Why It Is Different Work
Two Seconds to Earn the Next Ten
Short-form is not a long video made shorter. On YouTube somebody has already chosen your video and will give it a moment to get going. On a vertical feed nobody chose anything — the clip is competing with an infinite supply of alternatives, and the decision to stay is made before you finish your first sentence.
That changes the edit completely. The strongest line moves to the front even if it was the conclusion. The setup gets cut. Captions are not an accessibility afterthought but the primary channel, because most of the feed is watched muted. And the framing has to track the subject, since a centre crop of a horizontal interview reliably decapitates somebody.
The cheapest source of short-form is usually footage you already have. A single long upload normally holds three to six clips that stand alone once they are topped, tailed and given a hook — which is why repurposing costs a fraction of shooting for vertical separately.
Publishing long-form too? That is YouTube editing at $15 to $20 an hour, and clipping is much cheaper in the same pass. Costing a whole content calendar? The video editing cost guide sets every format against sourced market rates.
What Is Included
Built For the Feed
Hooks That Hold
The first two seconds rebuilt to stop the scroll — the strongest line moved to the front, dead air removed, and the payoff signposted before anyone can swipe.
Captions and Subtitles
Burned-in captions timed to the word, styled to your brand, and placed clear of the platform UI so nothing important sits under a username or a button.
Aspect Ratio Optimisation
Reframed to 9:16, 1:1 or 4:5 with the subject tracked, not centre-cropped. A horizontal interview becomes vertical without anyone losing their head.
Music and Sound Design
Trending or licensed audio synced to the cuts, with speech ducked underneath and transitions landing on the beat rather than near it.
Long-Form Repurposing
One long video mined for every clip that stands alone, each one topped and tailed so it makes sense to somebody who never saw the original.
Platform-Native Delivery
Exported to the spec for each platform — Reels, TikTok and Shorts have different safe zones and length limits, and one file does not serve all three well.
Who It Suits
Worth It For These
How It Runs
Source to Scheduled in 3 to 5 Days
Send the source
Raw clips or a long-form video to mine. Drive, Dropbox or WeTransfer — a link is fine, and for repurposing a YouTube URL is enough.
Tell us the platforms
Reels, TikTok, Shorts or all three, plus how many clips per source video. Safe zones and length limits differ, so this changes the export.
We cut and caption
Hook rebuilt, clip topped and tailed, reframed vertical with subject tracking, captioned, scored, and exported per platform.
Review and revise
Back in 3 to 5 days. Watch on a phone with the sound off — that is how most of the audience will see it. Revisions come back in the next pass.
Common Questions
Short-form editing questions
How much does short-form video editing cost?
Short-form is priced per video, from $20 to $120. A clip cut from footage you already have sits at the low end; something built from raw material with heavy motion graphics and sound design sits at the top. Monthly packages are available if you post on a schedule.
Can you cut Shorts from my existing long videos?
Yes, and it is the cheapest way to run short-form. A single long upload usually yields three to six clips that stand alone once topped, tailed and given a hook. Send the YouTube link and we will find them.
Do you add captions?
Yes, burned in and timed to the word, styled to your brand and placed clear of the platform UI. Most of the feed is watched with the sound off, so captions carry the video rather than supplementing it.
Can you turn a horizontal video vertical?
Yes, with subject tracking rather than a centre crop. A static centre crop of a two-person interview reliably cuts somebody out of frame; tracking follows whoever is speaking.
Do you deliver different versions for each platform?
Yes. Reels, TikTok and Shorts have different safe zones and length limits, so a single export does not serve all three well. Tell us which platforms you post to and we export per platform.
Can you use trending audio?
Yes, synced to the cuts, with your speech ducked underneath. Bear in mind trends move quickly — if a specific sound matters, tell us when you send the job rather than after the edit.
How many clips can you do per month?
As many as you need. Volume clients usually move to a monthly package with a fixed clip count and a set delivery day, which is cheaper per clip than sending them one at a time.
Do you write the hooks?
We build the hook from what is already in your footage — moving the strongest line forward and cutting the setup. We do not script new lines for you to record, but we will tell you when a clip has no usable hook.
Can I see a clip before committing?
Yes. Send one video and we will cut a clip from it free, with no card required. Watch it on a phone with the sound off, which is how the audience will.
Other Video Editing
Short-form is one format of several. These are the rest.
Get Started
Send Us Some Footage
Tell us how many clips a month and which platforms, and we'll quote within 24 hours.
Short-Form Video Editing
Project Details
Tell us how many clips per month, which platforms, and whether you are repurposing long-form or starting from raw footage.