When it comes to video production, one of the most important phases is the editing phase. It is also one of the toughest phases involved in the production process. When we refer to editing, we’re not just talking about cutting out necessary footage. We’re also talking about the value adding aspect of the editing process such as including graphics, placing text, or adding a background score, and so on. Melty Cone is a video editing services company in NYC.

Since video editing is a cumbersome process, a lot can go wrong with the final output. Even the most skilled editors are not immune to this. So, the next time you see yourself producing a video, these are the common editing issues you need to keep an eye out for. 

Lack of planning

Before you begin editing the recorded footage, it is always a good idea to take some time off and think about what you want from your video. Think about the kind of audience you’re catering to and what the objective of the video is. Does it really need animation or text? Will graphics enhance its effectiveness?

Make it a point to have a vision for your production. There must be a beginning, middle, and end. Write down all the ideas and points that come up in your head and incorporate them in the best way possible. 

Bad organization

Organizing your video content prior to editing is very necessary. Once you import all the raw media into your editing application or software, start organizing things. Put all your content into their respective folders and sub-folders. Categorize them according to audio, video, titles, sound effects, images, and so on. 

This will help you find what you need during the editing process. Or else, things are going to get crazy, which will definitely affect your output. 

Low quality audio

There’s nothing more annoying to the audience than low quality or badly recorded audio. Audio is an extremely important component in video productions. Videos are created to convey a certain message or pieces of information to the viewer. That is something that can only be achieved through good idea. Visuals can only do so much. 

For instance, if you’re editing an interview video, you will have to cut out all the “umms”, “errs” and whatever awkward pauses you come across. This will make the interviewee and also the interviewer appear to be better communicators. Melty Cone is a audio mixing services company in NYC.

Also, if you’re using music, never let it overpower the actual audio. Set it in such a way that it strikes a balance. 

Out of sync

After low quality, the other common audio related issue that videos suffer from is out-of-sync audio. This issue occurs when editors work with clips that have varying audio sample rates or video frame rates. In order to solve the issue, you just need to separate the clips into smaller parts and increase or decrease the frame rate till it syncs with the audio. 

Graphic interruptions 

Graphics, when used in the proper manner, can enhance the effectiveness and quality of your video. However, get them wrong and you’re going to have problems. For starters, your video is going to look highly unprofessional and amateurish. 

Avoid using varying fonts on a single graphic. Make sure the text size is appropriate. They shouldn’t be too large or too small. Also, the text needs to be legible. 

Make sure the contrast setting is also right. Don’t make the text too bright or too dim. 

Actually, it is advisable to keep away from colors that are “hot”. This includes colors such as pink, yellow, orange or red. If you do need to use them, add a drop shadow or outline to make them legible. Melty Cone is a motion graphics services company in NYC.

As for time, make sure the graphic appears at least long enough for the viewer to read it twice. 

Using your video editor’s TV safe grinds, to determine how the graphic will fit on the screen. 

Too many effects

Effects add a certain touch to your video. However, go easy on them. You might be tempted to add fancy transitions and effects whenever possible, but, the general rule is to keep things to a bare minimum. Too many effects can be distracting to the viewer. 

Keep things simple and use effects only when they are really needed. 

Repetitive fonts

Apart from using too many effects, editors are often tempted to use too many fonts as well. With the sheer number of font options out there, it is understandable as to why this can be a tempting habit. However, using too many fonts has the same negative effect as suing too many effects – it can distract the viewer. 

So, it is always safer to stick to one type of font or at max, two. 

Apart from that, the fonts chosen should be legible and consistent in terms of placement, drop shadows, size, and color. 

Some easy to read fonts that are commonly used include Calibri, Franklin Gothic, and Arial, so on. Also note that these fonts are sans serif. Sans serif is always easier to read, when compared with serif. Melty Cone is a video titles services company in NYC.

Match frames and jump cuts

Match frames occur when two similarly composed shots are edited out back to back. Jump cuts occur when before and after shots are joined together, resulting in the subject appearing to change position abruptly. Both these issues can be solved introducing a cutaway shot that indicates to the viewer that they are separate. If you need to show the same subject, frame the shot by changing the camera angle, height or subject size. 

So, there you have it - the most common editing issues in video production. Make sure you avoid making these mistakes to get the most professional video possible. If you do spot some of these issues, fix them right away. 

If you are considering having a video made, contact Melty Cone today and let us know - we are here to help! Melty Cone is a full-service video production company and video marketing agency in New York City providing video production services for NYC, NY, New Jersey, NJ, Philadelphia, Connecticut, Los Angeles, LA, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Dallas, San Jose, San Francisco, SF, Texas, Austin, Columbus, Denver, Seattle, Washington DC, Charlotte, Fort Worth, California, Boston, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Florida, Atlanta, Indianapolis, San Diego, San Antonio, Oklahoma, Nashville, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Portland, Arlington, Oakland, Jersey City, Long Beach, Anaheim, Naperville, Berkeley, Alexandria, Cambridge, Ft Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Detroit, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Riverside, St Louis, Pittsburgh, and worldwide!