Many editors, including our own Nick LaClair, moved to Resolve after years of editing in other tools. We’ve previously examined what’s driving that shift and how Resolve compares with Premiere Pro.

Now, we’re excited to help you get started. This beginner-friendly tutorial will prepare any DaVinci Resolve newbie, whether you’re new to the software or video editing altogether.

In this episode on DaVinci Resolve, LaClair walks through the full video editing process:

• Get organized in the Media tab.
• Tell your story in the Edit tab
• Make it shine and export from Delivery. 

DaVinci Resolve is available for free, making it easy for anyone to edit videos. From footage to finish, grab your clips and follow along. 

Thank you to Redfitz Films for the footage used in this video.

10 Quick Tips for Beginners Editing in DaVinci Resolve

1. What Are The “Tabs” in DaVinci Resolve? 

DaVinci Resolve has seven primary tabs at the bottom of the screen. Left to right, they contain the entire post-production process of making a video.

• Media: Organize assets (footage, audio, graphics, etc.)
• Cut & Edit: Tell the story; add effects
• Fusion: Motion graphics
• Color: Color grading
• Fairlight: Audio and mixing
• Delivery: Export project

The Cut and Edit tabs in DaVinci Resolve are spaces for editing video.

The main difference is that the Cut tab is ideal for short projects (such as social media shorts) and rough assemblies, while the Edit tab is the traditional editing workspace that’s ideal for complex projects.

2. Avoid the “Media Offline” Problem 

A common DaVinci Resolve issue is the “Media Offline” problem. This error occurs when footage imported into Resolve is moved on your computer or external hard drive.

In other words, if the source location of your footage changes, the link in Resolve breaks. 

To prevent this error, determine the folder or drive where you will permanently store your footage before bringing it into DaVinci. 

To fix this issue, select one or more clips. Right-click the footage and hover over Clip Operations. Select Relink Selected Clips and find the footage’s new location. 

3. Sync Video and Audio with Ease

If you record audio separately from your video, DaVinci Resolve makes it quick and easy to sync the audio with the video. 

To do this, 

• Select (control on a PC or command on a Mac) the audio and video clips you want to sync. 
• Right-click and choose Auto Sync Audio, then Waveform. 

Resolve will listen to each track’s audio and use it to align the waveforms. Once done, the footage automatically plays with the synced audio, simplifying your editing process. 

4. Add Sound Effects with Resolve’s Built-in Library

In the upper-left section of the Edit tab are various primary menus: Media Pool, Effects, Index, and Sound Library. When you open the Sound Library for the first time, the software prompts you to download it. Once downloaded, you can search for countless sound effects and easily drag them into your videos.

Pro Tip: Search three asterisks—”***”— to see all effects available in the Sound Library.

5. Gain Speed with Keyboard Shortcuts

One of DaVinci Resolve’s strengths is the ability to use your keyboard almost entirely in the editing process. Like learning the piano notes in a song, it takes some practice to bring them together. But once you do, editing goes much quicker, and you rarely need to use your mouse. 

Additionally, if you’re switching from another software, like Premiere Pro, you can import your keyboard shortcuts and continue using them. For our tutorial, we’re using the default shortcuts. We also made a reference sheet (below) of all the shortcuts mentioned in the video above.

Basic Editing Keyboard Shortcuts

Use these to cut through your footage and find the parts you want. 

• J: Back; increase play speed with additional taps.
• K: Stop
• L: Forward; increase play speed with additional taps.
• Space bar: Play and pause. 
• I: Create In Point (begin a cut)
• O: Create Out Point (end a cut)
• F9: Insert cut footage into the timeline. 
• Q: Toggles between the source and timeline views.

6. Scrub All Footage with Source Tape Viewer

If your project is large, selecting each clip individually can be a pain. In that case, you can choose the source tape viewer. When selected, the source viewer displays all your video files in a single stream. Source Tape Viewer makes it easy to go through and find your in and out points, which can be especially helpful when sorting through b-roll clips repeatedly. 

7. Automate Video Parameters with Keyframes

Keyframes allow you to change a parameter over time. Want a slow punch in? Keyframe. Dramatic zoom? Keyframe. Motion graphics? You get the idea: there are keyframes for every parameter imaginable. 

Let’s walk through the basics of using keyframes. 

• Select the clip you want to edit. This opens the Inspector in the upper-right corner. 
• Place your playhead where you want the parameter change to start. 
• In the Inspector, locate the keyframes. They are the column of diamonds. 
• Click on the keyframe diamond next to the parameter change you’re making, such as the zoom effect. This action adds a keyframe at the playhead for that parameter. 
• Next, move your playhead to the place where you want the parameter change to occur. Add another keyframe by clicking the diamond again. Changing the parameters will also automatically create another keyframe. 

Watch the video for more tips on keyframing in DaVinci Resolve.

8. Mass Apply A Change Across Multiple Clips

Let’s say you change the volume of one clip and want all or multiple other clips to also apply the same change. Here’s how.

• Select the clip you changed.
• Copy it with Ctrl + C (PC) or Command + C (Mac).
• Select all the clips you want to mimic that change and hit Alt + V (PC) or Option + V (Mac).  
• A paste menu will pop up, allowing you to choose which parameters to apply across the clips. Select the parameters you wish to change.

Other attributes you can copy and paste include zoom, crop, equalizer, and many more. 

9. Normalize Audio Levels Across Clips

DaVinci Resolve makes it easy to normalize audio levels, allowing you to even out clips with varying high and low volumes.

To do this, 

• Select all clips in the Timeline, right-click, and choose Normalize Audio Levels. 
• Choose your Normalization Mode. For most people, the differences don’t matter. 
• Choose Independent, which normalizes each clip individually to create a consistent volume range throughout the video.  

10. Auto Color Correct Your Video

In later episodes of our DaVinci Resolve for Beginners, we’ll cover color grading in depth. But here’s a quick beginner hack, and you don’t need to know anything about color grading to use it.

• From the Color tab, select a clip and hit the little “A” to auto color correct. 
• Select all the other clips to apply the same color correction. 
• Then right-click and select Apply Grade.

11. Quick Export Projects in the Edit Tab

Quick Export lets you export your project without going through the delivery tab. Find the option within the upper right corner of the Edit tab. 

The pop-up window lets you quickly choose your render settings (H.264 Master is a good place to start, but there are many presets as well), add a filename, and export to your computer or hard drive. 

You’re Ready to Edit In DaVinci Resolve

Whew. That was a lot to cover! But now you’ve walked through the core process of editing in DaVinci Resolve, from organizing media to exporting the final product. As you keep practicing, these steps will become second nature.

If you have questions, tips of your own, or want to see specific topics covered in future tutorials, we’d love to hear from you. See you next time! 

The post DaVinci Resolve for Beginners: Simple Video Editing Tutorial appeared first on SproutVideo.

In 2025, we launched the Business Video Playbook, asking professionals across industries how they drive real business results with video. We explored emerging AI tools for workflow efficiency, compared leading video editing platforms, and published practical guides on secure video sharing, player customization, video in email, and more.

From that work, we’ve pulled ten practical ways businesses are using video heading into 2026, based on the articles our audience found most valuable.

Here are the ten most popular SproutVideo blog posts of 2025.

10 Ways to Use Video, Based On Your Favorite Articles of 2025

10. Create High-Converting Videos for Landing Pages

Videos on landing pages enhance conversion rates when they guide decisions and educate potential customers. In this way, video landing pages help strategically reinforce value, build trust, and prompt conversion. 

Based on expert insights, effective landing-page videos often:

• Trigger the CTA early (first 15 seconds) to drive an average 18% lift in conversions
• Hook viewers with product benefits and unique selling points to increase watch time
• Remove doubt with social proof, including client logos and customer testimonials

From full-screen background videos to customer testimonials, see high-performing video examples in action and explore more tips in the guide.

9. Write Your Brand Narrative with Video Marketing

When perception matters as much as the product, video can be a powerful way to shape a brand’s narrative.

Kalene Griffith, CEO of Visit Bentonville, and her team used online video to reframe Bentonville, Arkansas, from a small corporate town into a destination that fuels the local economy.

Through cinematic visuals and authentic local voices, Griffith’s experience demonstrates how people-first storytelling shifts perception and creates lasting impact.

Watch the Interview: How Destination Storytelling Drives Local Tourism Economies

8. Create A Seamless, Custom Video Experience

Want more control over how viewers experience your content? Video player customization goes far beyond appearance.

