When you’re creating your own YouTube content, you can try and go through the whole creation process yourself.
From writing and filming to editing and sharing, you make all the decisions.
However, hiring an editor to help share the load can make a huge difference to your workflow.
There are plenty of advantages to working with a professional video editor, but the biggest disadvantage is sending files back and forth.
So, how do YouTubers send videos to editors?
If you’ve already decided to use a pro editor to work on your videos, this guide will show you some of the best ways to send videos to them and which services are the best.
And if you’re just starting to think about working with other creators, you’ll discover some benefits of outsourcing your editing work.
What Are the Benefits of Using a Video Editor?
Working with other video editors can greatly benefit your channel. It doesn’t matter if you know how to edit or not, collaborators can help you:
- Get a fresh perspective - even if you know how to edit videos yourself, other editors can give you fresh ideas on how to develop your story or add details like transitions, coloring, music, and more.
- Upgrade your content - if you work with an editor who has more experience than you, they can use their advanced skills to bring your content to the next level.
- Save time - if you don’t have any experience editing videos, it will take you at least a few months to get your skills to a high enough level. And if you do know how to edit, you’ll still save time for other parts of your channel.
- Focus on other important matters - with an outsourced editing, you can focus on creating amazing content. Different editors can take care of the technical parts, but only you can use your voice to create content that is recognizably yours. With more time, you can focus on writing and filming videos, as well as looking for sponsors and growing your business.
If you’re still not convinced, take a look at how some of the world’s most successful YouTubers work.
Creators like PewDiePie, MrBeast, and so many more have teams of editors so that they can produce as much high-quality content as possible.
What Influences the Size of a Raw Video?
The biggest problem with sharing your footage with an editor is that you need to transfer the files. And raw video files can be massive. Here are some factors that influence your video’s size:
Here’s a quick example. A video in YouTube’s minimum recommended settings would be:
- H.264 format
- 1080p resolution
- 24fps frame rate
If the video is only five minutes long, that’s already nearly 3GB.
But the raw footage for a five-minute video will likely be a lot longer. If you have 30 minutes of raw video to make five minutes of content, that’s over 17GB.
And that’s for lower resolutions and frame rates. If you’re filming in 4k, you’ll quickly surpass 100GB in files.
If you want to have an idea of how much storage your videos will take up, you can use a video space calculator.
How Do YouTubers Send Videos to Editors?
YouTubers send videos to editors using different methods.
You can upload your files to a cloud storage system, send them with a file transfer service, or even send them in a physical format through a courier service.
Cloud storage systems have limited space and can be slow to upload your files.
However, some give you free storage when you sign up. One of the best-known examples is Google Drive. If you have a Google account, you get 15GB of storage. If you need more, you’ll have to pay a fee. When it’s set up, you can create a shareable folder, upload your videos, then send the link to your editor.
File transfer services are generally faster at uploading files, especially if they maximize your bandwidth.
This means that your connection will be fully focused on uploading your files instead of being divided with other programs. You’ll have to avoid streaming services and video calls until the upload is complete, however.
Then there’s the old school way that you might not think about but is more common than you think. Save the raw footage on an external hard drive and give or send it to your editor.
YouTubers with fast turnaround times might not like this option as it can be slow, but professional filmmakers do this to be sure that a physical copy exists and can reach their team.
If you’re using 1080p footage for short videos, you won’t need to use this method.
It’s mostly for creators using high-resolution files like 8k uncompressed videos which take up so much space that you’ll find it hard to upload them to most transfer services.
Another option is to use an online video editor. If you have a team account on sites like InVideo or VEED.io, you can collaborate more easily with an editor. You just need to upload the files and they will be stored on the site’s servers. Then you can both work on the editing process.
Best Services for Sending Videos To Editors
Here are the best services for sending videos to editors:
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- iCloud
- OneDrive
- WeTransfer
- Rakuten Drive
- MASV
- File Sharing Protocol (FTP)
Google Drive
Google is free to use for anyone with a Google account. You only get 15GB of storage, but can pay for more. Business plans have the most space, with 5TB.
Dropbox
Dropbox only gives you 2GB for free, but you can upgrade to 5TB with a Business account.
iCloud
Apple users will be familiar with iCloud, where you get 5GB of storage for free. You can pay for an iCloud+ account and get 2TB.
OneDrive
Microsoft users have 5GB of free storage and can upgrade to 1TB.
WeTransfer
WeTransfer is an online file sharing service that lets you send 2GB for free or unlimited data with a monthly subscription.
Free transfers stay available for a week, while subscribers can use unlimited cloud storage and choose when the files will be removed.
Rakuten Drive
Rakuten Drive (formerly Sendy) is another file sharing service that has different tiers. You can send 10GB for free or 150GB for a monthly fee.
The subscription also gives you 1TB of storage to use.
MASV
MASV offers a pay-as-you-go model instead of a subscription. Uploads are free, but downloads cost $0.25 per gigabyte.
What makes MASV a great choice for YouTubers is that you can send up to 15TB at a time with a secure transfer and it concentrates your internet connection fully on the process.
This makes it a lot faster than other services.
File Sharing Protocol (FTP)
This option is for the more tech-savvy YouTubers.
You’ll need to know how to use a web hosting service and how to manage remote servers to send files this way.
If you know how to use an FTP correctly, you can send unlimited files. The costs can vary depending on which service you sign up for.
Bottom Line
Working with an editor instead of editing your videos yourself can bring a lot of benefits.
You can get a fresh perspective on your content, work with someone with more advanced skills, and save time for other parts of your YouTube business.
The main disadvantage is having to send files which can be very time-consuming and isn’t always free.
By looking into the different services detailed in this guide, you can find the best fit for you depending on how much data you need to send, how fast you need to send it, and what your budget is.
Whether you choose a cloud storage system, a file transfering service, or even to send your files on a hard drive with FedEx, you can expand your team and feel the advantages of collaborating with professional editors.
Have you ever worked with an editor? Or do you prefer to work alone? Feel free to share your experiences with other readers.
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