities, schools, or churches. Like for-profit businesses, they need to promote their services or attract donors.

You might even want to offer to provide free services at first to build your portfolio or get your foot in the door. This will help you build your portfolio and help you develop a solid reputation.

3. Edit Wedding Footage

Marriage is a big business in the United States—especially when it comes to videography.

To get started, contact some local wedding videographers and offer your services to help them edit their footage. You can also secure work through wedding planners, venues, and caterers.

Realtors often use videos to showcase the properties that they are selling.

4. Film And Edit Real Estate Videos

This helps provide a lot of exposure and gives buyers an opportunity to see the property without going in person to visit it.

This is especially important for out-of-state investors who want to see a property without booking a plane ticket. Oh, and this applies to both commercial and residential properties.

Oh, and don’t be afraid to branch out from traditional real estate sales. For instance, apartment complexes, and even hotels, may want to film a quick walkthrough video to draw in prospective tenants.

You could also partner with a construction company that builds commercial buildings.

In many cases, they may want to produce a video to highlight their recently completed project to their client or other potential customers.

5. Create Or Sell A Video Editing Course

If you are an experienced videographer, you might consider sharing your knowledge with others. Remember how much time and energy you put into learning the craft. There are always people who are looking to get into the industry and don’t know where to start.

Creating a course for them can be a lucrative venture.

You have several options when creating a course.

1. You could teach this course in-person. This would allow you to give your students a hands-on experience as you guide them through the video editing process. This could be a great way to find the best talent to take on as interns as you expand your business.
2. Another solution would be an online course that consists of a series of instructional videos. The nice thing about this approach is that once the course is made, you can sell it over and over creating passive income.

6. Edit Videos For YouTubers

YouTube is a fantastic platform to share useful videos and entertain people.

The challenge is that not every person who wants to create a YouTube channel is an experienced video editor.

With that in mind, you could charge a fee to edit these videos for YouTubers.

For the most popular YouTube creators, they eventually need to take on a team of people to keep their channel operating. They often required a social media manager, writer, and video editor.

So, reach out to some of your favorite up-and-coming YouTubers to offer your services. You never know, they might just be willing to pay you to edit their videos.

7. Educational Or Explainer Videos

When it comes to educational videos or videos that explain complex topics, you might immediately think of educational institutes. However, there are also needs in many other industries.

For example, a technology company may need an explainer video that helps the customer understand the complex product that they are buying. Or a financial investment company may want to create a video series for their customers that explains how index funds work.

If you are trying to secure this type of work, you might consider creating a series of explainer videos that help your clients understand aspects of video shooting or editing.

8. Product Or Service Promotional Videos

Gone are the days when companies would hand out brochures or pamphlets to customers that were interested in their new products.

Today, interactive videos are a great way to highlight the benefits of a company’s products or service.

Companies can put these videos on their website, may use them during sales presentations, or even play them at their trade show booth.

Crowdsourcing content is also in high demand. On sites like Kickstarter, companies are looking to get funding for their company or project. And by having a powerful video as a part of their pitch, they improve their chances of getting the money they need.

9. Edit Videos For Anniversaries Or Special Occasions

Life is full of precious moments like birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. And while most people know how to capture a video on their smartphone, very few know how to edit their footage into a professional-looking video.

Luckily, that’s where you come in.

If you are willing to put together footage for anniversaries or other special occasions, you can definitely make money editing videos.

10. Edit Sports Videos / Highlight Reels

Getting into college is an accomplishment. Even more than that, securing a major scholarship can be life-changing.

For talented athletes, there are lots of scholarship opportunities. The challenge is standing out from the crowd of thousands of other students fighting for the same spot.

Most sports programs require athletes to submit a highlight reel with their scholarship applications. This gives the athlete the ability to show off their skills to the school’s recruiters and scouts. And seriously, a professionally edited video can make a difference in securing thousands of dollars in scholarship funds.

5 Websites That Pay Video Editors

The video industry nowadays is booming, with more and more people requiring professional help to create quality video content. So if you are already good at this then hold on, we have something big for you this time!

Being a freelance video editor can be demanding but equally rewarding. And even if you aren’t a professional, just by having the right video editing software and some skill set you can start earning good money.

Here are the top websites where you can make money by editing videos:

1. ViEdit

Viedit is a great platform for freelance video editors. This platform hires all kinds of editors, animators, and videographers. Freelancers can create business videos, social media clips, home videos, travel movies and more.

Whenever a client posts a project, freelancers can view these projects and send proposals with their own proposed price for it. Once the client accepts your proposal, they pay the agreed amount of money to ViEdit. Once the video is completed and accepted, Viedit will release the payment.

VidEdit has freelancers and clients from a 100 different countries, the company pays its freelancers through mostly all payment mediums e.g PayPal, Bank Transfer, Credit Card and more. The company charges a fee of 5-15% from the total payment to the freelancer, depending on the kind of video requested.

 2. MOFILM

MOFILM is a UK based content creator company. The company creates video content for various companies and brands. Video editors from all over the world can pitch video ideas or make videos in an attempt to win money from interested brands.

If you think you can compete with the best, then register yourself on their website. If you fit the requirements for a specific project, a company representative will get in touch with you.

The company pays its freelancers through Bank transfer. The payment amount will vary from project to project, so there’s no standard fee to it. The company will pay the freelancer half of the amount upfront and the other half will be paid once the edits are completed.

