Video editing is a crucial part of the stop-motion process. Without a video editor, a stop-motion video would not be a video at all, but a collection of pictures with no meaning or effects. This occupation is interesting because there are many aspects of video editing, from adding sound effects to piecing together pictures to make a smooth, well-running movie. Video Editors are the backbone of the stop-motion process. To make a proper stop-motion video, a video editor needs the proper software, proper education, and a knowledge of video editing.
Proper software is an important aspect of creating a stop-motion video. For Windows users, iKitMovie is a software that is used to create “claymation and stop motion animations” (Muller 2009). To run iKitMovie, a video editor must have a PC Computer and the USB Webcamera that comes with the kit. This software is extremely easy to use and provides amateur video editors with a segway into the video editing world. Another option for Windows users is qStopMotion. This software has features such as Onion skinning. Onion skinning is used “in creating animated cartoons and editing movies to see several frames at once” (Maramusine 2006). This allows editors to create smooth transitions from one frame to the next. There are also many different software options for Mac users. iStopMotion2 is for computers that are updated to Mac OS X. It also includes the onion skinning feature and has green screen capabilities. Not only does this software edit videos, but it can create the individual pages of a flipbook. Since software can be expensive, it is a bonus when it has multiple applications. Another free option that comes with all Mac computers is iMovie. iMovie is the perfect software for amateur video editors. It is easy to navigate and has all of the tools needed to create a professional movie. However, iMovie does not have onion skinning, which is usually a feature that only comes with paid software. There are also tools that video editors can add on to their computer to make the editing process easier and more efficient. Companies such as Editors Keys make “video editing shortcut keyboards” (Editors Keys 2017). These keyboards help the editor remember the many keyboard shortcuts that can help them get their job done quickly and easily (i.e. Control+C for copy). Having the proper software and tools to make a stop-motion movie is crucial for video editors to create a professional-looking movie as easily as possible.
A video editor is responsible for “taking ‘raw’ footage and making a finished product that is suitable for broadcasting” (Halder 2016). They also are responsible for overseeing their editing team and observing the quality and progress of the product over time. The first step to becoming a video editor is gaining the proper education. A degree that may benefit an amateur video editor is an Associate's Degree in Video and Media Production. This degree allows one to learn about the process of video production, as well as how to properly lead an editing team. For those who are more serious about going into a career of video editing, they can receive their Bachelor’s Degree in Video Editing, which allows one to learn the fundamentals of editing techniques and how to use editing software (Study.com 2017). While a degree is not a prerequisite for a video editing job, it greatly increases one’s chances of being hired. If one is seeking to be hired as a video editor, one must also have computer literacy (Halder 2016). This is important because video editors spend all day on their computer, but if they do not know how to properly use the computer, the product will not be created as efficiently as possible, and the quality of the video may suffer as well. However, physical skills are not all that is needed to become a video editor. One must be dedicated, passionate, and patient in order to be the best video editor one can be. Many nights, video editors must stay after their scheduled hours in order to meet a deadline or ensure that their product is up to par. When working on tv or feature film projects, editors work over fifty hours a week, not accounting for overtime dued to deadlines or when the editing studio is booked at night. They must also have a passion for what they are doing. As Maya Angelou famously said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion” (Angelou 2011). Video editors should always be passionate about their job. Those who truly care about their job and its responsibilities allow that to shine through their products, which makes the video that much better. While computer literacy, passion, and dedication are all good application points, the best way to get a job is to have prior experience. Editors start out as runners, or trainees. He or she is then promoted to assistant editor and remains in this job for about 4 years. He or she can then be promoted to a qualified, full-time editor. If one decides to work for a freelancer after this promotion, they start off with a small production and slowly work their way up to editing larger productions, such as movies. When working for a freelancer, one must have a good reputation and the ability to network themselves into a job (Halder 2016). However, if one wants to edit for an in-post production or broadcasting company, the process to becoming a senior editor is much longer. One begins as a “runner”, which is essentially a general assistant for everyone in the office. The runner is then promoted to become a digitiser, also known as a junior editor. After several years as a junior editor, he or she is promoted to senior editor, which, except for a management position, is the highest position for video editors. Senior editors are put in charge of the largest and most prestigious products because they have proved (through several lower titles) that they can manage their time well, be responsible, and most importantly, have the necessary skills to become a video editor (Halder 2016). Overall, the process to become a video editor is very long and hard, but extremely rewarding in the end. The average assistant editor makes between $23,000 and $32,000 a year, experienced editors make between $27,000 and $45,000 a year, and senior editors make between $47,000 and $90,000 per year (Halder 2016). Whether working on big projects or small, video editors are a crucial part of the stop-motion process.
Stop-motion video was created in 1898 by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith with the creation of the movie “The Humpty Dumpty Circus” (Eveleth 2013). Although this movie is no longer in the proper condition to be played, there is a still of the movie that is available for viewing on the internet. The original movie lasted around thirty seconds and featured a spinning carousel. Although it was short and simple, “The Humpty Dumpty Circus” revolutionized the cinematic world for the better. Another early stop-motion video is Edwin Porter’s “Teddy Bears”. The movie was a minute long and took fifty hours to animate. “Stop motion has changed drastically since the early 20th century. In fact, stop-motion is rarely used anymore, only in children’s TV shows do you see such effects, such as Gumby” (O’Reilly 2007). Stop-motion is decreasing in movies and TV shows simply because of the amount of time that it takes to create them. One minute of a professional stop-motion movie can take a crew up to a week to film, and that is only is everything runs smoothly and there are no complications.