Video Editing Process
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My A-Z video edit, production and post to website process using a video shot on a phone then edited in Descript, Kapwing and Squarespace.
*A new process coming with some of the steps below simplified — a little cleaner and easier — coming soon!
Please leave any comments or questions at the bottom of the page.
1 Descript 8:25
Initial Setup and Importing Video:
Download the video to be edited.
Open Descript and create a new video project, naming it "DayLifeCoaching.com."
Drag the downloaded video into Descript for transcription.
Transcription and Initial Edits:
Wait for Descript to transcribe the video.
Remove filler words using the "remove all" option.
Use the "shorten word gaps" feature to reduce gaps in the speech, adjusting the setting as desired (mentioned as 25 seconds in the transcript).
Manually eyeball and clean up longer gaps and unnecessary parts in the transcript.
Further Editing and Sound Adjustment:
Shorten breath sounds or silent parts.
Adjust studio sound settings and use a compressor for dynamics to level out audio.
Listen to the audio and make further adjustments, like removing repetitive words or phrases.
Adjust volume if necessary, using a light volume boost.
Final Checks and Publishing:
Review the edited video for any remaining long gaps or unnecessary parts.
Focus on audio more than video, ensuring it sounds authentic and natural.
Consider the length of the video, aiming for a specific duration (e.g., close to 90 seconds).
Watch and listen to the final edit to confirm quality.
Apply the transcript on the video if needed.
Publish the video by hitting the "Publish" button in Descript.
Download the final edited video and save it to a designated folder.
Overall Reflection:
Emphasize the ease and efficiency of using Descript for video editing.
Highlight the importance of balancing aggressive editing with maintaining natural speech patterns.
2 Kapwing 11:37
Setting Up in Kapwing:
Log into Kapwing and access the Daylife Coaching folder.
Duplicate the last project worked on and rename it to "DayLifeCoaching no assumptions."
Delete the previous video content from the project.
Importing and Adjusting Video:
Import the edited video from Descript into Kapwing.
Adjust the positioning of the video and elements to fit the new video length.
Remove remnants from the previous project and rearrange elements like the call to action towards the end of the video.
Adjust the size and positioning of the video to fit various phone recording formats.
Adding and Adjusting Elements:
Position titles, logos, and other branding elements.
Add subtitles and ensure they sync with the audio.
Adjust layers and elements on the right side of the screen for better management.
Fade in music and other audio elements towards the end of the video.
Review and adjust text and titles to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Finalizing Video Content:
Scroll through the video to check for any unnecessary elements like bird sounds and remove or adjust them.
Align music to start right after the voiceover ends for a smooth transition.
Review and adjust call to action texts and branding logos.
Ensure all elements are properly positioned and do not conflict with each other.
Adding Titles and Exporting:
Add a big title in the beginning, considering its visibility in social media previews.
Adjust the duration and appearance of the title to align with the start of the subtitles.
Export the video, understanding that the final quality can best be judged after exporting.
Wait for the export to complete, acknowledging that it might take some time.
Final Review and Uploading:
Download the exported video for uploading to social media.
Before downloading, play through the video on Kapwing to ensure quality and accuracy.
Copy the link to the video, which will be used in the next step of the project.
3 Thumbnail Design 3:30
Selecting and Capturing the Starting Screen:
Open the raw video file sent by Laura.
Scroll through the video to find a suitable starting screen that Laura would approve of.
Perform a screen capture of the chosen starting frame.
Editing in Kapwing:
Return to Kapwing and open the project to edit.
Navigate back to the beginning of the video in Kapwing.
Access the screenshot taken earlier and drag it into Kapwing.
Adjust the size of the screenshot to fit properly in the video frame.
Positioning the Starting Screen:
Ensure the screenshot is positioned correctly; it should be in front of the video.
Play a portion of the video to confirm the starting frame appears as desired.
Adjust the screenshot's position to align with the video's start without subtitles showing.
Applying Transitions:
Zoom in on the timeline for precise editing.
Apply a fade transition to the screenshot for a smooth entry into the video.
Make fine adjustments to the length and positioning of the screenshot to ensure it doesn't appear too prolonged or noticeable.
Finalizing the Thumbnail for Social Media:
Confirm that the first frame (the screenshot) is set as desired, as social media platforms like Instagram often use the first frame as the thumbnail.
Ensure the screenshot serves as an effective and attractive thumbnail for the video.
Exporting the Final Version:
Export the video again with the newly added screenshot as the starting frame.
Compare the new version with the previous version, if necessary, to evaluate the changes.
Outline the next steps to be taken after the video export is complete.
4 Install Video to Website 6:07
Reviewing the Exported Video:
Check the latest exported video from Kapwing.
View the first screen to confirm its appearance and effectiveness.
Downloading and Preparing for Social Media:
Download the final video for uploading to social media platforms.
Copy the link of the exported video for further use.
Updating the Website with the New Video:
Log into the website and navigate to Laura's blog section.
Duplicate the last blog post and switch it to draft mode for editing.
Rename the draft to reflect the new content ("Assumptions").
Embedding the Video and Adding Transcripts:
In Kapwing, download the subtitles or transcript as text.
Paste the transcript into the website's blog post.
Use a custom coding hack to embed the Kapwing video using a
divtag with the Kapwing ID.
Generating and Adding a Summary:
Use ChatGPT to create a one-sentence summary of the transcript.
Edit the summary to accurately reflect the speaker's (Laura's) message.
Insert the summary into the blog post as a short description.
Creating and Adding a Thumbnail:
Capture a screenshot from the exported video for use as a thumbnail.
Convert the screenshot to a JPEG and adjust its quality.
Replace the existing image on the website with the new thumbnail.
Finalizing the Blog Post:
Save changes to the blog post.
Update the URL in the blog post to correspond with the new video title ("No Assumptions").
Publish the updated blog post.
Adjusting Website Details:
Adjust the focal point of the thumbnail image on the website, if necessary.
Confirm the changes are correctly displayed on the website.
Verify that the embedded video plays correctly within the blog post.
Conclusion and Next Steps:
Outline the steps taken for processing the video, posting it on the website, and preparing it for social media upload.
Emphasize the completion of the process and readiness for social media promotion.
