How to hire a freelance Video Editor?

Written by 90 Seconds
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Last updated: October 4, 2023
How to hire a freelance Video Editor?

Video editing is the most crucial yet relatively unknown aspect of video and film creation. There are many talented video editors in the industry, and narrowing down applications to a select qualified few is no small task.

With a flooded market of video editors, the most difficult part of the hiring process will be fielding applications, but with a little know-how and determination, the best video editor can be found.

The following are a few things to know about hiring a quality video editor.

What to look for

The portfolio is the video editor’s meal ticket. You can tell all you need to know about the quality of a potential video editor hire by looking for four aspects of their portfolio: sound, image, transitions, and overall style.

The first and most important is the sound quality. The rubber meets the road with sound. There should be no background noise.

If there is talking, the words should be crisp and clear, and more importantly, the speaker’s words should match up with the movements of their mouths.

The image should be clear as well in a video editor’s portfolio. The efforts of a decent director with a good camera can be ruined if the details are lost during the editing process.

If there are any special effects, they should look seamless and natural. Similarly, the transitions should be perfect, flowing with the natural progression of the video.

If the transitions are rough or seem out-of-place, this directly reflects on the video editor’s talent.

The final quality to look for is style. Watch the portfolio pieces and ask yourself if all the work is identical.

If it is, expect something exactly like that. If the pieces are different, look for common themes.

If none can be found, you’ll want to make sure the video editor knows explicitly what you want.

Know what you need

Know what you want the final production to look like and match your hire accordingly, based on their portfolio.

Do you simply need someone to sort through hours of footage?

Do you want someone who can work wonders with your limited equipment?

Know what you want your video editor to do. Hiring an extra hand who will help guide your editing process is a lot different than hiring someone who will churn out a masterpiece with a ton of your raw footage.

Two other aspects are important as well: know what you can pay and know what you expect. You may want to enter into a contract with your video editor. If this is the case, you’ll have to be aware of your own expectations and what you’re willing to offer.

Questions to ask a potential candidate

During the hiring process, the video editor’s portfolio should speak for itself. You don’t have to probe into the editor’s craft with tough questions. Instead, focus on logistics.

How long would you need for a project like this?

What do you charge?

Are you able to work with a flexible schedule?

Get to know how the editor will accomplish what the portfolio says he or she can do.