Custom Video Player Example

Rather than treating the player as a passive container, you can decide how viewers interact and direct their attention to additional resources or links during and after playback.

• Collect viewer contact information with a lead capture screen.
• Add quizzes or links to relevant resources through custom end screens.
• Remove specific playback controls, such as full-screen or scrubbing.

A customizable video player enables you to create a viewing experience that aligns with your business goals, whether that’s lead generation, learning outcomes, or brand consistency.

Read Now: 11 Ways To Boost Branding & Conversions

7. Increase Video Discoverability Across Search Engines

The landscape of video discoverability has shifted with the introduction of AI search. One practical way to adapt is by adding video schema: a form of metadata that helps search engines and AI systems understand what a video contains and when to surface the content. 

For example, when adding video to a landing page, you can include schema that’s invisible to visitors, such as the video title, thumbnail image source, and transcript. This schema markup enables search engines to more easily locate, reference, and surface the content across both traditional and AI-driven search results.

Learn How: Enhance Video Visibility with Structured Data

6. Share Videos Publicly & Keep Them Protected

Public video doesn’t have to mean unprotected video.

Many platforms recommend sharing videos via direct links for convenience, but this approach leaves content vulnerable to downloading and redistribution. Instead, we recommend using embed codes to keep videos publicly viewable on your website, while retaining control over how and where someone accesses your videos.

Embed codes also make it easier to customize the player (such as play button colors) and update videos without manually replacing them across pages.

Read Now: How to Embed Videos on Your Website Without Risking Downloads

5. Improve Click-Through with Video in Email

Adding video to email has the potential to significantly increase click-through rates. But embedding video files is one of the fastest ways to break the email experience across clients. Instead, you can include a video thumbnail with a play button to entice clicks.

When a reader presses play, a webpage opens with the embedded video. This workflow offers the best of both worlds, delivering the value of video while preserving email performance and the viewing experience.

Read the Guide: 3 Ways To Add Video to Email Campaigns

4. Build Profitable Connections with Authentic Videos

Businesses commonly use video (91% in 2025!) to build trust and nurture long-term relationships. With 30 years of experience in real estate, Joe Siciliano knows firsthand how human-centered video can transform cold prospects into repeat clients. His approach focuses on consistently showing up, communicating sincerely, and compounding trust over time.

Grab the Free Downloadable Episode Overview for Actionable Tips

The first interview in our Business Video Playbook series, this episode is packed with practical guidance you can apply immediately. With a focus on sustainable, relationship-driven strategies, Joe shares what makes authenticity effective and profitable.

Watch Now: How to Connect with Video from A 30-Year Real Estate Veteran

3. Expand Content Distribution with AI Video Tools

We’ve found that AI video tools (so far) are most effective when applied selectively within an existing workflow. Rather than relying on one-click prompt-to-video generators, you can apply AI across individual steps (such as graphics, music, and voiceover) to maintain quality while increasing speed.

This approach enabled us to convert blog content into an AI-generated video in under two hours. For higher-impact pieces that require additional time and polish, such as our gift guide video, this AI-enhanced video workflow takes one to two days, compared to about a week prior.

Learn How: 5 Steps from Blog to Video in Under 2 Hours

2. Choose the Best Video Software for Your Workflow

The right video software for your workflow should depend on how your team actually works.

For example, while both DaVinci Resolve and Adobe Premiere Pro are industry standards, they are designed for different production models. Premiere Pro supports traditional workflows, where various professionals often handle editing, color grading, and finishing. DaVinci Resolve, by contrast, is built around a more integrated approach, making it easier to move between every stage of post-production within a single tool.

Even with decades of experience in Premiere, our Creative Director, Nick LaClair, switched to Resolve last year while producing this series. Furthermore, his breakdown of the tradeoffs became our most-watched YouTube video of 2025.

Watch Now: Premiere Pro vs. DaVinci Resolve: Should You Switch?

1. Craft Engaging Videos for Modern Learners

When you design videos around how people actually learn, it can drive real, measurable outcomes.

For Ethan Anderson, Director of Product Management at NOLA Education’s Star Academy, success is measured by students who graduate. His research-backed approach to video learning helps learners advance quickly and confidently, resulting in a 92% video success rate.

Our most popular Business Video Playbook episode of the year, Anderson helps you understand your learners and design video experiences that support progress, rather than merely completion.

Watch Now: Video-Based Learning: A Playbook for Student Success

What Will Video Do for Your Business in 2026?

These ten articles reflect what resonated most with readers in 2025. Each highlights a practical way businesses are using video today, informed by how we build, test, and use video at SproutVideo. We’re excited to continue learning alongside you in 2026!

The post Top 10 SproutVideo Articles of 2025 appeared first on SproutVideo.

The old publishing model is slow, reactive, and difficult to measure. With L&D and communications teams stretched thin, business demands often force speed to take precedence over strategy. In turn, video completion rates define success rather than actual business outcomes.

With the introduction of AI, many companies are asking the question: 

Can AI videos reshape corporate training and enablement at scale, without subjecting viewers to ‘AI slop’?

In this episode of the Business Video Playbook, we sat down with Kevin Alster, Strategic Advisor for Synthesia, who helps L&D and communication teams close the gap between what’s possible with AI and real-world workflows.

Watch now to see how AI video is modernizing corporate training and communications, plus gain an effective framework for getting started.

How AI Video Is Transforming Corporate Training and Communications

AI videos for corporate L&D and communications teams promise cost and workload reduction. A straightforward example is the ability to translate existing text-based documents and training materials into dynamic, video-based content. 

However, Kevin Alster argues that AI’s role extends beyond resource efficiency. He believes AI is shaping a new future of business training and communications that prioritizes behavioral change and actual business impact. 

Of course, L&D and internal comms professionals want scalable, high-quality content with fewer production barriers. But does the vision of AI meet reality? 

Alster says it can, 

“An average day of shooting can cost $25K–$50K. I saw AI video cut down on the worst parts of production. You can get a first draft or prototype more quickly. If you need edits, you don’t go back to the linear, expensive process of reshooting and re-editing; you change the script like a document, hit publish, and the new version instantly replaces the old one.”

— Kevin Alster, Strategic Advisor at Synthesia

Companies embracing AI are also finding more ways to streamline production, such as:

• Course localization: Tailor content more easily to specific subjects, audiences, languages, or cultures, which is essential for global companies.
• Content Relevance: Content is easily updated to match new announcements and product releases, reducing the support burden and meeting user information needs.

Therefore, AI video for corporate training and communications can provide incremental business benefits that would otherwise require additional solutions. 

Interactive and Personalized: The Future of AI Video for Training & Communications

Beyond production efficiency, AI is transforming how people learn.

Alster argues that it’s time to move past this old-school view of absorbing information that relies on the traditional classroom model. AI fuels the shift from passive learning to interactive, personalized, and context-driven experiences designed to change behavior. 

“We have a very antiquated view of how information gets into the brain. With the traditional classroom model, there is an expert at the front and a student at a desk listening to the expert. LLMs are changing the way people interact with information. Information takes a different form depending on the input.” 

— Kevin Alster, Strategic Advisor at Synthesia

AI also enables learning in the flow of work (“just-in-time” learning), where content meets the person’s need at the moment they’re solving a problem.

Video has traditionally been a one-way medium. But Alster argues that generative AI is changing this by making video interactive through branching scenarios that give viewers choices and links to supporting resources for deeper learning, all without disrupting their flow.

This personalized learning experience comes to life through:

• Real-Time Feedback and Role-Play: AI avatars simulate scenarios and give instant, objective feedback for faster growth.
• Instant Content Curation: Employees receive precise answers and resources on the spot, eliminating the need to dig through an LMS.
• Gen AI Tutors: Integrate with enterprise talent management systems to assess learning needs and deliver customized training plans.
• Adaptive Learning Paths: AI adjusts onboarding and upskilling in real time based on performance and experience.

Alster posits that as AI video continues to advance, corporate learning becomes less about delivering information and more about enabling behavioral change at scale.

3 Best Practices: Using AI Videos for Corporate L&D and Comms

With a less intensive production process, AI videos offer more than just speed and scalability. Ensure your AI videos are effective training tools with these best practices.

1. Evaluate Behavioral Change, Not Completion Rates

Technological skills are rapidly evolving: “39% of workers’ skill sets will be disrupted within five years,” according to the World Economic Forum. To fill these gaps, companies need a fundamental shift in how knowledge is consumed and applied. 

