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This is a guide to the best free video editing courses you can try in 2024.
Whether you’re using Adobe Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve, there’s a wealth of video editing courses to help you hone your skills.
Before investing in paid masterclasses, consider beginning with free YouTube courses and dedicating time to practicing editing.
I’ll cover a broad variety of editing courses for the major platforms, from free-to-use courses to in-depth masterclasses you can sign up for.
Table of Contents
What Are the Best Free Video Editing Courses in 2024?
Learning how to edit videos can be overwhelming, as video editors are packed with features and have a daunting user interface.
Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent online courses that cover video editing techniques for beginners to explore at their leisure.
Let’s dive in and break down a range of courses you can try to learn video editing basics and work toward becoming a professional video editor.
Film Editing Pro
Credit: https://www.filmeditingpro.com/
The Film Editing Pro masterclasses are arranged into four easy-to-follow categories, designed to help editors with moderate experience understand how professionals work.
Beginning with a three-part course on the core skills, it expands to explore the process of trailer editing and how to edit more creatively.
The final section of Film Editing Pro’s series of free courses walks through music editing to help you dramatically elevate your content.
What you’ll learn:
- Creative editing basics
- Scoring and music editing
- Industry workflow
Where: Film Editing Pro
Length: 4 courses
Difficulty: Intermediate
Who is this for: Editors with moderate experience
What software: Applicable to all software
Mastering Final Cut Pro (Coursera)
Credit: https://www.coursera.org/
If you’re working on Apple hardware, Mastering Final Cut Pro from Coursera is a great primer to help you wrap your head around the basics.
It has a free, audit-only version, but you’ll need to pay $49 to access the graded assignments and earn a certificate.
There are also options to receive financial aid or sign up for the Plus subscription plan, and the course takes students through various editing scenarios.
Learn how to import and export for collaborative projects and apply basic effects and transitions to make your edits shine.
What you’ll learn:
- Core Final Cut Pro editing workflow
- Project setup and editing
- Managing shared projects
Where: Coursera
Length: 40 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for: Beginners
What software: Final Cut Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro Video Editing
Credit: Adobe Max
This is a short but sweet introductory course for Adobe Premiere Pro newcomers. It’s a basic but highly intuitive primer for the software.
No experience is required, and since it’s run by Adobe, it offers access to some of the industry’s leading creatives.
It’s a solid choice for social media content creators who are just starting their journey and want to learn basic editing techniques for their videos quickly.
What you’ll learn:
- Understanding the Premiere Pro user interface
- Basic project management
- Core editing technniques
Where: Adobe Max
Length: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for:Absolute beginners
What Software: Adobe Premiere Pro
The Complete Beginner’s Guide To Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects complements Premiere Pro with an extensive selection of features for motion graphics, titles, and animations.
This in-depth course covers all the core tools you can use on After Effects for free, spanning an impressive 48 episodes in total.
Beginning with the timeline panel and layers, it expands to cover how to use the various tools for animations, transitions, and layouts.
Completing this course will give you a comprehensive overview of full scene creation and a strong foundation for After Effect’s creative potential.
What you’ll learn:
- Core principles of animating in After Effects
- Transition and color effects
- Workflow and exporting processes
Where: YouTube
Length: 48 episodes
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for: Video editors interested in animation
What software: Adobe After Effects
What Are the Best YouTube Videos for Getting Started in Video Editing?
Beginners Guide to Video Editing (Start to Finish)
Think Media’s quick introduction packs a surprising amount of advice into its short run time, which can be applied to various software.
If you’re starting out with beginner tools such as Movavi and Wondershare’s Filmora, you’ll learn some core video editing skills here.
What you’ll learn:
- Setting up a new project
- Basic editing and text overlays
- Finalizing and exporting
Length: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Very easy
Who is this for: Absolute beginners
What software: All video editing software
Premier Pro Tutorial For Beginners
Another short free video editing tutorial is dedicated to Adobe Premiere Pro and covers the full process of editing video content.
Beginning with an overview of the software’s interface and tools, it explores various effects and transitions as well as audio editing and color grading.
What you’ll learn:
- Essential Premiere Pro editing tools
- Useful shortcuts
- Grading and adjustment layers
Length: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for: Beginners
What software: Adobe Premiere Pro
Final Cut Pro X – COMPLETE Tutorial for Beginners!
Thanks to the Primal Video online video editing course, Apple users working with Final Cut Pro can learn the basics in under half an hour.
