One of the main questions that less experienced video creators or editors usually ask is how long does it take to edit a video. Are you beginning your video creation career and curious to know about video editing duration? This article will highlight the duration and factors it depends upon.
Editors should know the difference between turnaround time and editing time. Editing time refers to the time editors spend while working on their screens. Turnaround time depends on editors’ availability, file transfer time, and time between transferring the source material.
Why Is Video Editing Time-Consuming?
After shooting or recording any video, getting the final perfect clip is often challenging. That’s why most video editors need to trim video on Mac or another computer they use, particularly when it’s a relatively long one. Editing large-volume videos will take much time, so trimming them can help.
For example, editing undergoes several processes. It requires performing various things in the background like file transfer & digitizing, file management and conversion, audio leveling, etc. Other reasons include slow software, technical troubleshoots, and overshooting.
What Factors Affect Video Editing?
How long you need to spend editing a video depends on so many factors. Usually, you can expect around 30-60 minutes to edit a simple video. However, complex videos generally take an average of two to five hours.
There are different types and qualities of videos. So, the best way to answer how long editing a video takes is to deeply examine your video editing process. Based on your work requirement, speed, knowledge, and capabilities, you can estimate the time needed.
Video Type
The main factor that comes to play when talking about video editing duration is the type of video being edited. There are many kinds of videos. For example, live-action videos, motion graphics videos, animation, etc. Hence why, exactly answering this question is difficult.
Some genres of videos require more attention in the editing process. For instance, editing a vlog will consume less time than a music video. The reason is that vlog is more casual and doesn’t require changing complex effects.
Type and Amount of Footage
Another determining factor is the type and amount of footage. Checking all the footage multiple times just to get the right shot is the most stressful and time-consuming task. Even sometimes, examining single footage takes multiple hours.
So, consider how much content you will require to look through and trim. If there is just a little information, you may need to add original content by yourself. Watching hours of footage carefully and adding some effects/content can take all the time.
Video Length and Quality
Next, you should consider the length and quality of a video. Low-quality video is hard to work with as it needs a longer time for improvement and gives a professional look. A vlog YouTube video with a concise amount of top-quality footage can be produced fairly quickly.
Also, the longer a video is, the longer the editing will be. This is because the longer video will require more extra work to do. Moreover, large, highly created files will slow down the process. They will slow down the work even when you have a high-end computer.
Editing Style and Effects
This is as important as other factors. Personal editing style and level of experience matter a lot. How long you’ll work on a video depends on your expertise and decision-making ability. The experience helps in consuming less time and quickly getting the final product.
A quick learner edits a video fast. You can make fast decisions about video aspects, problem-solving, software use, design assets, opting for new tools, etc. The complexity and number of video effects also impact editing time. Longer and more complex effects take a longer time.
How Long Does It Take to Edit a 5-Minute Video?
For a five-minute video, you will require more than a day. Always remember that there is a possibility of editing the video again as per a client’s suggestion. Changing b-roll clips and fixing typos may consume around 60 minutes.
Exporting and uploading the changed video again will also require approximately half an hour. So, add one and a half hours to that. Other determining factors include video amount and quality, repeatability, video type, editing style, and footage quality & quantity.
The Conclusion
There is no exact time to conclude how long does it take to edit a video as it depends on different factors. If you’re a YouTube video creator with a certain style, you may need little time for editing. However, there are high chances you’ll require more time editing an education tutorial video.
So, keep some patience. This is especially important when you’re learning because it takes even much longer. Don’t you have enough time and skills for professional editing? You can even use professional software that comes with specialized tools to make your task simpler.