3. Uscreen

Uscreen is a video on demand (VOD) platform and a service provider that enables individuals and companies to sell videos online. So if you are a videographer or editor, the company helps you create your own video selling platform. You can sell individual videos or offer paid subscriptions. Through this platform, you can sell your videos at any price you desire, you will be the owner of your own store.

Uscreen has a number of payment options you can choose to receive payment from your customers. These payment gateways include, PayPal, Stripe and Braintree. In return for hosting you video store, Uscreen charges a small fee per month, ranging from $99-388 depending on the number of subscribers you want for your videos.

4. Tongal

Tongal is another great video content creation platform dedicated to creating videos for all kinds of digital platforms. They hire all kinds of writers, animators, videographers and editors. The company functions as competition site, where a video project is posted with the prize details.

The freelancers can then pitch their ideas through storyboarding etc. Once selected for your pitch, the film make will get funding for the video. Once the final edits are done, you will get paid by the company.

Tongal pays its winners through four payment gateways including, PayPal, Direct Deposit, Wire Transfer and Check. The prize money will vary from project to project so there is no standard amount that’s paid.

5. Other Freelancing Platforms

If all the above options don’t work out, you can always find projects on different freelancing platforms. Freelance websites like Mandy and Upwork are a global marketplace for small jobs that pay good. These jobs include video editing projects like; video voice overs, short video clips and more.

Can I Earn Money by Video Editing?

More and more businesses need videos to promote their services on Youtube and Instagram. It is a golden opportunity to make money as a freelance video editor.

According to Payscale, freelance video editors’ average salary is $20 an hour (in the U.S.).

In my experience, it mostly depends on your experience and duties. For example, editing promotional videos for small businesses pays more than making Youtube videos.

How Can I Get Paid to Edit Videos For Free?

The best free video editing software can provide an easy way to test the waters as you consider a career in videography, although they won’t match the range of features offered in the best paid-for software.

While there is nothing wrong with paying for a good video editing application, it is not always feasible to do so, especially when you are not sure about making a commitment. Thankfully, there’s a lot of video editing software to choose from right now. This is because most serve as a promotional campaign for paid software by the same creators.

1. Premiere Pro: the best video editing software overall If it’s a free trial you’re after, then you can try Premiere Pro for nothing for seven days. Adobe’s Premiere Pro is industry standard, works on both PC and Mac, and offers everything you need.

2. Final Cut Pro X: the best choice for Mac users Mac-specific Final Cut Pro has a great reputation in the industry and is the best video editing software for Apple users. There’s also a generous 90-day free trial to test it out.

3. Adobe Premiere Elements: the best option for beginners If you’re new to video editing, you might want to start with Adobe Premiere Elements, a simplified version of Premiere Pro that’s also cheaper, and currently has a 30-day free trial.

How Can I Make Money From Editing?

Now millionformula is giving you the opportunity to get paid to edit videos. This is a freelancer job opportunity that you can do from wherever you are. You do not need to go anywhere to do the job. Millionformula is not employing you to sit in some premises or some offices somewhere editing the videos. You will be able to do all this from the comfort of your home.

Yet a very good way to make money from home. With your computer, your video editing skills and your millionformula account, you can start editing right now. Most importantly, millionformula will not charge you any money to join this and start making money online by editing videos. Its all free and open for anyone from allover the world to join. Therefore you too reading this can join.

To start editing videos for money here at millionformula, log in to your account first, then go to the video editors program. On this page, you will find so many orders for you to choose from. They require you to choose the videos that you are sure you can edit properly as per the clarifications of the client.

When you choose these videos go ahead and start editing them. You can edit the videos online here at millionformula or you can edit them offline on your computer. For online, they have a video editor software here at millionformula that you can use.

With this software, you can edit the video to whatever format and to whatever style. However, they understand that the program might be a little different to use from what you are familiar with. Thus they ask you to take some time to familiarize yourself with it.

For offline editing, if this is your preferred mode of editing, make sure that you respect the copyright owner of the clients to that video. What this means is that you have no right to use the videos that you are editing elsewhere unless if authorized by the video owner.

In order for you to be able to edit the videos offline, you can download the video to your computer. Use your own video editing software that you are familiar with to edit the video. When you finish editing, upload it back online on your millionformula editor profile.

Here the client can be able to access the video and see if it is the way he/she wants. If the client is happy with your work, he/she will take the video and we will pay you.

How do Video Editors Make Money on YouTube?

Let’s face it: Youtube is massive.

More and more YouTubers and networks need video editors. That is an excellent opportunity to get some hands-on experience.

The downside is that editing YouTube videos usually doesn’t pay well. Most YouTubers will promise to pay a percentage of their income or pay you with exposure.

Remember that you can’t eat exposure.

Here is the deal: if you want to land high-paying jobs, you need to showcase your skills.

YouTube’s an excellent platform to publish your videos.

You can even build a website with:

• The best videos you’ve ever edited.
• Testimonials of your clients.
• Your services and your pricing.
• A contact form.

And all there is left to do is market your portfolio to your target audience.

How to Use Video Editing Skills to Earn Money

With the rise in the need for gigs and advancement in technology, demands for video content in marketing became higher than ever. This also gave rise to more people interested in video editing. As the job is progressing, many video editors are converting to freelance individuals and setting out to their own terms and conditions of performing their jobs.

