Free video editing guide
for Edits by Instagram

Edit your first short video on your phone, start to finish. A free, step-by-step field guide to Edits by Instagram for complete beginners. Watch 17 looping demos to see exactly where to tap.

31 pages
17 animated demos
Online and PDF
Free

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The same guide we give teams on our Content Creation Masterclass.

Cover of the BSMA video editing field guide for Edits by Instagram

A page from the guide on cutting the ends of a clip in Edits

17 DEMOSSEE EXACTLY WHERE TO TAP

What's inside

Four edits. One finished video.

Most beginners don't need every feature. They need the right four, in the right order. The guide starts there, then shows you how to tell a better story.

01Plan your video around one clear message
02Cut, split, delete and reorder: the four edits that finish a video
03Add B-roll, text, captions and music that keep people watching
04Six optional creative tools, from speed changes to sound effects
05The right export settings, a cheat sheet and a final checklist

The guide is yours.

Pick your format. Bookmark the online guide so it's there next time you open Edits.

Open the animated guide ↗Download the PDF ↓

Want your team filming and editing with confidence? See the Content Creation Masterclass.

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Film the clips for your first edit.

The guide starts with a video you have filmed yourself. Get your clips ready first:

Pick one thing you want to show, such as a dish being finished, a product being packed or a customer favourite.
Film three short clips of it, around five seconds each: one wide, one close-up and one detail.
Start recording a second before the action and stop a second after, so you have room to cut.
Hold the phone with both hands, keep it still and face the light.

That is everything the four core edits in the guide need: cut, split, delete and reorder.

After your first edit

Want help using this for your business?

The guide teaches where to tap. Training helps your team decide what is worth making, film it well and keep it going, using your own business and phones.

One focused day suits a single skill gap. The 12-week Accelerator suits teams who want practice, feedback and a routine they can run themselves.

See the one-day course See the Accelerator

Ready to make your first edit?