Is video editing a technical process or art, or both? To answer this question, we explored both viewpoints. The results of this research allowed us to draw some important conclusions. 

Is Video Editing A Technical Process?

Video editing is most assuredly a technical process. You need certain skills to perform the job. Research indicates that a beginner video editor needs to acquire certain skills and then get plenty of practice before they can consider themselves a professional video editor. The level of skill you possess will be instrumental in you getting hired by a company needing excellent technical proficiency. 

 A video editor must be able to assess different software packages and choose the one most suited to the job. The main software you work with has to be able to integrate with other software to provide additional functionality. you need the right knowledge and tools, hence a desktop for video editing is designed to accommodate the specific software you need with great performance. 

You have to be good at combining still clips into a motion picture that follows a storyline. Additionally, certain soft skills are required of a video editor.

Is Video Editing An Artform?

We are accustomed to thinking of art as something that has no other purpose than itself. It can stand alone. For example, a painting is the message and speaks a thousand words. Sometimes it is simply meant to be beautiful. On the other hand, a craft requires technical know-how. 

However, the lines between art and craft are not distinct and there is plenty of overlap. An artist working in oils, for example, must know how to get the best out of their paint, which differs from what an acrylic painter needs to know. Both require certain technical art skills, such as perspective, light and shadow, foreground and background. 

Similarly, a person who creates furniture can make something purely functional, like a table and chair. This is done using technical knowledge. The craftsman will also design a table and chair, but the result is aesthetically appealing and can be considered a work of art. It has to be functional too.

Video editing is an art form as the audience is manipulated into experiencing various emotions as the story unfolds. It captures their attention in a way a solely technical combination of shots would not permit.

One Or Both? Here Are Our Conclusions

The technical aspects of being a video editor include soft skills, moving from novice to pro, and the ability to work with different software. The artistic competencies required of a video editor are the ability to move the audience, carry a story, and distinguish between different moods to convey them adequately. A person who has the technical know-how but lacks creativity can produce a product. However, it will lack impact. The creative artist will not have the medium to display their art without the underlying technical knowledge and how to apply it.

In conclusion, video editing can be considered both a technical process and an art.