Video editing
Hire a video editor virtual assistant for cuts, captions and social formats
A video editor virtual assistant turns raw footage into finished videos, adds captions and cuts short clips for each channel, in your brand style. They work remotely on files you share, at the Video editor rate, from £6.00 an hour. We find the candidate and run four screening steps.
- Four screening steps before you meet a candidate
- Hours tracked
- Earliest start within 48 to 72 hours of choosing a candidate
The video work an editor takes on
These are the jobs a video editor virtual assistant picks up.
Editing
- Assembling the cut. Turning interviews, talking head recordings, events and screen recordings into one finished video.
- Trimming and pacing. Removing false starts and dead air so the video keeps moving.
Captions and clips
- Captions and subtitles. Spoken words written out, timed to the picture and checked against what is said.
- Social cut-downs. Short clips taken from a longer video, each with its own opening and ending.
- Resizing. The same video prepared in the shapes each channel uses, such as widescreen and vertical.
Brand consistency
- Intros, end cards and lower thirds. Built once to your colours and fonts, then reused.
- House style. Caption style, logo placement and music choices kept the same from video to video.
Where the editor stops
A video editor works with footage you supply and does not film. For animation, see the animator. For static graphics, see the graphic design virtual assistant. For editing with AI tools, see the AI video editor.
Tools
Your editor works in professional editing software on files you share. Tell us the software, the storage you use and how you want to review drafts, and we match the candidate to them.
What a video editor virtual assistant costs
Video editing is priced at the Video editor rate, per hour by experience, in pounds, for 80 hours a month part time or 160 hours full time. The pricing page lists every role.
| Experience level | Per hour | Part time, 80 hours a month | Full time, 160 hours a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner (1 to 2 years) | £6.00 | £480 | £960 |
| Intermediate (2 to 4 years) | £8.50 | £680 | £1,360 |
| Expert (4 to 6 years) | £11.50 | £920 | £1,840 |
| Pro (6 to 8 years) | £15.00 | £1,200 | £2,400 |
A worked example
Illustration, not a quote. A business publishes a weekly video and wants each one cut, captioned and resized, which it estimates at 80 hours a month. At the beginner level, 80 hours at £6.00 an hour comes to £480 a month. At the expert level, 80 hours at £11.50 an hour comes to £920. Full time at 160 hours is £960 and £1,840.
Use the cost calculator to try your own hours.
A call to talk through the work
Is a video editor virtual assistant right for you?
A video editor virtual assistant suits you if
- You record video regularly and it waits for an editor.
- You publish on several channels and need each in the right shape.
- You have a brand style, even a rough one, and want it applied every time.
- You can supply the footage and say what the video is for.
Another role may suit you better if
- You need moving graphics and animated characters: an animator.
- The work is static graphics and decks: a graphic design virtual assistant.
- You want screens and prototypes for a website or app: a Figma designer.
- You run a video or design studio and need support behind the scenes: the video and design studios page.
What you should receive from a video editor
General guidance, not a promise about any one editor. Ask for the finished video in the format you named, the caption file as well as the burned in version if you use both, and the project file or a list of the assets used, so another editor could pick the work up.
A footage hand-over checklist
| Item | What to send |
|---|---|
| Raw files | Original recordings, not copies sent through a messaging app, with a note of which take is the good one. |
| Purpose | What the video is for, who watches it and the one thing they should do next. |
| Brand | Logo files, colours, fonts and one finished video you like. |
| Music and clips | The licence or source for every track, image and clip you want used. |
| Captions | Whether you want them, the style, and the correct spelling of names and terms. |
| Deadline | The date for the first cut and the date it must be final. |
A delivery brief for each channel
State the shape and length for every place the video will appear. Channel rules change, so check each platform’s help page on the day you brief. YouTube’s video display help, read on 8 November 2026, says 16:9 is the standard aspect ratio on a computer, that its player adapts to other ratios, and that it may add padding around vertical video on a computer.
| Channel | What to write in the brief |
|---|---|
| YouTube | Aspect ratio, resolution and whether captions are supplied |
| Short vertical video | Ratio, maximum length and any area to keep clear of text, from the platform’s own help page |
How edit rounds work
Agree the number of rounds before you start. In round one, send one list of changes with time codes, gathered from everyone who reviews. In round two, check only that those changes were made. Anything new after that is a new request.