Utilize freelance platforms

Many digital platforms still operate without feeling the effect of the pandemic situation facing the whole world. With the production of more content on a daily basis, there is a need for more video editing jobs to give the content a finishing touch. Upwork, Mandy.com, Fiverr.com, and other freelance platforms are places you could find jobs easily.

Online Tutoring

Social media platforms serve different purposes to different individuals. People use them to just connect with others and keep up with the latest. Some use them as learning grounds or platforms for sharpening their skills. Some use them to advertise and sell their products or services. Yet, others use them to make money while teaching people what they know.

During this pandemic period, so many people are willing to learn new skills instead of just sitting at home. inasmuch as there are so many online tutorials, you can still have your market share by teaching what you know best and adding some levels of creativity and professionalism to make your class unique. Skillshare is a pay-to-watch teaching platform where the teacher publishes courses using videos and then, teaching the students.

3. Edit video and upload them on YouTube

YouTube is now a very important platform where people go to search different video content to learn or ease out their stress. While it may take time to build a strong viewership, with consistency and compelling content, you can achieve your aim. For your tutorials to have a stronger foundation, leveraging YouTube will be a great opportunity too.

How to Get Profit Off my Video Editing Skills

If you’re a freelance video editor, check out these three side hustles that make use of skills you already have.

1. Write About Video Editing

Aspiring editors are scouring the internet right now in search of tips, tricks, and techniques that can improve their skills. Meanwhile, seasoned video editors are walking around with an encyclopedia’s worth of knowledge in their heads.

There are many, many websites that will pay you to write posts about video editing — how-tos, thought leadership, workflow hacks, you name it.

You can expect to earn anywhere from $50 to several hundred dollars per post, depending on the depth of info, length/word count, and other variables that the blog editor will make clear.

When coming up with ideas for posts, I like to reflect on what best-selling author Tim Ferriss calls “scratching your own itch.” What skill would you have searched for help on a few years ago? What have you recently discovered that’s transformed the way you work?

If you know the answers to those questions, but maybe feel like your writing chops aren’t what they should be, here’s a tip: Read more. And write more. And then read and write even more. You already know the language, you just have get comfortable using it in a new way.

If you’re really nervous about it, it might be beneficial to seek some guidance from a paid tutor. They’re out there, and they’re looking for work too. It’s a worthwhile investment that will pay for itself in time.

2. Create a YouTube Channel

2019’s highest-earning YouTuber brought in $26 million from their channel. While it’s unlikely you’ll make that sort of money, it’s definitely possible to develop a profitable channel if you’re persistent.

In the early days, growing a channel could be a frustratingly slow endeavor. However, these days, many users describe a “snowball” experience. The more popular your channel gets, the more likely YouTube is to promote your videos and the more views you can expect.

In order for your channel to get monetized, you must acquire over 1000 subscribers and 4000 watch hours. Obviously, this is only achievable by those with a degree of patience. Once monetized, your videos can continue to bring in money long after you’ve created them. You can wake up having earned money while you slept!

You can expect to earn around $3-$5 per 1000 views. This might not sound like a lot, but if you had 100 videos gaining 1000 views a day, you wouldn’t be complaining about the daily $400 your were earning.

When deciding what to create your content about, it’s worth (once again) considering the “scratch your own itch” philosophy. Think about what fascinates you. You inevitably have a wealth of knowledge on video editing, so why not create a series of how-to videos around the topic.

Alternatively, reviewing an editing kit that you already own could also gain you numerous views. Who doesn’t watch video reviews before purchasing editing hardware? Bonus: Your years of editing experience will likely make your videos stand out in a big way.

3. Explore Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is when an online seller pays an individual or company a commission to send them traffic and/or sales.

The easiest, most accessible way to make money from affiliate selling is through Amazon — you’ll receive 1-10% (depending on the items) of any money spent on their website. Their affiliate scheme is effortless to join.

How do you get potential buyers to click your links? Why not consider creating a blog? Or, you could put affiliate links into the descriptions of your YouTube videos. You can make it even simpler by putting affiliate links in social media posts, which, if you have a large following, could be enormously profitable.

There are many other companies that you can work with in this way, so it’s always worth researching to see if an online seller has an affiliate program.

It’s not going to make you into an overnight millionaire — you’ll need to create high-quality content over a number of years before it pays dividends. Might as well get started now, right?

How to Become a Freelance Video Editor From Scratch

Understand the story

Video editing is more than just putting clips together and adding effects. You are a storyteller and it is your job to keep the audience hooked from start to finish.

One way to achieve this is to cut out the parts of the video that don’t directly connect with each other. For this, the cut, trim, move, and splice functions are your best friends. Is the transition not smooth? Add in an effect or throw in some images that complement your point.

Be tasteful with your transitions.

What, when, where, and how often you use your transitions can affect the overall quality of your end product. Overdo it and you might end up with a cheap-looking reel. Remember, not every cut requires a transition.

Also, make sure that the transition you pick is suitable for the project. For example, fades to and from black work well in videos like movie trailers where you want to create suspense. Light flashes are another example. This cool effect works well in high-energy sports videos and photo-heavy projects like wedding videos.

Practice the art of organization

One of the biggest turn-offs for clients is a messy workspace. An organized video editor is an efficient worker. Plus, it eliminates the risk of deleting important files and getting that dreaded “Media Offline” error. It’s also a thoughtful gesture to your clients who may want to have the project re-edited by another video editor in the future.