Instead of emphasizing completion rates, Alster suggests evaluating behavioral change:

“Learning isn’t the point. The point is changing someone’s behavior. You might learn something as a result of that. Learning is the product of trying to figure out how to tackle a particular challenge. But in the end, we are looking for a change in behavior.”

— Kevin Alster, Strategic Advisor at Synthesia

Watch Alster share more in this short video.

2. Avoid “AI Slop” with Quality Over Quantity

Alster emphasises purpose over output for L&D teams. Despite the ease of production in the age of AI, quality remains foundational over quantity.

“An overabundance of low-quality content makes it nearly impossible for users to find what’s actually helpful, creating unnecessary friction and eroding trust. The winning strategy is to focus on quality, thoughtful storytelling, and purpose to stand out from the inevitable wave of low-effort, low-value AI-generations.”

— Kevin Alster, Strategic Advisor at Synthesia

Watch Alster share more in this short video.

3. Connect Sales Growth to Customer Education

Historically, the impact of customer education is challenging to quantify. By integrating AI into a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, companies can measure the correlation between customer education initiatives and business outcomes. 

“Customer education becomes a growth driver when you can connect the cost of content to the customer lifecycle.”

— Kevin Alster, Strategic Advisor at Synthesia

One way to make this connection is by linking customer actions (such as a lead watching a how-to video) to the actual customer journey and business outcomes (the company receives fewer support requests while sales continue to expand). 

Watch Alster share more in this short video.

How to Start Using AI Video in L&D: The Three E’s Framework

To help L&D teams get started without being overwhelmed, Alster offers a three-part framework for adopting AI video:

1. Engagement: Create an AI teaser video for your course. Focus on the pitch and what the person will gain from it. Focus on bite-sized videos that deliver information.
2. Experiences: Bring stories to life with AI. Consider how you can use video to model situations, such as two avatars role-playing a difficult employee-manager conversation. 
3. Enablement: Show how something is done step-by-step. A short video might replace screenshots in a knowledge base article, allowing the viewer to follow along. 

Watch Alster share more in this short video.

In short, start with simplicity and gradually build complexity into your AI video workflow. As you determine the workflow that fits your business needs, AI offers an opportunity for L&D to be more strategic.

Are AI Videos The Future of Workplace Learning?

Alster’s vision of AI videos for L&D training enables professionals to step away from the manual production grind and focus on what matters: powerful stories, organizational change, and measuring the impact of training on real business objectives. 

Is your business turning to AI videos for corporate training? If so, what tools and workflows have proven most effective? If not, why and what hesitations remain? 

We’re continuously exploring the evolving world of artificial intelligence; check out related content for more information and watch the full episode with Kevin Alster of Synthesia. 

• AI Content Repurposing: 5 Steps from Blog to Video in Under 2 Hours
• 10 Best AI Tools for Video Editing & Production
• The Complete Guide to Building a Corporate Communications Strategy

The post How AI Video is Transforming L&D, Corporate Comms, and Enablement appeared first on SproutVideo.

It’s a compelling promise: thought leadership already drives value, and adding video can provide even greater engagement and organic traffic.

Furthermore, traditional video production is notoriously resource-heavy, so the risk-benefit of using AI comes down to one key question:

Can AI streamline video production and deliver content worth sharing—or churn out AI slop that could undermine your brand?

Step into the lab with us!

Here’s what worked, what flopped, and the final result (with cost). Plus, create your own video in under two hours with our AI content repurposing workflow. 

Testing “One-Click” AI Video Tools

We researched and chose a handful of the most popular AI content repurposing tools for creating thought leadership videos.

Then, we tested each AI video tool with the same prompt: “Make a 90-second video summary of the following blog post,” and shared the URL. 

Invideo Example; Cost: $30

Each tool provides a different level of customization, such as aspect ratio, tone of the script (casual vs professional), audience type, AI voiceover, and b-roll theme. 

Here’s what we discovered:

• Pictory: Quickly assembled videos using stock footage, but the results felt generic and lacked engagement. Branding options were a plus.
• Synthesia: Created presentation-style videos and offered AI avatars, which worked better for thought leadership content. Synthesia is known for its avatars, so there are significant options for including a talking head. Branding options were also a plus.
• Veed and Adori: Leaned on generative AI for visuals instead of stock. Unfortunately, outputs often included glaring AI artifacts like nonsensical text and awkward motion.
• Invideo: Known more for commercials and AI-generated UGC. (You can also “hire” a virtual actor, but that’s beyond the scope of our simple AI workflow.) Stock footage looked out of place, while generative visuals were costly and unusable.
• NotebookLM: Surprisingly strong slide deck results; the best job creating informative visuals. However, the lack of customization means every output looks the same, and the video runs too long.

Keep in mind: these tools serve different audiences. Synthesia is tailored to internal communications, training, and sales enablement, while InVideo focuses on marketing teams and creators looking to produce promotional or social content. 

For our use case, none of these tools delivered something we’d feel confident publishing externally.

That being said, many of these tools include additional pricing tiers and features. Our use case required direct control over the final product, whereas most are built for automation. Results may vary, and we’ll continue to share our findings as we explore these emerging AI tools.

How to Turn Blog Posts into Videos with AI in 5 Easy Steps

With one-click solutions in the rearview mirror, we pivoted to a workflow that uses AI tools at each step of video production while still leaving room for human oversight.

The result? A polished video made in just under two hours. Here’s how we did it. 

1. Use ChatGPT for the Script (<35 minutes)

We fed the blog URL into ChatGPT and asked it to create a 90-second video summary script. After a quick edit pass, we had a workable draft. The key here is speed: instead of staring at a blank page, we had a foundation in minutes.

Learn More: 3 Best AI Script Writers for Making High-Quality Videos

2. Build Slides in Gamma (20 minutes)

Next, we used Gamma, an AI tool designed for presentation decks. After setting up our brand guidelines, we pasted the script card by card to control what appeared on each slide. This workflow kept the visuals aligned with the narration. 

Then our graphic designer did a quick pass on that output to make it really sing. This additional pass is optional; however, it elevated the overall video.

3. Generate a Voiceover with ElevenLabs (10 minutes)

One of ElevenLabs’ most impressive features is the ability to clone a person’s voice. We used 60 minutes of existing recording to do just this. The result was a natural-sounding voiceover (very similar to the source) without stepping into a recording booth.

Creating your voice clone will require additional time, but thereafter, generating your sound-alike voiceover takes less than ten minutes. 

4. Add Music with Suno (5 minutes)

Background music is essential for video engagement. In just a few minutes, we generated a custom track in Suno. Stock libraries offer similarly efficient options.

5. Assemble in DaVinci Resolve (20 minutes)

Finally, we edited these elements together using DaVinci Resolve.

The edit was straightforward, since AI did most of the heavy lifting. Therefore, basic editing skills are sufficient.

What We Made

Here’s the result: a short​​ video summarizing the blog, matching our branding, and delivering a professional polish.

Overall, this video took about two hours to create, with quick editing from our in-house copywriter and graphic designer. Without this additional work, it would take an hour.

What It Costs to Make

• ChatGPT: Free 
• Gamma: $8 per month for each team member
• ElevenLabs: $11 per month 
• Suno: $6 per month
• DaVinci Resolve: Free 

Cost of AI Video Generation: $25 (per month)

With that $25 a month investment, we can repurpose an endless amount of content into brand-worthy videos by strategically using AI tools at every step of production. 

What do you think? Do AI tools live up to the hype? Would you share a video using this five-step process in your business?

Key Takeaways: Repurposing Blog Content into Video with AI

Returning to our original questions: can AI create brand-worthy content? Is an AI workflow more efficient when producing short-form videos from blog content?

The short answer is yes! 

• One-click AI tools (for our use case) aren’t there yet. Simple AI wrappers are fast, but they didn’t repurpose content into videos we feel confident publishing.
• AI accelerates the right parts of the workflow. Tools like ChatGPT, Gamma, ElevenLabs, and Suno cut down on writing, design, and audio production time, while still leaving room for human control.
• The process is flexible. Want to swap in different tools? Go for it. The workflow is modular; you can easily adjust it based on your team’s preferences.
• The results feel professional. With light human editing, the output looks like content a team created, not a robot.  

A video production that would have taken days or up to a week of collaboration and coordination was produced in under two hours while maintaining brand standards. 

