As of 2021, video editing is one of the most promising and extensively creative career choices that’s only expected to grow in the coming few years. In fact, studies have revealed that the demand for skilled video editors will witness an 18% increase by 2021. From advertising agencies to professional YouTubers, everyone needs a professional video editor by their side who can create visually appealing videos for their audience.
In saying that, however, it’s also important to understand that becoming a professional video editor is not an easy task. You need to learn various technical elements and also understand filmmaking to engage the audience more effectively. One of the ways to do this is to start with a good video editing course. Today, there are many online video editing courses that you can sign up for and become a skilled editor.
In this guide, we are going to share a list of some of the best video editing courses that’ll help you embark
Part 1: Is Video Editing a Good Career?
Before proceeding any further, let’s first understand the scope of video editing in 2021 and the near future. According to Statista, nearly 17% of Internet users (between the age group of 18 and 25) spend 20 hours watching online videos. What’s more interesting is that YouTube, the largest video platform in the world, is expected to have 2.85 billion users in the next four years.
In such a scenario, it’s safe to say that video editing will continue to be among the most demanding careers. It doesn’t matter if you start your own YouTube channel or join a professional editing agency, you’ll be able to make thousands of dollars and tap into your creative side as well.
Part 2: What Education Do You Need for Video Editing?
Now, when it comes to academic qualifications, there aren’t any one-size-fits-all degrees that you can pursue to start your editing career. Based on your career objectives, you can sign up for various cinematic courses and start sailing in the right direction.
But, it’s also important to understand that the majority of editing agencies don’t ask for the degree and mainly focus on the person’s creative skills. However, if you have a dedicated academic qualification, you’ll always have a competitive advantage among other applicants and there’s a huge probability that the employer will choose you over others.
Here are some of the most popular academic degrees that you can pursue to become a professional video editor.
● Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Broadcasting
● Bachelor’s Degree in Cinematography
● Bachelor’s Degree in Film Production
Among these three courses, a degree in film production will unlock a wide variety of career opportunities for you. You’ll learn all the elements of video editing such as audio mixing, green-screen editing, storytelling, etc. Based on your specific preferences, you can then follow the career path that best suits your editing style.
Part 3: Which Courses are Best for Video Editing?
So, if you also love creating content and want to become a professional video editor, here is a list of top 10 free video editing courses that you can join and learn the different dynamics of editing a full-scale movie. All these courses cover the basics of video editing with a few additional benefits that’ll help you learn different editing skills.
1. Premiere Pro for Beginners: Udemy
Duration: 4.5 hours
Adobe Premiere Pro is one of the widely popular editing tools that many professional editors use to create visually stunning videos for different platforms. In fact, creators like Sam Kolder and Rory Kramer have used Premiere Pro to create music videos for many professional artists such as Justin Bieber and the Chainsmokers.
So, if you also want to walk in the footsteps of these creators, choosing Premiere Pro as your editing tool will be a suitable option. With this beginner Premiere Pro course on Udemy, you’ll learn all the basic features of the software and how to create a video from start to end. The course is designed by Phill Ebiner and has already helped nearly 400,000 beginners gain the required confidence to use Premiere Pro for video editing.
2. Mastering Final Cut Pro - Coursera
Duration: 40 Hours
Like Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro is the best video editing tool for macOS. To be honest, the majority of Macbook users choose Final Cut Pro over Adobe Premiere Pro due to its advanced features and easy-to-navigate UI. If you also own a macOS and want to learn Final Cut Pro, this online video editing course will be your best companion. It’s a 40-hour long course that covers all the elements of using Final Cut Pro as a professional editor.
The course is available on Coursera, an online platform where you can find a wide variety of online courses for different niches. The course is designed by Jason Cox and Nick Harauz. Both of them are professional video editors and have shared years of editing knowledge through this 40-hour course.
