In the world of video editing, the journey from rough cut to polished product is often far from straightforward. It’s a process filled with trial and error, feedback, and countless revisions. Yet, those who embrace this reality can craft truly remarkable work. Below are ten editing secrets you wi...

Have you ever been in a situation where you’ve got tons of footage—maybe even hours of it—your timeline’s in disarray, and there’s no clear story in sight? Where do you even begin?

I’ve been there more times than I can count. So, I want to share four big lessons I’ve learned over my 20-year edit...

My name is Austen Menges, and I've been a professional editor for over 20 years. And this is a hammer.🔨

What does a hammer have to do with video editing? We’ll get to that. But first, if I had to start over as a video editor today, I’d do it completely differently than most beginners. I want to ...

Story editing is one of the most powerful tools in an editor's tool belt, yet it’s often overlooked. Today, we’re diving into story structure—specifically, the Hero’s Journey in Star Wars: A New Hope—with a very special guest. Scott Rice is a co-professor alongside Oscar-winning actor Matthew McC...

When you think of making an edit, you probably think of matching on action—but what if I told you there was a better way to cut? I’ve been a pro editor for over 20 years, and today I’d like to invite you into my edit suite so I can show you a new way to think about editing, complete with actual e...

I’ve been a pro editor for over 20 years, and when it comes down to it there are five simple ideas that have made the biggest impact on my editing. Today, I’d like to invite you into my edit suite so I can share them with you in the context of a broadcast commercial I recently completed, so you c...

Continuity. It’s one of the first rules editors are taught to respect. But here’s the thing: if you make it your top editing criteria, you might miss the bigger picture. I’ve been a pro editor for over 20 years and today we’ll cover what continuity editing is, why it’s not as important as you thi...

Have you ever spent hours searching for the perfect sound effect, only to settle for something mediocre? The problem is likely how you’re searching. Today I’m going to show you three strategies to unlock better sound effects for your projects. Stick around to the end because I have a free guide f...

YouTube keeps serving me up video editing showreels, and I see the same mistakes over and over and over. How do I know they’re mistakes? Because I’ve made all of them myself. 

I’ve not only been a pro editor for over 20 years, but I’ve also hired lots of editors over my career, having reviewed h...

I turned 40 recently, and I’ve been a pro editor since the age of 19, so I’ve been at this for quite some time. I thought I’d mark this milestone by sharing five things I wish I knew earlier as a young video editor in hopes it’ll help you on your journey. Watch the video above for the full lesson...

I’ve been a pro editor for over 20 years, and today I’d like to invite you into my edit suite so I can show you the what, the why, and the how behind the editing technique of cross-cutting. Watch the video above for the full lesson, and read through to the end of this article where you will find ...

I’ve been a pro editor for over 20 years, with a particular focus on comedic commercials, and I’m going to share three rules for editing comedy that have made a big impact on my career. Read through to the end for a bonus tip, and watch the video above for the full lesson (including sample spots ...