This AI-optimized workflow is just the beginning. With new tools and features rolling out constantly, we expect this workflow to evolve quickly.

For now, it’s an efficient, scalable way to add video to your content strategy while boosting the reach of your thought leadership.

The post AI Content Repurposing: 5 Steps from Blog to Video in Under 2 Hours appeared first on SproutVideo.

In a past episode of The Business Video Playbook, we featured Alex Hoff of CoverStory. A former reality TV producer, Hoff shared a winning formula for customer story videos. We followed his formula step-by-step; here’s how!

If your customer story video doesn’t hook viewers in 10 seconds, it probably won’t at all.

Drawing from binge-worthy shows that use documentary-style filmmaking, Alex Hoff of CoverStory crafts testimonial videos that ditch scripted talking points and generic benefits for emotional tension and character-led storytelling.

The result? A customer story video that holds attention and drives action.

Here’s how we used Hoff’s formula. Apply this framework to your next customer story or testimonial video and watch it transform viewer engagement.

The Results: Customer Story Video Examples

“If it feels like a press release, you’ve lost them.”

— Alex Hoff, CoverStory

Example 1: The Founder’s Story — CoverStory

During our interview, Alex Hoff shared CoverStory’s formula for testimonial videos. A longtime SproutVideo customer, he also shared his “before” story and why he chose SproutVideo over other video hosting platforms. Our Creative team turned his responses into an engaging one-minute testimonial video.

Example 2: The Production Partner — VMG Cinematic

Years ago, Creative Director Nick LaClair visited Ontario to capture a customer story video from VMG Cinematic, a high-end production company that chooses SproutVideo. Inspired by the CoverStory formula, LaClair dug into old footage and crafted a new 1-minute cut. 

New 1-Minute Testimonial Example

Original 2-Minute Testimonial Example

How to Create Compelling Customer Story Videos 

Step One: Prep

As if preparing for an exam or presentation, familiarize yourself with your customer or main users and their industry. Map out their use case and consider why they might need your product or service. 

• What features do they use most? 
• Have they already left a positive review? 
• What challenges are they addressing by way of using your product or service? 

Step Two: Draft Interview Questions

The most powerful testimonials sound like conversations, not commercials. Interview with open-ended prompts like: 

• “Take me back to the moment you realized you needed help.”
• “What would have happened if you didn’t find our product?” 

The questions should capture details about the individual, their business, and why they chose your company. Design the questions to elicit more than simple yes or no answers. 

“Don’t aim for a soundbite. Aim for a story arc.”

— Alex Hoff, CoverStory

10 Example Questions for Customer Interviews

Tailor your questions to your customer’s day-to-day and the connection to your product or offering. Here’s what we asked Alex Hoff about his background and his path to using SproutVideo: 

1. Can you think back to the first time you uploaded a video? What was your motivation, and what were the outcomes? 
2. What led you to start a business built around video testimonials and storytelling? 
3. What gap did you see in how companies used video to connect with customers? 
4. Do you have any tips for sales or marketing teams trying to capture customer stories themselves?
5. Can you walk us through your workflow—from prepping for a testimonial shoot to final delivery?
6. How have your needs for video hosting evolved, and what did you use before finding your way to SproutVideo?
7. Why did you choose SproutVideo? What boxes does it check?
8. If you were to coach someone comparison shopping for a video host, what would you encourage them to consider? 
9. What are three SproutVideo features you love and why? 
10. What role does SproutVideo play in giving your videos a ‘branded but lean’ delivery system?

Step Three: Tools to Capture the Interview

Capturing customer testimonial videos in person is ideal yet often expensive and logistically challenging. We’ve had luck thus far using Zencastr to capture and record the interviews. When the interview is captured locally on your computer, it’s relatively easy for both parties to join. Local recording also ensures pristine video quality even if your internet connection fluctuates. 

The rules of good lighting and sound still apply. To ensure a smooth process, we provide interviewees with a tip sheet before the interview.

Additionally, we test for audio quality, lighting, and composition before every interview. 

Our Remote Recording Toolkit

Here are the tools we use to capture high-quality remote video. On-camera employees have a home recording kit that includes: 

• Mac laptop
• Sony A7 camera and tripod
• Ring lights (1-2)
• Hollyland wireless lav mic kit 
• U-TAP USB 3.0 (3.2 Gen 1) Powered HDMI Capture Device by AJA (sends camera feed into your computer as a webcam)

You don’t need much equipment to get the job done right. 

Step Four: Conduct the Interview 

The best insights come from an informal conversation that feels like friends getting coffee. A documentary-style interview approach starts with the camera rolling, a relaxed conversation, and open-ended questions for reference. 

The interviewer listens and guides the conversation, using open-ended questions to help the subject expand on thoughts. Employ active listening to reveal unexpected divergences in the topic and keep notes for follow-up questions.  

Another important consideration is to think like an editor. Did the subject share a partial answer that would be gold if completed? Feel free to ask the subject to expand on a thought or repeat answers in full sentences. This ensures you’ll have a strong soundbite when editing the full interview. 

Example of Asking Follow-Up Questions During A Customer Interview

Step Five: Edit Interview

We edited the two customer testimonial video examples using Blackmagic Davinci Resolve and followed the CoverStory editing formula, which includes: 

• Emotional Hook: Start with emotion or urgency. Viewers decide in less than 10 seconds if they’ll stick around. Make them feel something.
• Introduction: Introduce us to the person and the context of their experience.
• Story & Product: Contrast “before” and “after.” Show what changed and how. The “before” tension gives meaning to the “after.”
• Final Zinger: End with a quote or insight that sticks. The ending should be as powerful as the beginning. 

We shared the first draft versions with Alex for his feedback. Here’s what he said: 

“I love it! You guys did an awesome job! You nailed all the hooks and formats. The only little thing I would say is that it starts with a graphic. If possible, I’d start with the soundbite on screen as it’s more attention-grabbing.”

— Alex Hoff, CoverStory

Step Six: Distribution and Repurposing Your Customer Story Video 

We built a video distribution plan to launch alongside this blog post:

• Publish video to SproutVideo Video Library
• Share the testimonial within this blog post
• Promote the video to email subscribers
• Share video shorts (15-30 seconds) across social media
• Share text-based carousel posts on social media

Additionally, here are a few ways we plan to repurpose the content:

• Create behind-the-scenes content or highlight blooper moments
• Upload and save the raw interview for future content
• Share the transcript with the Product team for valuable feedback and with the Marketing team for use cases, quotes, blog posts, success stories, and other promotional material.
• Embed the testimonial video on relevant pages of our website 
• Integrate the video into our free trial onboarding email sequence 

With this approach, each customer testimonial video becomes a gold mine of branded content.  

Final Thoughts:

Most customer story videos fall flat because they haven’t evolved with our attention spans. The CoverStory approach combines a modern understanding of video engagement with timeless storytelling techniques. 

Customer testimonial videos are tremendous gifts: real people sharing real stories about your product provide insights you might otherwise never discover.

When done right, testimonial videos become powerful multipurpose assets your business can use to build trust and drive sales. 

The post How’d We Do That: From Proven Formula to Compelling Customer Story Video appeared first on SproutVideo.

In Episode 4 of The Business Video Playbook, I had a great conversation with Alex Hoff of CoverStory, a former reality TV producer who challenges the conventional approach to customer videos. His take? The best testimonials don’t start with a script: they start at 4 a.m., in a moment of crisis, overwhelming frustration, or job-threatening disaster. 

That may sound extreme, but we learn there’s always a story behind Alex Hoff’s unique approach to capturing emotional hooks. It generally happens “before” someone chooses a product or service.  

To discover Hoff’s template for testimonial videos with an emotional draw, watch our interview now:

The Benefits & Hurdles of Customer Testimonial Videos

As a veteran marketer who values close collaboration with sales, I see great customer testimonials as critical proof points to demonstrating that real users find value in your product or service. Sales is tough, and any edge that helps shorten the cycle is worth pursuing.

