10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Film Editing Company

An editing suite in use at the Wide Awake Studios offices in Kansas City, MO.

Are you sitting on valuable video assets that you have no idea what to do with? Do you need it turned into a piece that someone will actually click on and watch? Videos can be incredibly beneficial for businesses of all kinds. However, they need to engage or viewers will click away in seconds. To get the job done right, you need to hire an editing team.

Wide Awake Films is here to provide advice and guidance for those looking for a film editing company.

What Is Video Editing?

In its simplest state, video editing is the process of turning raw video, still images and animation into a cohesive film. Film editors are responsible for adding visual effects, sound effects, music, and even narration to create a seamless story. The seamless story emerges from editors expert knowledge and narrative intuition when creating transitions, setting the pace, and crafting the tone. In its most complex state, editors do all of the above while still making sure the message and story remains clear and engaging to the viewer.

When you are searching for a video editing company, you’ll want one that has a proven record of strong attention to detail, as well as exemplary working knowledge of editing tools and techniques. All video and film editing companies should have access to a variety of different tools to help your video dreams become a reality.

To determine whether or not a company is a good fit for your needs, you need to ask a lot of questions about them and their work. The following are the top ten questions you should ask before hiring a film and video editing company.

1. Where Can I Find Your Reel?

A portfolio is key in this industry. Asking an editing company to provide a reel or portfolio of their previous work can help you get a better understanding of their style and abilities. If their style and experience mesh well with the projects you want them to take on, the company might be a great asset for your project.

2. What Do You Like to Edit Most?

Asking what a company and their team most like to edit can tell you a lot about them and whether they will be a good fit. This question should help you understand if “the complex” part of the company matches with your project’s vision and message. For example, if you are looking for help with a story focused documentary, but these editors mainly focuses on fast paced animation work, you might realize that your project isn’t the best fit for that editing company.

3. What Editing Software Do You Use?

Film and video editors all have their preferred editing software. If you have been working on your film in a certain program, you might want to find an editing company that uses the same software. However, a film editing company likely has access to a few different kinds of software to help you achieve the goals you have for your video.

4. What OS?

Computers are a critical component of the film editing process. Editors who aren’t familiar with Apple computers are likely to be uncomfortable working on them. The same goes for those who don’t work on PCs. If you are using software that can only be operated on specific hardware or operating systems, such as iMovie, you need to consider the hardware of the editing company you are hiring.

5. What Is Your Revision Process Like?

During the revision process, editing companies will work closely with your business to make changes to their work—both small and drastic. When clients ask for changes, it is the job of the film editing company to execute those revisions and provide an updated version of the video. Hiring an editing team with an organized approach to revisions can make things a lot smoother for everyone on your team.

6. What Platform Do You Use for Client Review?

Clients need to be able to review their videos easily. You won’t have access to your video production company’s software, and you likely wouldn’t know how to navigate it even if you did. You want to hire a company that has an easy way for you to review their work. Many companies use Vimeo review links or other similar review methods to share their work so that the client can easily add comments to specific parts of their video projects for review.

7. What Type of Storage Do You Use?

Storing videos is crucial in this line of work. You can’t afford to lose video footage, and you need to work with an editing company that will frequently back up their work in a safe way to avoid losing any work. Ideally, editors will back up their projects in a few different locations.

Additionally, all members of the team should be backing up projects. The raw files should also be saved in a couple of different places to avoid having to re-shoot any of the film. We recommend having and always keeping a backup saved on a separate hard drive or flash drive as well as on a cloud-based service.

8. What Are Your Pay Requirements?

This question is necessary in all industries. You need to know what an editing company expects in the way of payment. In some cases, editing companies will ask for a fee upfront, and then final payment will take place when the final deliverable video or videos are complete. In other cases, all associated fees are required upfront.

You also want to make sure that the company you choose fits within your budget. You should feel comfortable discussing your budget with the film production team prior to starting the project.

9. What Are My Deliverables?

If you have video assets that you want to be edited, you likely have a goal in mind. You might be looking for a long-form video to post on your website or sliced-up moments to use on social media. However, that doesn’t mean it is the only video you want or need. A professional team of editors can provide you with both the video you envisioned and additional assets that you can use for promotional purposes or social media. Consider that with one project you’ve begun to build an arsenal of video that you can rely on well into the future. As 5G and other wireless networks get faster, video will be even higher in demand. Asking what you will receive beforehand will eliminate any disappointment upon receiving your deliverables.

10. What Do You Like for Dinner?

Collaboration and long hours might lead to meals with your editing team. If you are willing to pick up the tab on group dinners, it is nice to take note of what your team likes to eat to treat them to something they will enjoy. We promise that your editing team will appreciate your consideration for supporting them during the course of your project.

Looking to hire a full-service film production team? Check out our blog covering the questions you should ask before you hire a video production company.

At Wide Awake Studios, our stand-alone film editing services are perfect for those who have video assets that they need to turn into a cohesive film or numerous other projects. Speak to our team today at 816-872-3456 or send us an email to see what we can do for you.