Cut the Material Down

• Before you can assemble video and audio into a sequence, you must whittle it down to the best and most important parts. Cut the sections of audio and video down to manageable scenes that include the material you want to ensure is covered. If unsure whether to cut something off, include it just in case; you can always remove it later.
  
  

Assemble a First Cut

• Put the clips in order, and use cutting to make the story better by using such techniques as breaking up long, boring stretches by interspersing clips of related video, or cutting between two people having a conversation to highlight their reactions and body language. If you are changing the scene, the least distracting method involves cutting "from action to action," which means something in the frame should be moving when you cut out and when you cut in. This movement distracts the human eye from a scene change.
  
  

Changes Aren't Permanent

• The biggest advantage of nonlinear editing lies in the fact that none of the cuts are permanent. Until you erase the original footage, you can always undo cuts you made by going back to the original file. Use this freedom to play around with the sequencing and cutting you will use. Sometimes interesting aspects of the footage will reveal themselves after you view them many times; rearrange the scene to call attention to these new finds.
  
  

Switch Up the Audio

• Don't be afraid to change the audio track for dramatic effect: Leave some scenes silent, play important audio over unrelated video or substitute music for ambient noise, for example. All these methods heighten the dramatic effect of the scenes and make the finished piece feel much more polished. Audio editing and mixing is the second biggest factor, after cutting out extraneous footage, that will make your material engaging and professional looking.
  
  

Review Frequently

• The best way to ensure your editing works well involves reviewing it frequently while editing. This type of vigilance keeps the scenes flowing pleasantly and allows you to keep the tone consistent. If you don't review previous material before starting a new scene or sequence, the feel of the piece is more likely to become choppy and uneven.
  
  

Do a Final Edit

• After you have cut together all of your material, take a break. Then view the entire video without stopping it. You will notice places where the action lags or where you cut away from something so quickly that the audience will find it difficult to understand what happened. Because you can easily access the original video file, you can cut scenes in a different way and drop them into the sequence.