How to Hire A Video Editor
Table of Contents
Looking to hire a professional video editor for your YouTube channel? How can you ensure you get professional video editing?
At Vidpros we know a thing or two about this process with a team of over 20 professional video editors.
In this article, we’ll share some of our tips for hiring top talent, but also explain some of the best sites that solve the problem of finding a good editor (including us).
How much do video editors cost?
One thing you’ll want to consider as you hire your video editor is how much do you want to pay them.
Video editors are in high demand due to the increase in video content. Full-time video editors make a good salary. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics the median pay for a video editor in 2020 was $61,900 per year or about $30 per hour. Plus any payroll taxes and benefits costs.
The freelancer site Upwork puts the median cost for a freelance video editor as between $15-$30 /hr. A couple of notes this probably is a worldwide cost and Upwork takes 5–20% as the marketplace.
As broadband speed has increased, making larger file transfers easier, it is important to consider that video editing is a global marketplace.
In the Philippines typical editor salary is about $8k /yr according to the website onlinejobs.ph.
Should you hire a local video editor or remote?
When it comes to hiring a professional video editor, many people are unsure if they should hire a local video editor or a remote video editor. There are pros and cons to both options. Here are some things to consider when making your decision:
Local Video Editors:
- You may find someone that combines the skills of videography and video editing.
- Project file sizes over 100gb per project may make working with a local editor more efficient. Think 4k multi-cam long duration videos.
- You can meet in person with the Video Editor to discuss your project and get a feel for their style.
- The Video Editor is familiar with the area and may have worked on similar projects in the past.
Remote Video Editors:
- You can find a video editor from anywhere in the world.
- The video editor may have more experience and be better suited for your project.
- The video editor may be more affordable for your project.
In conclusion, the video editor you choose will depend on your needs and requirements.
Is it ethical to outsource video editing overseas?
First, there’s a bit of an ethical hesitation to outsourcing video editing which we’ll get out of the way.
Just like how physical goods are produced in lower-cost locations globally so are virtual services like video editing.
Some people get really defensive about American labor and American jobs. It’s kind of a losing way of thinking because their competitors can take advantage of these lower cost of services which allow their competitors to focus on the parts of the business with higher yields.
For example, many freelancers both film and edit. Videography requires a physical presence, video editing does not. By outsourcing the lower value task of video editing you gain back time, shoot twice as much, and double your business!
There’s also a misconception that the lower costs equal sweatshop labor. For many Americans, they can’t imagine living on $600/mo. The reality is most of the world lives under $10/day so a $600 salary is solid middle-class globally.
As you can see there are price advantages to hiring an editor in the Philippines.
Should you outsource video editing to the Philippines in particular?
The Philippines is a great option for companies looking to outsource video editing because the country allows for overnight turnarounds on projects and is extremely affordable. The local population has a high fluency in English.
The timezone allows for your editor to work while you’re sleeping. You wake up with a new video edit to review.
The one downside is any revisions take an additional day. A way to optimize this is by requesting the project files so quick fixes can be done in the US time zone by US editors.
DIY editor hiring vs hiring a video editing service
When it comes to hiring a video editor, there are two main options: Do it yourself (DIY) or hiring an agency or service.
DIY can be a more cost-effective option, as you are using your own time and resources to provide the management infrastructure.
Take a moment to consider the hidden costs of DIY video editor hiring. This includes the time it takes to screen and qualify candidates. If you’re not a video editor – how do you know you’re getting the best value when hiring one? Will you have redundancies (backup video editors) for sick, vacation days, or if the editor quits? Do you have the compliance infrastructure around taxes, payroll, etc.?
Hiring an agency or service can be more expensive, but all the management tasks are taken care of saving you time to focus on your core business – Focus on what you’re good at.
Here at Vidpros, we have a curated team of the best video editing professionals that’s ready to start.
Additionally, an agency like ours has video editors with a variety of skills and styles we can recommend to you based on your project.
Payments – Hourly Rate vs. Project vs. Salary vs Video Editing Subscriptions
Another factor that you should consider is how the editor charges for their services. Depending on their work or the project you have, it would be wise to discuss these options before deciding to use their services.
Hourly / Daily
Most freelance video editors set hourly rates for their services. An hourly rate may differ depending on the editor’s market of work. A video editor’s location may also be a factor for these rates since some states may have different regulations than others.
