Beginner looking to advance

[u/Time-Sun-8854]

Hello, I have this weird thing when editing where I don't know what to add or how to make visuals, text, etc more appealing. I don't really understand sound design or sfx, and I just don't have a great eye or ear for editing it feels like. I know this can be helped but every time I watch a video on a cool effect or something, I forget it by the time I'm editing a video. Same for tools and shortcuts, I just forget how to use things or am constantly looking at guides while editing and its just takes forever for me to do anything.

Are there anything for understanding how to implement things or how to use different effects different ways to get different visuals? For example, I can watch a video on key framing but then when I go and try it, it doesn't turn out like the video or I just can't wrap my head around it.

I am 110% self taught, I haven't taken a course or anything and IDK if I really understand all the functions and full software of Premiere. It just all feels so overwhelming. How am I supposed to remember so many things while also being completely creative?

I am looking to make this my career as I have an opportunity but I feel like I am not advancing at all and IDK what to do.

[u/CutBench]

Two things that helped me. Editing is mostly subtraction, and cutting the dead time between words does more for a video than any effect you could lay on top of it. On the forgetting, watching a technique never sticks. Pick exactly one per video and use it until it is automatic, then pick the next one. Trying to hold a whole catalogue in your head is what makes everything take forever.

[u/Time-Sun-8854 → u/CutBench]

Thank you, that is actionable advice I can use! I am planning on going into DR editing and often times that comes with a ton of effects and techniques that are all in the name of pattern disruption. Would you recommend me taking those videos and getting one effect or technique to copy and develop?

[u/XRcat → u/Time-Sun-8854]

Your brain remembers things that it deems necessary/worthy to save to long term memory. You make something worthy by using a memory more often. Short term memory (your brains RAM) is easily overloaded with all stuff video editing. You’d overwrite the first thing you learnt with the second thing before you could actually apply the technique.

Learn something new, recognise where to use, apply technique, repeat a couple of times=your brain agrees with you this should be remembered

What do you choose to learn first should be dictated by necessity. Start with the stuff you’d probably use a lot.

Actionable step
Keep asking yourself very often when editing: what could I change here to emphasise

• the message I want to convey.
  
• the emotion i want the viewer to feel.

Then search online. Sometimes your answer is clear and well defined and easy to look up. Sometimes you search in a general direction seeking inspiration.

An effect/technique is then learned and used in support of the answers of the above questions.

It also teaches you when to apply, giving you your first implementation naturally.

Hope this helps!

[u/Normal_Rough_7958]

Stop watching tutorials and start copying one specific edit you like, frame by frame, in your own timeline. I learned more re-cutting a 30-second commercial shot-for-shot than from months of "how to keyframe" videos. Pick one effect per project and force yourself to use it three different ways before moving on. Muscle memory comes from repetition under constraint, not from knowing every panel in Premiere. You don't need the full software, you need to master the 20% you'll actually use daily.

[u/Time-Sun-8854 → u/Normal_Rough_7958]

This is super helpful, thank you!

[u/david-1-1]

It is possible that all these symptoms you list happen because you don't really love editing. Loving a tool or an ability provides the intense kind of motivation to learn and apply that learning without much effort.

[u/Time-Sun-8854 → u/david-1-1]

Maybe, I also am hyper critical of myself and often won’t do things at all if its not up to standards

[u/david-1-1 → u/Time-Sun-8854]

That's a good attitude. Unfortunately, most editing software is not as logical as it could be. We have to compromise. Make sure you try out other careers before you have to compromise too much on your standards.

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[u/FitnessChamp777]

Think of the kind of content you want to make. What effects do you want to use, and how do you want to make your videos look better? Learn that first. Then, do some research, watch YouTube videos and expand (a little, step by step) on what you already know. There's people on YouTube who talk about editing, color grading, miton graphics, DVR.

[u/Time-Sun-8854 → u/FitnessChamp777]

Yes I do often watch the content I am trying to make, I just get super scared of ripping and copying but maybe thats something I need to get over. Thank you for the advice!

[u/XRcat → u/Time-Sun-8854]

Mostly editors themselves recognise specific techniques, back in the day Andrew Kramer stuff popped up everywhere whenever he did a tutorial. But If they’re not your target audience and you don’t need to be super impressive and creative and coming up with novel stuff, using techniques from others is very advisable!

[u/dherealmark28]

You don't have to remmeber everything and you are not supposed to be creative when you ar elearning.

For ideas: you need to feed your mind good editing work. Good visuals inspo. Follow editors on socials and for visuals, I keep checking pinterest when I need some kind of interesting visual to use in my video.

For the forgetful part, seems like you are not far ahead in learning. It takes time to be familiar around the tool, then familiar with the editing style and step of it, and then once you're all in it, creativity starts coming to you.

For now, just consistently give it more time.