How to Edit a Video Step-by-Step

Whether you are using a state-of-the-art Avid editing system or using the iMovie software that came preinstalled on your computer, at home video editing is become easier to do. It is also becoming more affordable as well, with the price of video equipment dropping and most computers coming with some sort of video editing system. Whatever program you are using and whatever camera you shot your video on, the basic principles of video editing are the same.

Attach your video camera to the computer via the FireWire cable. FireWire will import video to your computer faster than USB cables. Power the camera on to "VCR Mode" and the computer will detect it in a moment or to.

Open your video editing software. Select "Capture" when it loads and choose your camera from the available options.

Click "Begin Capture" (the exact wording will differ slightly from program to program). Your camera will now begin to play the video content and your computer will record it onto its hard drive. The capture process will stop once the content has ended.

Select clips you want to put in your timeline (the timeline is located typically on the bottom of the screen and it shows your work in progress edit video). To select the clips you will need to navigate through the captured video and select an "In Point" for where you want the clip to start, and choose an "Out Point" for where you want the clip to end. In both Avid and Final Cut you press the "I" key to mark in and "O" key to mark out.

Drag the clip down into the timeline and release it. Repeat this process for all the clips you want to be added to your movie.

Import music by selecting "File," "Import" (or "Edit," "Import"). From here select the music file you want to bring into the video editing program. If the music is on a CD select your music CD and choose the song you want to bring in. Click "OK" and the song will be imported into the program.

Edit the size of your music just like you would a video clip. Double click it so it goes into the viewable window at the top of the screen. Play the music and mark an "In" point and an "Out" point. Drag the music clip onto the time and it will be locked into place over the video.

Adjust the edit cuts in between shots and clips by clicking the area between the two clips. A select of fades and other cuts can be applied. This will allow one clip to fade or wipe into another.

Output your finished video by selecting "File," "Output Video" (or "Edit" "Output Video"). You will be asked what video format you would like to export it in. Click "Export" and the video will begin to export into a video file. Depending on the length of your video this will take a while.