How many hours to become an adequate video editor?

[Reporter]

Hi,
Of course I know this depends on the software you are using and the real capabilities the term 'adequate' implies.
So, by adequate I mean being able to cut clips, play with brilliancy and colors, make faces look clear even if the video was shot at night.
**The restriction that applies is that you only use the internet as a source of learning, not your friend who is a master editor**
Let me know,
Rocco.

[The Guru]

How long is a piece of string?

How long does it take to learn video editing? For some people a couple of hours, for others a couple of weeks.

How many rocks does a bucket hold?

[Marc Peters]

You never stop learning. Editing itself is simple - you just make a few cuts here and there. Learning the software is straighforward. Being "good"? Well that depends on a whole host of things you can't quantify!

[Andy Lockwood]

If you played golf, and I asked you how long does it take to become an adequate player, what would your answer be? I can hold a club, most likely even hit the ball, but to become an adequate player..... Same goes here really, you could probably operate the software, even render a movie, but... Well, you get the idea...

[Mark W]

As others say, difficult quesdtion with too many variables.

I am learning all the time. Getting to grips with the s ware is the easy bit. Learning the art of editing, how different ways of cutting communicate with people, how to add impact, or drama, or tension ect ect, well that never ends.

All I can say is that I began to be able to do the basic things after a few months of playing every day but now after 4 years I am still learning things at a pace.

[komatoast]

in video editing every day is a school day! you can never learn everything due to different styles of TV and film and software becoming far more advanced... if i were to be using ananlogue system i would have no chance siplmy cos i dont know how to use it.

anyhoo....... back to the adequacy bit - as has already been said; it the same old 'how long is a piece of string?' it all depends on what you reguard as 'adiquate' - i would say, if you can sling some clips together in some kind of coherent order then your an adiquate video editor. however im sure others would disagree and say more knowlage is needed to be reguareded as adiquate.

at the end of the day you just carry on learning..... cos there is a tone of learning to do!

[Mihai]

How many hours??? You mean, how many YEARS ?...

[worddigger]

It's not about how long it takes, it's about what it take from you. It's an addiction that insidiously takes over your whole being. It starts rather harmlessly by making home-made movies on cheap camcorders and producing cutesy little clips in Windows Movie Maker. Then you upload to YouTube and discover that nobody really appreciates the product. Then, as you are sitting there checking the views count on your browser each passing day, you notice some of the real good looking and creative work that some folks can do. You turn green with envy. Then, you reason within your twisted, sick little mind, "I can do better than that, but I need better equipment!"

So you buy better editing software, a new 24fps camera. And you think to yourself, "Now I can run with the big dogs!" The next thing you know you have squandered the rent money for a lighting kit. You discover that you need wireless microphones, a glidecam, a crane, a fluid head tri-pod. You're pissing away money faster than you ever realized was possible. But you don't care. You MUST have it!!!

By this point you are hooked, and there is no going back. Then you start a full-blown movie project, not realizing that now you have bitten off more than you can chew. You slave away over the keyboard for hours on end, oblivious to time and family needs. You start learning about continuity errors you did not see when you shot your scenes; You start hearing background noises that you were never conscince of ever being there; you have to go back and reshoot scenes because the lighting was not right. It is a never ending torrent of little glitches and flaws that are always ruining your PERFECT movie!

You want to strangle the living sh!T out of your actors because they don't like the way you want to shoot the scene. Your women actors complain that you make them look fat on the screen. Your male actors have had to much beer to remember their lines. And whatever you do, never try to make a film with animals. The problems are never ending. Now, are sure you want to be an editor? - smile

[Mark W]

^^^ Sums it up well ^^^

[Andy Lockwood]

No Mark.... It sums it up perfectly...