Outsource Video Editing: Here’s How To Do It Like A Pro

Last update: July 2021

If you don’t have the time or expertise to edit, trim, and polish a video into engaging content, then it’s time to outsource video editing.

Video editing is an art and a craft and if you’re looking for the best video editing talent, you are in the right place.

If you’re looking to outsource video editing and you’re not really sure how to do it, you are in the right place.

I’ve been working with hundreds of clients through our video editing agency and I think I nailed down a set of things you want to check before you hand off the editing of your videos to someone else.

I know first hand that editing your videos, no matter how long or short they are, can take a tremendous amount of your precious time.

If you are struggling in post-production and you simply don’t have enough in-house resources to get the finished video done we have just the right solution for you.

Outsourcing this task to an online video editing company or to a freelancer has never been easier and more efficient.

Plus, by choosing a video editing company, you won’t sacrifice the quality of your videos.

In this post, I am going to break down and list what are the absolute best tips you need to know and what to look at before you outsource video editing to someone else.

No matter if it’s us.

Or someone else.

Why do videos in the first place?

Well, let me answer that with a question.

What would you prefer: watching a 5-minute fun and engaging video which will explain how an engine works or reading a 2,000 words article about it?

Video has become the preferred content type around the web.

Just look at these stats over here.

Over 75 million people watch video content online every day, in the US alone.

High-speed internet connections and high-performance mobile devices allow us to watch videos anywhere, at any time.

It makes perfect sense for you – regardless if you are representing a company, a brand or just yourself – to get in the video marketing game.

Your competition is surely doing it already.

The benefits of outsourcing video editing

There is no reason to struggle with post-production work when you can gain multiple benefits by outsourcing video editing to freelancers or video editing services.

For the undecided, the following reasons will convince you to hire a video editing team.

Focus on creating content

As a content creator, what you want to do is actually focus on creating the video and that’s it.

Once the video is shot, all the post-production can be outsourced to a video editing company which can be literally overseas.

The actually filming can take just a few minutes, but the editing of that 10 or 20 minutes video and the rendering can take a few hours.

Hiring a video editing company will allow you to push more top-notch content sooner, thereby giving the much-needed momentum to your marketing efforts.

You can spend this time in creating more content or working on that new project of yours which you never have time to start.

Professional video editors are fast, efficient, and creative. Their vast expertise and experience with editing tools will reduce editing time without compromising the quality of the content.

Using an online video editing service will actually save you both time and money in the long run.

Works for any niche or topic

Video editing outsourcing can be done for almost any type of videos and any industries.

I don’t think we ever received a request that we couldn’t handle.

We, as a video editing company, have dedicated video editors who are specialized in a different type of editing styles which match various business or consumer needs.

We worked on anything from wedding videos to GoPro videos or corporate videos, branded videos and so on and so forth.

For example, a business owner will want someone with a solid background in corporate video editing to handle your projects.

A person who wants to create an emotional video of his family trip from last year will want a video editor who is specialized in that particular niche.

So if you are thinking about outsourcing the editing of the video you don’t need to worry at all about the type of the video you want to create. We can do any kind of video.

So if you are thinking about outsourcing the editing of the video you don’t need to worry at all about the type of the video you want to create. We can do any kind of video.

Why should you outsource video editing

Here are the top reasons why outsourcing video editing is the best option for your particular situation most of the times.

#1 You don’t have the human resources

I haven’t met a single company regardless of the market they are it who has a full-time video editor on board. Of course, video broadcasters and TV stations are excluded. But most of the times, the majority of the business don’t have a person or a team who can handle video editing.

And this is perfectly normal because for most business having a full-time editor on board is not economically feasible given the amount of work required. You are probably doing videos just a couple of times a month or even less often.

A video editing company is a one-stop-shop to fulfill all your video needs. Apart from editing, these companies will add visual effects, sound effects, and embellish the video if and when required.

That is a perfect reason to outsource video editing to a specialized team of professionals. Shift that activity over to someone else and keep focusing on the core activity of your business instead.

#2 You don’t have the technical resources

If you are thinking that you can quickly cut your raw video yourself, you might want to reconsider. Even the most basic video editing software can get pretty expensive. On top of that, the hardware needs to smoothly run today’s Full HD or 4K footage will have to be high end.

This is a cost you might not be able to recuperate if video editing is not something that you need to do constantly on a long-term basis.

#3 You are not tied to the editor forever

You contract with the company to whom you outsource video editing can be project-based.