When done well, customer testimonials: 

• Reduce perceived risk by showcasing validation from happy customers
• Build emotional connections through relatable stories
• Highlight use cases and benefits customers gain from using your product or service

Yet even when customers are enthusiastic advocates, capturing a compelling testimonial is tough. For example, identifying happy customers is easy, but their busy schedules can be difficult. Other common hurdles include: 

• Legal or PR restrictions on who can speak publicly
• Discomfort or lack of confidence on camera
• Difficulty expressing measurable ROI
• Scripted content that feels stiff, inauthentic, and forgettable

Where Most Customer Testimonials Fall Short

Most business testimonials miss the mark because they:

• Rely on the same tired formula: problem, solution, outcome
• Run too long for today’s short attention spans
• Aren’t fully integrated into the sales process or the buyer’s journey
• Neglect what modern buyers crave: real, specific stories that inspire confidence in their investment

Watch Hoff Explain What to Do Instead

Template for Testimonial Videos—From A Former Reality TV Producer

Sales teams want to show evidence of existing customer return on investment. However, ROI doesn’t always resonate without context. Instead of leading a customer interview with talking points, Hoff suggests taking a documentary-style approach. These open, relaxed conversations help customers be themselves and share what really matters: the challenges that kept them up at night, the turning point that sparked change, and the transformation they experienced after adopting your solution.

“Find a moment, a story, that shows the full arc of somebody’s discovery, usage, or success with a product. A lot of businesses just want to focus on the results. But you need to know that ‘before’ part in order to make the testimonial relevant and important to your viewers. ”

— Alex Hoff, Co-Founder of CoverStory

Jump to the formula: watch the short video here.

The post You’re Doing Customer Testimonial Videos Wrong. Here’s How to Do Them Right. appeared first on SproutVideo.

These outcomes are routine for Ethan Anderson, Director of Product Management for NOLA Education’s Star Academy. In this short interview, he explains how Star Academy leverages research, video, and multimodal learning to increase engagement and drive academic and social success. 

His insights are invaluable for developing video-based learning, professional training videos, and thought leadership content. By watching this interview, you’ll learn how to: 

• Use AI for creating training videos 
• Optimize video length for retention
• Incorporate video into multimodal learning
• Leverage research to achieve a 95% video success rate
• Save hours by using video for rapid prototyping & feedback 

How Star Academy Leverages Video-Based Learning For Student Success

Star Academy’s top priority is engaging at-risk students. Anderson’s role is to design solutions that drive real academic gains. Star Academy’s winning formula rests on research‑backed, highly engaging videos that help learners advance quickly and confidently.

What Makes The Star Academy Education Program Unique?

Star Academy students participate in a project-based curriculum supported by dedicated lab space for collaborative projects. In practice, classes are delivered in multiple formats, combining instructor-led sessions, desk-based applied experiments, and blended learning videos that connect screen-based interaction with real-world applications. 

At their desks, students engage with STEM toys, tools, and experiments—like rocket ships and volcanoes—while high-quality, cinematic videos enhance the digital learning experience. This structured alternation between screen time and kinesthetic activity deepens engagement and comprehension.

“Our program transforms learning from a passive, screen-only experience into a hands-on, immersive one. This powerful combo boosts engagement so much that students are excited to return to school.” 

Ethan Anderson, Star Academy

Six Principles for Engaging Video-Based Learning

Know Your Learner First 

Gaining market insights doesn’t need to be complicated, says Anderson. He encourages video creators and product managers to observe how end users interact with the product. 

“Go out and talk to the users and observe their how they use your product. You’d be surprised at how many people do not do that. If a 1,000-user research session brings you to 100%, you can get to 70% by talking to just five people.” 

Ethan Anderson, Star Academy

In the interview, Anderson shares examples of questions to ask and what to observe when learning how an audience engages with your video or product. For example, here are some prompts: 

Ask: 

• What type of videos do you generally watch? 
• What did you think of this video or product? 
• What did you like about the video or product? 
• What did you not like?

Observe: 

• Who are they? 
• How long do they watch the videos? 
• What do they do when not watching the video or using this product?
• What do they generally expect to see from similar videos or products? 
• What patterns are they comfortable with on the screen (e.g., colors, contrast, speed, and edit cadence)?  

This type of qualitative market research looks through the lens of the person who will watch that video.

We’ve seen this push for customer understanding from our interview with Autumn Manning at Faana. She stressed the importance of knowing customers—their needs, challenges, desires, and what it means to succeed. Without that knowledge, she argues, a go-to-market initiative will fail. See her video here.

“Before you start producing videos that somebody will consume, you must understand your user.” 

Ethan Anderson, Star Academy

Leverage Story & Motion

Good storytelling leads to more engaging learning experiences—it’s also a key element in Anderson’s four-part formula for creating great training videos:

• Ensure every frame of the video is intentional. 
• Open with a clear hook, using scenarios or characters to illustrate concepts. 
• Follow a miniature narrative arc (e.g., problem → exploration → solution) and wrap up before engagement wanes. 
• Embed quizzes, polls, and other interactive elements to further engage learners and check understanding.

“When you pair video engagement data with real learner outcomes—like quizzes, performance, and follow-ups—you don’t just guess what works. You know what drives lasting impact.” 

Ethan Anderson, Star Academy

Other important considerations for highly engaging video content include establishing a clear visual hierarchy and clarity with high contrast, clear on-screen titles, and consistent branding. Moreover, the editing cadence must provide balance without too many rapid cuts or long static shots.

Keep Videos Short, Cinematic, & Consistent

Research suggests excessive social media use is associated with shorter attention spans, which helps explain why learners often struggle to maintain focus when engaging with instructional content.

Moreover, in Anderson’s experience, many of today’s students aren’t interested in traditional 10-minute or even 3-minute “micro-learning” videos. They respond best to ultra-short content, about 15-30 seconds long. 

“Aligning educational video with student needs has evolved due to how people consume media today. While ten‑minute micro‑lessons once felt revolutionary, today’s learners—especially the TikTok generation—respond best to concise “knowledge snacks.” 

Ethan Anderson, Star Academy

Use Video Analytics for Better Engagement & Learning Outcomes

Quantitative video analytics cannot fully uncover how viewers engage with training videos. Anderson shares helpful tips for evaluating engagement with multiple types of data. He also discusses leading and lagging signals in content design and the difference between quantitative and qualitative data in measuring effectiveness. 

“You may not know what resonates with those watchers. The default place to look is my [analytics] dashboard. We make many potentially impactful decisions about our business based on that dashboard. But you can also do qualitative independent research after it’s been published, like follow-up surveys. If we properly structure our user testing, I can almost guarantee a successful product with 95% certainty.” 

Ethan Anderson, Star Academy

When combined with thoughtful user testing and qualitative follow-up, video analytics become a powerful tool—not just for tracking engagement, but for predicting the success of your content.

Think Like a Product Manager

Anderson’s experience in software development, multimedia production, user experience, and product management gives him a unique perspective on gaining stakeholder buy-in.

He treats video as a rapid prototyping tool. For example, before spending hours creating training videos, he builds low-fidelity “animatics” (i.e., stick figures with voice-over) to validate a storyline or video flow. He does the same to gain support for new educational applications using tools like After Effects and Figma, allowing him to create a clickable demonstration in hours, not months. 

This lean, feedback-driven approach accelerates alignment and saves time. 

“I like to view video development and performance like a product manager—using early prototype feedback to shape content before launch, and analytics and conversations to refine it after.” 

Ethan Anderson, Star Academy

Thoughtful Use of AI for Boosting Video Engagement

AI isn’t a magic wand. Instead, Anderson views AI as a thought partner, rather than an automated content creator. 

He suggests that AI’s real power lies in two areas:

Creative Collaboration (Beginning Phase) 

Use AI to help shape your ideas. Let it:

• Evaluate whether your story is worth telling.
• Help structure your story using proven frameworks like the hero’s journey.
• Offer feedback on character development and emotional impact.
• Serve as a second set of eyes to improve clarity and engagement.

Automation of Repetitive Tasks (End Phase)

Once your creative vision is clear, AI can massively increase efficiency by:

• Automating repetitive tasks like formatting, tagging, or captioning.
• Scaling production tasks that would otherwise take hours.

Anderson’s key takeaway: Use AI as a brainstorming partner up front and an automation engine at the end—this strategy can tenfold your workflow.

The Real Impact of Video-Based Learning

The transformative power of video is clear in Star Academy student outcomes. Anderson shares compelling stories of increased attendance and students making remarkable gains—some advancing from remedial classes to college acceptance.  

While it may sound ambitious, providing students with engaging video content opens doors to growth, critical thinking, social connection, and lasting success. 

Boost Video-Based Learning Outcomes

Watch the full interview to discover more concrete strategies that boost video-based learning outcomes, cut production time in half, and generate positive outcomes for learners. Don’t miss it—watch now.

