Awkward pauses, drawn-out climaxes, an ambulance wailing in the background – pretty much everything you don’t want for a signature porn scene.
Some up-and-coming Models will tell you they spend the same amount of time editing as they do filming the actual scene. That’s because your raw footage needs to be prepped and polished to include high-quality technical and artistic elements if you’re serious about becoming a new fan favorite.
After much practice, top-ranking amateur Model Serenity Cox tells us:
“I typically spend about an hour editing each video. I upload the footage to my editing software and watch it through, marking any parts I feel are slow, repetitive or that I just don’t like the look of. After that I go back removing each of these sections in a way that feels natural so there are no sudden jumps. I like my scenes to seem linear. Once I’m happy with the footage, I make sure all the sound levels are correct before exporting.”
With thousands of videos uploaded to Pornhub daily, editing is essential if you want to stand out and get more views on your next upload. Explore our top recommendations on video editing tips for beginners below:
Step 1: Choose the right software
Jak Knife’s scene with Tru Kait, Caught by Sister’s BFF, hit over 14.9 million views on Pornhub with the help of some strategic editing...and yours could too! With so many software options to choose from, we know it can feel overwhelming at first to know which to use.
One popular free video editor is Capcut. It’s easy to use with a range of fundamental editing features like trimming, filters and transitions. They also offer a number of professional features for a small monthly fee. Another main benefit is that there’s no imposed watermark unlike other editors, meaning you can export high resolution videos without any branding, ready to upload to Pornhub.
iMovie is also a free editor that won’t add any watermark to your videos. It’s a classic built-in iOS app that allows you to easily clip together content and is popular among Models for its convenience and ease of use.
For paid software that won’t break the bank, you can purchase Adobe Premiere Pro for a fixed monthly payment. It includes extensive features to edit your videos for dynamic enhancements, such as multi-cam editing, advanced color grading, and fast rendering times. Adobe also employs regular updates, which means you’ll always have access to the latest tools and technologies to help your videos stand out. This is perfect for Models who want to start uploading and experimenting with longer, more dynamic scenes. For example, videos around 10 minutes long consisting of a variety of elements. This could be dialogue to begin with, followed by a range of positions or sexual interactions that lead to a climactic end.
View more software options here.
Step 2: Ask yourself, is this right for my audience & my brand?
Before filming and editing begins, consider whether this is a video to attract the type of audience you want. Or the type of content you would like to produce more of in the future. It’s good to explore different categories and find your personal style. Just keep in mind that if you started to build an audience around bondage, for example, but later start uploading sensual romance porn, you might lose subscribers if they only have interests in one type of fetish or genre.
Every scene you create should incorporate elements that reflect your personal style, interests, personality, and make your content unique and authentic for your viewers. This includes all aspects of editing from the type of music you apply to the color grading you select for your videos.
Step 3: Get organized
Porn isn’t just sex and safe word games. It’s also building your brand and planning your future. Which means part of your success boils down to your organizational skills throughout the creative process.
Before you start editing, create folders and divide up your clips based on scenes, types of shots, and their quality. Label each clip with descriptive names to make them easier to find. And create backup files to keep multiple copies of your raw footage and protect yourself from data loss by frequently saving your work (it’s so frustrating when a computer shuts down and you lose the work you’d almost finished. Save yourself the time, panic, and headache!).
Some Models also like to plan their vision first. The simpler, the better! Putting a few of your ideas onto paper is a great way to circle back and ensure you’ve nailed the storyline and flow of narrative you pictured in your mind.
Step 4: Focus on pacing, audio, & transitions
For anyone just starting their porn career, you’ll quickly realize it’s beneficial to apply a range of skills to market your videos - from performing and styling to directing, writing, and of course video editing. This will be a crucial talent you’ll need to learn in the beginning, especially if you don’t yet have the budget to pay someone to help.
Here are three key elements to keep top of mind:
1. Focus on your pacing (the rhythm of your scene) to keep your audience engaged. You’ll need to make sure you start strong and don’t spend too many minutes getting to the good parts, as you only have seconds to capture your viewer’s initial attention.
2. To hold interest, transition between slower moments (usually made up of one or two longer clips) and fast, climactic action (usually made up of shorter clips).
How much of each will depend on the style of your video and your intended audience. A sensual lesbian scene may have more slow moments than a bathroom quickie with a stranger scene, for example. However, both should include a buildup to gradually escalate the sense of excitement. Remember that you don’t need to change the shot every 10 seconds either. If there’s a position or interaction that looks good, hold it there for as long as it feels right before you make a transition to the next clip.
You’ll also want to trim or cut any unnecessary footage like long pauses, shots where your body is slightly folded over and obscures the action, or excessive dialogue.
3. For a professional look and feel, focus on your audio and color grading. Use your chosen editing software to reduce any background noise, adjust your sound levels, add music (making sure it’s not distracting), and apply color grading so that every scene has a consistent color scheme and feels cohesive.
Once you’re happy with your edits and have your best takes compiled in a mixture of smooth transitions, check the aspect ratio you need.
On Pornhub, your videos should be a ratio of 16:9 and uploaded in high resolution (1080p or 4K) for a clear, crisp picture and immersive experience. File formats like MP4 make it easy for sharing and viewing, alongside the right compression to reduce large file sizes. We also have a BETA video feature available called Shorties, which allows you to upload vertical clips for viewers to explore.
To help speed up your video editing process, you’ll also want to save a branded intro no more than a few seconds, outro, and watermark. This way you can easily add them to every video, keeping all your branding consistent and helping prevent unauthorized use of your content. A great example of this is Shirley Musk’s intro, which is a short animation of her performance name and an easy way to implement your personal branding.
Step 5: Continuously improve
Everyone has to start somewhere, so try not to compare yourself to large studios or other Models who have been creating content for a long time. Editing isn’t a skill that can be mastered overnight. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day!
Ask your friends for feedback. Read comments from your community. Stay updated with the latest software and industry knowledge. And keep practicing these editing tips, even when it feels hard.
Plus, an added extra! A few editing tips to help you increase likes and upvotes…
When it comes to editing, there are also a few things to avoid if you want to ensure your audience is satisfied with the overall experience:
- Don’t cut the action just when things get exciting.
- Try to avoid ending your video with the same teaser content as shown in the beginning.
- Don’t loop videos, for example playing the same clip on repeat.
It's important to note that the more likes a video receives, the greater their chances of being featured on our homepage.
TL;DR Video Editing Tips for Content Creators on Pornhub
Editing is going to play an important part of your journey to create immersive and professional-looking porn. With thousands of videos uploaded daily, we recommend spending as much time refining and compiling your footage as the actual filming and performance itself.
If you want to practice with some short videos to get started, take a look at Shorties, which is currently in BETA. Whenever Models upload vertical clips to their profile and they get a few views, we’ll automatically export them straight into our Shorties feed for viewers to see. It’s a great way to get more traffic to your profile with short teaser content and build your subscribers.
If you haven’t already, you’ll need to create a Model account here to get started. You can also learn more on how to make amateur porn in our previous blog.
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