As a video editor, a question I regularly get asked is ‘whats the advantage of hiring an editor when I could do it myself?’
A common misconception is that doing it yourself will save money, time, and still produce a high quality piece. I’ve covered the basics in a previous post, but I’d like to go into more detail.
Video editors, such as myself, have access to more accurate editing software. There are so many more bells and whistles that come standard with Final Cut Pro X, Apple’s professional software for editing (which costs a lot of money), than with iMovie, the software that comes pre-installed with every Apple computer. More precise cuts, better color correction, more options for text editing, more effects pre-installed, and so much more awaits the FCPX user. iMovie is easy for simple videos (or the starting-out YouTuber), but I would highly recommend against making professional presentations, conference demonstration videos, recruitment videos, commercials, investor pitches, and internal videos on iMovie or Windows Movie Maker. The goal for these professional videos is to look professional.
The appearance of professionalism is very difficult to do for the start-up company with 1 or 2 or even 10 people. Unless you hire an actual editor for your company, or contract a video editing firm like Phoenix Films, using every day employees or even having managers or company presidents do the video editing is time-consuming, detracts from their real jobs, and often results in hastily-made, unappealing videos that will turn off any viewers, investors, prospective employees and prospective investors. Our job as video editors is to take that time off your hands and put it into our trained hands.
The costs of hiring one of us does seem daunting. Phoenix Films has a flat rate for hiring us (inquire within for details), and at first it’s intimidating, or may seem expensive. However, it’s important to compare that rate of hiring us to the amount of money that you’ll generate from a professionally-produced advertisement, investment pitch, or product pitch. Even better, established companies, brands, start ups, or even your every day mom-and-pop shop can continue churning out business, with the people hired to do their jobs able to do their jobs, while the video editors you hire do their own jobs. When you remove someone off a task and put them in a position they’re not familiar with, you’re taking them away from their productive, money-making job, and as mentioned earlier, the results might not generate the revenue you’re expecting.
Finally, think of the artist as a supplier rather than an artist. Often times, artists such as video editors, graphic designers, illustrators, photographers, and musicians are underpaid, asked to work “for experience” (which typically means for free), or are turned away from a prospective project once the project director sees the fees chart. Artists are just as important to your company’s existence as your supply chain. What good is a product without a method of expressing what that product is? As a video editing firm, Phoenix Films supplies companies with video products that amplify the value of your company’s product, service, or financial standing with investors. The videos we supply to your company allow a whole new view on what your company offers to the world. You might have a supply chain set for whatever your product is, but without a delivery method to the eyes of the world, nobody will have any knowledge of your product or service, nobody will even think of it-or your company’s- existence.
So in conclusion, we at Phoenix Films see ourselves as a potential valuable part of your company’s supply chain. We remove the necessity to have an employee do two jobs that might detract from their-and your company’s-productivity. The costs of hiring us are nowhere near the amount of value that comes from having a professionally produced video make the sales pitch for you.
If you’re convinced, send Phoenix Films an email for rate quotes at phoenixfilmsjapan@gmail.com
So what does this mean for you? Be it you run a small business, or maybe you’re part of a large organization, the right message that reaches the right audience can bring so many eyes to your business. The opportunities are boundless. Obviously it’s important to be smart about this: don’t jump on popular hashtags or social movements without assessing what your post to that conversation will have as a meaning. A good example of what NOT to do was brought up by John Oliver a while back: