A great underutilized method today is learning from others by editing or generating their material.
In order to gather the finest advice for creators wishing to start and advance their professions, we're sitting down with professionals in the business sector of the creator economy. This week, we met with four video editors who support well-known YouTube channels including Smosh, Mike Shake, and Jacksepticeye.
The editors discussed how they got started in the YouTube industry, the advantages and disadvantages of working for YouTube as opposed to more traditional media, their advice for other YouTubers hiring editors, the difficulties of incorporating a creator's voice and style, the editing trends they're following, and other topics.
Devin Robbins, a video editor, revealed to Passionfruit that he has experience in film and has worked for news television as well as reality television programs like Big Brother, Master Chef, and The Bachelor. Robbins claimed that after discovering a Discord server for video editors hosted by people who collaborate with YouTubers, he finally entered the world of YouTube. He claimed that after uploading his sample reel to the server, Mike Shake (@mikeshakeTV), a YouTuber with more than 2.3 million subscribers, got in touch with him.
To "participate in the success" of the content he helped develop, Robbins told Passionfruit, was one of the reasons he switched from traditional media to YouTube. He claimed that while he was employed by a news network, for instance, he would not receive any compensation for the successful videos he produced.
"I would create a video that would become popular on our platform, receive a million views, and generate a lot of ad income, but I would not receive any of it. So when I made the switch to YouTube, one of my top concerns was to contribute to the success of the videos I worked on, according to Robbins.
Robbins claimed that in addition to a base wage, his current employer, YouTuber Mike Shake, pays him 10% of the money made from the videos he has edited.
"I strongly advise editors to make that a focal feature of their discussions. I believe it has been said that 10% of ad revenue is the norm. From the creator's standpoint, it's fantastic because it encourages me to come up with the finest notion I possibly can, according to Robbins.
Editors and producers for YouTube are in high demand, according to Robbins. Although he doesn't have any intentions to launch his own channel, he claimed that many editors are aspiring artists looking to get into the industry and pick up tips from more seasoned creators.
"I would be in a much, much, much better spot if I were to start my YouTube channel right now than if I had just started establishing one... A great underutilized method right now is learning from other people by editing or producing their material, according to Robbins.
Editor Spencer Agnew told Passionfruit that he feels his work as an editor in the background has enhanced his on-screen acting skills. Agnew has worked as a producer and editor for the YouTube comedy collective Smosh, which has more than 24.9 million followers on its main channel.
Agnew claimed that while a student, he taught himself how to edit and that through school networking, he was able to secure a post-production internship. Agnew claimed that he began working for Smosh in 2014 after submitting an online job application to the now-defunct media company Defy Media, which at the time was the owner of Smosh. Agnew has advanced considerably with Smosh, and on October 24 he announced that he had been appointed director of Smosh Games, the company's gaming division.
"Editing many hours of content has improved my ability to control how I present myself in videos. Knowing what gets cut and what adds up has been a great advantage. In every job I can think of, knowing all the angles is crucial, Agnew remarked.
While some editors in the YouTube industry obtain work through official job advertising, it appears that many connect through social media or word of mouth. Editor Trey Yates informed Passionfruit that he found his first YouTube editing job through "old school networking" with Jimmy Donaldson, aka MrBeast, a well-known businessman and YouTuber with more than 107 million subscribers to his main channel.
"How did you get into editing? is a question I get all the time.
And I simply advise people to "take what they can, whatever is available, and whatever, if there is an opportunity, go ahead and seize it because you never know whether that's going to explode up and cause you to also blow up," Yates added.
Yates claimed that he initially began video editing videos on the side while performing customer service jobs. He eventually succeeded in getting a position with an esports company and made his way into its video production crew. One of the team members later became the head of Night Media, a sizable talent agency with offices in Los Angeles that represents Donaldson, according to Yates. Yates said that his relationship helped him land a job as an editor.
Sean McLoughlin, a well-known YouTuber with over 28.8 million followers, tweeted that he was searching for an editor in 2021 after Yates left Donaldson's team to work on other projects. Yates replied that he was looking for an editor. Yates claimed that after requesting Donaldson to introduce them, McLoughlin quickly expressed interest in Yates's work.
"[McLoughlin] appreciated my editing technique and was eager for me to join, eager to join relatively quickly. I began working full-time in May [2022]. Since then, it has just been working on these gaming videos, reaction videos, and other related materials, according to Yates.