The post Video-Based Learning Solutions: A Playbook for Student Success appeared first on SproutVideo.

Yet these days, both products are neck-and-neck in the race for the “We Do Everything” award, and it’s a pretty fantastic competition. But, when comparing Premiere Pro vs. DaVinci Resolve, which software is better than the other?

Welcome to part 2 of our video series comparing Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve as all-in-one solutions for video editing, effects, and post-production. In the last episode, we covered the history of editing software. Now, we’ll take a deeper look at Premiere Pro versus Davinci Resolve specifically. 

You’ll learn about the ins and outs of Premiere and DaVinci and get a look at the differences in their user interfaces, ease of use, and workflows. Dive into the pros and cons of each software and determine which solution is better for you.

DaVinci Resolve vs Premiere Pro: Which Is Better?

Interface (Premiere)

Interface (DaVinci)

Ingesting and Prep (Premiere)

Ingesting and Prep (DaVinci)

Editing (Premiere)

Editing (DaVinci)

Post Production: Effects and Graphics, Color Sound (Premiere)

Post Production: Effects and Graphics, Color Sound (DaVinci)

Review, Output, and Delivery (Premiere)

Review, Output, and Delivery (DaVinci)

How Experts Turn Video Views Into Profit

Tired of videos that feel like a rigged carnival game? Discover expert strategies for turning video into a growth engine across any industry.

Get Real Video Results—Just Press Play

How To Choose The Right Software For You

Adobe is a 200 billion dollar company whose software has long been the backbone of the creative community. But this broad community covers photography, graphic design, web design, motion graphics, video, audio, etc. 

Blackmagic is over 60 times smaller and laser-focused on video and audio, with products ranging from cameras to software to live production hardware. 

Premiere Pro is really good. For all our talk about DaVinci, we’re still editing in Premiere because it’s what we know. Our experience highlights one of the biggest pros of Premiere: lots of video editors are accustomed to using it.

If you aren’t convinced to try Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve yet, let’s conclude with some general pros and cons on the look and feel, overall functionality, and pricing. 

Look and Feel 

Premiere Pro feels old and crowded. It functions great. But in the race to do it all, Premiere added more and more furniture to the room, so to speak, without building out the footprint. Even after working in the software for a decade, that can get confusing. 

DaVinci, on the other hand, is clean, organized, and well-thought-out. It seems like the future of editing. But it also introduces a lot of UI that video editors aren’t familiar with—namely nodes for color grading, which can be a challenge for people who aren’t used to them. 

Overall Functionality

Premiere covers everything professional video editors need, but it leaves much to be desired in the quest for a complete all-in-one solution. The necessity of Adobe’s ecosystem means that while you can do everything with Adobe, there’s a lot more importing, exporting, and general switching between applications than feels intuitive for the solo filmmaker’s workflow. 

Resolve also covers everything professionals require, including many next-gen features, like its neural engine and fantastic turnkey tracking—even the renders and analyses for smoothing footage seem to run much quicker. While both software include collaboration features, DaVinci’s feels smarter—similar to Avid. But time will tell as we use them a bit more. 

Pricing

• Premiere: $22.99/month ($263.88/year).
• DaVinci: Free (95% of features) or a one-time $236 for Studio.

At the time of this recording, Premiere is $22.99 a month or $263.88 a year, which increases to $59.99 a month for access to the full range of Adobe apps. 

DaVinci, on the other hand, is free! The free version includes 95% of its functionality. You can gain the rest for a one-time $236 purchase of Resolve Studio, which includes all the bells and whistles (like output in resolutions above 4k, GPU acceleration, noise reduction, lens correction, and more). But for most people, the free version will knock their socks off. 

Is DaVinci Resolve Better Than Premiere Pro?

Premiere Pro will likely remain a standard video editing software, alongside Avid, for many projects because it’s what people know. Plus, it’s great for editors who are exactly that: editors who can hand their timelines off to post houses for the rest. 

Switching to DaVinci will be a huge learning curve, but I’m pretty certain it’s the future of video editing. I am still learning, but it’s also becoming my new go-to editing software.

— Nick LaClair, SproutVideo Creative Director

So, which is better? Perhaps that isn’t the right question. Instead, how about “which is better for most people?” And by that, we mean small solo video production.

We’re partial to DaVinci Resolve. But, with a free version that’s hard to beat, try it out yourself and see if DaVinci Resolve fits your workflow better than Premiere Pro.

Stay tuned for more DaVinci how-to content coming soon. In the next episode, we’ll cover how to use DaVinci Resolve. Subscribe to our blog for that and many other valuable tips and tricks. 

• The History of Video Editing Software—And Why DaVinci Resolve May Be The Future
• 10 Essential Planning Documents for Video Production
• Employee Training Videos: How L&D Experts Make Engaging Content

The post Premiere Pro vs. DaVinci Resolve: Should You Switch Software? appeared first on SproutVideo.

But have you ever used it for video editing? 

SproutVideo Creative Director Nick LaClair recently took a deep dive to explore whether DaVinci Resolve is a suitable alternative for video editing. But to answer this question, we need to examine the history of editing and how the industry standards have changed over time. 

Welcome to our new series on DaVinci Resolve versus Premiere Pro for editing. Today, we look at the history of non-linear editing (NLE) and how Premiere Pro has become the de facto standard for video professionals across various industries.

We also determine whether or not DaVinci Resolve, known for color grading, is a suitable all-in-one post-production alternative.

Let’s start by exploring the history of video editing software. 

A Modern History of Video Editing: The Last 20 Years

Historically, there are three key user groups for video editing software: 

• Professional industry video editors for TV, film, and high-end broadcasts.
• Commercial producers, filmmakers, and prosumers 
• Content creators, learning and development or marketing specialists, and entrepreneurs

In the 1990s and beyond, Avid Media Composer and Final Cut Pro were the reigning champions of video editing software. Avid Media Composer was the number one choice for professional video editors, while prosumers and independent filmmakers used Apple’s Final Cut Pro. 

Final Cut Pro quickly became a beloved workhorse in the creative video community. Adobe Premiere, introduced in 1991, struggled to gain market share. 

Final Cut Pro was more affordable than Avid Media Composer. Still, Avid remained unrivaled for industry video editors due to one fatal flaw with Final Cut Pro: the 32-bit program started to fall apart when project files approached 100 MB. 

The creative community, especially documentarians, waited for Apple to release a more robust 64-bit version that would use Apple’s multi-core Mac Pro. 

Resolve for Beginners: Editing in DaVinci Resolve (Simple Video Tutorial)

Apple’s Final Cut Mistake Becomes Adobe Premiere Pro’s Opportunity

Finally, in 2011, Apple released Final Cut X, which reinvented the software in a way no one was asking for. It was a 64-bit native macOS app with background rendering, but it removed traditional sequences and timeline tracks (the backbone of editing software). 

With the wide adoption of iPhone, YouTube, and content democratization, Apple wanted to broaden the appeal of Final Cut Pro beyond the professional video editor market.

However, the massive change in UI required editors to suddenly do their jobs in a completely different way. Not surprisingly, this didn’t go well. 

A couple of years later, in 2013, Apple also discontinued its industry-standard tower-like Mac Pro, replacing it with what was commonly called “the trashcan.” 

Old Mac Pro vs “Trashcan” Mac Pro

Both Final Cut X and “the trashcan” backfired. Most professionals kept using Final Cut Pro 7. 

Adobe, meanwhile, seized the opportunity. It invested resources in adding new functionality, making it easy for video editors to switch. Abode allowed editors to map their Final Cut keyboard shortcuts into Premiere Pro, which essentially made Premiere Pro into Final Cut Pro 7 with a darker background color. This dramatically flattened the learning curve. 

Content creators and video professionals alike started making the switch to Premiere Pro. 

Around this time, Apple stopped supporting Final Cut 7 with the release of High Sierra in 2017, yet dedicated professionals continued to use it. In fact, the Oscar-winning film “Parasite” was cut with Final Cut Pro 7 in 2019—a full two years after Apple stopped supporting it.  

Nonetheless, Adobe Premiere Pro started to flourish, becoming fairly standard for video professionals, content creators, and everyone in between.

Despite this shifting in the marketplace, Avid Media Composer remained a popular choice for industry professionals, which we’ll discuss next. 

But coming around the corner, Blackmagic’s DaVinci Resolve was leveling up its software with every release and gaining a fanbase. 

