If you're an amateur video editor looking for a streamlined workflow to help ensure you don't miss any steps while editing your video or a seasoned pro looking for ways to save time, then this guide is for you.

We’re going to walk you through how to design a highly productive video editing workflow that will save you time and energy while ensuring no steps are missed and allowing you more time for abstract creativity instead of tedious tasks. 

What is a Video Editing Workflow?

A video editing workflow is the steps that any video project goes through after it stops shooting and before the project is released. 

In this guide, we will focus on "one-stop-shop" video editing, where a single editor handles all the elements required to produce a finished video. This includes raw footage editing, sound mixing, visual effects, color correction and grading, and final soundtrack selection and placement. 

Why is an Efficient Video Editing Workflow Important?

Editing is a tedious task, and if you're looking to complete multiple projects, you'll need a standardized and efficient timeline to ensure you're not languishing on a project for unnecessary extra hours. 

Time is money, after all, and especially if you're working as a professional editor, you'll want to conserve time wherever you can to make more room for creative decision-making. 

The 7 Steps of a Highly Productive Video Editing Workflow

Step 1: Receipt of raw footage

This can come in the form of "dailies," which is a daily delivery of all footage shot during that day of filming (this is typical on longer projects such as TV shows or films), or at the end of a shoot (which is often the case for shorter projects such as music videos or commercials). 

Your video edit begins as soon as you receive your footage.