The Essential Stages of Corporate Video Editing

Video editing is an important process – there is no denying that. In fact, without video editing, you really don’t have much of a video. However, editing itself isn’t a perfect process. Just because a video has been edited doesn’t necessarily mean that the results are perfect. This is exactly why videos, even the ones that look okay, tend to draw a lot of criticism from the audience.

The same applies to corporate video editing. Professional editing practices can change the very outcome of the video. The final cut should be smooth, from the first scene to the last. It should make absolute sense and be worth the time, effort and money that’s gone into the process of editing.

Each step of the editing process must be planned, which is necessary if our goal is to deliver perfect results. The script, filing technique, location and the vision, all play a major role in determining the level of editing that needs to be carried out for your corporate video.

In general, the corporate video editing process can be divided into 3 key stages. Understanding these 3 key stages is very important to beginning your editing process in the proper manner.

The Story Stage

The story stage is where we cover all the elements of pre-production. This means organizing assets, reviewing the footage, compiling the footage, syncing the audio with the video, and basically laying everything out for the editing process.

We basically begin by placing the various pieces of the story to create an outline of the whole film. This outline is the absolute basic, which means there’ll be a lot of content that’s blemished or not worthy of being included into the final cut.

This is also the time when the client is allowed to take a look at things. It might seem counterproductive at first, but if the client stays informed, it can save a whole lot of trouble in the future.

Clients might give out some feedback that will be influential in making a few key changes before the bigger process starts. Making these changes earlier on can prevent unnecessary edits later in the process. In fact, it becomes much tougher to rearrange things after the color work and fillers have been applied.

So, it’s essential to share the story edit with the client in order to get a sign-off an all the elements before heading to the next stage. Once you start adding flares and tricks, it becomes difficult to go back and rework everything.

The Rough Stage

The second stage is called the rough stage and this is where the real work begins. Here, the outline is pieced together and the professional bits are added in. In other words, the actual skills and expertise of the editor come into play.

This includes decisions regarding which take to use and how to create a proper sequence. Awkward and imperfect shots are eliminated.

However, this doesn’t mean the original footage is discarded. In fact, the original footage is stored for possible future use. However, the obviously bad elements are completely taken out and discarded. To put it simply, pieces are removed and replaced, while the entire video is still held together. This is a very critical aspect of video editing and the reason why the process is treated as such. The objective is to prevent the video becoming confusing or choppy.

The client is consulted at this stage as well. Their input will let you know if you’re in line with their expectation. Plus, it will help save time at the end of it all. Efficiency is something that must be strived for.

So, this is the stage where the first true edit comes to life. Most of the work gets completed at this stage and the next step is fine tuning.

The Final Stage

Once the first edit is accepted, the next step is to begin adding all the creative elements. The approval of the client only makes the job easier. The goal, as we already know, is too create the final cut, without errors and other problems.

Now, in this stage, we start working on tuning the content by adding or removing colors, correcting lens flare, and generally turning the video into a “work of art”. The cuts and timing are perfected, creating what is essentially a final edit.

This final cut will be reviewed by the producer and director over a dozen times. Your producer and director will team up with the editor to make sure that every detail (added or removed) is in line with the original concept. If there are elements in the video that don’t fit, it will be edited out and the changes will be made to deliver a video that that runs smoothly.

Additionally, the removal of parts that don’t fall in line with the overall narrative will lead to the creation of space for special effects and graphics that complement the narrative. This, obviously, makes the video instantly noticeable.

At the end, any leftover voiceover recording or dialogues are added.

So, To Conclude…

Corporate video editing is a long process that blends both, creativity and technicality to deliver content that client and audiences will enjoy. It is very important to follow a sequence when going through the editing process. It’s the only way to make sure that things stay on track and that the final production matches what the client expects to see.

Are you looking to create a corporate video for your brand or business? If you are, get in touch with Crafted NY. Crafted is home to some of the best video production professionals in the business, who can help you with everything from pre-production to post-production.

We understand how corporate videos work and can assist you in every way possible to deliver content that suits your brand identity. We have access to the best equipment and technology as well. So, don’t think twice about contacting us.