Discover your editing style with our guide to finding and developing your technique. Find your editing persona and learn how to improve your workflow.
There are many editing techniques you can use in your work, but creating a unique style takes time and dedication. While the techniques are pretty standard across both film and digital content creation, it is possible to create a unique style by mixing and matching your tools.
What is an editing style, and why does it matter?
An editing style reflects your creative identity. It’s the way you approach cuts, transitions, effects, pacing, and more. Finding your style not only makes your work recognizable but also ensures consistency and professionalism across your projects.
The key steps to developing your editing style:
Stay curious: always keep learning
Video editors should continuously learn and educate themselves on the latest technologies, trends, and techniques. Watching how other editors work can inspire new approaches and reveal what works for different types of content.
Never stop watching
Great editors are avid viewers. From YouTube videos and commercials to blockbuster films and indie shorts, inspiration is everywhere. Pay attention to pacing, shot choices, transitions, and color grading. Analyze what resonates with you and think about how you can adapt these techniques.
While it is essential to develop a style of your own and not just copy someone you like, taking inspiration from other content is a fantastic jumping-off point.
Learn about the filmmaking process
Even if you’re focused on editing, understanding the filmmaking process can deepen your craft. Knowing how shots are lit, framed, or captured with specific equipment gives insight into how to bring out the best in your edits.
Experiment with post-production tools and techniques
Don’t settle for a single way of doing things. Explore different software, effects, and editing processes to find what fits your workflow and enhances your creativity. Trying new tools can spark fresh ideas, refine your style, and make sure you stay on-trend.
Practice new editing styles
It can be easy to find a safe editing style and stick to it, but part of the fun is that you can try out new things. If you’re a commercial editor or a content creator, practicing new styles and tricks can be a great way of growing your editing skill set.
Never stop practicing and experimenting with your editing. If you see something you like by an influencer you admire, or in a film or TV show, try and recreate it so you can add it to your future projects.
Learn from your mistakes
Developing an editing style takes time and evolves as you grow. Be patient with yourself — Growth happens through trial and error. When you look back at old projects, note what you’d do differently. These reflections guide you toward becoming an accomplished editor who makes better decisions in future edits.
What type of editor are you?
Every editor has a persona shaped by their approach and strengths. Recognizing yours can help you play to your strengths and work on weaknesses.
“The Organizer”
There are editors who go above and beyond when it comes to project management. The Organizer will have every clip, file, and asset labeled, favorited, and divided into folders.
Being organized is essential for any editor, especially if you work as a part of a team or business. Make sure to keep it simple and easy to navigate for anyone else contributing.
“The Wing-It Editor”
The opposite of The Organizer, the Wing-It Editor thrives on creativity, spontaneity, and experimentation, but might lack structure. If you have multiple untitled projects on your device or lengthy file titles that are difficult to find, you’re probably a Wing-it Editor. Learning discipline and structure can be frustrating, but it can save you hours trying to find the projects or assets you need.
“The Procrastinator”
Drawn to shiny tools and endless possibilities, the Procrastinator spends more time searching for and downloading fonts, stock footage, images, music tracks, templates, and plugins than actually editing videos. They can lose hours searching through stock libraries if they are convinced that the perfect asset will save them time and make the editing process more manageable.
Setting limits on prep time and using sites like Artlist and Motion Array to easily find a high-quality of assets can keep your workflow productive.
“The Big Picture Editor”
Quick and efficient, the Big Picture Editor excels at assembling rough cuts. Preferring to focus on the whole film rather than individual shots, they may overlook details and fine-tuning an edit. Collaborating with a Detail-Oriented Editor can create a balanced workflow.
“The Detail-oriented Editor”
The Detail-Oriented Editor is the opposite of the Big Picture Editor. They can spend a whole day putting together a 30-second sequence, but it will be perfect. Detail-Oriented Editors can often be mistaken for procrastinators, as the editing progresses very slowly in a linear way.
“The Shortcut Editor”
Shortcut Editors are pretty much wizards when it comes to speed editing. While many editors will be familiar with a handful of their most-used shortcuts, such as copy, paste, and duplicate, the Shortcut Editor can perform pretty much every task using the keyboard.
Watching a Shortcut Editor at work can be quite daunting, especially for beginners, but it is worth remembering that to get to this stage requires years of practice. If you want to use more shortcuts in your work, try adding a new one every few weeks and forcing yourself to use it.
Your editing journey: stay inspired, keep growing
Your editing style is an evolving journey. Whether you’re drawn to quick cuts, dynamic transitions, or cinematic color grading, the key is to stay inspired and keep refining your craft.
Did you find this article useful?