It covers using raw video footage and managing the interface, covering b-roll integration, music and sound effects, and other core video editing skills.
What you’ll learn:
- Excellent overview of keyboard shortcuts
- Titles, transitions, and audio editing
- A basic introduction to color grading
Length: 24 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for: Beginners
What software: Final Cut Pro
DaVinci Resolve 18 – COMPLETE Tutorial For Beginners in 2024
DaVinci Resolve 18 has been taking the professional industry by storm thanks to its outstanding grading, motion graphics, and sound design integration.
This introductory tutorial video, also from Primal Video, is as comprehensive as the channel’s Premiere Pro video, covering many of the same software features.
What you’ll learn:
- Trimming and arranging clips
- Audio and music adjustments
- Color grading workflow
Length: 37 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for: Beginners
What software: DaVinci Resolve 18
What Are the Best Paid Online Video Editing Courses in 2024?
If you have a decent budget, you can invest in a variety of impressive paid online video editing courses for a more in-depth learning approach.
Here are two great courses you can consider to help you become a successful video editor and go beyond simply learning the software.
The Go-To Editor
Credit: https://thegotoeditor.thinkific.com/
Offering a rich and detailed step-by-step guide to the editing process, The Go-To Editor covers the topic from an industry-standard level of expertise.
It’s an expensive but nevertheless valuable course for anyone seriously considering becoming a pro. It offers on-the-job training and access to extensive resources.
What you’ll learn:
- Video editing fundamentals
- Personal branding and career strategies
- Advanced editing/storytelling
Where: The Go-To Editor
Length: 5 modules
Difficulty: Intermediate
Who is this for: Editors with professional aspirations
What software: Adobe Premiere Pro
Cost:$1,497
Inside The Edit
Credit: https://www.insidetheedit.com/
Inside The Edit has an impressive pedigree of clients, ranging from Sky and the BBC to Vice and Sony, and Oscar-nominated editors have praised the course.
Designed to prepare people for the industry, it offers a complete learning system for creative editing above and beyond basic software functionality.
What you’ll learn:
- Time compression, pacing, camera movement
- Workflow from assembly to fine-cut
- Professional project management
Where: Inside The Edit
Length: 100+tutorials
Difficulty: Easy to Professional
Who is this for: Industry-based editors
What software: Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Adobe Premiere Pro
Cost:$632
What Are the Best Online Video Editing Courses With Certificates in 2024?
Video editors who are considering entering the film or television industry may want to take a course that gives them professional credibility.
Here are some online video editing courses that offer industry-recognized certification that can be included alongside a portfolio and resume.
Ripple Training
Credit: https://www.rippletraining.com/#
Ripple Training is another course that covers various video editing techniques as well as practical insights into solving real-world editing problems.
Students can also earn an online video certificate for some courses, such as the DaVinci Resolve 18 Core Training and Final Cut Pro X Master Class, and include it in their resumes.
What you’ll learn:
- Core software training and management
- Video/sound editing and color grading
- Advanced techniques, e.g., motion graphics
Where: Ripple Training
Length: Varies depending on the course selected
Difficulty: Intermediate
Who is this for: Filmmaking students
What software: Final Cut Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Motion
Cost:$79 to $250
Video Editing Masterclass (Udemy)
Credit: https://www.udemy.com/
Udemy has established a strong reputation as the go-to platform for all types of educational resources, and the Adobe Premiere Pro Masterclass reflects this high standard.
It provides extensive resources complementing the videos and articles alongside practical exercises and access to help from professionals.
What you’ll learn:
- Video editing basics and stylistic choices
- Video and audio transitions
- Effects and color correction/grading
Where: Udemy
Length: 22.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for:Entry-level editors
What software: Adobe Premiere Pro
Cost:$69.99
Final Cut Pro X 10.6 Essential Training
Credit: https://www.linkedin.com/
The LinkedIn Learning platform is another oft-overlooked resource for content creation, as its Final Cut Pro X 10.6 Essential Training course demonstrates.
Instructor Nick Harauz walks through the core editing tools and interface, as well as the processes to deliver a distinct visual style through grading and effects.
What you’ll learn:
- Introduction to Final Cut Pro editing workflow
- Applying video and audio effects
- Media management
Where: Linked In
Length: 10 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for: Absolute beginners
What software: Final Cut Pro X
Cost: £29.99 with 1-month free trial
Mastering Final Cut Pro (Coursera)
Another impressive course from Coursera is the Mastering Final Cut Pro course, which students can complete on a flexible schedule to create and edit videos on the platform.
