by Stephanie Grover, Junior Project Engineer
This is my senior year, and I cannot believe that I will be finishing my Computer Science degree at Virginia Tech in less than a month. As a Junior Project Engineer for VPG (Virtual Patent Gateway), two of my many assignments include creating animations and on-demand courses. Ashley puts a lot of trust in us, and she offers candid feedback. Since last summer, she decided to put together the “Sound Bites” segments on VPG’s YouTube playlists. Our Sound Bites videos have been a huge hit, since most people don't have the time to watch an hour-long video and would prefer to just see the best moments from it.
As a digital native and a CS major, I have always been interested in video editing, and I was very eager to try it. Video editing comes in many shapes and sizes, from simply reducing redundancy in an interview to completely transforming footage; editing is crucial in shaping the final presentation of visual content. Whether you are starting from raw footage or creating a video from scratch, there are a lot of different editing tools to consider. Adding transitions, effects, or audio can enhance a video and create a cohesive and engaging narrative. In today’s digital age, video editing has become more accessible than ever. A wide range of software options are available, and many are free.
The ocean of editing software is vast, as are their differences. Software can be extremely overwhelming, and it is important to find an editor that works for you. Opening a new editing software can feel like being thrown into a completely unfamiliar environment, and it is hard to tell how to do the simplest of edits. While it can be tempting to try and learn the most technically advanced editing software right off the bat, it is essential first to familiarize yourself with the fundamentals. Most laptops today have some sort of editing software built-in that may not be the most impressive but is very user-friendly and able to accomplish simple edits.
Just like any other art form, it is crucial to start where you are at and practice to work your way up. Simple edits may not be the most exciting, but learning the fundamentals plays a pivotal role in transforming clips into polished videos that captivate audiences. We all start somewhere, and it is critical to learn from our mistakes and grow our skills.