Freelance video editing: how to make money from video?

What does a video editor do?

But first you need to decide what we are talking about. The video editor is responsible for:

staging of shots;
introduction of various effects, including 3D in the present;
synchronization of available material and sound.

Once upon a time, this, along with adding text and subtitles, was the most popular in terms of video processing. But now more is expected from a good specialist.

In particular, in addition to the above, it cuts the most successful shots, deleting everything else. Such a professional is often contacted to create intros and outros. Finally, it can significantly improve the quality of video and sound, and also almost completely create a video according to the script based on the footage.

Choose the right camera

Filming equipment can be very expensive, and this is a major obstacle for small companies who want to shoot video. But there are plenty of options available.

For free

The latest generation of smartphones have amazing cameras, and they can be used to create videos. Here are some tips:

Look into the camera while recording
Keep your phone horizontal
Position the camera slightly above eye level
High-quality videos take up a lot of space, so they will need to be transferred to your computer periodically

Alternatively, you can use a tablet or even a computer webcam, as long as they support 1920 x 1080 video recording.

Small budget

For a small budget, the Logitech C920 Webcam (costing about $100) is perfect. It shoots HD video, connects to a computer via a USB cable and is easily fixed without a tripod. And the Logitech Camera Settings app lets you quickly adjust your shooting settings.

Its main drawback is that the camera must always be connected to the computer, so it cannot be used on the go.

Large budget

If you're ready to play big, consider digital SLR cameras like the Nikon D3300 ($449) or Canon Rebel T5 ($399). Many vloggers use these cameras to shoot high-quality videos.

Where to find orders for video editing

If you are sure that this is the job of your dreams, you already have the necessary skills, the question remains - where to look for the first orders? There are plenty of options:

Various exchanges. This could be the well-known resource Fl.ru, Fotovideozayavka.rf, freelance.ru, weblancer.net. Many people also like Kwork.
All kinds of city agencies. Not only advertising ones are suitable, but also wedding ones, organizing various holidays. Send them a portfolio and leave your contact information. Perhaps it will be useful in the future. Think outside the box - sometimes good options were found in travel agencies.
Social networks and thematic forums. Clients can be found on wedding portals, for example.
Notice boards. It's corny, but it still works.
Own website. It won’t take a lot of money to create a one-page website, but everything is guaranteed to pay off.
Foreign sites. In the West, video editing is in great demand. So if your skill level allows it (and there the quality requirements are usually higher), go for it.

And I would also like to note that you can earn income from videos by creating unique videos for sale. True, in this case you need not only to do the editing, but also to film it yourself. But the profit is potentially very good: for the right to use one, they pay from 1 to 2 dollars. Universal screensavers are in particular demand.

Structuring a business plan

The plan can be developed both for the entire enterprise and for the implementation of individual operations. The list of sections is determined independently, subject to the general structure. The parts of the plan must be interconnected; a standard template is taken as the basis for the structure.

When developing, you must follow the preparation instructions. The plan includes several standard sections.

Title page

Contains general information about the organization, founders, contact information. A description of the project and information about the developer is given. To create security for a unique idea, a confidentiality clause is included.

Project Summary

An important section of the plan that briefly reflects the main indicators. Provides an overview of the project - description of the product, consumer audience, planned release. Reflects available resources and required investments with a description of funding sources. The section provides the payback period - reaching the break-even point and the planned output volume.

Project Description

Contains data on the commercial side of a business idea. Legal and organizational aspects of the project are also considered.

Marketing analysis

This section is complex in terms of the amount of information used and requires market analysis. Measures to promote the product are indicated. The dynamics of demand, pricing, methods of sales stimulation, and advertising strategy are determined.

Production plan

The section is included for companies with manufacturing activities. Contains a description of the material base, labor resources, and production process technology. Calculations of the required amount of raw materials, equipment, and other resources are provided.

Economic indicators and financial forecast

The operating enterprise shows the dynamics of reporting indicators of previous years. The section reflects the economic data planned for the future during the implementation of the project.

Calculations of the required investment amounts, the break-even period, and the payback period are provided. The financial part of the plan allows investors to decide on the return on investment.

Risk analysis

Indicate factors affecting profit and countermeasures to reduce risks. An insurance plan is presented.

