Don't leave a project to the last minute
If the deadline is eight days away, it's tempting to start the day before. For most projects, that won't work. Rush it, and you rush everything into it, and the client feels it.
How to understand what a client wants before you edit
Before I touch the timeline, I want to know these five things. Only then do I start creating.
- 1The brandHow the client wants to come across.
- 2The purposeWhether the video needs views, or is for people close to them.
- 3The platformWhere it will be posted, and what their plan is for it.
- 4The footageWhat's there, and what's missing. If something's missing, ask now, not on delivery day.
- 5The storyThe script, the order and the message.
Make the video speak the client's mind
Work on every project as if it were your own, but remember it isn't. The video has to say what the client had in mind when they first spoke to you. Their heart has to be in it, not your style.
Live inside the video
I try to imagine the video before I edit it. For an event film, I picture myself at the event, from arriving in the morning to leaving at night, so the order feels right. For a VSL, I think like the client and like the client's future customer, so I can feel which points will connect.
- Arrival
- Welcome
- Talks
- Breaks
- Reactions
- Evening
- Goodbyes
Walk through the day in your head, from arriving to leaving, so the film follows the order guests felt it.
How to handle client revisions
It's easy to feel the job is done once the first draft goes out, but it's really only halfway. Most clients ask for changes, and this is where quick, careful turnarounds make the biggest difference.
- Brief & footageUnderstand the goal
- The editBuild the story
- First draftOnly halfway
- RevisionsFast and clear
- DeliveredReady to share
How to set deadlines with clients
If a client says they're posting in three days, and you deliver the first draft in three days, revisions will make them late. So agree on the full timeline at the start: when the first draft arrives, and that revisions will take around 24 to 48 hours. Keep expectations organized, and never work around the client's timeline.
Promise less, deliver more
I'd rather promise less and deliver more than the other way round. Then there are no bad surprises. If there is a surprise, it's a good one.
Finish properly
None of this is complicated. But doing all of it, on every project, is what turned first-time clients into clients who've stayed with me for years.
Common questions
What makes a video editor good?
Finishing well. Good editors understand what the client wants before they cut, keep communication clear, handle revisions quickly, and make sure the client is happy at the end, not just when the first draft goes out.
How do I understand what a client wants from a video?
Before editing, learn the brand, the purpose of the video, where it will be posted, what's in the footage and what's missing, and the story or script. Ask about anything missing at the start.
How should I handle client revisions?
Expect them, plan for them in the timeline and turn them around quickly. Agree up front how long revisions take, so the client can plan their posting date.
How do I avoid missing a client's deadline?
Ask when they plan to post, then work backwards: the first draft has to arrive early enough to leave time for revisions.