3. Smartphone Video Editing for Beginners - Udemy
Duration: 4.5 hours
Course Link:
In the past few years, smartphone cameras have transformed immensely. Gone are the days when your smartphone could only shoot 3gp videos. Today, you can record high-quality 4k videos right on your smartphone and even edit them on the phone itself. If you also want to learn smartphone video editing skills, this editing course on Udemy will help you reach your goal.
It’s a detailed course that talks about how to use the most optimal camera settings to record high-quality clips in different situations. You’ll also learn how to compile different RAW clips together and create a visually engaging storyline to engage the viewers. The course covers video editing on both Android and iOS, which means it’ll help all smartphone users learn the basics of video editing on a phone.
4. Video Editing Da Vinci Resolve - Udemy
Duration: 10.5 Hours
DaVinci Resolve is one of the most popular beginner-friendly video editing software that’s used by both beginners and professional amateurs. With a simple user interface and a pool of editing features, DaVinci Resolve makes video editing a relatively easy process. If you’re also looking for a simple yet feature-packed video editing tool, DaVinci Resolve is the right answer.
In this video editing course, you’ll learn everything about DaVinci Resolve that’ll help you utilize its features to create engaging videos for different platforms. The course mainly focuses on the importance of color correction and how you can color grade clips in DaVinci Resolve to make them more appealing. In addition to this, you’ll also learn about adjusting audio parameters, applying transitions, and using a Multicam setup.
5. Video Editing - Pluralsight
Duration: Different courses have different durations
Pluralsight is an online platform that provides a wide variety of online video editing courses at affordable prices. If you are starting from scratch and want to keep learning as you continue to grow, we recommend visiting Pluralsight. Here you’ll find a diverse range of video editing courses that’ll help you learn different editing tools such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, and Final Cut Pro.
You’ll also be able to find a few additional courses like Adobe Photoshop that’ll give you additional benefits while applying for a job at a media agency. Basically, if you want to become a highly-skilled editor, Pluralsight’s online editing courses will help you sail in the right direction.
6. PowerDirector 15
Duration: 4 Hours
PowerDirector 15 is a popular Windows-based video editing tool that mainly editors use to create short movies. However, it has all the essential features that you can use to even edit an hour-long video for different platforms.
With this online video editing course, you’ll get to know all the features of PowerDirector 15 and how to use it to create stunning videos. In addition to this, the course also talks about 360-video editing and the best ways to edit action cam videos. As a result, you’ll be able to compile engaging videos, regardless of the camera gear you’ve used to shoot the clips.
7. How to Vlog! Film, Edit & Upload to YouTube
Duration: 35 minutes
Vlogging is one of the most popular content formats that has gained immense popularity in the recent few years. Today, there are thousands of vloggers on YouTube who make millions of dollars by simply sharing their daily life on the platform. But, with the increased popularity, it’s also safe to say that it has become pretty challenging to step into the vlogging industry.
This is when “How to Vlog! Film, Edit, & Upload” by Sara Dietschy will help. This online course is available on SkillShare and talks about the basics of vlogging and how to engage YouTube audiences through your vlogs. You’ll also learn how to get past the initial anxiety barrier and become more confident while speaking on the camera. Finally, Sarah has also created dedicated videos on how to edit your vlogs to craft the perfect storyline and keep the viewers engaged.
8. The History of Film and Video Editing
Duration: 4 Hours
If you want to dive into the history of filmmaking and understand storytelling more effectively, this four-hour editing course on Linkedin will be the best choice. Created by Ashley Kennedy, the course emphasizes the inception of filmmaking and how it has transformed over the years.
The course will also help you get familiar with the post-production phase and its importance in filmmaking. After completing this exclusive editing course, you’ll be able to create stunning stories using different dynamics of video editing.
Key Takeaways from This Episode
● Video marketing is a growing industry, which is only expected to expand in the coming future.
● If you also want to tap into your creative side and engage people with your work, video editing is going to be one of the most promising career plans for you.
● So, choose one of the above-mentioned video editing courses and learn the required skills to become a professional editor.