Course description

Got a phone full of clips and no idea how to turn them into something people will want to watch? This course teaches you to edit videos from scratch, step by step, using whichever editor you have on your computer or phone, from your first trimmed clip to a finished film with clear sound, captions and versions for every social media site.

It's a full course, not a few quick tips. There are 10 sections and 52 written lessons, each with clear numbered steps and a practical task using clips you film yourself. Every section has a practice pack of shot lists, checklists, templates and a printable cheat sheet. Throughout the course you follow a youth worker at a small Leicester charity as she learns to edit with the help of a volunteer mentor, working towards a three-minute fundraising film.

What you'll learn

• Getting set up: choosing an editor, organising your files and making your first edit.
• Editing basics: the timeline, cutting and trimming, cutaways, shortcuts and saving versions.
• Storytelling: structure, shot types, continuity, pacing and planning your edit.
• Filming: steady shots, light, sound, getting enough coverage, and permission and consent.
• Sound: audio levels, cleaning up speech, music licences, mixing and recording a voiceover.
• Titles, captions and colour: readable text, accurate captions, simple graphics, colour correction and matching shots.
• Sharing: export settings explained, landscape, vertical and square versions, short clips, thumbnails and backups.

Final project

You'll plan, film and edit a two to three minute video for a real purpose, from rough cut to finished film, and cut a short vertical clip from it. You'll also learn how to build a portfolio and find paid or volunteer editing work.

Who this course is for

• Complete beginners who have never edited a video.
• Small business owners, charity staff and volunteers who need videos for social media.
• Club, school and community group organisers who want to share their events.
• Anyone who wants to turn family clips into videos worth watching.

How the course works

Read each lesson, then do the Try it task with clips you film on your phone or camera, using the checklists and templates from the practice pack. The course works with any editor, free or paid, on a computer or a phone. You keep lifetime access, so you can come back whenever you need a reminder.

What will i learn?

• Choose an editor and organise your footage so projects never get lost
• Cut, trim and arrange clips on a timeline with cutaways and B-roll
• Tell a clear story with structure, pacing and the right shots
• Film footage that is steady, well lit, with clear sound
• Clean up speech, add music legally and mix your audio
• Add readable titles, accurate captions and simple graphics
• Fix colour and exposure and match shots
• Export the right versions for landscape, vertical and square videos

Frequently asked question