Video editing has always been a niche skill because it is not an easy task. This was especially so in the 1800s when the first films commenced without editing. But, in today’s time, things have become more accessible because of social media, video sharing platforms, and tools that have made editing quick and straightforward. 

You require no special skills for video editing because the editing tools have built-in drag and drop options, which you can use to edit your videos seamlessly.    

Many people would remember that the first-ever moving images were launched in 1895, in France, to paying audiences; can you guess whose clips those were? Charlie Chaplin and the Lumiere Brothers! Today, when you see those videos, you will wonder how unpolished and raw these videos were (compared to what you see today). 

When the videos started, films had a unique mechanical functionality with a strip of images. When you compare it with today, you have a complete range of opportunities for editing effects. Filming has become so accessible that, with an online video editor, anyone can do it without much effort.

What is video editing?

It is rearranging and managing video shots to create new work. In video editing, you select different scenes or clips and put them together for making a movie. In post-production, film editing plays a vital role as, without it, you cannot release even a single shot. Other post-production tasks include color correction, titling, and sound mixing. 

Working with footage, online video editors create a sequence by choosing different shots and then render a motion picture. Earlier, all these tasks were performed manually or through basic computer work; today, this can be achieved in no time with the advent of digital technology. 

Thus, editing majorly includes-

• Rearranging, adding, and removing portions of video and audio clips
• Modifying or applying color correction, filters, and making other enhancements
• Creating transitions between the clips

Video Editing: The Early Years

In the 1800s, when filmmakers came to practice motion pictures, editing was not essential as they just recorded day-to-day imagery. Video editing was considered a specialist skill for a niche industry, and there was a ton of equipment required for editing that was not readily available then.

Later, around 1895, the Lumiere Brothers brought about many supplementary inventions in the art of films. It was 1905; the first movie was created by D.W Griffiths that involved a scene cut and other exciting transitions that audiences had never seen before.

You would be amazed to know that Griffiths invented a collection of techniques, which later became a crucial mold for Hollywood movies.

The Golden Age of Hollywood

Who does not know of Hollywood and how it changed the entertainment industry forever?
Hollywood evolved with the latest technology by using captivating photography techniques. Very few people know that in 1924, digital editing started in Hollywood exclusively.

The first device was Moviola, and the technique it used was called “linear editing,” with the help of which people were able to watch their videos during post-production video editing. Today, some standard terms are used for these purposes – scene swipe, fading, the tape slicer, etc.

Today, this technology might seem funny or irrelevant, given online video editors are ubiquitous, but it was an incredible invention, and people were mesmerized looking at it and its output. The device had a motorized disk or plate that synced both picture and sound.

Let us explore some of the video editing jargon that was used in those days:

• Tape splicer – The editors were technically the cutters in the early days. They did not do video editing but just used to work on filmstrip cutting. They would just chop the physical strips of film with scissors; the pieces were then glued together to create videos. Later, when the Moviola device was launched, it made things much easier to edit while watching the film. This was actual video editing, although not to the extent we are familiar with online video editors at the current time.
• Linear video editing – Back in the days of analog, a video editor had to use linear video editing. The editing erased the unwanted material from the clips and made videos look better. Various professional editors still say that this technique was worth learning as it gives you insight into the nuances of video editing.

• Non-linear video editing – Back in 1971, the first non-linear video editor was introduced. This method simply meant that the video assets existed on servers or hard disks, not filmstrips. Non-linear video editing allowed direct access to specific scenes or frames from the movie. In 2009, QuickTime launched and made it more widespread.

Today’s video editing software

With the advancement in digital technology, video editing has entirely changed from head to toe. It is now done through a computer or mobile device; there are various video maker tools in the market that you can install and do the editing within minutes. 

Editing has become so convenient and quick compared to the past days when technology was still introductory. With modern applications such as InVideo, video editing is no longer a niche skill as everyone can try their hand at it. Social media and digital technology have revolutionized the making and editing of videos significantly. 

Video creation has become more intuitive because of editing tools, but this does not eliminate the requirement for creative skills and attention to detail. 

How you make things look cool and unique would entirely depend on your personal ability and skills. Evidently, these editors help you get improved results and appear enticing and engaging to the viewers.

Bottom Line

The advancement of technology has made a complete transition in the video editing world today. In the past days, initially, no editing was done. Later, a few tools were launched, and today many platforms enable you to make a video look its best. 

So, if you want to make flawless videos, spend some time picking the right software and learning some of the essential techniques before diving into an edit!

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