What is linear editing?
Learn the basics of linear editing and what it can do for your video creations.
Linear editing is the process of editing either video or audio projects in a predetermined sequence from start to finish. You start editing the project at the beginning and finish at the end, with everything staying in order.
Benefits of linear video editing.
Linear editing was the most common form of video editing before digital editing software became readily available. Film rolls had to be cut and spliced together to form the final project.
Since the editing process required destroying the original reels, filmmakers had to have a predetermined plan in place for their video. They worked in a linear order from start to finish to ensure they didn’t make any mistakes.
Although linear editing has largely been replaced by non-linear editing (NLE), there are still a few benefits for modern digital content creators. It continues to be:
- Inexpensive — You don’t need fancy software. You can use linear editing methods right on your camera or mobile device without any additional software for some projects.
- Logical and organized — It’s easy to stay on track when working chronologically through a project.
- Simple — There aren’t many complications with hardware conflicts or formatting issues. Everything is straightforward, literally.
Although there are some benefits, linear editing tends to be more restrictive. You can’t jump around and make changes throughout the project. Once you make a change and move on, there’s no going back unless you want to redo the entire project.
The best way to use linear editing.
If you want to make the most of linear editing, use video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro. That way, you can use linear editing methods to simplify projects and stay organized, but you can also go back and make changes out of order without worrying about impacting the final project. You can even edit on the go right from your mobile device. It’s truly the best of both worlds.
Find great video editing tips that can inspire and inform you. Then, discover what more you can do with Premiere Pro to organize and edit your videos to perfection.