Video editing classes at a video production school teach you to turn raw footage into a finished video. You learn to cut and order shots so they tell a story. You also mix sound and music, correct and grade colour, and add titles, motion graphics and effects. All of it uses professional software on real projects.
That is the short definition. The rest of this page breaks it into parts. It covers what a good class teaches, the software you will likely use and what you should be able to do at the end.
The core skill: cutting for story
Editing starts with choosing and ordering shots. A class teaches you to watch your footage, pick the strongest takes and decide where each cut falls. You learn why a cut on movement feels smooth and why a long shot can build tension. You also see how the order of shots changes what the viewer understands.
Expect this part to take longer than learning the software. The buttons come fairly quickly, but judgement about pacing and story grows over many projects.
Sound and music
A large part of a finished video is what you hear. Editing classes cover cleaning up dialogue, balancing voices against music and effects, and using sound to carry a cut from one shot to the next. A class that skips sound leaves a gap that shows in every finished video.
Colour correction and grading
Colour work has two stages. Correction makes shots match each other, so a scene filmed over a whole afternoon looks like one moment. Grading then gives the video its look, warm or cold, natural or stylised.
Colour grading is a specialist job in its own right. Even so, many editing classes teach at least the basics, because every video needs its shots to match.
Titles, motion graphics and effects
Most commercial videos need text on screen: names, captions, logos and calls to action. Classes cover how to design and animate these so they are clear and on-brand. More advanced classes go on to visual effects, such as removing objects, combining shots and adding 3D elements.
Editing for different kinds of work
The same skills are used in different ways depending on the job. A short film is cut slowly, with room for the story to breathe. An advert has to say everything in thirty seconds or less, so every frame counts. A social media video is often vertical, needs captions for people watching without sound and has to hold attention from the first second. Event and wedding videos ask you to sort through hours of footage and find the moments that matter.
A good class gives you practice in more than one of these. That way you can find the kind of editing you enjoy and show range in your portfolio.
The software you are likely to learn
Schools teach different programs, but two editing tools come up often: Adobe Premiere Pro and Blackmagic Design’s DaVinci Resolve. Adobe After Effects is often taught for motion graphics and visual effects.
DaVinci Resolve is a useful one for students because there is a free version. Blackmagic Design’s product page describes DaVinci Resolve as one tool that combines editing, color correction, visual effects, motion graphics and audio post production. It says the free version works at resolutions up to Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 at up to 60 frames per second. The current release notes for DaVinci Resolve 21.1.1 are dated 1 October 2026.
That means you can practise at home on the same program you use in class, without paying for a licence. Our guide to choosing editing software for your first film course compares the main options in more detail.
How a class is usually structured
Good editing classes mix three kinds of work.
- Short exercises on one technique, such as cutting a dialogue scene or matching colour across shots.
- Feedback sessions where a teacher and classmates watch your edit and suggest changes.
- Longer projects where you edit a complete piece from footage you or your group shot.
The projects matter most, because each finished one goes into your portfolio. Ask any school how many full projects you will edit, not just how many hours of class there are.
What one school’s editing module covers
As an example, one video production school in Skudai, Johor, lists video editing as one of the main areas of its 18-month programme. Its course page says students learn industry-standard software like Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve while building skills in storytelling, colour grading and motion graphics. The same programme covers visual effects in Adobe After Effects, including special effects, compositing and 3D animation. It also covers AI tools for video editing and content creation.
Editing there sits next to camera techniques and cinematography, brand design and commercial advertising, with real-world projects throughout. The programme ends with a UK Advanced Diploma and the Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia.
How long it takes to get good
You can learn the buttons of an editing program fairly quickly. Becoming a confident editor takes much longer, because it depends on how many projects you finish and how much feedback you get. Our guide to how long it takes to learn video editing sets out realistic stages.
What you should be able to do at the end
After a full set of editing classes, you should be able to:
- Take raw footage from a shoot and cut it into a clear, well-paced story.
- Clean and balance sound, and add music that fits.
- Match and grade colour across a whole project.
- Add titles and simple motion graphics.
- Export the finished video in the right format for a client, a cinema screen or social media.
If a class does not lead to these, ask what it leaves out. Ready to compare schools? Look at a video production school in Johor whose programme covers editing, colour, motion graphics and effects. Ask to see student edits while you are there.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you learn in a video editing class?
You learn to cut footage into a story, mix sound and music, correct and grade colour, and add titles, motion graphics and effects, using professional editing software on real projects.
Which software do video editing classes use?
It depends on the school. Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve are common for editing, and After Effects for motion graphics and visual effects. Ask each school for its software list.
Is DaVinci Resolve free?
There is a free version. Blackmagic Design says the free version works with video up to Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 at up to 60 frames per second. A paid Studio version adds more features.
Do I need my own computer for video editing classes?
Ask each school whether it has editing computers on campus and what it recommends for home. A computer at home helps you practise between classes.
How long do video editing classes take?
Short courses can teach the basics in weeks. A full programme that covers editing alongside camera work and other skills runs much longer. One programme in Johor runs for 18 months.
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