Video Editing

As the name implies, video editing refers to working on sections of video in order to correct mistakes or use pieces of several videos to make one different video. There are two types of video editing – non-linear video editing and linear video editing.

Non-linear video editing involves using a computer and video editing software. In this method an editor can access any frame in a video clip and use a cut and paste technique to remove unwanted footage or to add in sections of video from other sources. First the video and audio are saved on discs and then accessed on the computer. Unlike working directly with film, none of the original video is lost because the editor works with the copied versions.

This form of video editing does reduce the sound and picture quality because of the need to compress and decompress images. For this reason, most editors prefer to edit the video in its decompressed state.

Linear video editing, on the other hand, is performed directly with the videotape. Images and sound recordings are selected from the tape and then cut to form different segments. This process involves destroying the original videotape. This is done with the aid of a video switcher, an electronic device that is capable of handling two or more video inputs and switching between them to produce a new video.

There are disadvantages to the physical method in that many of the edited tapes cannot be reused. While commercial films do use the computer software for non-linear editing, actual live television, especially news broadcasts, is still edited in the linear fashion.