Keep your project files all in one place and create the proper subfolders.

When you’re naming your files, use the right keywords, always version, use hyphens (underscores aren’t web-friendly!), and add metadata whenever possible.

Have a good understanding of pacing and flow

Pacing is, perhaps, one of the hardest things to learn as a video editor. Imagine the video as a musical composition. The tempo, or in this case the pacing, sets the mood for parts of the video and even the entire project as a whole.

In general, rapid pacing expresses intensity and excitement while a slower pacing can be used to indicate a sincere and thoughtful moment. Of course, one scene should flow smoothly to another as well.

Learn other related programs

Don’t limit yourself to just one or two programs. Aside from knowing the most commonly used video editing software, familiarize yourself with programs like Photoshop, After Effects, Audition, Lightroom, Sound Forge, and more. The more programs that you know, the more value you can bring to any project, contract, or company, and the more often you’ll get hired.

Be timely with your deliverables

Nothing increases your chances for a repeat customer better than a quality video delivered on time. Even better if you can turn it in earlier than the deadline. To do this, you need to have good time management skills, which leads us to the next tip.

Improve your time management skills

Aside from impressing your client. by finishing your task faster, you’re opening yourself up for more work (more income!), more time to enhance your skillset, or some spare time to do your hobbies. So, how can you edit videos faster? 

• Learn those software shortcuts by heart.
• Don’t mix up your rough, fine, and final cuts.
• Use placeholders to remind you what to add or edit and to where in the timeline.
• Do the audio mix last when your final mix has been client-approved.

Keep up with the latest video editing trends

Staying on top of the latest trends in the video editing industry can make you stand out from your competition. Clients look for professionals who know the ins and outs of their craft because it can result in more impressive and effective videos. In marketing, for example, a more effective video will have better market penetration. An easy way to do this is to follow the right YouTube channels, blogs, and social media accounts.

Learn, learn, and learn

Never stop finding new things to learn. I can’t emphasize this more.

Again, the more you know, the more valuable you are as a video editor. Sign up for online classes that are relevant to your craft. A few areas worth exploring are typography, graphic design, photography, scriptwriting, and painting. A fresh perspective on video editing can get those creative juices going.

How to Make Money Online With Photo/Video Editing

Freelance photo/video editing is a great way to make a living. This is low-stress, creative work that you can complete while having the TV on in the background. Freelance photo/video editing also lends itself perfectly to working from home. This is ideal in the current situation we find ourselves in!

Despite all this, freelance photo editing is in high-demand and can pay well.

Companies require high-quality images as a way to market their products, services, and brands. You are far more likely to trust a company website if it uses high-quality images that don’t look like they were taken on a smartphone.

Unfortunately, even with the best cameras in the world, photography alone can only achieve so much. To really reach that professional standard, photo editing is almost always required.

Companies also often need to create unique images using photography: whether that’s an album or book cover, packaging for a product, or a piece of advertising.

And of course, there are scenarios where members of the public need freelance photo editing. This may be to restore old photos, to perfect those wedding snapshots, or just for a bit of fun.

Now you have the skills you need, all that is left is to find the work. You can do this in a number of ways. The easiest way to find freelance photo editing jobs is by looking at freelance sites like UpWork and Freelancer.com.

It can take a while to gain traction on these sites and there is undoubtedly an “art” to it. However, with a little work, you’ll find this to be a powerful and simple way to find paying clients.

Remember: you will often be able to find more work if you are able to branch out and offer a combination of creative skills.

How to Earn Money by Video Editing in India

We will now discuss five ways by which you can leverage your imaginative power and knowledge of video editing to make money in India.

Establish a YouTube Presence

The first step to making money off your videos is to get popular on YouTube. YouTube is the largest video-sharing platform and the second most popular search engine. To establish a YouTube presence, create a channel on the platform. Then, plan your video content such that your followers get to see regular videos.

Understand that consistency is the key to satisfied followers and the best way to attract subscribers. As more and more people start following your channel for valuable content, you can look for ways to monetize your content.

While YouTube pays for videos with more than 1000 views, other ways involve allowing YouTube to display ads on your content. That way, as your followers view or click on those ads, you will be paid money.

While the top paid YouTubers earn millions of dollars on YouTube, you need to understand that patience is the key to success. Do not expect to make money from day 1 and try to maintain diversity in your posts.

SEO optimize your content for maximum reach. For example, try to identify keywords that are relevant to your video and add them to the title and description. Add subtitles and closed captioning to the video to improve its YouTube visibility. Come up with a visually appealing thumbnail so that people are tempted into clicking on it.

Offer Video-Related Service

As the popularity of video marketing touches new ceilings, understand that not every small business can afford to have an in-house video creation team. Such businesses look for freelancers who can create high-quality videos for their projects.

Many people are keen on uploading high-quality videos to social media but are incapable of video editing. They look to outsource their travel or personal video editing jobs to freelancers.

When you work as a freelance video editor, you get to choose the type of orders that you will work on. With the easy availability of free online video editor tools, there is a minimal financial investment involved in taking up such projects. Local business promotional videos, business conference videos, or video production for personal events such as a wedding or baby shower are some of the most common types of freelance projects.

The pay associated with such video-related services depends on your editing expertise, experience, area of operation, and several other factors. As your take up more work, the editing will speak for itself, and word-of-mouth recommendation will help you get popular.

