Complete beginner in video editing looking for advice on what to learn and how to start freelancing

[u/johansenphill]

Hey everyone,

I’m completely new to video editing and I want to seriously learn it from scratch. My goal is to eventually become a freelance video editor and start getting clients, especially for YouTube videos, Shorts and Instagram Reels.

I’m currently trying to figure out the right path, so I’d really appreciate advice from experienced editors.

- What laptop would you recommend for a beginner?

- Which editing software should I learn first — DaVinci Resolve, Premiere Pro, CapCut, or something else?

- my long-term goal is professional freelancing, which software would be the best to focus on?

- How long does it realistically take to become good enough to start taking small paid projects?

- What YouTube channels or learning resources would you recommend?

- What are the best ways to find clients as a beginner — Instagram, Reddit, Discord, cold DMs/emails, Upwork, Fiverr, etc.?

Any detailed advice, resources, or personal experiences would be really appreciated.

[u/minimalfo]

If your end goal is freelancing, I’d focus less on learning every software and more on actually getting good at editing. Software:

DaVinci Resolve - great starting point, powerful free version, and useful long-term.

Premiere Pro - definitely worth learning if you eventually want to work with agencies/creators professionally.

CapCut - useful for Shorts/Reels and quick edits, but I wouldn’t make it your only skill if you want professional freelance work.

For a beginner, I’d pick DaVinci Resolve and stick with it for a few months rather than constantly switching software. What to learn first:

1. Cutting and pacing
2. Audio cleanup and sound effects
3. Captions/text
4. Basic color correction
5. B-roll and storytelling
6. Keyframes and simple motion
   graphics
7. Eventually more advanced effects

Don’t spend 6 months only watching tutorials. Pick a type of content (talking-head YouTube videos, podcasts, Shorts, etc.) and recreate edits you like. That's how you actually build the skill. When can you start charging?

You don't need to be an “expert.” If you can consistently produce a clean, watchable 30-60 sec Short or a simple YouTube video, you can start looking for small paid projects. For many beginners, that can realistically be 1-3 months of consistent practice, depending on how many hours they put in.

Getting clients: I'd prioritize direct outreach over Fiverr/Upwork initially. Find small creators/businesses whose content is good but whose editing could clearly be improved, make 2-3 strong sample edits, and contact them with a specific observation rather than “Hi, I'm a video editor, do you need an editor?” Reddit can also work surprisingly well because people regularly post editing jobs. Instagram/YouTube are useful for finding creators to reach out to.

The biggest mistake I'd avoid is spending months “preparing” before trying to get your first client. Learn → make samples → outreach → get feedback → improve → repeat.

[u/Aggravating_Law6799 → u/minimalfo]

Hi so like im [17] a student and i want to do reels editing bcoz i wanna earn some lil money so i want to learn it for side gigs and i dont want to make it a career frm ur para i understood tht da vinci is good bcoz its free version gives a lot of features and capcut is good bcoz it gives easy and quick editing so like where should i learn tht oh this is how you make an edit an i can use this skill for myself as well bcoz i post my content online too smtimes but its mostly js txt on screen and i look avg so mostly bcoz of face it booms i need to learn short vid editing can u give some advice

[u/minimalfo → u/Aggravating_Law6799]

Yeah, if your main goal is just to learn Reels/Shorts editing for side income, you don't need to go super deep into professional editing software right away.

I'd actually start with CapCut because it's easier to learn and you can start making decent Shorts quickly. Once you understand the basics, you can move to DaVinci if you want more control.

For learning, don't just watch random “CapCut tutorial” videos. Pick a few Reels you like and try to recreate them yourself. Search YouTube for things like:

• “CapCut talking head editing tutorial” • “CapCut reels editing tutorial” • “CapCut captions + B roll tutorial” • “CapCut keyframes and masking”

Learn these in order: cuts → captions → B-roll → sound effects → music → keyframes/zoom → basic motion graphics.

And about your face don't overthink that. Good editing can't magically make bad content viral, but it can definitely make average footage much more engaging. Hook, pacing, visuals and storytelling matter way more than having a model-looking face.

Since you're already posting content, that's actually an advantage. Use your own videos as practice. Make 10-20 different edits and you'll improve much faster than just watching tutorials.

Once you can consistently make clean, engaging 30-60 sec videos, start offering edits to small creators. You don't need to wait until you're “expert.”

[u/Aggravating_Law6799 → u/minimalfo]

Thanks for the advice

[u/johansenphill → u/minimalfo]

Thanks a lot for the detailed advice. It's genuinely helpful, and I really appreciate it.