Outsourcing vs. In-House Video Editing: Which is Better for My Projects?

The conundrum hits: you’ve got more video projects than you can handle. And the main pain point?

Editing.

That’s right, even though it feels like the hard part is over once the shoot is wrapped, that’s actually when the real work begins. That pesky need to put it all together can take exponentially longer than it did to capture the footage. And to make matters worse, editing by nature is all-consuming. Piecing together footage and audio dominates your senses of sight and sound, making multitasking impossible.

You need help with editing. But what do you do?

Regardless of if you’re a solo content creator, working with a production crew, at a digital agency, or in-house at a larger company, your options are the same:

1. Continue doing it yourself (and get nothing else done)
2. Hire an editor (do you have the means for this?)
3. Outsource (that sounds sketchy)

If you’re reading this article, I’m assuming the first option isn’t the solution you’re considering.

Outsourcing isn't for Everyone

Before we dive in, let’s call out the elephant in the room. I’m writing this article from the perspective of someone that represents one of these options — a post-house — so obviously I’m pro outsourced editing. But despite that, I’m going to do my best to remain neutral on this topic and just present the basic realities with either option.

By the end of this series of articles, I want you to have a clear understanding of the pros and cons to either approach and feel informed about making the best decision for your specific needs. I’ll lightly cover different versions of outsourcing in the form of freelancers, specialized post-houses, and other production companies—and compare those to keeping editing in-house.

Comparing Outsourced to In-House Video Editing

For a quick lookahead, here's a snapshot comparing outsourcing to in-house editing:

Here's a guided list of the articles in this series, but feel free to check them out in the order that makes sense to you:

1. Overview (you are here)
2. Types of Outsourced Editing
3. Advantages of Outsourcing Video Editing
4. Drawbacks of Outsourcing Video Editing
5. Advantages of In-House Video Editing
6. Drawbacks of In-House Video Editing
7. Important Questions to Decide if Outsourcing or In-House is Best for You

Spoiler Alert

Both outsourcing and in-house editing offer unique advantages and challenges. Your decision on which is right for you will depend on your specific projects’ needs, budgets, quality requirements, and your desired level of involvement.

One important thing to keep in mind is that you don’t need to only stick with one option. Many companies leverage the advantages of an in-house team and bring in an outsourced partner during times of high volume work or if unforeseen issues arise with their employees. Knowing your options with outsourcing and building relationships outside of your team can bring a sense of comfort in times that would otherwise prove challenging.

At Archaius, we focus on providing our clients the closest thing to a fractional in-house team. Meaning, we want you to feel like we’re right down the hall, but only when you need us.

Reach out through our contact form if you’d like to get the conversation started.

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