I've been experimenting with After Effects to make some pretty complex animations recently, and I wanted to share this one valuable tip that's helped me make my animations much quicker. That tip is to Pre-comp your layers before you add the animation 🔑 Pre-comping in After Effects is essentially the same thing as nesting your clips in Premiere Pro. The reason you do this is best explained by showing you this example. Below is a link to an example animation I created for an upcoming video I'm editing for my YouTube channel, and in this animation I want you to pay attention to the layers animating like the thumbnails & the text. 🚨 Watch The Animation Here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jdqe9oKudAsg7UyYc9vPHnC6B03fi4QE/view?usp=drive_link For these thumbnail & text layers, what I did to make it much easier was I scaled them and positioned them exactly where I wanted them to end up, and once I had the layout set, I pre-comped (nested) each layer individually. Then for the thumbnails, I created a smooth slide-in animation one time, and because we pre-comped, I can now copy those keyframes and just paste them onto the bottom thumbnail layer without having to adjust the position because I pre-comped them. Then I just move over the keyframes a bit so it comes in a bit after. Simple. Now for the text, I pre-comped each text layer... Created one fade-in / slide-down animation... And then copied & pasted onto the other two text layers. Then I moved the keyframes a bit for each layer of text, and boom I was done. Instead of having to animate the slide in for each layer manually because all the positions and scales would have been different... I could do it once and then copy & paste since we pre-comped. 🚨 BONUS TIP: When creating smooth animations like in the example shown, to get it to be that smooth you need to adjust the keyframe speed graph to look like a steep halfpipe ramp (Check the image attached to this post below)

🚨 I’ve been editing PrestonGoes’ videos for a while, and we want to free up more time in my editing process so I can turn out a 5-part series for Preston. I’m looking for someone willing to work with me on delivering simple rough cuts for Preston’s videos, which I’ll then refine—tightening pacing, cutting fluff, adding effects, music, sound design, color grading, and exporting. Opportunity Info: • Responsibility: Take 3-5 hours of footage and deliver a 40-60 minute ROUGH cut that tells the story of the video and provides the foundation I’ll build the edit from. This rough cut doesn’t need to be polished—just clips and moments in the right order for the story. Fast turnaround is essential. After I send the footage, I’d need the edit back within 24 hours, or 48 hours if there’s more time. • Salary: $200-$400 per video (at $400 per video, that’s $1400/week or $5600/month for straightforward work). • Experience: Seeking editors experienced in long-form, story-driven content. If your primary experience is in short-form educational content, this might not be the best fit. If you’re interested in straightforward work and developing your experience telling stories with bigger creators like PrestonGoes, DM me with “PrestonGoes,” and we’ll discuss further details!

Today at VidSummit, I attended a masterclass from Sticks, a YouTube creator team with a traditional film background. They’re on a mission to bring a cinematic approach to YouTube, creating mini-movies for creators like Ryan Trahan and Mark Rober. Their journey to 500,000+ subscribers in a year is impressive, and I took away three key lessons that I think every content creator can benefit from: 1. Show, Don’t Tell Sticks emphasized making your audience feel something rather than just understand it. This is achieved through the use of tools like: • Composition • Shot size • Camera movement • Color • Body language • Sound effects • Music • Pacing One great tip they shared: try editing your footage before adding any voiceover—let the cuts and music drive the story first. 2. Intention & Obstacle A compelling story always has a character with a goal, and obstacles that stand in the way. Sticks highlighted that before you even start filming, you should ask yourself: • Is my intention compelling enough? • Will real obstacles arise on this journey? The harder it is to reach the goal, the more engaging the story becomes. They recommended introducing small, incremental obstacles that lead to the final objective. 3. Cause & Effect Every beat in your story should cause the next one. The best stories make the audience feel like they can’t miss a moment because each scene drives the next. Even if you’ve vlogged hours of footage, you can find your story by following the formula: • Because this happened, then this happened. Sticks suggested storyboarding out your narrative to identify the moments you want to highlight during editing. In short, the session was a fantastic reminder that, while YouTube and Hollywood are different, Hollywood has already mastered the art of capturing attention and telling emotional, gripping stories. If we can bring that same energy to our YouTube content, there’s no reason we can’t engage viewers just as effectively. Would love to know your thoughts—how are you telling your stories?

How do you master video editing? I’m breaking it down for you in this post. Keep reading. Learning to edit isn’t about watching hours of tutorials. It’s about getting hands-on, testing your limits, and building your skills. And one of the best ways to build your skill set is by replicating the style of editors/creators you admire. Let’s dive into how to do it, step by step: 🚨 Forget theory for a second, get to the action 🚨 Step 1: Choose a Creator - Find a creator with an editing style you love. Choose someone whose style you want to be able to replicate. For example, Iman Gadzhi, MagnatesMedia, Alex Hormozi, Ali Abdaal, etc. (This is the only time I'll ever recommend copying styles is a good thing, b/c it is helpful to learn the technical skills behind these styles). Step 2: Analyze & Copy Their Script - If it's a short-form video, take their script, and write down every single word of the video. For longer content, take a 1-minute clip where their style is strongest. Write down exactly what they say. Step 3: Film Yourself - Yep, record yourself doing and saying exactly what they did. This gives you the footage you need to start replicating their edits. Step 4: Attempt to Edit - Before running to tutorials, try recreating the style yourself with the current knowledge you have. Focus on the timing of cuts, effects, animations, sound design—every single detail. As best as possible, try to recreate that clip you took exactly how it is in the actual video. This is where the real learning happens. You’ll notice what comes easy and what trips you up. Step 5: Review & Refine with Tutorials - Now that you have tried your best, dive into tutorials. Look up the creator's style, how to create effects, animations, and anything that you want to learn how to do better. Now you'll know exactly what you need to refine. Step 6: Redo It Better - With this new knowledge, start from scratch. Take what you learned from the tutorials, and create a cleaner, sharper, and hopefully more accurate version to the actual video.

When you’re juggling multiple cameras, hours of footage, and client feedback, it’s easy to lose track of the finer details. That’s where documentation steps in as a game-changer. Here’s why it’s worth the effort: 1. Organization Leads to Efficiency For a recent project, I managed nine camera angles over three days of shooting. By creating folders for each camera and organizing footage by day and location, I saved myself endless hours in the long run. A structured system = faster edits. 2. Structured Workflow Keeps You on Track Documenting my day-to-day workflow helped me maintain a clear vision of the project. I kept track of where each day’s footage was, the stage of each timeline, and what still needed refining. With a detailed, organized process, it’s easier to dive in and make the most of each editing session. 3. Clear Direction with Client Feedback Frequent feedback from the client helped refine the storyline. By documenting notes from calls and reviews, I kept the edit on track with the vision. This meant fewer revisions in the final cut phase, saving everyone time. 4. Reflection for Continuous Improvement Looking back on what worked (and what didn’t) helps you refine your process. I noticed that time management could have been better balanced between rough and final cuts— so I can carry forward into my next edit if you’re just starting, documenting your workflow isn’t just about organization. It’s about being intentional, learning from each project, and continually improving.