Applications

When developing a business plan step by step, it is necessary to avoid information overload. Complex calculations, constituent forms, agreements and other supporting documents are attached to the plan.

Video: How to write a business plan. TOP 5 mistakes when starting a business

Features of working on exchanges

Many exchanges have several sections of work: copywriting, design, translation, etc. Among them there is also multimedia, where there is the largest number of orders. The work comes in completely different formats: from an advertising video to a full-fledged wedding or “Love story” shooting.

Working on the stock exchange requires self-organization skills. You yourself will control the level of employment. Increasing ratings and increasing the number of videos in your portfolio allow you to earn more over time, as does the experience gained. But you are your own boss - if you want and if you have money, you can take a break at any time.

Typical mistakes made when drawing up a plan

In the process of drawing up a plan, there is a possibility of making mistakes that affect the final result. Common errors include:

Lack of thorough market analysis, general trends and prospects for demand for the product.
Lack of clarity on costs and overheads. As costs increase, the project may become unprofitable.
Underestimation of the project amount. The actual cost may be higher than the estimated cost. In the process of preparing data, it is necessary to take into account market trends and inflationary processes.
Using extra data. The plan should be short and concise in presentation.

Earning money with YouTube videos

It is possible to earn income from the Youtube service. But this requires not just video editing skills, but also plot development and, directly, filming. The most important thing in such a work process and making a profit is to attract the public and gain a certain number of views.

This type of work can be done by people who have creative thinking and can generate new original ideas every day. You need to know what the audience needs, how to interest them in order to gain popularity and become successful. It is quite difficult to do PR and promote your channel, but if you succeed, you can earn a good, stable income.

The site pays for users who have a lot of subscribers and views. The main source of income is advertising; it can belong to the service or other users who are willing to give money for it. A popular channel has many advantages that will allow you to have a good income.

Why is remote video editing so popular?

Recently, technological progress has been increasingly introduced into our daily lives:

few people read newspapers, because instead of them there are smartphones with all the news;
cable television is also not in demand, since everything can be watched on the Internet;
Most smartphones have a top quality camera, and the bulk of media products are made specifically for phones or other compact devices;
anyone can do what they love, make a video, post it on the Internet and earn money from it.

Video editing is needed everywhere: for product promotion, for self-presentation, for covering events. Recent trends indicate that fewer and fewer people want to work permanently in an office, especially the younger generation of working age. And for them, this option for earning money may be optimal.

Video editing and editing is a modern creative activity that requires great involvement and a creative approach. If you have the skills not only to process, but also to shoot videos, you will be able to periodically receive orders for weddings or other events.

In addition, such earnings are not tied to a specific location. The main condition is to have a computer with an editing program. Freelancers have the opportunity to travel a lot: a free schedule allows them to do this.

How to set up a studio for video shooting at minimal cost and in three days

Vasily K., producer of the NSMedia studio, filmed lectures for our BeSmart.net project. And in between, he told us a story about how making a video is not at all difficult. This requires almost nothing except desire and resourcefulness. A studio for filming video lectures can be assembled on your knee, a documentary film can be shot on an iPhone.

The story happened six years ago, when I wanted to get a contract for a series of training videos for employees of a manufacturing company. The customer set a condition: to build a studio and shoot the first video, and if he likes the work, the contract is mine. I got fired up.

At that time there was no money at all, and all the equipment in our studio was on other sets. But the customer didn’t need to know about this, but I needed to get out, and I started calling friends and acquaintances, trying to borrow money. I called everyone. From those who could currently borrow only a thousand rubles, I took a thousand.

What happened to the sound?

The customer gave us his “press room” for the studio - a room in the office with an area of about 40 meters. Conferences were held there, but most of the time the room served as a warehouse for promotional materials. The main complaints about rooms are that the sound resonates and an echo effect occurs, but there was no echo in this room. It was amazing luck.

How we installed the light

I went to the construction market to get some light. To fill the room with fill light, I bought four so-called “troughs” - street lighting for building facades, half a kilowatt each, and four racks for these devices. As a result, I didn’t even need one of them - two “troughs” were placed behind the operators and one behind the presenter, as in the diagram:

It’s also shown here how we arranged a set of four “Dedolights” (Dedolight lighting fixtures), which I was able to rent from friends for the first time. One “dedik” illuminated the “chroma key” (“backdrop” that is placed behind the presenter in the frame, so that during editing, any other background could be placed in place of any other), two were placed on the sides, and one was directed directly at the presenter.

