How to earn with video editing?

[Julia.Ru]

Hi all!
I haven't found the right topic here, so I'm asking now.
What are the ways to earn for a living making or editing videos?
So far, I've been on various sites for freelancers, but it's hard to get an order as the competition is too high and I'm just an amateur yet (though I use Adobe Premiere Pro7 now).
Here's my Youtube channel: Julia1111111's Channel - YouTube
I guess there're specialized sites for videomakers?
But personally, I'd like to make music vids just for other people from their footage. Should I just create a personal page, post some vids from my portfolio and offer my service? But I'll have to promote this webpage somehow? Or what else can I do, what other ways exist?

[Brutha]

In the personal development niche there are people who do seminars but don't create videos for them.

Having someone else come in film everything and convert it into a nice video product that can be sold online is valuable.

Advertising is an industry in which a lot of money gets spend. Some of it goes into making videos.

So far, I've been on various sites for freelancers, but it's hard to get an order as the competition is too high and I'm just an amateur yet (though I use Adobe Premiere Pro7 now).

That something that comes with seeking jobs online.
Networking and making personal connections with people who might need video editing services is better.

But personally, I'd like to make music vids just for other people from their footage.

Why should someone pay for that?

[alexb5784]

Why don't you make a couple of videos for free in order to build a portfolio? You can find people needing videos made.

You have a lot of TV clips on your YouTube channel. However, if you want to be paid for your work, you'll need original clips. Find people needing videos for weddings, graduations, special occasions, or whatever.

Focus on getting as much practice as possible. Then once you feel confident enough, ask people for referrals.

Here's a great resource for learning about making money in video editing: Video Maker. I actually read this magazine myself. I'm working on finishing a documentary by 2014. I'm learning that it takes a lot to make videos, especially a film. It takes time, planning, people, and money.

Good luck!

[chadcharlie]

It's obnoxious, but to get the prospecting machine turning, and to generate customers that then generate referrals, you're going to have to get in the mix of the sites where people are looking for you, like eLance and Craigslist.

I've hired many videographers and editors for projects for my entertainment company, and the first ones we found were through Craigslist gig postings and professional referrals. We have a pretty solid stable that we go to now, and favorites that we prefer working with, but we started looking by posting paid gigs on Craigslist.

My graphic designer has a program he uses for Craigslist that searches the nation's listing for keywords he's interested in, like "logo design." He dedicates a portion of his day to sending out responses to those gig postings, and that's how we were connected. I've been sending him all my business over three years now from that one connection.

We used the same videographer for over two years, until she wasn't available. And on a recent music video project, we were connected with an editor that I'll always go to first now. You just need a couple good connections to come from the necessary prospecting.

Know that the prospecting is a numbers game and it will pay off. Your ultimate goal is to get endless referrals (which is a great book by the way, same name) but that won't start coming until you start building a customer base. And the beginning of that is making yourself available on the locations that your prospective customers will be looking for you.

Good luck! Keep at it.

Kind Regards,
Chad.