As I sit writing this newsletter on a flight from Dusseldorf to London, I can’t shake off the fact that I’m heading into yet another incredibly busy period of content creation.
We have new iPads. I have other, non-Apple products that need reviewing. I’ve got a road trip planned next week that will act as an incredibly rudimentary battery convenience test between a very expensive BMW, an equally expensive e-bike, and many other devices.
Oh, and then it’s WWDC time, isn’t it?
It’s periods like this which force me to revisit a question I’ve avoided answering for way too long.
I’ve edited every single Mark Ellis Reviews video that currently resides on the channel. That’s 848 videos in total, and it represents a colossal amount of hard graft. It’s enjoyable, graft, though - I’ve always loved the editing process the most when it comes to making YouTube videos. It’s where an untidy a-roll shoot and reams of b-roll are pieced together to create a coherent, engaging story. I love seeing it come together and I’m always proud of the result.
It’s not uncommon for the YouTuber you’re watching on the screen to also be the person sitting at the editing desk. Some of the largest creators on the platform still edit their videos, despite having resources and budgets that would enable them to employ a highly-skilled, dedicated editor immediately.
I understand why they do this; it’ll be for the same reason I’m yet to get anyone in myself: they don’t want to give up control.
Imagine being a writer who formulates the idea for a novel, maps out the chapters, and curates a bunch of messy notes only to give the job of actually writing the thing to someone else. Sounds daft, right? Why would anyone do that?
Video creation is no different. My YouTube videos aren’t of any value to anyone until they’ve been through a couple of editing passes in Final Cut Pro. I know exactly how to edit every video - where to cut my audible breathing; precisely when a piece of b-roll should start and end; what to leave on the cutting room floor; and how to keep the viewer engaged by cutting between angles. I can’t think of anything more frightening than giving that job to someone else - particularly after four years of doing this myself.
Back in January, I visited Las Vegas for CES. While there, I spent some time with fellow creator, Pete Matheson. Pete hasn’t edited his videos for years. As we walked across one of the many bridges that connect the famous strip, Pete asked me a question that has stuck in my head ever since.
“How do you find the time to edit your videos?”
I didn’t have an answer. I still don’t. And the more I think about it, the more I realise that justifying my never-ending desire to edit my videos is nigh-on impossible. There are weeks when I look at the video schedule and wonder how on earth I’m going to get it all done alongside everything else that happens in this business. Despite those concerns, I somehow always manage to get through such periods unscathed. I’ve never missed a publish date, and the videos we publish are always the best they can be, given the time.
But that’s the problem: given the time. It’s that finite resource which none of us can manipulate. Editing takes a considerable amount of time - even for videos like mine which are relatively straightforward. It also demands ultimate concentration and the ability to switch off from every other task. As my business has grown, I’ve had to make changes to account for this.
It started when I brought in Niall last year. His role consists of brand and partnership management, and short-form editing. Offloading those tasks has made a world of difference to the business and my time. The same goes for my recent decision to hire an assistant. Michelle now looks after my email inbox, calendar, and a myriad of other tasks that were unnecessarily bogging me down. I’ve drafted in help for the website, too, and I have a consultant who is working with me on the strategy for the business.
Despite giving up so much stuff and enabling other people to do it for me (in a far better fashion, I might add), I’m still encountering the aforementioned weeks where I genuinely don’t know how I’m going to get everything done.
Travel doesn’t help. It’s wonderful, and it’s something that I want to continue doing at an even greater scale, but it takes me away from the ability to hone in on my edits.
We’re reaching an inevitable conclusion here, aren’t we?
I need an editor.
Truth be told, I’ve already decided to hire someone. That person hasn’t been chosen yet (we’re in the very early stages of looking at the options), and it will take some time to get them up to speed once they enter the door, but the wheels are firmly in motion. The reason I’m still asking myself the question about the need for an editor is because the thought of handing over the reins still frightens me.
Despite this, I’m excited. Pete’s words during that sunny morning in Las Vegas are still reverberating around my head. If he can give up editing and continue building a profitable YouTube business with a growing audience, so can I. I just need to take the leap.