Create Video Lessons

When you create subject matter videos on your industry niche, you establish your presence as a veteran. This helps people gain respect for you and come to you to gain knowledge. For instance, if you own a bakery, you can create tutorial videos.

Topics of the videos can range from how to frost your cake to tips on cleaning the baking tools. The tutorial videos have a high chance of getting popular and you will gain good digital visibility.

Such video lessons can be shared from your social media handle, brand website, or video-sharing platforms. By giving your audience valuable content, you earn their loyalty. Over time, you can offer then subscription-based video services. That way, the interested viewers will pay-per-view or go for a monthly or annual subscription of what you have to offer.

As a content creator, you can share such paid footage as a bundle that can be downloaded. The better the quality of your videos, the better is the associated money-making potential.

Sell Your Stock Footage

If you have video footage that you are not using in your commercial videos, you can post them as stock footage. Other video creators often need such b-roll clips to complete their videos and would gladly pay for what you are offering.

There are multiple stock footage websites that let you sell footage and get paid immediately. In such cases, the revenue will be split between you and the website that hosts the stock footage. As you gain popularity, you can start selling your footage directly from your website and maximize your profits.

Sell Product Placements

A relatively new way to make money off your videos is by affiliate advertising. Here, you first create or acquire the rights to viral videos. The videos are usually short and have inspiring, funny, or controversial subjects. Emotional videos have a high chance of being shared and getting viral. Once you have viral videos in your kitty, you can sell product placements in the subsequent videos.

The only challenge here is the fact that you cannot guarantee a viral video. All you can do is create a video on a popular topic that has a high chance of being shared. Encouraging your friends and social media followers to engage with the video will go a long way in making it viral. When videos with affiliate advertisements get viral, you can expect good money.

How to Get Video Editing Work Online

Aside from being able to reach out to the global market, online video editing jobs give you more freedom. For example, you can choose to get paid by the hour or per project. You can also pick which projects you want to work on so you can dictate how your portfolio will grow.

If this is something you’re interested in, check out these popular websites where you can find video editing jobs.

Fiverr

Yes, Fiverr, but hear me out. These days, Fiverr isn’t just about cheap $5 gigs; successful video editors like crslaytor, senthudms, and marcodrp are charging anywhere from $20 to $200 per edit. It’s a great platform to get your feet wet and build up your portfolio using.

Upwork

There are currently more than 3,700 active video editing jobs, on Upwork. Whatever you may have heard about Upwork, it’s a decent place to start your video editing career if you want to target mid range, long-term clients.

Behance

Behance is a social media platform where you can showcase your creative work and get discovered by clients all over the world. With a 1GB limit per video file, you can upload samples of your work and use it as your online portfolio.

Once you’re ready to flex your wings, Behance has a good job postings section which you can regularly check for full time work.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is similar to Behance in that professionals can use it as an online portfolio for potential employers to see. It is used by top companies like Apple, Google, Amazon, and Facebook to recruit, so it might just be what you need to land your dream video editing job. Alternatively, you can scour the more than 1,000 video editing related job listings in LinkedIn to find a project you like.

Simply Hired

Simply Hired is a job search engine which aggregates job listings from all over the web including ones from major production companies like Universal Studios, Lionsgate, Warner Bros, and Twentieth Century Fox. Of course, these production jobs include video editing projects that can help you earn full-time income.

Mandy

Mandy is a job platform where TV and filmmaking professionals can search and apply for production jobs. With thousands of other applicants competing for the video editing positions, however, you will need to find a way to stand out. Tailored cover letters, an online portfolio of your video samples, and an updated social feed can help catch the attention of the employers on Mandy.

ProductionHUB

ProductionHUB is a global community where local crews, vendors, and freelancers connect with professional content creators. Before you can start using this media production job site, however, you need to sign up for the monthly membership which starts at $4.99. Then, have your profile listed in the video editors section and start browsing the post-production editing jobs.

Stage 32

Stage 32 is a social networking site that caters to film, television & theater creatives. Though this is a fairly new job posting platform, it already has more than 500,000 members, with new production jobs are posted every day. They also have a forum for post production crew like video editors where you can build your connections, find potential clients, and get inspiration.

How to Make it as a Video Editor

While these tips don’t exactly teach you how to make edits to your video clips, they can help cut your editing time in half and help you produce better results in the end.

1. Choose the Right Software

The first step in improving your video editing process is to choose the right software for you and your work. They normally offer everything you need to perform standard video edits, but you may prefer one over others for their usability, digital interface, and features.

The key here is to choose what works for you and your editing style instead of just the latest, most advanced video editing program out there.

Top favorites include After Effects, Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve, which offers a free and comprehensive Lite version. You may also want to try Lightworks, Autodesk Smoke, and Sony Vegas, if you’re looking to try other less-popular yet highly capable alternatives.

2. Use a Fast Computer

No, we’re not about to pit PCs against MACs in this section. You can choose whatever computer brand or model you want, as long as it’s fast enough for you to store huge files and allows you to focus more on your editing work without having to worry about slow rendering.

It definitely helps to invest in a faster storage drive (SSD) that will allow you to access your files and software faster, as well as speed up your rendering, loading, and export times. Other things you can do to significantly shorten your editing times is to increase your computer’s memory (RAM) to at least 8GB if you’re going to be doing professional or commercial work, and get the recommended video card and processor for your editing software.