There's a funny story about chromakey. We bought a mobile folding chroma key. It is convenient to attach it to the so-called “gate” - these are two special posts with a crossbar between them. But by the start of filming, I bought a lame key, but I still couldn’t find the gate. Let me remind you, this was six years ago, and they simply weren’t in stores. Therefore, the problem had to be solved in a non-trivial way. Literally on the street we found two students who agreed to hold the Chroma Key for three hours. They kept him intermittently, of course.

What were the cameras like?

Strictly speaking, it is not necessary to have cameras. It is enough to have cameras capable of shooting in HD quality. We bought two very simple tripods and installed point-and-shoot cameras on them - I had a Canon, and I also asked a friend for a Nikon. The output material was the same as if we had filmed it on camera. We just had to take into account the difference in color rendering by different cameras so that the picture could be stitched together during editing.

Let me remind you that our goal was not only to organize filming, but to build “Potemkin villages.” It was important for the customer to get the semblance of a real studio, and there was a risk that he would not like the cameras. That’s how it happened, but I convinced him that this was a fashion trend (let me remind you that even the last season of House was filmed with a camera). My arguments worked, the customer agreed.

Project estimate

The only thing we had from expensive professional equipment, besides the mentioned Dedolight kit, was a “radio loop”, that is, a wireless microphone, which I rented, as well as a lighting kit. The microphone was plugged directly into the laptop and the sound was recorded on it, although, in an amicable way, you need a portable recorder or record the sound directly to the camera. As a result, the project estimate was as follows:

1. Lighting fixtures and stands for them - 50 thousand rubles. 2. Chromakey - 5.5 thousand rubles 3. Rental of the Dedolight kit - 3.5 thousand rubles. 4. Rent of a “radio loop” - 1.5 thousand rubles. 5. The fee for two students who held the chromakey was 1 thousand rubles. 6. The operator’s salary is 5 thousand rubles per shooting day. 7. Two cameras with the ability to shoot HD video - free of charge. 8. Premises are free.

If it weren’t for the customer’s requirements, we definitely wouldn’t have bought the “trough”, and we would have rented the main light too. Then the expenses would not exceed 15 thousand rubles. Moreover, it is now easier to find and rent any equipment than when working on the described project. But it was important for the customer to have a studio, and in order to create such an effect, lighting equipment had to be installed in the office.

As a result, based on the results of the first shoot, I received a contract, repaid my debts and earned money by organizing several more shoots for this customer.

Six years later

What would the estimate look like now? Yes, whatever. It all depends on the goals. For example, if you need a home studio, you can open Yandex.Market and configure it, easily spending 100 thousand rubles, and you won’t be ashamed of the equipment.

Let's take the two cheapest cameras (for shooting from two points for subsequent editing) that are suitable for shooting - Nikon d3200 with an 18-55 mm lens. They will cost 13 thousand rubles each. Manfrotto tripods - two pieces for 2.5 thousand rubles. "Chromakey" - 5.5 thousand rubles. Zoom H4n recorder - 12 thousand rubles. Sennheiser ew100 radio loop - 28 thousand rubles. There is still light: you can go to the construction market, as we did in our time, or you can buy Chinese shooting equipment - there are a lot of them now.

Construction markets are an ideal place to find equipment when professional equipment is not at hand. Once, when I didn’t have a “fishing rod” to bring the microphone to the people in the frame, a two-meter aluminum pipe to which the microphone was attached with tape worked for this purpose. It didn't look very nice, but there were no functional differences.

Another time we fought the echo in the room with the help of four large pieces of hardboard, which we again bought at the construction market in Pomoskovye, next to the pavilion where the filming took place. Three sheets were placed on three sides of the leader, and a canopy was made from the fourth sheet. There, on the market, you can buy “soundproofing” (building material for sound insulation) and paste it over the walls and acoustic foam rubber for the ceiling.

