Blog – Page 24 of 29 – Edit Video Faster

Focus, Lists and Spirals

July 17, 2019February 18, 2015 by Josh Short

Two quick updates before we get into today’s post:

#1 – I finally moved into my new edit bay at the office! Here’s a picture of phase 1. Next up is phase 2, which is all about decorations. Any ideas on what I should put up?

#2 – I got featured on Pro Video Coalition! How crazy is that?! Scott Simmons is doing a post production quick tip everyday this month and he offered to let me write one. Read it here!

Okay, on with today’s post about Focus, Lists and Spirals…

Have you ever felt like there is so much you have to do but then instead of doing one of them you decide to sit down and start watching TV? That’s where I’ve been for the past couple weeks. There is sooooo much going on and I haven’t gotten anything done because I don’t know where to begin.

I really want to get back on track, if I was ever actually on track, with writing more how-to or instructional posts about editing. However since this feeling is so over-whelming at the moment I feel like I should share this struggle with you, tell you what I’m doing about it and get your thoughts on the topic.

Entrepreneuring Video Editing

July 2, 2020February 11, 2015 by Josh Short

I want to get this off my chest.

I want to make money from this site and brand.

That isn’t a secret I’ve been keeping. It’s just something I’ve never fully and openly disclosed. I’d like to take the next ~thousand words to talk about it.

Replace Layer Shortcut in After Effects

September 10, 2020February 6, 2015 by Josh Short

This tutorial is on how to replace a layer in After Effects. I’ll show you a simple shortcut that’ll keep all the properties of a layer when you replace it.

Why I Have an Awful Logo

July 17, 2019February 4, 2015 by Josh Short

I have the worst logo ever for a creative professional and I don’t care one bit. Zero. In this post I’ll tell you why and why a logo could be holding you back from doing your best work.

How to Use Favorite Bins Feature in Avid Media Composer

October 29, 2022January 30, 2015 by Josh Short

This tutorial is on Favorite Bins in Avid Media Composer. You’ll learn what Favorite Bins are, to create them, to customize them and more.

Turn Off the Clock, Get More Done

July 2, 2020January 28, 2015 by Josh Short

On Monday I worked 100% distraction-free for hours for the first time in recent memory. I was completely sucked into my work and it all happened by accident. I’ll tell you how in this post.

Create a Soft Drop Shadow on Titles in Avid Media Composer

January 29, 2021January 23, 2015 by Josh Short

This tutorial is on how to create a soft drop shadow on a title in Avid Media Composer. We’ll go through how to create a title, add a stroke, add a drop shadow, how to soften the drop shadow and how to save the title and insert it into a sequence.

Is Timecode Important?

July 3, 2020January 21, 2015 by Josh Short

The answer is yes. Timecode is still important. It’s a vital and fundamental skill that still has impact when shooting or editing in virtually every kind of video.

Monday night Shane Ross, one of my favorite editors to follow on Twitter, tweeted this:

Question posed on an #FCPX forum…

"Is timecode useful at all? Does anybody still use it in FCPX?"#facepalm
— SHANE ROSS 🎞⚔🎞 (@comebackshane) January 19, 2015

This escalated to a remarkably civil discussion on the matter between him and a few other editors. I’m with Shane though. Timecode is incredibly important despite not being used in as many ways as it used to.

This post will go through a brief overview of what timecode is, some antiquated uses that I used it for and why it remains important to know and understand today.

Spotlight Effect in Avid Media Composer Tutorial

November 3, 2022January 16, 2015 by Josh Short

This tutorial is on how to create a spotlight effect in Avid Media Composer. We’re going to track a fake home run into the stands.

Networking Ideas for Video Editors

July 2, 2020January 14, 2015 by Josh Short

Meeting Video Professionals, Building Your Network and Finding Future Gigs

Are you a video editor looking for networking ideas? You’ve come to the right place. Over the past decade in the edit bay, going both the fully-employed and fully-freelance routes, I’ve done my fair share of networking. It’s arguably just as important as knowing the software and the art of editing. Let’s take a look at some networking ideas for video editors.

Note: This post isn’t nearly as Inc.com-y or LinkedIn-ish as the title might convey. Honestly, I just had no idea what to title it.

Some background you can skip if you just want to get to the ideas:

I write a list of ideas everyday. Okay, pretty much everyday. The lists are of anything… vacations I want to take, tutorials I should create, tricks I can teach my dog, … you get it. I wrote a list the other day that I want to expand upon and share with you.

The list was titled: Giant list of things you can do to find a job

First, this list isn’t that giant. It’s like 7 networking ideas for video editors. Second, this isn’t a list about getting a job now. It’s more about setting yourself up to find a job in six months. Or a year. Or in five or ten years. It’s also about building a personal and professional network around things you are interested in.

If you are new or trying to establish yourself in the video industry (or any industry) this post is for you. Even if you are already established in the industry I bet there are some ideas you’ll find that you can use to set yourself up better for future endeavors.

Let’s get going!