They have been working with McLoughlin for six and a half years, according to Robin), another editor. Although they began editing for their own hobby YouTube channel and producing cartoons for YouTubers on the side of their full-time employment, Robin has a background in 3D modeling and animation. Learn more information
Sean first wrote me about requesting an animation, a fan-made animation of one of his films, before any editing work started. … I suppose I made two animations for him. I did, however, sneak in, saying, "Hey, I know you don't currently have any editors if you need an editor." And it so happened that he was due to attend a convention, so he needed help editing videos beforehand, so I pitched in. "And since then, it's just kind of stuck on," added Robin.
According to Robin, many editors work in the YouTube community without a formal background and are self-taught.
Because there is so much information available online, including on YouTube, you don't need need to have a formal background in editing to begin working in the field. All you really need, in my opinion, is an interest," Robin added.
Yates and Robin both urged creators to take a chance and work with editors who may be less experienced but are enthusiastic about YouTube. As Passionfruit has previously reported, some creators, such as YouTubers Chad Wild Clay and Vy Qwaint, would take a chance on recruiting team members with little experience in editing if they show a significant interest in the platform.
Just submit a video to someone, ask them to edit it, and then decide whether you want to use it in another film. You actually don't have much to lose. Just because someone edited one of your videos doesn't mean you have to hire them. Everyone has very varied approaches, especially when it comes to working behind the camera and having a sense of people's pace, so I think it's a good idea to compare prices.
In addition, Robin noted that tempo is one of the most crucial elements in determining a creator's style, which can be difficult to adapt to.
"Everyone has a different sense of pace, so it's challenging to express that to someone. I can say with certainty that it took me some time to adapt to his speed. Simply learn to read people and accentuate what they do, advised Robin.
According to Yates, McLoughlin's audience "hated" one of the videos he edited because they could tell his quick-cut comedy editing technique had been added to it.
"I definitely toned it down for the next video and everything, taking notes from the really entertaining responses on that video," the author said. I don't want to take Sean's voice away. Every time you want to make a joke hit home, you have to force yourself to remember that it is not about you. The video's events are the subject of the joke, according to Yates.
The editor of Mike Shake's videos, Robbins, claimed that it took him some time to get used to it. He stated that in his opinion, creators ought to give their new hires some time to acclimate.
"People are starting to understand that hiring an editor doesn't imply you can immediately delegate all of your jobs to them. It means that you must communicate with the editor over a period of four to six months as you continue to work. After that time, the editor will gradually try to create content in line with the YouTuber's preferences, according to Robbins.
Multiple rounds of editing and team approvals, according to Robbins, who previously worked in the television industry, helped to lower the bar for excellence.
"I am representing Mike on YouTube, so if I create a poor edit and it somehow ends up online, Mike will take the flak from the comments. Interestingly enough, the person who pays my bills is also the one who will be held accountable if I produce poor material. As an editor, you have that extra little bit of pressure to make sure that you only publish the greatest work, Robbins said.
Agnew also touched on the variations in audience responses between YouTube and conventional media.
"It's incredibly nice to receive a rapid reaction from audiences. You don't get that rapid feedback to work, seeing what people like or don't like, because traditional media often has a lot larger crew and a longer turnaround period, according to Agnew.
Agnew said he has been curious to see what the "younger generation" of editors is bringing to the table when asked what trends in editing techniques they are paying attention to.
Recently, editing has become much more widely available. Due to this, there is now a huge variety of editing techniques available, from exceedingly showy to incredibly lo-fi. We have avoided the hyper-cutting style used by many contemporary YouTubers by being constant in our editing methods. Since they don't operate under the same set of guidelines as more experienced editors, it's been intriguing to watch what folks with less formal training bring to the editing process, Agnew said.
Robbins claimed to be keeping an eye on "authenticity" tendencies, which he claimed were being exhibited by YouTubers like Emma Chamberlain and Ryan Trahan.
"Mike's channel has very, very speedy editing. To sustain or improve engagement, we intentionally allow the last word of the phrase to flow into the following word. We don't want to give the audience a chance to consider stopping watching the movie. Currently, this is [the YouTube] strategy for all platforms. The authenticity that once existed on YouTube is starting to return, though, as we're seeing from other creators and even just a few months ago, according to Robbins.
"I believe that more and more seasoned producers want to diversify and attempt new things, which is fantastic, rather than, for instance, just [creating] another YouTube video. Personally, however, I also just hope that YouTube won't lean too strongly towards it because I'm concerned that smaller creators may feel a little excluded if they feel they can't achieve that level, Robin added.
