My Journey as a YouTube Editor: 5-Year Experience

Overview

• 5 years of experience as a YouTube editor.
• Edited over 1,000 shorts and 100 long-form videos.
• Progressed from editing low-quality Destiny 2 videos for $25 to working with YouTubers with millions of subscribers.

Year 1: Beginning the Journey

• Learning Editing Software:
  • Common software includes Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and Premiere Pro.
  • Started with After Effects, which is not meant for editing purposes; switched to Premiere Pro after 2 years.
• Initial Struggles:
  • Editing was difficult at first; early videos were not of high quality but offered motivation.
  • "Rome wasn't built in a day": expect rough beginnings and be patient.

Year 2: Exploring Freelance Work

• Beginning Freelance Work:
  • After honing skills, desired to edit for others.
  • Joined Fiverr, which proved to be a mistake due to lack of clients and low pay.
• First Client:
  • Worked on a video for Team Fortress 2; took a month to complete.
• Working for a Company:
  • Managed video editing for a gaming highlights app; originally paid $6/hour, later $12/hour.
  • Left after being undervalued despite being offered a higher position to stay.

Year 3: Finding Direction

• Moving to Upwork:
  • Explored Upwork for better freelance opportunities and gained varied experience (advertisements, podcasts, gaming highlights).
  • Yet, the work felt repetitive and not creatively demanding.
• Transition to YouTube Editing:
  • Discovered passion for YouTube editing.
  • Worked with 4 YouTube channels, realizing the impact and reach of videos (10,000 views was exciting).
  • Gained skills in pacing, transitions, color correction, storytelling, etc.

Year 4: Becoming a Competent Editor

• Intense Learning:
  • Devoted time to editing, learning, and perfecting skills.
• Applying for Bigger Projects:
  • Desired to work with more prominent creators and applied for a position with a large educational channel.
• Landing a Big Job:
  • Offered a position after identifying key audio problems in their videos; attention to detail was valued over portfolio.
  • First video created proved capability, leading to continued work.
• Finding Problems in Editing:
  • Developed a strategy to identify issues and provide solutions which helped in gaining referrals and more clients.

Year 5: Growth and Management

• Team Expansion:
  • From 3 team members to 11; took on a managerial role properly.
• Use of Tools:
  • Recommendations for using Frame.io for team collaboration.
• Progress and Growth:
  • Doubled subscriber and view counts over two years, reflecting successful team dynamics.
• Ongoing Learning:
  • Journey included challenges that shaped current skills; still learning in the editing world.

Key Takeaways

• Persistence is Key: Progress takes time and patience, don’t be discouraged by early failures.
• Explore Different Platforms: Freelance platforms like Upwork may offer more diverse opportunities compared to Fiverr.
• Focus on Problem Solving: Identify issues in videos and provide solutions to stand out.
• Continuous Growth: The journey is ongoing; always seek to learn and improve skills.