Some editors may convert their hourly rates into daily rates to make it simpler for their clients to narrow down their options to pick the most beneficial services. Professionals working between eight and ten hours may make at least $600 if they chart their hourly $75 rate.
Flat rates are typically predetermined before a project starts. Some clients may prefer this payment rate because it gives them a measurable budget to handle as they find their ideal services.
Project Based –
Project based is another way of paying for video editing. ie 1 video costs x dollars. Since you’re not paying for time this type of billing will often have many restrictions to define scope such as you can only upload x minutes, only upload total of x gb, and / or only get x number of revisions. Also since video editing has such a broad range of outputs, scope can be hard to define so additional profit is often built into the price to cover overages.
Salary
If you prefer to have an in house employee you will pay a salary, benefits, and taxes. This provides the ultimate amount of control but can also be the costliest option. One of the highest costs is underutilization so you want to make sure you have enough work to keep your new employee busy.
Video editing subscriptions
A video editing subscription is a great way of getting the benefits of a dedicated editor without the costs of hiring someone full-time.
This is the model we use at Vidpros. You get a subscription to a fractional editor meaning that you have reserved time for 2+ hours each work day.
Beware of some of our competitors that market themselves as “unlimited”. There’s really no such thing.
Read more about fractional vs unlimited here.
We feel fractional provides the best value for those that have ongoing projects.
Fractional Editing starting at $700/mo.
What to look for in a video editor?
- Software – The video editor should use the same software the rest of your team uses for video editing. Some examples here are Final Cut Pro if your office is on Mac. Adobe Premiere Pro is for Mac and PC. Adobe’s After Effects is for motion graphics.
- Portfolio – When looking at a Video Editor’s portfolio, it’s important to consider the following:
- Quality work
- Creative work
- The type of videos
- Reviews
- Vlogs
- Vacation videos
- Product marketing
- Wedding videos
- Talking heads
- Video essays
- Advertisements
- Promotional videos
- Feature films
- Explainer videos
- YouTube videos
- The level of difficulty
- Technical skills
- color grading
- color correction
- sound effects / design
- choice of background music
- The overall look and feel. ie Can they tell a story?
Additionally, if you’re looking for a non employee remote video editor you’ll want to screen for workstation quality. This includes computer specs, internet speed, and power grid reliability.
After having an initial interview you’ll want to do a paid test project before engaging in more long-term work. Think like a short 1-2 hour project to gauge the overall skill of the editor you’re considering hiring.
Where to Hire a Video Editor
If you’re interested in how to hire a video editor, there are several outlets you can peruse to find the right video editors for you. Depending on the urgency for these services or your company’s size, some may suit your needs better than others.
Freelance Marketplaces
There are several websites available that encourage and showcase freelance video editors on the market. Whether you’re a client who’s looking for an experienced video editor or a freelancer applying for a new gig, these outlets have several options for contract work.
Among the many freelance marketplaces available online, one of the most potent platforms is Upwork. With several jobs to choose from, members can provide clients the work skills they need for any industries or work fields. Several job postings rank from beginner to advance and offer several one-time gigs for novice editors to build their experience.
If you own a business or need someone to edit a video for you, you can post a project or job listing and wait for potential remote workers to reply with their proposals. After receiving your applicants’ proposals, you can review each of them, compare their bids, look over their prior clients’ testimonials, and browse their portfolios if available.
After interviewing and hiring your candidates, you can collaborate, communicate, and track a project’s progress with them to ensure the delivery of quality content. After your video editor delivers your desired content, you can then pay them via hourly or fixed rates.
Other alternative freelance marketplace platforms you can seek video editors from include:
Industry-Specific Marketplace
Suppose you’re a business owner looking for the top videographers or video editors on the job market. In that case, you may want to find websites that prioritizes finding video editors for an industry-specific marketplace. You can find people in your industry through extensive research without wasting hours browsing for editors who don’t have what you need.
StoryCrews is a directory focusing on helping clients find video editors based on location and specialty. You can narrow down your choices during your search by specifying if you need a videographer, video editor, or marketing strategist to contact and request their services.
You can also receive instant access to individuals and companies working under the site’s directory to contact them to provide services for your business.
After deciding what you need, you can choose the specific market or category the editors specialize in to see if they’re an ideal match. Some of their services include:
- Creating a video marketing strategy
- Storyboarding
- Video editing
The industries supported through this online outlet include:
- Dental
- Education
- Finance
- Healthcare
- Legal
Other industry-specific sites may focus on other niches, such as film, theater, television, or wedding videography. Once you narrow down your preferences, you can find the nearest agencies or freelancers for you to consider.