What Do Professional Industry Video Editors Really Need? 

Not much has changed in the past twenty years of professional video editing. The evolution of NLE software has been relatively uneventful. 

Look at a screenshot of the original Avid Media Composer compared to now. 

Now compare Final Cut 7 to Adobe Premiere Pro.

In form and function, they’re all pretty similar: you have a source window, a program window usually to the right of it, a timeline below them, and some sort of file browser. 

Traditionally, you scrub through your footage in the source window, find your in-and-out points, and place your chosen clips in the timeline. Then, you edit that together with all your other clips. 

When it comes to professional video editing, this is the way. This is the process. And so this timeless UI makes a lot of sense.

— Nick LaClair, SproutVideo Creative Director

Professional editors don’t need a lot of innovation. Instead, they need two things: the ability to handle huge projects and to collaborate. 

Video Editors Need The Ability To Handle Huuuuge Projects

Professional video editors need software to handle and organize massive projects, such as multiple seasons of a TV series or years of footage for a documentary.

Avid does that better than any other software. It allows you to open and work on smaller parts of a project without taxing your system with the entire project. Which was Final Cut 7’s fatal flaw—crashing when projects got too big. Adobe Premiere isn’t made for massive projects, either. 

So, even today, Avid Media Composer remains a top choice for video editors working in film and TV. In contrast, video professionals working on smaller projects, like music videos and commercials, tend to favor Adobe Premiere Pro.

Video Editors Need The Ability to Collaborate

Professional video editors also need the ability to collaborate. Avid Media Composer makes this incredibly easy: everyone can work together on the same project without interrupting each other’s workflow. 

Premiere Pro is made like a sports car that can hold a couple of people, while Avid is a tour bus with as many seats as you need.

— Nick LaClair, SproutVideo Creative Director

In general, more people are involved in post-production for bigger professional projects. Each person’s job is often more specialized and segmented as well: the person color grading isn’t the same as the person editing or the same person creating graphics or mastering audio. 

Therefore, in many cases, professional video editors use different specialized software for their specific tasks. But what about everyone else—which is the majority of video professionals?

How Experts Turn Video Views Into Profit

Tired of videos that feel like a rigged carnival game? Discover expert strategies for turning video into a growth engine across any industry.

Get Real Video Results—Just Press Play

What Do Video Professionals and Content Creators Need?

Industry video editors are a specific crowd. A much larger number of editors fall under the umbrella of video professionals, whether they’re content creators, learning and development specialists, commercial producers, or entrepreneurs. 

Video professionals require ease of use and an all-in-one solution for every element of their post-production workflow. That’s no easy task.

— Nick LaClair, SproutVideo Creative Director

But Adobe didn’t shy away from the challenge of creating an all-in-one solution that is accessible to a wide range of video professionals. They support the entire video editing process with:

• Premiere for editing
• Speed Grade for color grading
• Audition for audio
• After Effects for graphics and effects 

While most of the above functionality has always been part of Premiere in some capacity, it can be clunky. However, this workflow is also flexible, allowing some video professionals to complete projects end-to-end while others pass the project on to the next person in post-production.

This flexibility also means that many professionals, even those using an Adobe workflow, turn to DaVinci Resolve for color grading. It’s simply the best at the job.

DaVinci Resolve launched as a dedicated color grading solution, but it gradually added editing, audio, graphics, and more.

Blackmagic, the company that created DaVinci Resolve, is slowly but surely making DaVinci the true all-in-one software for video post-production. 

This strategic expansion has resulted in a UI that looks like four software packages in one, lending to a workflow that matches the modern approach to video editing.

The Future Of Video Editing & Social Media’s Influence 

Today, professional video editors, whose sole job is video editing, are a tiny share of the post-production market. Most video editing is done by content creators and small teams that need ease of use and an all-in-one solution. 

People want the TikTok model: add your footage, change the aspect ratio, remove the background, add titles, throw in some music and effects, then upload the thing!

— Nick LaClair, SproutVideo Creative Director

Many apps are broadening their scope to encompass more of the functionality of the post-production space. To this end, Adobe Premiere Pro and Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve are the two best video editing software, providing ease of use in an all-in-one solution. 

But which is suitable for your needs? In the next part of this series, we’ll take a deeper look at Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, both in terms of software functionality and marketplace positioning. Until then, check out our other video resources: 

• Color Grading Fundamentals in Adobe Premiere Pro
• Adobe After Effects: The Basics
• Filming Solo 1: Professional Results All Alone (Video)

The post The History of Video Editing Software—And Why DaVinci Resolve May Be The Future appeared first on SproutVideo.

Whether recording at home or in an office, you don’t need a large budget or significant experience to create professional voiceovers.

In this complete guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to record voiceovers that sound professional, from delivering an engaging performance to setting up a voiceover studio. 

Whether you want to launch a podcast, make viral TikTok videos, or convert viewers into customers, here’s how to record voiceovers from the comfort of your home. Let’s get started! 

TL;DR: How to Do Voiceovers from Home

• Create a DIY Voiceover Studio. Build a blanket fort, or use your closet. Record professional voiceovers for cheap by using low-cost materials to prevent sound from bouncing around the room.
• Choose a Software. Acquire audio or video editing software. Try out free trials of paid software before investing in a professional product. 
• Practice, Practice, Practice. Read the script internally and out loud. Internalize its message and find a natural pacing. Record once you feel ready to perform.
• Upgrade Your Sound Equipment. It doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg to improve your voiceover quality with an audio interface and XLR microphone.
• Pay Attention to the Details of Your Setup. Invest in high-quality over-ear headphones, pick up a pop filter, and stay close to the microphone when recording.
• Get Multiple Takes and Edit the Audio. When it comes time to record, get multiple takes. Review each one with headphones. Don’t be afraid to splice parts of the best takes together or re-record over small mistakes in the editing process. 

What Is a Voiceover?

A voiceover recording refers to voice narration that does not feature the narrator’s image. 

Voiceovers are common in entertainment, such as audiobooks, video games, and animated television. But they are also ideal for businesses, whether you’re creating educational content, professional screencasts, or corporate commercials. 

In marketing videos, it is common for B-roll footage to play while an off-screen voice tells the brand story, describes the benefits of a product or service, and encourages the customer to take action. 

For businesses and creators, voiceovers offer the versatility to provide additional context and create an emotional connection. They are often used to narrate animated promotions, knowledge-based content, marketing videos, and social media shorts. 

How to Record Voiceovers in 7 Steps

We’ve broken down how to create a professional voiceover into three parts: pre-production, recording, and post-production. This guide will help you level up your voiceover’s quality.

Pre-Production

1. Create a DIY Voiceover Studio

Not all voiceovers need to be of professional quality. There are millions of examples of off-the-cuff voiceovers on social media that simply use a standard earbud’s microphone. For those videos, a quiet place free from interruptions is sufficient.

But if you’re buying a microphone for quality voiceovers, it’s time to upgrade your setup. 

A wide open room is full of dense, hard surfaces for your voice to bounce off; this creates “reflections,” which negatively affects the recorded audio quality. Luckily, you can create a cheap voiceover studio.

To develop good audio, consider how to prevent sound from bouncing around the room. Here are two common, incredibly low-cost options:

• Turn a closet into a makeshift sound booth. Line the walls with thick blankets, pillows, or foam boards to create surfaces that will absorb sound. 
• Create a blanket “fort.” A thick blanket over your head works surprisingly well; however, creating a blanket “tent” is even better to avoid picking up any movements. 

Of course, you can implement far more impressive setups. If you plan to record multiple voiceovers, consider creating an at-home studio. Buy (or make) sound-absorbing foam panels for your walls, or procure a portable booth with panels and a roof. The options are endless; choose the one that matches your needs and budget. 

2. Select the Microphone & Audio Software

At a minimum, you will need an external microphone and audio or video editing software. You can purchase a USB microphone that plugs directly into your computer for under $100. 

However, upgrade to an audio interface with an XLR microphone to create professional voiceovers. An audio interface will improve sound quality and latency. You can purchase a decent audio interface for under $250 and an XLR microphone for under $150. 

Also, consider getting a pop filter to avoid picking up “pfft” sounds in your recordings.

What Is the Best Software for Recording Voiceovers? 

Voiceovers can be recorded with the audio or video editing software of your choice; although, you can also use your computer’s built-in tools, like QuickTime to record audio. 