If there is no money at all

An analogue of any professional equipment can be assembled on your knee from what you have at hand. When we filmed a video review of routers for the website Overclokers.ru, we did not have a special table for subject photography on which gadgets were filmed. Then we placed the router on white A4 sheets and directed the light of two table lamps at it. We bought light bulbs for them at a nearby supermarket that give off cool light. To prevent this light from being bright, we covered the lamps with A4 sheets, simulating diffusers.

I did another experiment with “handmade” while on vacation in Kerch. There, my colleagues and I decided to shoot a short film on a point-and-shoot camera and an iPhone, and one of the characters had terrible bags under his eyes (professionals call this the “panda effect”). In studio conditions, the bags are removed with the help of properly placed lighting and makeup. And on the road they use “phlox” - a special reflector. We made it ourselves from a sheet of whatman paper glued with tape to a frame made of sticks, and it worked just as well as the real thing.

Why am I telling you about this? Moreover, the main thing is not the equipment, and you can do without it at all - shoot a video on an iPhone and edit it on an iPad. The main thing in this process is the confidence with which the characters stand in front of the camera, knowledge of the basics of staged shooting (a short video course Hollywood Camera Work will help here) and the brains of the one who is filming. Unlike equipment, which is quite easy to understand, you can’t buy brains.

How in demand is video editing?

Internet speeds have increased in recent years. This means that watching videos online has become much easier, which has led to an increase in demand for videos. Moreover, they can be very different: clips, news, advertising, information messages, congratulations, etc.

Who orders video editing? As it turned out, many. Among them:

Owners of online stores. People trust video reviews more than still pictures because the former are more difficult to edit. In addition, it often turns out more clearly.
Information businessmen with their own websites. They want to attract attention and promote themselves through YouTube. This means that they need quality material.
Event agencies that cannot always cope with a large influx of people. Therefore, they often hire outside freelancers. You can get a good hand on such orders.
Administrators of groups on social networks, as well as blog owners. They need fresh content to grab the audience's attention. The topics here can be very different.
Private individuals. A separate subcategory includes wedding orders, as well as “Love Story”. But in general, they may ask you to make an original cut with family photos, issue a congratulation, or make a video report of your vacation.

In a word, you will not be left without income.

Purpose of a business plan

A business plan is necessary to provide business information to investors, founders, and partners. The document allows you to assess the prospects of the project and the results of investments. Despite the standard structure of the document, the composition of the data depends on the target audience.

So, if a business plan is submitted to receive a subsidy, it is required to show the prospect of creating new jobs . For lending purposes, the emphasis is on the profitability of the project and the activity in general.

A business plan, compiled primarily for external users, is often a guide for the entrepreneur himself. Business planning does not always coincide with the actual result. In the process of activity, it is necessary to solve many current issues that distract from the main task of the business.

Regular review of the plan and its adjustments allow you to stick to your goals.

Video: How to write a business plan. Development of a business plan: detailed instructions from a practitioner

How video editors work at home

Working as a video editor is beneficial for those who are interested in this field, but who for some reason cannot (and sometimes simply do not want) to shoot videos on their own. Modern programs today allow you to create real masterpieces. With their help, various effects are added to videos, compilations, presentations, etc. are made.

A huge number of companies want to get high-quality advertising videos, and it’s easier for them to entrust this to someone from the outside, again, in freelancing mode. This is why special exchanges have been created. Moreover, in most orders that come from such companies, the graphics are not very complex, and a minimum volume needs to be processed.

How to learn to edit videos?

If you don't have the necessary skills and don't know where to start, start with courses. They are available both on the Internet and offline, and can be paid or free. Before you start, make sure that the courses are really high-quality so as not to waste time. A certificate or diploma will help in future employment. But first of all, you don’t need papers, but knowledge and skills.

Just keep in mind: if you just learn how to cut a video and add text in 3 days, it won’t do anything. Nowadays, completely different skills are expected from a video editor. And, in addition, he will need:

Quite a powerful computer that can support programs such as Sony Vegas Pro, Photoshop, Adobe After Effect, Adobe Premier. It is desirable to have a modern OS.
Accessories (headphones). Remember that you will be working with sound.
Modem providing high speed Internet. You will need to view HD quality videos and process them, including online.

That is, certain investments are still needed, but as a rule, they quickly pay for themselves.

