Hiring a video editor: what to brief and what it costs

Editing is where footage becomes a story. The same clips can feel flat or gripping depending entirely on the edit — the pacing, the sound, the captions, the cuts. If you're hiring an editor for the first time, a clear brief and a realistic budget make all the difference.

Be clear on the format and platform

A vertical Reel, a long YouTube video and a polished advert are three different jobs. Tell your editor exactly where the video will live and how long it should be — the platform shapes the pacing, aspect ratio and style, and it's the first thing a good editor needs to know.

What to send your editor

• All the raw footage, clearly labelled
• Your logo, fonts and colours if it should be branded
• One or two videos whose style you'd like to match
• A note on whether you need captions, music or voice-over
• Any script, running order or key moments to include

Typical costs

• A short social edit (Reel, TikTok, Short): roughly £30–£150
• A standard YouTube video: about £100–£400
• A polished advert or promo: £300 and upwards

These ranges are a guide to help you budget; the exact price depends on length, complexity, turnaround and how much raw footage there is to work through.

What separates a good editor

Anyone can trim clips together. A strong editor controls pace so it never drags, balances the audio so it sounds professional, adds captions for the majority who watch on mute, and keeps the story clear from the first second — because that first second is what decides whether people keep watching.