Post-production is where your project comes together. During this phase, you will use software to perform tasks like these:
- Trimming unwanted footage from the beginning and end of clips.
- Assembling clips in the correct sequence.
- Adding presentation slides, images, or other visual aids.
- Inserting titles and credits.
- Adjusting audio levels for consistency.
- Exporting the project into a shareable video file format, like an MP4.
Tip: return to your storyboard and shot list.
These documents help you remember what you planned to include in the final video. This phase is where you place all the content and see your plan become a product.
Recommended Editing Software
Many user-friendly tools are available for editing video. Here are a few recommendations, ranging from novice-friendly to advanced. Plan plenty of time in your project schedule for editing because the more time you spend, the more you can learn and often better the product becomes. You also need to plan plenty of time for the exporting stage (at least an hour before your deadline, depending on your machine and length of project).
Beginner-Friendly and Free
The following are a few options (but many more exist that you can research) that work well for small projects such as classwork or research videos.
- Microsoft Clipchamp: A browser-based editor that is now included with Windows.
- iMovie: Available for free on all Apple devices.
- Panopto: A UCCS supported video creator that may be connected to your Canvas Assignment already. You can create screen recordings, use your web camera, or lightly edit content
- Adobe Rush: The free version video editor with mobile and desktop tools.
- DaVinci Resolve: A powerful, professional-grade editor with a free version that is more than enough for most projects. This tool does have a learning curve with many tutorials available.
Professional Applications (Subscription-Based)
If you are up for more of a challenge and already have access, or can pay for access, you might invest in the professional-grade tools as a potential marketable skill on your resumes and portfolios.
- Adobe Premiere Pro: An industry-standard professional video editor, available through an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.
- Final Cut Pro: A professional editor for Apple computers, known for its performance and ease of use.
- DaVinci Resolve: Another industry-standard with a pro version that includes expanded features, tools, and capabilities.
Sharing and Accessibility
Once your video is complete, you need to share it. When you upload your video to a platform like YouTube, Vimeo, or your UCCS OneDrive, be sure to complete these final steps:
- Add a title and description. You should follow any instructions from your assignment and consider the 5-9 keywords that explain your video. The title might include the research subject, methods, or theory that you used to help audience identify your work. The description can follow your research abstract.
- Review and edit the automatic captions for accuracy. Accurate captions are essential for accessibility and are a requirement for many educational and research materials. If you used a more powerful video editor, you can create and export the captions from the program. If not, you can edit the YouTube captions in your video settings.
- Choose an appropriate privacy setting (public, unlisted, or private). A public listing will be searchable on the open-web and recommended in platform algorithms. An unlisted video is only available through the direct link. This is the option most students choose because you can share the link to your project in Canvas or in your portfolio without the general web traffic picking up your work. A private listing can only be viewed by you, so make sure your professor can see your work before turning your videos to private.
Tip: Control who sees your video.
If you are uncomfortable sharing your video to YouTube or Vimeo, you have access to Microsoft Stream with your UCCS credentials. Microsoft Stream can host your video with stronger privacy protections and control over who has access. Once you upload your video to Stream, you can give only your professor’s email the permission to view the content.