It’s generally easier to customize and upgrade a PC than an Apple computer on your own, but you can use either for a video workstation. You can use some video editing tools on Android and Apple mobile devices and tablets, but they’re often more limited in scope and quality. It’s also much harder to edit videos effectively on an iPad or iPhone than on a robust desktop or laptop computer.

3. Watch Video Editing Tutorials

Youtube, blogs, and educational websites are full of useful tutorials for creating great video content. Most of the tutorials you’ll find out there are free, which makes them even more accessible. Websites like Video Copilot, Skillshare, and Red Giant Tutorials offer lots of very specific tutorials to help you improve your video content.

As you look for tutorials to achieve certain looks and complete specific tasks, target the software version of the program you’re using. Many companies adjust functionality and menu settings from version to version.

4. Get the Project Files

When following along with a tutorial, many new video editors prefer to use the same project files as the instructors in the tutorial. This will help you learn the steps correctly, because your work will look exactly the same as the sample from the demo.

Many tutorials allow you to download their project files for this exact reason. Once you have more experience with a technique, you can repeat the process with your own video files.

5. Obey the 321 Rule

Just like woodworkers learn from the start to measure twice and cut once, video editors using any program should practice the 321 rule. Keep three copies of everything you create, in at least two different places, with one of those places physically separated from your other locations. 

6. Edit for a Story

One of the most important takeaways from this article is to remember your creative goal: to tell a great story. Go beyond the basics—cutting away extraneous footage and correcting the order of your clips—and take the opportunity to make your film aesthetically-pleasing and dramatically compelling so as to evoke the right emotions and effectively impart your intended message. Use your practical and technical knowledge in achieving this instead of just adding a bunch of effects to impress your viewers.

You can simply follow the storyboard used during filming, but there may be times when the director—or you, if you have the liberty to call the shots—will decide to make on-the-spot changes to the predetermined flow, scene transitions, effects, and other editing elements for the sake of improving the story.

7. Maintain an Efficient Workflow

Even with a super-fast computer system and editing software, you’ll also need to be systematic and organized in order to become a more efficient editor. One way to improve your workflow is to organize your projects and files in folders that you can use again and again. Create homes for your projects, footage, audio files, images, and graphics, in which you can also create more subsections and folders.

Another way that you can work faster is to use external hard drives for storing your footage, so you can free up more computer memory. We recommend that you choose hard drives that can be connected via USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt to enable faster file transfers. Also consider allocating your RAM to be able to use more of it for editing and getting a gaming mouse that allows you to set specific editing functions for its buttons.

8. Utilize Keyboard Shortcuts

Speaking of buttons, keep in mind that most editing programs allow you to use keyboard shortcuts to perform a range of in-app editing functions. Feel free to review, memorize, and customize the different set of shortcuts for software programs like Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, Media Composer, and DaVinci Resolve.

If you have a little more money to spend, the easier option would be to purchase an editing keyboard (or at least a replaceable editing keyboard cover) that already has keyboard shortcut icons in them. These are usually software-specific so you don’t have to worry about compatibility issues with your editing software.

9. Learn Important Terms

The video editing industry will require you to communicate with other video editors or clients, which means you’ll have to learn a lot of lingo. To those who haven’t heard of them, some of the terms used in video editing can be impossible to figure out without any research, which is why you’ll want to learn them early on. Basic concepts include the following:

• Jump Cuts – Cutting out portions to skip boring or predictable moments and preserve visual interest.
• J Cut – Audio precedes the video.
• L Cut – Video precedes the audio.
• Montage – Sequence of clips showing the passage of time, usually for a transformation or character development.
• Cutting on Action – Cutting when the subject is moving instead of after each movement to create a more interesting and fluid scene.
• Match Cut/Match Action – Cutting together two visually similar shots or scenes
• Cutaways – Adding transition pieces that don’t include the main subject or action to show the surrounding environment and set the mood, add meaning to the scene, or aid dramatic tension.

These are just a few, as there are certainly many other cuts and terms to learn. All you need to do is take the time to read and do your own research.

10. Color Correct Your Clips

Color is a major design element that can be manipulated to highlight certain subjects, evoke specific emotions, and set the mood or atmosphere of your scene. Fortunately, today’s video editing programs give us a lot of color editing options that used to be only possible with photos.

Most editors do two things: color correction, to make sure that the colors of your footage are consistent in each scenes, and color grading, to give your film a different look. Both are essential when you want most of your scenes to look as realistic as possible, or to differentiate certain scenes from others, such as when you use presets like sepia and monochrome on “flashback” scenes.

11. Select Good Music

Don’t just focus on the visuals; it should only be as good as your music. If you’re creating a drama film, for instance, you’ll want just the right song or instrumentals to make key moments (where you want to trigger certain emotions from your audience) more effective.

Cheerful comedies can be a little forgiving, but it can also be easy to overdo it with upbeat songs. It can be difficult if you’re doing it on your own, so having a musical scorer can help take the guesswork out of it.

But before you even think of using just any music, remember that the safest option is to get music from a royalty free music provider such as Shockwave-Sound.com. You may be able to find free music, but the best audio usually comes at a price. If you’re doing a professional project, music is usually included in the production budget.

12. Add Text and Graphics

Depending on your film type, you may have to include more text aside from the title, opening/closing billboards (for broadcasting), and film credits. You’ll usually want to keep it simple, with a clean and white sans-serif font that doesn’t grab too much attention. Have them dissolve in and out, and see how it works for your film.