How the work is measured
Check what you can see. Does each file match the format in the brief? Do the captions match the speech when you read a sample against the audio? How many rounds did each video take? Was the first cut delivered on the date agreed? Keep a simple log of these four for the first month.
Checks before you publish
- Captions are read through for spelling, names and line breaks. YouTube says it creates automatic captions with speech recognition and publishes them when available, so supply your own file if the wording matters.
- The picture is the right shape and the text sits clear of the edges.
- Every track, image and clip has a licence that covers where you publish.
- Logo, colours and fonts match the brand files.
Common mistakes
- Sending compressed copies of the footage instead of the original files.
- Giving notes such as “make it punchier” with no time code or example.
- Using music with no licence record.
- Agreeing nothing about ownership of the edit and the project files. GOV.UK says the creator is the first owner of copyright unless you agree otherwise in writing; see ownership of copyright works. General information, not legal advice.
Worked example: one interview, four videos
Example only. The business and videos are invented to show the shape of a brief. No real client is described.
A consultancy records a 20 minute interview. The brief asks for one widescreen cut of about 8 minutes with captions, and three vertical clips of about 30 seconds, each ending on the same end card. The owner sends original files, the logo, the fonts and the spelling of two product names. Round one returns with one list of eleven time coded changes. Round two is checked against that list only.
Questions to ask any video editing provider
- Who owns the edit and the project files, and will I receive them?
- Which formats and lengths will you deliver, and do you check each channel’s current rules?
- How are captions made and checked?
- How many rounds are included, and what counts as a new request?
What is included
The hourly rate covers the whole service: finding the candidate, the four screening steps below, setting up the platforms and tools your assistant needs for your footage, review and storage, hours tracked with tools such as Time Doctor, and our management of recruitment, payroll management and quality management. There is no separate recruitment fee.
How hiring works
We start with a free call about the work and the hours you have in mind. We shortlist candidates who have passed our screening, you interview them and you choose. The earliest start is within 48 to 72 hours of choosing a candidate.
Four screening steps before you meet anyone
- CV screening.
- A first interview on personality and the general benchmark criteria.
- A technical interview.
- A practical task, to test the candidate in the field.
Notice and replacement
In the first 3 months you can end an unsuitable hire on one week’s notice. In the first days you can tell us it is not right and we will replace them. After the first 3 months, notice is 1 month. Replacement is included in the ongoing fee for as long as you are paying, at no extra charge. The 3 months is not a minimum term. The full terms are on how it works.
Questions about hiring a video editor virtual assistant
Can I hire a video editor or designer remotely?
Yes. A video editor works on files you share, and you review drafts online, so the work does not need to happen in your office. A designer works the same way; see the Figma designer page. Tell us the tools you use and we match the candidate.
How much does a video editor virtual assistant cost?
At the beginner level the Video editor rate is £6.00 an hour, which is £480 a month part time and £960 full time. Rates rise with experience. The pricing page shows every role and level.
What do I need to send a video editor?
Send the original footage, a line on what the video is for, your logo, colours and fonts, the licence for any music or clips, the correct spelling of names, and the date you need it. The hand-over checklist above puts these in one table. Gather everyone's comments into a single list before you send them back.
Related roles
See the animator, AI video editor and graphic design virtual assistant pages, or all virtual assistant roles. For one person’s full week, see the full time virtual assistant.
Get started
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Tell us the role and the hours you have in mind, and we will reply to the email address you give.