Videographer for weddings and celebrations

Well, everything is clear here. In the article about the camera business, we talked about a similar way to make money. Only now you are required not to take photographs, but to have a high-quality film. Of course, in addition to a powerful video camera with high-aperture optics, you will need operator skills. Training video courses, thematic websites, blogs and forums, as well as books will help you in mastering this area. In addition, you can always find suitable courses or schools in the field of video filming.

You will also have to master video editors that will help you process, supplement and combine all the footage into one film. In addition, it is often necessary to add some interactive elements or computer graphics. And it is desirable that it is not “hello from the 90s” (unfortunately, this happens quite often). Professionals use the following software packages: Adobe Premiere Pro, Pinnacle Studio and Sony Vegas Movie Studio. Of course, there are other programs. You need to use those that are more convenient for you personally.

Who can become a video editor

Not everyone can become a good video editor. First of all, perseverance and patience are required here. Even experienced professionals spend an hour on average on 1 minute of video. And beginners spend a day or more on short videos.

Attention to detail is also very important. A long work can be ruined by one single little thing, so it’s important not to miss anything.

Creativity allows editors to earn more and stand out from the rest. A beautiful video requires good artistic taste. Fortunately, it can be developed. To do this, you need to have a critical (not negative, but critical!) attitude towards your own and other people’s work, regularly review the best, evaluate, notice details, delve into what a particular effect works for, etc.

And finally, this will sound cliché, but it is important to truly love what you do. Video editing does not stand still; it is constantly evolving. New trends, services and programs appear, and you need to keep an eye on everything. In addition, this is a very labor-intensive job - if you don’t love it, it can become a punishment.

If you want to do what you love and make a profit at the same time, then video editing is a great option for freelancing. This type of activity allows you to have a free work schedule, choose your own orders and increase your income as your professionalism grows.

Watch the video - Earning money from video editing:

However, you will have to constantly learn and test the viability of many ideas. For some, this is a dream - to work at a convenient time of day, do interesting work, and receive a high income. So act boldly and develop yourself! And especially for you – 50 more ways to make money online!

Basics of business planning

Business ideas and misconceptions

A budding businessman sits and thinks: what could he sell and still win. It should be remembered: in such an interesting business, it is important not to focus on the technical properties of the product. It is enough to focus on the possible benefits.

A clear example: people do not buy cosmetics, but hope. You need to be able to sell not a factual product with a boring set of physical characteristics, but a formal one. That same hope.

And season it with an additional product - all sorts of bonuses in the form of a long warranty, installment plans, convenient delivery and installation. By thinking like this, just an idea turns into a business idea.

Speaking in all seriousness, the main sources of business ideas are indicated below:

First of all, these are consumers - after all, any product is created to satisfy their various needs and requests. To generate such ideas, some people do not miss a single interesting thought expressed out loud. Others form entire feedback channels with different categories of clients.
The next source is similar competitors' products on the market, which can often be improved and changed.
Finally, collecting the opinions of sales workers and all kinds of trade representatives, the same agents, can be quite useful.

As you can see, there are a great many sources for new ideas. The above are not all, but only a part.

The only thing left to do is to draw up a productive business plan for the enterprise and breathe life into new ideas.

By the way, if you think that perfect knowledge and skills regarding certain technical nuances of work eliminates the need for a business plan, consider that you have stepped on the first rake.

And all the advantages of having such knowledge turn into the greatest disadvantages. To the well-known work that is so familiar to us, a dozen new, unknown responsibilities are added. A businessman's dream becomes a specialist's nightmare.

Who benefits from having a business plan?

Having a business plan is beneficial to all participants in a project in which their personal interests are affected. A competently drawn up plan gives a great chance of successful completion of the project. List of most likely participants:

First of all, future investors are interested in a business plan, who not only hope for the successful return of money invested in someone else’s enterprise, but also for receiving decent dividends within a strictly specified time frame.
The owner of the planned business is no less interested in the result. He receives the implementation of his ideas (the so-called project) and income if they are implemented into reality.
The rest of the project participants (work team) receive payment according to drawn up employment contracts with all sorts of bonuses and bonuses based on the results of work, plus movement up the career ladder.
The state (in the form of authorities) receives its share of income under the guise of taxes and fees paid (and from all of the above participants).
Well, of course, the consumer - the one for whom everything was originally started - receives the necessary goods and services, paying for them with funds that ultimately form the profit received by the businessman.