The beginner's map
Never opened an editor? Perfect. Here is the whole path — what to learn, in what order, and what to practise — drawn out step by step, like a storyboard.
INT. YOUR DESK — DAY 1
Before you edit anything
action: Install, make four folders, import your first clip.
Goal: Premiere Pro opens and you can import a clip.
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THE TIMELINE — WEEKS 1–4
The Basic course
action: Cut, trim, add sound, title and export a 60-second story.
Goal: You can cut a 60-second story from raw clips.
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30 MINUTES, EVERY DAY
Small drills beat long weekends
action: Pick one edit you like and rebuild it shot for shot.
Goal: Editing starts to feel fast, not scary.
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THREE FINISHED FILMS
Finished beats perfect
action: A Reel, a short story and a YouTube-style video.
Goal: Three finished pieces you are not embarrassed by.
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MOTION ENTERS THE FRAME
The Intermediate course
action: Animate text, shapes and logos; grade and design sound.
Goal: Your edits look designed, not just cut.
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THE SHOWREEL
Show your best, not your most
action: Your 5–8 best edits, cut into 60 seconds.
Goal: A link you can send to anyone.
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FIRST CLIENT CALL
Start small, deliver well
action: Agree price, deadline and revisions — then deliver early.
Goal: Your first paying client — and a happy one.
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THE PRO EDIT BAY
The Advanced course
action: Documentary, advanced motion, pro colour and delivery.
Goal: You work like a professional editor.
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the kit
You don't need everything on day one. Start with one editor, add tools only when a step asks for them. Prices change, so check the official site before you buy.
Day 1 — one editor is enough
Day 1 → always
The editor this path teaches. Industry standard for YouTube, ads and client work, and it works hand in hand with After Effects.
Free option: DaVinci Resolve (free version) if you can't subscribe yet — the editing ideas are the same.
Week 1
Comes with Premiere Pro. Exports in the background while you keep editing, and batch-exports Reels, YouTube and Facebook sizes.
Day 1
Footage · Audio · Graphics · Exports for every project. Saves you from "media offline" errors when files move.
Months 2–4
Month 2+
Motion graphics: animated titles, logo reveals, shape animation, tracking. Dynamic Link sends clips between it and Premiere without rendering.
When you make thumbnails
Thumbnails, cut-outs and still graphics for your edits. Clients often ask for a thumbnail with the video.
Free option: Photopea (free, in the browser) or Canva for simple thumbnails.
Optional
Deeper audio repair — noise, echo, clicks. Premiere's Essential Sound panel is enough for most beginner projects.
Month 6+ — only when a project needs it
For serious colour
Professional colour grading. Many editors cut in Premiere and grade in Resolve. A paid Studio version adds more features.
Project by project
Transitions, effects and presets save time — but learn to do it by hand first. Never use cracked plugins on client work.
Quick Reels on the phone
Fast for social clips and auto captions on mobile. Good to know, but clients and long videos need a desktop editor.
Month 4+
First client
Receive footage and send cuts. Enough for most small clients.
Bigger clients
Clients leave comments on the exact frame — far fewer "change the part at the start" messages.
Free option: Google Drive comments, or a list of timestamps.
Every project
Copyrighted songs get videos muted or taken down. Use libraries that allow your use.
Free option: YouTube Audio Library for YouTube videos.
the computer
Start with what you have. Upgrade when your projects get bigger — not before.
| Part | To start | Comfortable |
|---|---|---|
| Memory (RAM) | 8 GB — short, simple edits | 16 GB or more |
| Storage | Any drive with free space | SSD for projects + a backup drive |
| Graphics (GPU) | Built-in graphics | A dedicated GPU speeds up effects and export |
| Screen | Laptop screen | A second monitor for the timeline |
| Sound | Any wired headphones | Closed headphones you know well |
| Internet | Enough to download footage | Stable connection for client uploads |
your first week
Tick them off as you go. Saved in this browser — log in to keep it on every device.
avoid these
No. Start with what you have. 16 GB of RAM makes editing comfortable, but many editors start on 8 GB with simple projects and upgrade later.
You can learn timing and storytelling on a phone, but clients and serious projects need Premiere Pro on a computer. Move to a computer as soon as you can.
It depends on how much you practise. Students who edit every day and finish real projects usually reach their first small paid job sooner — there is no shortcut around practice.
If you have never edited, start with Basic. If you can already cut a video, use the course finder to check if Intermediate fits.
ready?