Finishing the course earns you a shareable certificate for LinkedIn, with eight total modules exploring various aspects of post-production for creative professionals.
What you’ll learn:
- Video and audio editing basics
- Motion graphics and color correction
- 360 video and media management
Where: Coursera
Length: 40 hours
Difficulty: Easy
Who is this for: Beginners
What software: Final Cut Pro
Cost:Free enrollment
What Are the Best Video-Editing YouTube Channels to Follow?
Before you pay for a dedicated video editing course, you should check out the thousands of tutorials available for free on YouTube.
Here are our top picks for the go-to YouTube channels you should investigate to get your video editing education off the ground.
- This Guy Edits: Hosts an extensive selection of courses, and paid courses are also available from this ACE Award-nominated editor.
- Film Riot: A rich resource for video editing, Film Riot also covers many other aspects of filmmaking, from movie cliches to insights into classic cinema.
- Hillier Smith: Hillier Smith shares numerous editing tricks used by professionals and provides video analyses of the editing work of well-known content creators.
- Learn Premiere Pro: As the name implies, this channel is optimized for editors learning Adobe’s Premiere Pro software.
- Learn After Effects: Complementing the channel above, Learn After Effects is a good resource for anyone who wants to add effects and motion graphics to their edited videos.
- Cinecom: VFX, editing, and overall filmmaking techniques are all explored in detail through the Cinecom channel.
- Peter McKinnon: A photographer and cinematographer, Peter McKinnon’s channel is a great all-rounder for all types of content creators working in visual digital media.
Are Video Editing Courses Worth Taking?
While there are plenty of free video editing tutorials and resources you can start out with, if you’re considering turning pro, it’s worth checking out dedicated online courses.
You’ll have access to direct feedback from professional editors and filmmaking instructors, which can help you overcome common mistakes and discover time-saving tips.
They also provide accredited certification upon completion, which will give you the edge when applying for a role at a professional production company.
How Do I Become a Video Editor?
If you’re thinking of becoming a video editor, the first step is to work through some of the tutorials for beginners we’ve outlined in this article.
Choose the best program for your hardware and begin with the basics, following YouTube channels to stay on top of the latest industry and editing trends.
Once you’ve mastered some of the core skills on personal projects, you can approach smaller content creators to offer your video editing services.
This will give you the chance to build a professional portfolio, improving your level of clients and increasing your video editing rates.
- What is the best video editing software for beginners?
FAQs About Video Editing Courses
Can I pursue a career in video editing after taking a beginner’s video editing course?
A beginner’s video editing course will give you the skillset needed to start building a portfolio and begin collaborating with online content creators.
You can then work to expand your editing knowledge and reach out to higher-profile clients as your portfolio develops.
How long does it take to complete a beginner’s video editing course?
Video editing courses vary in length, ranging from basic introductions lasting around ten minutes to lengthy courses spanning many hours.
What video editing software is best?
The best video editing software depends on your experience level and needs. For professionals, top choices include Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, and DaVinci Resolve, which offer advanced tools and features. Beginners may prefer more user-friendly options like iMovie or Adobe Premiere Elements, which are easier to learn but still powerful.
Which degree is best for video editing?
If you’re considering a formal education in video editing, you can sign up for a bachelor’s degree in subjects such as film and media, broadcasting, and video production.
Which institute is best for video editing?
Some of the major institutions that offer video editing in the US include the New York Film Association and the American Film Institute Conservatory.
What is the best way to learn video editing?
A great way to learn editing is to start with a free video editing course for beginners to master basic video editing skills.
You can also fine-tune your abilities as you edit videos, moving on to paid tutorials and masterclasses as you improve.
Should I learn to edit on Final Cut Pro or Premiere Pro?
Both Final Cut Pro and Premiere Pro are excellent video editors, and your choice will depend on your computer’s format.
While Final Cut Pro is easier to learn, Premiere Pro is widely considered the industry standard used by professional video editors.
What is the best website to learn video editing?
Choosing the best website to learn video editing will depend on your chosen video editing tools and budget range, so make sure you research your options in advance. Check out the guide above for recommendations.
Can I teach myself video editing?
Yes! With hundreds of free YouTube video editing courses and budget-friendly courses, it’s easier than ever before to teach yourself in your spare time.
Which college course is best for video editing?
There are plenty of filmmaking and editing courses available, as well as communication and media studies, that cover this skill.
Research courses in your local area, or consider applying to a professional film school.
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