How many hours of editing per minute of video
Video editing can consume a great deal of time, depending on how meticulous or particular one is about audio, color grading, timing, etc.
So, how long does it take to edit one minute of video?
Many professional editors say they spend an average of one to one and a half hours per minute of edited video, which we consider is about right.
Sometimes, we can spend a whole day just finding the right music!
We have gotten faster over time, but it still takes a lot of time to create a good video!
Editing, however, is only one aspect of video production.
All videos start with a plan. That plan can take at most a few hours depending on the level of detail involved.
Depending on what it is, follow it with several hours of filming or finding stock video.
So depending on if you’re a team working on editing video or a freelancer, time will vary.
Freelance Video Editor Rates
Professionals know how to compensate for their services in most sectors because their respective industries have been here for hundreds of years. As such, people in the medical industry know what is considered fair and customary.
Carpenters, Plumbers, and roofers are aware of current market rates since their markets have been around for quite some time.
The fact that these skilled professionals have long histories has helped to create reasonably easy to navigate rate structures for these skilled professionals.
And then there’s video production and editing, which, until about a hundred years ago, was not even a thing.
Roughly 30+ years ago, non-linear video editors came into being. And desktop video editing “Prosumer” was not popular until, truly, the very end of the twentieth century.
Freelancer video editing rates vary from $45 to $150 per hour, depending on the area you are located in and the level of experience of the video editing.
Negotiating video editing rates
Let’s discuss one of the most significant aspects before jumping into what a video editor may hope to receive.
For your job as a video editor, how can you get the highest dollar amount? If you’re a freelancer or a business owner, it doesn’t matter. You’ll need to discuss your rate at some level.
Here are a few tips that can help you be a negotiator that is more efficient.
Know the video editing rates in your area
First, The rates in Hawaii will likely be very different from the rates in California.
The more you can learn about what is “reasonable and customary” in your market, the better off you will be.
Second, be clear on what you need to be paid for video editing.
Consider things such as professional dues, equipment, software, advertising, health insurance, etc. that are related to operating expenses.
If you’re freelancing, you might be amazed at all of the extra necessities you’d have to buy. And you would have to pay for them.
Know the terms of the video
Bear in mind whether you’re being paid by the hour or if the pricing method is by the project.
Ask your client if they would like to pay for the video by the project or hourly.
Always give your client the option as to what they feel most comfortable with.
Before you offer a quote to your client, you need to know how long the project will take.
If you are inexperienced at this, you may feel like you are tossing darts in the dark for a while.
But eventually, estimating the edit time of a project should be second nature.
Read on to find more in-depth information on what the competitive going rates are.
Another thing to consider is how clients will affect the rate.
Why video editor rates are affected by clients
Pay attention to the client factor. That’s where things like revisions will come into play.
It is critical especially if you are being paid a flat rate to stipulate what is included in your price up front.
Let’s face it – as video editors, we are confronted with the task of revisions. Imagine spending 4 hours on a project, taking another hour to render the video only so that you can show it to your client.
Once they review the video, they decide that they want to change certain parts of the video.
Let’s take another example.
Let’s say you’ve created the video and took 1 hour just synchronizing certain clips and sound fx and having the video flow so smoothly in the timeline, then all of a sudden you’ll need to revise the project and re-edit again.
So keep in mind revisions, every client is different. Some will be more picky than others.
However, if you’re not charging hourly, state up front with your client how many revisions are accepted in the project or if you will have creative control over the video.
If they need revisions done on a per project basis, then there will be an hourly charge.
Upfront information helps you to set rates
Finally, gather as much information as possible on the project.
Before you mention your rate, try to find out how much they have budgeted for the video.
Remember you may have to adopt a “sliding scale” approach.
Offer different rates depending on various video projects. And make certain that if you’re taking a reduced fee for a project, it’s for the right reasons.
How Much To Charge For Video Editing (Beginner)
A common question from beginner video editors is “How much should I charge for a 2 minute video?”
Why two minutes? Since YouTube came about, two to five minute videos are what most businesses are looking for.
As a beginner video editor, One way professionals will estimate editing costs is to consider how many cuts your finished video will have for the total duration and to multiply those figures.
For instance: a 2-minute video with 10 cuts per finished minute would yield 20 cuts.
When calculating cuts per minute consider these important factors.
Important factors to consider:
- Music Synchronization
- Sound FX Synchronization
- Voice Over Production
- Transitions (will you use hard cuts or fancy transitions)
- Motion and or animated graphics’
- Color Correction
- Montage sequences
- Script Writing
- How many rounds of revisions are planned
Those are some factors to consider and here are some
competitive pricing comparisons:
- Filming: $30 to $500 per hour
- Actors / Presenters: $50 to $500 per hour
- Stock Video: $10 to $500 per clip
- Voice-Overs: $60 for 100 spoken words
- Audio Files: $30 to $1000
- Video Rendering $30 to $75 per hour
Please keep in mind that the prices above are not what we charge here at g-fx.net, rather they indicate the price points of our competitors.
The best way to get a quote for your custom video is to contact us and let us know specifically what you need. Contact Us for a quote for your Custom Video.
Or if you are simply needing some consulting with video editing.
Understanding Your Clients
When it comes to pricing video as a beginner, you’ll need to understand your clients. All clients are different, requiring different types of videos.
For example, videos made for social media advertising will be a different price than corporate videos for tv commercials.
Also, wedding video pricing will be different than small business videos.
Let’s look at video production for weddings.
Wedding Videos
The wedding industry is a big one.
Wedding videos should always look good and polished, these normally require more attention to detail and have a cinematic look.
Color grading is extremely crucial with wedding videos.
You need to have everything look nice and smooth, the colors should be perfect and have a nice touch of a storyline.
Also, wedding videos will require multiple videographers to capture each moment.
Having a gimbal is a must!
With wedding videos, it’s a one time deal. There is no room for error. You’re basically running and gunning.
Small Business Videos
Small and local business videos usually require an introduction of the company and what they offer as a business.
These can range from a simple animated explainer video to filming and interviewing the business owner.
These, unlike wedding videos will require scripts, for the most part.
If it’s an explainer video, you’ll likely have to do voice overs and typography edits.
If it’s an interview type video, you’ll likely have to go out and film and go over with the business owner the script / interview and take multiple shots.
Shoot B-Roll, etc.
Corporate Videos
Now this is no task for a beginner. When it comes to corporate videos, they will likely hire a team of professionals rather than a freelancer or beginner. So we won’t go over that in this article.
However, there may be times when you may get your foot in the door to do some editing on corporate videos, understand that this won’t be an easy task.
Bottom Line
How many hours of editing per minute of video? Many professional editors say they spend an average of one to one and a half hours per minute. Freelancer video editing rates vary from $45 to $150 per hour, depending on the area you are located in and the level of experience of the video editing. It can take up to a day to find the right music for a video.
If you’re a freelancer or business owner, you’ll need to discuss your rate at some level. The rates in Hawaii will likely be very different from the rates in California. Be clear on what you need to be paid for video editing. Consider things such as professional dues, equipment, software, advertising, health insurance, etc. that are related to operating expenses.
If you enjoyed this in-depth article on “How many hours of editing per minute of video” then you will also enjoy our other article “how much does a 30 second video cost”