Most video editing software provides sufficient tools for cleaning up audio, allowing creators to avoid the process of importing and exporting audio across software. Popular video editing options include Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve. 

Consider using audio editing software if you need advanced audio editing or aren’t creating a video. The most popular options include Audacity and Adobe Audition.

3. Write the Script

A script illustrates your vision. It includes visual and spoken elements of the video.

Determine whether the visuals (such as a scene with a mix of dialogue and narration) or the voiceover (like a promotional product video) will set the video’s pacing. This decision will help you adequately convey the message in voiceover.

It can be tempting to skip the process of writing a script. But refining what you’re going to say and practicing your performance will go a long way in helping you craft a professional voiceover. When you’re ready to brainstorm, grab our free scriptwriting template as a jumping-off point. 

Voiceover Recording

4. Conduct a Test Recording

Everything has to work together in sync to capture a high-quality recording. Therefore, you should conduct a test each time you begin a new recording session. Skipping this step is the quickest way to get frustrated with the recording process. 

1. Set up your recording equipment and prepare the software. 
2. Press record and voice the first minute or so of the script.
3. Listen for errors in the recording with headphones. Check the audio levels. Alter your setup or audio settings as needed. Then, conduct another test. 
4. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the initial audio quality.   

Audio Levels for Recording Voiceover

Avoid vocal distortion by watching your recording levels. An ideal recording level will average somewhere between -18dB and -10dB. The peak meter should never peak over -6dB while recording. Furthermore, a final mastered recording should never go above 0dB. 

Microphone Distance for Voiceovers

Make a fist and point your thumb and pinky in opposite directions, creating a Shaka sign. With your thumb to your mouth, your pinky should touch the pop filter of your microphone. 

You should be about 6 to 12 inches away from the microphone when recording a voiceover. This closeness helps the microphone pick up your voice instead of various noises in the room. 

The optimal distance will vary depending on the type of microphone you use and the level of sound treatment in your recording space, so determine the best-sounding distance with tests. 

5. Record Your Audio

It’s time to record! You’ve done all the necessary preparatory work. Now, it’s time to perform. Here are some tips to make recording easier and more enjoyable:

• Get in the Zone First. Find a way to loosen up. Watch a funny video, do yoga stretches, or dance to your favorite song. A great performance comes from a relaxed and centered place. Take a few minutes to get yourself in the right state of mind. 
• Don’t Stop for Mistakes. It’s good practice to complete each recording, even if you notice mistakes in your performance. You can fix some errors in editing; other errors will provide priceless feedback for future takes. 
• Record Five Takes or Less. If you need more than five takes, practice more before recording. Performing takes a lot of energy as well. If you didn’t get an acceptable take in five attempts, take a break and allow your energy to replenish. 

An effective voiceover makes it easy for the audience to absorb a video’s message. Keep the listener or viewer’s experience at the forefront of your mind when evaluating a recording. 

Post-Production

6. Edit Voiceover Audio

Before beginning the editing process, listen to your recordings with headphones.

In an ideal situation, your voiceover requires minimal editing. Using the editing software of your choice, you might rerecord a section, remove breaths and mistakes, or delete long pauses. 

Stop here if you will hand the recording off to an audio engineer; audio processing alters the recording in ways that limit the audio engineer’s ability to produce a high-quality mix. 

If you are creating the final mix, there are a couple of basic considerations that will improve the sound of your voiceover audio: equalization and compression.

This is called mastering a mix. Mastering is its own specialization and career path. So don’t fret if you feel overwhelmed during this learning process. The ultimate goal is to create a quality listening experience by making the audio as clear, crisp, and easy to hear as possible. 

Equalization

Different sounds fall into different frequencies. Equalization allows you to adjust the volume of certain frequencies without affecting others, making removing or boosting certain parts of a mix possible. Equalization removes background noise, word pops, and more. 

It’s better to capture audio with fewer background noises and high-frequency sounds. It’s generally preferred to need as little equalization as possible. For those who aren’t familiar with manually adjusting equalization, it’s common to use plug-ins and software presets.

Compression

Compression reduces the dynamic range of audio, which allows you to create a consistent volume. It prevents the highest highs from being too loud and the lowest lows from being too quiet. Compression also prevents distortion while allowing you to increase volume. 

7. Sync Audio & Complete Video 

Congratulations! You’re ready to sync your audio with the visual story of your video. 

Audio and video are recorded separately in traditional filmmaking. At the beginning of each take, the actor claps. This produces a spike that makes syncing audio and film easy.

Voiceover includes different challenges. Instead of syncing an on-screen actor’s lips with the spoken audio, you need to sync the voiceover pacing with the pacing of visual content. 

For this reason, you may decide to record voiceover first. This allows you to edit the video to match the voiceover, rather than trying to get one that matches an edited video. 

Either way, you now have all the tools to record a voiceover for your video! 

Why Are Good Voiceovers Important? 

Consumers want videos from brands. However, holding viewer engagement, even with short videos, can be challenging. After all, 20% of viewers click away in the first 10 seconds. Yet a website visitor who watches a product video is 64% more likely to make a purchase.  

It is paramount to grab and hold attention. Don’t give viewers an easy reason to click or scroll away by underestimating the importance of good sound quality and an engaging performance. 

Key Aspects of a Good Voiceover

Audio quality and vocal performance are two central aspects of a professional voiceover. As such, each has important attributes that result in a good voiceover. 

Audio Quality

Generally speaking, voice recordings should sound realistic. The goal is not to create a new sound but to fully capture the vocal performance. 

Therefore, recording hardware must be able to capture sound with a wide range of audible frequencies, the full dynamic range (the quietest and loudest sounds), and little-to-no distortion.

Errors can happen at any stage of the recording process. In a soundproof setting, use your equipment to create a test recording. Listen closely and alter your setup if you hear any of the following:

• Extraneous noises (hiss, hum, etc.)
• Background sounds
• Echos
• Vocal pops
• Audio processing errors
• Microphone bumps 

Don’t fret if this process requires trial and error. Multiple factors of your voiceover studio contribute to the sound quality, including the microphone distance, equipment, room treatment, location (city versus country), and more. 

Performance 

There are several elements to a good voiceover performance. Even if your audio quality is pristine, a monotone script recitation quickly puts viewers to sleep. To improve how your voice sounds when recorded, consider pacing, diction, tone or inflection, and emotive performance. 

Pacing and Volume

Pacing is the rate at which you recite the script. Aim for a natural, conversational pacing. Practice the script to internalize its messaging and make the words sound like your own (whether you wrote them or not). 

Diction

A voiceover must be understood. Therefore, the first task of a good performance is to say the words correctly at an audible level. 

Speak clearly and enunciate each word without letting it drop off. For example, “The boys walk down to the river and fetch a pail of water.” It would be easy for this sentence to sound like a garbled mess, “The boy wall dow to the rivah and fesh a pail of wafer.” 

Pay particular attention to words with “s,” “er,” “ch,” and “t” sounds. It will be easier to focus on delivery the more you can recite the words without needing to recall or read them. 

Tone and Inflection

Your tone is the pitch of your voice plus its resonating quality. You might speak in a higher pitch with a calming tone or have a deeper voice that naturally booms like an announcer. 

Inflection is the way you alter your tone to express the script. Your cadence (the modulation or inflection of your voice when reading) will convey context, underlying information, and emotions. 

Emotive Performance

The emotion and energy you bring to the performance will ultimately sell it and keep people engaged. The technical aspects of audio quality and performance ensure mistakes don’t cause people to tune out. But your emotive performance keeps people tuned in. 

How Do I Improve the Sound of My Voice? 

A common hurdle when you begin recording voiceovers is accepting the sound of your voice. It’s normal to feel shy or unsure about how your voice sounds. It may take some time to get used to it yourself, but you will focus on it far more than anyone else. 

Another approach is to learn from professional voice actors. Voice actors can adjust tone, inflection, and pacing to create an immersive recording with their unique voices. Consider working with a vocal coach to improve your technique and gain new skills.

Voiceover sets the mood and tone of your video. With some planning and the right equipment, it can take your video to a new level.

But bad audio can ruin good content. After spending hours or days on a video, the last thing you want to do is ruin it with an amateurish voiceover. 

Capturing professional recordings includes a learning curve, but producing an engaging, professional-quality voiceover is well worth the time and effort.

The post How to Record Voiceovers with Tips from Professional Voice Actors appeared first on SproutVideo.