Job Description

Project Overview and Creative Context

This project brief details the requirements for an experienced, highly creative Video Editor to lead the end-to-end post-production process for a high-impact digital video campaign. Operating over a contract duration of 1 to 2 months, this project is designed to transform raw video footage, multi-channel audio recordings, visual assets, and brand elements into a cohesive suite of professional video assets. The primary objective is to build engaging visual stories that hook viewers immediately, maintain high audience retention across diverse digital platforms, and reflect a refined, modern aesthetic.

The modern media landscape demands content that strikes a balance between technical perfection and narrative rhythm. The hired Video Editor will work closely with our creative production team to process long-form recorded content, instructional clips, and promotional interviews, converting them into polished YouTube episodes, website features, and bite-sized vertical videos for platforms like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. The editor must demonstrate technical command over non-linear editing software, visual color theory, audio cleaning, sound design, and motion graphics.


Project Objectives and Core Outcomes

During the 1 to 2-month project timeline, the video editing specialist will be tasked with meeting several strategic and creative objectives:

1. Visual Consistency and Branding: Establish a consistent visual identity across all videos by implementing unified color palettes, stylized titles, standardized lower thirds, and smooth transition effects aligned with brand guidelines.
2. Audience Retention Optimization: Apply advanced editing strategies, including precise pacing, kinetic cuts, tactical B-roll overlays, visual callouts, and audio cues, to maximize watch time and viewer engagement.
3. Complete Post-Production Execution: Manage all stages of post-production, including footage ingestion, multi-camera audio sync, assembly editing, color grading, sound design, audio leveling, titling, and multi-format master exporting.
4. Efficient Workflow Management: Maintain an organized file management system, adhere to structured milestone schedules, and incorporate client feedback rapidly using collaborative review platforms.


Detailed Scope of Work

The post-production lifecycle for this engagement is broken down into six comprehensive phases:

Phase 1: Ingestion, Organization, and Assembly
- Import, log, and organize high-resolution source footage (shot in 4K and 1080p across varied frame rates) into structured project folders.
- Synchronize multi-camera footage with external multi-track dialogue recordings.
- Review raw video content to build assembly cuts and stringouts according to scripts, storyboards, or outline documents.
- Perform initial trimming to remove false starts, long pauses, unwanted background noise, and repetitive speech patterns.

Phase 2: Narrative Pacing and Fine Editing
- Craft compelling storytelling arcs for long-form core videos (ranging between 8 to 15 minutes in length).
- Curate high-quality B-roll imagery, stock footage clips, and screen recordings to reinforce visual explanations and prevent visual monotony.
- Utilize editing techniques such as J-cuts, L-cuts, speed ramps, and seamless scene transitions to build a fluid viewing pace.
- Extract key highlight moments from long-form cuts to create engaging short-form vertical videos (30 to 60 seconds each).

Phase 3: Motion Graphics and Visual Enhancements
- Design, edit, and animate professional lower-thirds, title cards, animated graphics, and graphic overlays.
- Add dynamic keyframed zooms, kinetic typography pop-ups, animated progress bars, and high-impact graphic callouts to highlight important dialogue points.
- Perform motion tracking to attach graphic elements, text labels, or blur overlays to moving elements within the camera frame.
- Apply custom brand intros, outros, and call-to-action end screens.

Phase 4: Audio Cleanup, Sound Design, and Mixing
- Perform dialogue audio post-production, applying EQ, de-essing, multi-band compression, and noise reduction to achieve broadcast-quality voice tracks.
- Select, edit, and license appropriate royalty-free background music tracks that match the emotional tone of each video.
- Execute precise audio ducking, ensuring background music automatically attenuates beneath spoken dialogue while swelling during pauses and visual transitions.
- Enhance visual action by layering sound effects (SFX) such as subtle swooshes, deep impacts, UI clicks, risers, and ambient soundscapes.

Phase 5: Color Correction and Creative Color Grading
- Perform technical color correction to fix exposure anomalies, adjust white balance, and establish proper contrast ratios.
- Match color balances across different camera sensors, lighting conditions, and B-roll clips to ensure seamless visual continuity.
- Apply creative color grades utilizing custom Look-Up Tables (LUTs) or manual wheel adjustments to give the footage a polished, cinematic look.
- Monitor vector scopes and waveform monitors to maintain broadcast-safe luminance levels and accurate skin tones.

Phase 6: Subtitling, Re-Framing, and Master Delivery
- Generate precise burned-in subtitles and separate .SRT caption files for all short-form videos to accommodate silent social media viewing.
- Re-frame landscape footage into vertical (9:16) and square (1:1) aspect ratios, actively tracking speaking subjects to keep them centered.
- Render and export master video files using optimized video codecs (H.264, H.265, ProRes) tailored for web, social media, and archival needs.


Deliverables Schedule

Over the course of the 1 to 2-month contract, the video editor will be expected to deliver the following final deliverables:

- Main Pillar Videos: 6 to 10 fully edited, color-graded, and audio-mastered long-form videos (8-15 minutes each).
- Social Media Shorts: 15 to 25 fast-paced vertical clips (30-60 seconds each) derived from the main content, featuring dynamic captions and animated visual overlays.
- Source Project Files: Fully packaged NLE project files (with media relative linking) along with exported graphic assets and render presets for future internal use.
- Revisions: Up to two structured rounds of iterative revisions per video based on team feedback.


Project Timeline and Milestones

- Weeks 1 to 2: Setup, Asset Transfer & Pilot Edits - Establishment of project folder structures, graphics creation, brand guideline alignment, and completion of initial pilot edits for long-form and short-form samples.
- Weeks 3 to 4: Production Phase 1 - Batch editing of primary long-form videos, sound design integration, color pass, and creation of associated short-form clips.
- Weeks 5 to 6: Production Phase 2 - High-efficiency post-production for remaining video assets, implementing client review notes, and optimizing vertical export variants.
- Weeks 7 to 8: Final Revisions, Archival & Handoff - Execution of final polish passes, subtitle verification, master file exports, and delivery of organized project packages.


Technical Requirements

The candidate must possess a reliable, high-performance workstation capable of rendering multi-stream 4K footage efficiently. Proficiency in the following software ecosystem is required:
- Non-Linear Editor: Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve Studio
- Motion Graphics: Adobe After Effects
- Audio Processing: Adobe Audition or DaVinci Resolve Fairlight
- Color Grading: DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Lumetri Color
- File Transfer & Review: Frame.io, Dropbox, or Google Drive


Professional Standards

The ideal freelancer must demonstrate strong time management, clear written communication, and creative initiative. They should be comfortable taking raw footage with minimal initial direction and structuring it into a visual story that aligns with modern digital content standards.