It doesn’t need to be long-term and it doesn’t need to have a monthly charge associated with it. You only pay per project.

How to outsource and where to look for the best video editing talent

Your decision to engage an outside editing service is the start of a very important process – finding the video editing talent. You have two main options:

Hiring a freelancer

The marvel of modern technology, the best talent from around the world is in the palm of your hand. Picking one source from the myriad options can be taxing. Below are two reliable places to start your search:

Upwork: With 12 million service providers, Upwork is by far the largest freelance marketplace. Registration is free; you can open an account and look for freelancers based on location, ranking, experience, and various other parameters. You’ll be charged a processing fee of 3% on all your payments.

Fiverr: A marketplace similar to Upwork, Fiverr allows the purchase and sales of digital services for $5 or more. You can sign-up for free, but each purchase of $40 or less involves a small fee of $2. There is a 5% fee for purchases above $40.

Availing the services of a video editing company  

Your search for a reliable, skillful, efficient, and affordable video editing service is nearing the end. There are quite a few companies, including ours, that deliver top-notch results without breaking your bank.

You only have to get in touch, share your requirements, send the clips, and wait a short period to see the raw video transformed into a masterpiece.

Qualities to look for when you outsource video editing

Alright, now that we have that cleared up let’s see what are some of the qualities you want to find the person or company you are going to outsource video editing to.

#1 Creativity

Another important thing which you want to look at when you outsource video editing is the creativity of the team or individual you are working with.

If you outsource video editing, you open doors to a new perspective and new ideas. You might have a vision for the video, and plenty of ideas too, but video editors are the experts. Their skills and wealth of experience enable them to infuse fresh thinking and ideas that never occurred to you.

Here you want to look at how the first draft of the video comes together in terms of editing style and what are the video editing methods & techniques used. Even though this will be a draft version, you want it to me as closely as possible to how you picture the finished video to look like.

#2 Skillset

This one goes hand in hand with the creativity. The editor may have the right ideas but he will also need the right set of skills and technique. Otherwise, he will not be able to put into practice the ideas that he or you may have. Video editing software can get pretty complicated. Even for the most tech-savvy people and learn how to use it takes a lot of time.

Also, staying connected and up to speed with the latest software and trends in the industry can be quite a challenge. This is a fast-moving market.

Experience is also a key consideration. The candidate you engage should not only depend on the requirements but also the level of experience.

Entry Level: Although lacking in experience, may come with compensating qualities such as creativity, desire to learn, attitude, etc. An entry-level editor might need more time to work on the video clip, but willing to work for less.

Intermediate Level: Quite proficient with the latest editing techniques and tools, but lacking in experience in working on large or complicated projects. Such candidates are at a stage where they are confident of their abilities and ready to try their hands on big projects.

Advanced Level: Highly skilled and experienced video editors with an impressive portfolio. They need very little input and instructions to work on the project. These candidates can also serve as consultants, providing guidance and suggestions on all matters relating to video creation. Video editors with advanced skills and experience levels don’t come cheap.

#3 Availability

Most of the times your video editing company or video editing freelancer will live in a different country. Or even on a different continent. That is why communication could be lacking sometimes. So, before you outsource video editing to anyone check what their availability is.

Ideally, you want to be able to reach them by phone or Skype calls as well, not just by email and chat with customer support.

Equally important is the communication skills of the candidate, particularly when the editor resides in another country or continent. Does the editor understand your language, instructions, requirements, vision for the video? Can the candidate effectively put forward queries, ideas, and opinions to make the project a success?

#4 Attitude

You always want the guys with a “can do attitude”. Having the right mindset and just a positive attitude will make a great difference. When somebody is enthusiast about a project you can’t really expect to see mediocre results from them.

A team which is passionate about each and every project will come back to you with a creative solution which matches your expectation. All within the mentioned deadline. We believe this is extremely important especially for long-term relations.

Attitude also means the absence of hesitation in sharing their viewpoints. It’s good to outsource video editing to an individual or team that brings new ideas to the table instead of people who tend to agree with everything that you have to say.

#5 Portfolio

Don’t just browse around their website to look for past videos they did or projects they worked on. Ask specifically to see their work in a given niche. For example, over here are Veedyou.com, we have been working with many clients who asked us to keep their videos private or even sign non-disclosure agreements.

So if you can’t find a specific type of video style on the website it doesn’t necessarily mean we can’t do it. Let’s have a short call and see if we can help make your video project a reality. We’d love to chat and show you in private more of our previous video edits if needed.