But if you need to add flashy graphics, you can create them using your editing software. Adobe After Effects is a popular choice for creating some of the best motion graphics. If you’ve yet to learn how to make your own by hand, you can always get impressive ready-made After Effects templates from RocketStock.

13. Export Web Versions

Once your video is done and ready to be exported, the natural tendency of most editors is to export it at the largest video resolution possible. This is definitely the way to go if it’s going to be played in cinemas and ultra HD screens, but in today’s generation where video projects are usually marketed online and on social media, you should also export smaller, high-quality versions for easier playback.

When exporting for the web, the goal is to create a file that maintains its high quality without making it too heavy for upload and online viewing. If you’re unsure about the export settings to use, don’t worry. Sites like YouTube, Facebook, and Vimeo all have recommended export settings to help you appropriately resize your file:

Export Settings	Youtube	Vimeo	Facebook
Maximum Resolution	2160p (4K)	1080p (HD)	720p
Recommended Codec	H.264	H.264	H.264
Audio Codec	AAC-LC (up to 96kHz)	AAC-LC (up to 48kHz)	N/A
Bit Rate	HD 8mbps at 24fps, 4K 45mbps at 23fps	20mbps	N/A
Supported Frame Rates	24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60	24, 25, 30	< 30fps

14 Best Video Editing Software

The following list of free video editing software for PC contains desktop apps. Desktop applications typically have more editing power than mobile apps. Use these video editors when you need to produce longer-form content for YouTube or your website.

All of these video editors are either entirely free to use or have an excellent free version. And their use ranges from basic to advanced.

1. DaVinci Resolve

Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

DaVinci Resolve is arguably the most advanced video editor on the list. While it has many professional video features, its interfaces remain intuitive. Alongside video slicing and trimming, you can master audio and correct color. The app also gives you the option to add 2D and 3D titles to your video. 

If you just want to trim and upload your videos, the rich feature set of DaVinci Resolve may be too extensive. However, if your video project is a little more advanced, the free version of this software is hard to beat.

DiVinci Resolve’s features include:

• Advanced trimming
• Multicam editing
• Color correction
• Audio mastering

2. Adobe Premiere

Available on iOS and Android

Adobe Premiere Rush is a very popular Android and iPhone movie editor. Add music (your own or from the library included), transitions, auto-correct the color, and you’re ready to share your video.

With its two modes, Freeform and Automatic, you can choose whether you retain editing control, or you let Adobe pick transitions and trim your clip automatically. Adobe users will be happy to know that this app syncs beautifully with other Adobe staples such as Lightroom.

3. Final Cut

The best video editing software for Mac users

Apple’s Final Cut Pro X is a highly capable and highly respected tool for professional video editing. The main thing that counts against it is that it’s not available for Windows. On the upside, it’s subscription-free. So if you don’t want a Creative Cloud subscription, Final Cut Pro X lets you pay once, and once only.

With features including 360° video, HDR and advanced tools for colour correction, Final Cut Pro X is optimised to get the most out of your Mac, and integrates nicely with other parts of Apple’s ecosystem, such as your Photos or iTunes collections.

Professional video editors particularly love Final Cut Pro X’s innovative Magnetic Timeline, grouping tools, a wide range of effects, good organisational features and simple ways to add and edit audio.

4. VSDC Free Video Editor

Available on Windows.

One of the best free 360 video editing software only available on Windows is VSDC. The free version has a powerful set of features including color correction and audio editing. Color blending lets you modify the look of the video to suit your brand image. Instagram-like filters are also available to help beginners save time editing. Additionally, VSDC allows you to create varying shaped masks for blurring, hiding, or featuring specific elements in your footage.

If you’re looking for paid video editor recommendations, VSDC has a pro version that costs $19.99. It comes with all of the features that are present in the free version plus image stabilization, voice over support, and visual waveform. If you choose not to update to the pro version, then technical support costs $9.99 for one month, or $14.99 for a year.

5. iMovie

Available on Mac

Good old iMovie comes baked into Mac OS. Like most native Mac apps, this video editor is very intuitive to use. 

iMovie’s drag and drop interface makes it quick to move and edit video elements. Mac users can use this editing software as a playground for learning the basics of video editing. iMovie’s features include:

• Library of pre-made transitions
• Video trimming
• Audio editing
• Split screen
• 4K resolution support

6. Lightworks

Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Lightworks is another great free video editing software, available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Lightworks is one of the more powerful video editors on the list. It’s packed with tons of useful features. The free version should be more than enough for most users. 

• Lightworks’ free version includes: High precision video trimming.
• Multicam support.
• Export to 720p for YouTube.
• A wide range of video formats supported.

While most features are included, 4K video support for YouTube and Vimeo is only included in the paid version of the software, which costs around $25 a month. 

Compared to Blender, Lightworks has many great video tutorials which can make it quicker to get up and running. Check out the feature comparison to make sure the free version has what you need. If the free version doesn’t meet your requirements, you can consider one of Lightworks’ paid video editor programs.

7. CyberLink’s PowerDirector

CyberLink’s PowerDirector video editing software bridges the gap between professional editing and consumer-friendliness. It has often been ahead of pro products with support for new formats and new technologies. It also loaded with tools that help you put together a compelling digital movie, complete with transitions, effects, and titles. Best of all, it’s easy to work with and fast at rendering. PowerDirector is the prosumer video editing software to beat.