Another example of an industry specific marketplace is Viedit. Here you can seek out specialists not only in video editing, but also animation and production.
How Viedit works- You create a project brief > Upload your files > Choose the best offer > Then work with the vendor until the project is completed.
Monthly subscription services
If you find it time-consuming to search countless hours for the right video editor for your project, there are several agencies available that provide video editing services for you. Typically, most people turn to subscription services for recurring work.
We’re one agency that prioritizes quality video editing. Find out more about our service here at Vidpros.com.
When you subscribe to Vidpros for our services, you can select a monthly subscription plan that suits your needs best.
How does Vidpros pricing work?
It’s simple you buy a fractional stake in a video editor. Time does not accumulate or roll over because that editor is assigned to you each work day whether you use them or not.
How many hours would you need?
There’s the old saying you can choose 2 of 3: good, fast, or cheap. Our work is always good. So you can either prioritize speed or cost efficiency based on the number of hours you choose. For example you have a time-sensitive project. You’ll want to have a multiple hour per day subscription even though you may not utilize all the hours later in the month. Alternatively, you can prioritize cost by buying fewer hours and more complex projects will take additional days.
If you’re not a video editor – you may be wondering how much work can be done in x hours. As projects vary in complexity we’d recommend you speak with one of our specialists. Call or email us!
What type of editing do we do:
- Color grading
- Transitions
- Chroma key and greenscreen
- Video thumbnails
- Audio syncing, mixing, and tweaking
- Lower thirds graphics
DIY Hire vs. Vidpros Service
Some people may be more comfortable advertising and hiring editors by themselves, while others may find it more convenient to get editors through a service like ours at Vidpros.
Here’s a few things to consider and some advantages of using a service:
Filtering Bad Editors
People partaking in DIY hiring procedures for video editors may need to meticulously decide which editors are fit for their projects and which ones aren’t. Their goal is to deliver quality videos matching their clients’ needs and expectations.
If you’re searching through a freelance marketplace, you may want to consider looking at applicants’ reviews from prior clients. If some reviews seem less favorable for some editors than others, refrain from picking the highly critiqued ones.
A video editor agency typically has many editors on their team, giving them more freedom in choosing the best editors for the job. If a client leaves several revision requests and critiques on an editor’s work, the team’s supervisor might need to reassign the project to someone more qualified.
If an agency advertises open positions for their team, they’ll typically ask applicants for a demo reel of their work. If they find one that doesn’t meet their standards, they can move to those that do.
Providing Vacation or Sick Day Backup Editors
When building a team of video editors, one of the factors you may need to consider is balancing their workload and conflicts that may interfere with their schedules. It would be wise to select a handful of editors to reach out to if another requests a vacation or sick day during your hiring process.
By having a dedicated team, you’re more likely to get your video content out by the deadlines you want to meet. If you don’t have a sizable team to act as backup editors, advertising the position via a job post or social media post would be an ideal alternative to save time.
Although most people might prefer communicating in advance before using their vacation or sick days, it would also be a wise decision to expect the unexpected, as workflow interruptions can happen at any time.
Agencies typically have several people working on multiple projects, especially when they dedicate a specific number of hours to each client’s projects. They may also provide them with a copy of the sequence to edit to let the client compare which one’s better when the original editor has time to work. In turn, you build a relationship with them, unlike one-off freelance gigs.
Conclusion
There are many ways you can reach out to video editors and advertise projects for their services. Some of the critical elements of picking the right video editor for you include the candidate’s quality in past work, what others say about them, and their services match your budget. It would also be wise to pick one that matches your niche or topic.
Depending on your urgency, you can find qualified video editors through freelance marketplaces, marketplaces for a specific industry or niche, and video editing agencies. Although each option has its differences, they might be suitable for businesses or individuals that need the fullest extent of their services.
When hiring a video editor, it would be best to give them access to assets your video needs, from footage and music to graphics and an outline to follow to keep the video’s flow continuous. By giving them the tools they need, video editors can listen to your feedback to mix your video efficiently and enhance its professional quality.
By selecting a video editing agency, clients are more likely to get their work completed due to the editing team’s size if their assigned ones need to use vacation or sick days. Once you’ve narrowed down your search, you can move onto creating an application form, interviewing any potential applicants, and then make a test project to judge their skills.