#6 Pricing

Lastly but not least you obviously want to check out the pricing. Most online video editing companies will charge you just a fraction that a marketing agency would.

But double-checking the price is definitely something you want to do.

We are totally transparent on that.

In fact I just had an article posted on the blog recently where we break down the cost of our video editing services. Make sure to check it out and get an idea of how much something like this would cost.

For standard projects, the fees are based on the duration of the footage that needs to be edited. But for more complex projects which are heavy on visual effects and animation, the pricing structure might vary a bit.

#7 Payment

By this stage, you are certainly sure who to hire. The new step is to agree on the mode of payment. In this regard, two options are available to you: Fixed or Hourly Rate.

Fixed-Rate: Fixed rate is a preferred option for businesses with a limited budget. The contract is often negotiated for the entire project, or just for a day, week, or a fixed period. Regardless of how long the editor takes for completing the project the individual or team will be paid the fixed price. This acts as an incentive to complete the project at the earliest. The drawback of this method is the lack of flexibility. You will have to negotiate a separate pay structure for additional work done on the video clip.

Hourly Rate: In the hourly rate method, you pay for the time the editor spends doing the project. Often a time tracking tool is used to monitor the progress of the work and to calculate the payments due to the editor. The advantage of this payment structure is that there is no need to negotiate a new deal for every change or addition to the scope of work. In this method, the drawback is that the longer the project stretches, the higher is the payment. There is no incentive for the editor to quickly finish the project.

Things to communicate to your video editor

Garbage in, garbage out.

I think that saying is so true in video editing too.

Let me explain a little bit what I mean with that.

Even though you might be working with a very competent, creative and experienced video editor, you will still need to provide quite a little bit of input about your project.

At least in the very beginning when you don’t really know if you are both on the same page in terms of editing style and the overall feel of your videos.

So, put in a little bit of your time and make sure to communicate clearly your requirements and what you expect back.

Here are a few key points you should discuss with your video editor.

A script or storyboard

If you have a video script or a storyboard definitely share that with your video editor.

These type of documents make sense for documentary films, interviews, animated videos and similar projects.

Branding guidelines

If you’re outsourcing corporate videos make sure to share your branding guidelines with your editor.

If you don’t have a proper branding package to share, you can include stuff such as your logo, color scheme and font.

An example

If you have an example video that you like you can send that over to your video editor.

That can be used as a reference, obviously not for replicating or copying ideas word by word.

Or better said, frame by frame.

A creative brief

This can be a small document or just an email with a few bullet points that touch on things such as:

• editing style
• text and titles
• music, if any
• anything else

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to edit a video?

The cost to edit a clip depends on several factors including your location, duration of the clip, and experience of the video editor. It could cost anywhere between a few hundred to thousands of dollars. On average, professional editors would quote an hourly rate ranging between $75 and $150.

How much does it cost to edit a 10-minute video?

Here too factors such as experience, reputation, video type, complexity, and expertise determine the rate charge to edit a 10-minute video. Certain videos don’t demand too much work; for example, YouTube videos, social media videos, etc. Video editors might demand an hourly rate ranging from $35 to $50 per hour.  

How do you outsource editing?

A step-by-step process to outsource video editing can make the work more efficient. Once the video is shot and ready for editing, follow these steps:

• Prepare a Scope of Work document, which specifies the outcome you seek, the final length of the content, details of your target audience, the turnaround time, and the budget.
• Submit the editing requests that include your vision, video format, resolution, and other technical information. 
• Finalize the communication channels. Will you be emailing, using Zoom, or Skype, or any project management tool?
• Set up cloud storage to transfer the raw footage and other project files. For projects involving 4K or higher resolutions, consider making proxies to reduce time spent on uploading and downloading the files. 
• Defining rules for revisions; the additional cost involved in it, the number of revisions, anticipated deliver duration for the revisions, etc.

Are video editors in demand 2020s?

The demand for camera operators and video editors is only going to increase in the coming years. The tilt of internet users towards video content and the interest shown by businesses in pursuing video marketing is a clear indication of this trend. According to Labor Statistics, camera operators and video editing sector is the fastest-growing job market with an 18% growth project from 2019 to 2029.

Final thoughts

Bottom line, outsourcing video editing will help any company to keep up with the market trends and with the competition. On top of that, by hiring an online video editing company will not leave a dent in your budget. But hiring a marketing agency probably would.