As with Adobe’s Creative Cloud and Microsoft’s Office 365, new features now appear throughout the year for subscribers to the 365 version of PowerDirector and the larger Director Suite 365, which includes photo and audio software.

CyberLink adds features, effects, and improvements at a dizzying pace, as you can see from PowerDirector’s new features page. The previous version saw a new vector shape designer, nested video capabilities, dual video preview, and support for pro video formats, among many other updates.

The latest major version of the video editor, PowerDirector 19, brings Photoshop-like selection tools to video, access to royalty-free stock video and images from Shutterstock, better color matching and keyframing, and a streamlined interface.

8. Corel VideoStudio

There’s no end to innovation in home video technology, whether that means 3D, 4K, or 360-degree VR video, and the software you use to edit all that content must keep up. Corel VideoStudio Ultimate does so admirably, and is chockablock with powerful video editing tools.

It lets you perform stop motion, multicam, motion tracking, time remapping, video masking, and audio ducking. Since the program is already so packed with capabilities, the 2021 release, while adding a few new features, is mostly about performance and reliability improvements—much needed based on my previous testing. The result is a solid, impressive product with a clear, simple interface that’s loaded with fun editing tools.

9. Filmora

Available on iOS,  Android and PC.

Filmora is a solid video editing app without any watermarks or paid subscriptions. Add music, transitions, and trim video clips all from within the app. 

You can easily add themes, text, and titles to your videos. There is a desktop version starting at $44.99 a year, but you can still get a lot of editing joy from the free mobile app.

FilmoraPro gives you more control over videos, and it is designed for professionals. Filmora has some effects and templates pre-programmed, which allows you to apply without any revisions; it is designed for beginner and intermediate video editors.

10. Openshot

Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Openshot is entirely open source, which makes it one of the best video editing software that is accessible. 

It may remind some Mac users a little of iMovie with its easy to use drag and drop interface. However, Openshot packs more features than iMovie, including unlimited layers and audio mixing. 

This free editor strikes a nice balance between advanced features and a simple interface. It also allows real-time previews when you create transitions between clips.

Openshot’s features include:

• Unlimited tracks/layers
• Clip resizing, scaling, trimming, snapping, rotation, and cutting video transitions with real-time previews
• Compositing, image overlays, watermarks
• Title templates, title creation, subtitles 3D animated titles (and effects)
• Advanced Timeline (including drag & drop, scrolling, panning, zooming, and snapping)

11. VideoPad

Available on Windows

VideoPad is one of the best video editing tools to take your first steps into the world of multimedia video editing. It’s perfect for anyone starting to play around with video compositions as it is simple and easy to use. Advanced video editors may find it too basic though.

VideoPad’s features include:

• Library of pre-made transitions
• Export Movies In Multiple Resolutions
• 3D Video Editing
• Reduce Camera Shakes
• Sound Effects Library

12. Pinnacle Studio

Pinnacle Studio, now in its 25th version, is a video editing application that’s steadily become speedier and more powerful with each iteration. Its maker, Corel, also develops the VideoStudio video editing software, with Pinnacle positioned at the higher end of the market.

Pinnacle is aimed at near-professional-level enthusiasts, featuring excellent editing features and effects such as stop-motion video, multicam editing, and motion tracking. Thankfully, it lacks the steep learning curve associated with pro video editing software.

Headlining the new features for the latest version are 8K support, smart object tracking, blend modes, and custom audio noise reduction. Other recent feature additions include Version 24’s face motion tracking with mosaic blur, updated title editor, and improved keyframe controls.

The previous Version 23 added important new tools of its own, including, clip nesting, animated GIF creation, color LUT presets, selective color vectorscopes, and batch processing.

13. Nero Video

One of the cheaper options around ($49.99), Nero Video holds its own on this list—it comes well-stocked with a lot of the tricks and effects you’ll find among other products vying for video editing supremacy, and as far as software for beginners, you can certainly do worse.

Read Also: Turn Your Cooking Skills Into Hot Profits

If you’re going to spend money learning how to edit videos, however, you might want to steer clear. Nero just doesn’t have the speed and functionality of some of the other products listed here, and if it’s value proposition is its price, $50 is still not all that cheap.

14. Vegas Pro 365

Vegas Pro 365 will help you start your video journey on the right foot. The low-cost subscription plan is ideal for those who are just getting started and want to get access to a full suite of video editing tools without a high price tag. 

Vegas Pro is known for having exclusive features, and you get all of that and more with Vegas Pro 365. In addition to all the standard features, you also get exclusive online training courses to get you up and running in the quickest time possible. 

You also get all the latest updates, features, patches, and plugins automatically with your purchase of this video production powerhouse.   

Key Features:

• Sound Forge: The tool offers extensive functionalities for video sound optimization.
• Online Training: Take advantage of free lessons to accelerate your learning curve.
• Offline Use: Vegas 365 software can be used offline.
• Nestled Timelines: New feature allows you to nestle your timelines.
• Auto White Balance: With this feature, you can make your videos even more creative.

Final words

Here’s a short recap of how you can start your career as a freelance video editor:

1. Improve your video editing skills.
2. Land your first video editing job.
3. Build your reputation.
4. Build a portfolio to showcase your skills.
5. Make more money by teaming up with other professionals and learning new skills.