Ideas for Work as a Digital Video Editor
For the past 10 years, I have been slowly building the momentum to becoming a full-time video editor. My career began back in 2010; I was still in high school, being careful not to go over my texting limit on my flip phone, while the internet was slowly evolving into something more prevalent in our lives. There was no way to guess what the internet age was going to bring even just 10 years down the line.
As funny as it is to say, people were still doubting the opportunity that platforms like YouTube could provide people. There were content creators like Fred or FilmCow that were making serials for the new age audience (ahem…Millennials), and they were finding ways to monetize that content in a way that was actually like a full time job.
There was no way to tell that the smartphone revolution was going to be the catalyst for even more content than ever before. Looking at the video landscape in 2020, it’s almost unrecognizable from the way it was back in my day. The ways that people consume content, and the places where people go to get that content, have opened up plenty of opportunities for the industry to grow. Growth is good, and for people like that me that work as a freelance editor, it means that there are more places to show value and earn more money!
- E-Sports Content
E-Sports was one of those industries that I hadn’t really heard of or paid attention to back in 2010. It was, of course, back in it’s infancy stages where the foundations of the industry were just being placed. Now the industry has grown to full blown franchises with big teams and even bigger money. (As a quick reference just take a look at the prize pool for Dota 2 teams)
What does this industry have to offer you as a video editor? Well there are several ways to look at it! As a young editor trying to get their foot in the door, Twitch highlight videos on YouTube are a good way to get your foot in the door. It’s not really a place to make serious cash, but it’s a good way to build connections with streamers and gaming related content creators.
For someone that has a bit more experience/skill and is looking to build a career in this industry I highly suggest using your skills working for an esports organization. Teams from all sort of competitive games will need editors to help craft some of their favorite stories and build brand awareness. A good example of this would be a docu-series for LoL team Counter Logic Gaming (this was a series that I worked on from 2018–2019!). Furthermore, esports teams will need social media videos, live stream branding (done with motion graphics), or some form of marketing materials. Plenty of work is to be had in this industry!
2. YouTube Video Editor
Editing videos for YouTubers has always been a sort of love-hate relationship with me. Yeah it can be the most fun work at times, building some of the best friendships with really cool people, but at the same time there have been horror stories of unpaid wages and exploitation galore (I won’t reference specific creators here, but a quick Google search can find a few stories). While the industry is highly volatile and ever evolving, it’s important to write out freelance contracts and protect yourself in the event that someone wants to withhold payment.
In any event, YouTubers have a ton of work to give out but it depends on the channel and what they are willing to pay. Some can provide a lot of serious income, but those are few and far between. So I recommend that you bring down expectations and expect nothing more than some side income with this sort of work. Begin by simply shopping around online and seeing which YouTube channels you enjoy watching the most. Find a business email (if they have one) and ask away! Remember that rejections will happen, but try not to get discouraged and remember to show what value you can bring to the table.
3. Social Media Editor
Social media has been making a killing for the past 5–6 years. Initially, the only place to really get video content was YouTube or Vimeo, but things started to take a huge shift with platforms like the now defunct Vine. From there things have snowballed quite rapidly; Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, are just a few of the many places that people are going to consume content. There are even new platforms coming in and out all the time (I was lucky enough to see a tech start up first hand with WAV media).
There are a few approaches to take depending on the experience that you have as an editor. You could work for any company that has a social media position and leverage that job as a way to showcase your video editing and motion graphics capabilities. What you will notice with a lot of these brands is that they want to hire a permanent all-in-one solution to handle their posting as well as their content creation, so it’s going to be up to you whether or not you are up for the task.
4. Marketing Agency
My previous point about being a social media editor also dips back into working for a marketing agency. Marketing agencies have been around long before digital media took over, but in the places where traditional media failed to evolve there have been new age creative agencies that fill the gap between brands and online advertisement. The amount of agencies (at least in LA where I am from) are abundant, and the type of work that they do can vary from one to another.
Skills that are useful here are a firm grasp of time management skills as these agencies tend to work with a lot of clients at a fast pace. And like always, the more that you know the more value you can bring to these companies. When applying for one, you are going to be seen as your own marketer. If you can market yourself, maybe it would be possible to market for their clients as well!
5. Post-Production Houses
This last point, although a pretty solid job to have, is not going to be anything super new and exciting. I mention post-production houses because they’re consistently cutting up trailers for movie theaters or working on TV and Film. While I think there is a good career path here, the one thing that is going to be a problem here are the barriers to entry:
Knowing older tools like Media Composer or Symphony can help, but having more experience is going to help then having none at all. My suggestion would be to work as an assistant editor first, working your way up so you’d know the process from top to bottom. I think what you will notice is that more editors who are further in their careers have done this. I think this is solid advice!
And that just about sums it up! The digital landscape has definitely changed the ways in which people experience video online. In the past 10 years, these are the industries that I have seen opened up a lot, but that does not mean that these are the only exclusive paths to building a career. As always, its important to know a lot, stay well connected with a lot of different people, and if you’re determined enough then opportunities will come up. Good luck on your editing journey and I will be seeing you on the next one!