•Introduction
•What is Video Editing and What Does VFX Stand For?
•Video Editing Programs
•Tutorials
•Resources
•Websites
•The End
I’ll try my best to provide everything you will ever need to be a good video editor and/or a VFX artist, whether you came to learn from scratch, or to improve your knowledge, this guide will help you with whatever it is you seek. Feel free to come back here every now and then, I will make sure to update the thread with whatever new ideas that come to my mind.
Video editing is the process of cutting videos, rearranging and manipulating them to create something that is different from the resources that were used to create the new content.
VFX stands for Visual Effects. Visual effects are digitally created by taking live-action footage and integrating it with generated imagery to create something new. In most cases, it is something that is impossible to recreate in real life, or is either dangerous or expensive to do so. Which makes visual effects the best alternative. VFX can be created by a number of programs, the most common will be mentioned and discussed later in this guide.

Before you continue reading, please note that picking the program that you want to use is based solely on what you need done. These programs are all different from each other, each has it’s own set of pros and cons.
Adobe After Effects
AE is a composting software. If you want to create cool Youtube intros, maybe some CSGO edits, or some explosions and some science fiction effects, this is the program to get. Sadly, AE lacks editing capabilities which can be compensated in other programs.
HitFilm Express (Free)
Hitfilm tries to combine editing and composting into one program, which means It's great for VFX as much as it's great for editing. Plus, this version is free!
HitFilm Pro (Paid)
This is the paid version of HitFilm. It has advanced options and additional plugins that the free version doesn't have.
Sony Vegas Pro
SVP is made for arranging movie clips in a sequence. Which also means that it’s great for compensating for AE’s editing capabilities. A lot of people use SVP for compositing as well, so it's kinda a mix between AE and Premiere Pro.
Adobe Premiere
Adobe Premiere is a similar program to Sony Vegas Pro, there are some slight differences like rendering speed and the ability to handle a broad variety of high-quality renditions in all formats. Unlike After Effects, Premier Pro is an editing software, not a compositting software. So you should use Premiere and After Effects together.
Final Cut Pro
Final Cut Pro is one of the most professional video editing programs nowadays, it is used by a lot of major video editing individuals and companies. You can create some awesome stuff really fast using the help provided via It’s templates. You need a fast computer to get the best out of FCP.

Intro Tutorials
Here, I have provided some tutorials that will significantly help you make intros. You can make Youtube channel intros, or just normal movie or gaming intros.
Note that I have manually picked these tutorials to make sure that you get the best out of your time
Advanced 3D Light Rays
Create 3D Light Rays inside After Effects
Fancy Bevels
Create detailed bevels with Element 3D
Typewriter Keys Logo
Create a logo using vintage typewriter keys in Element 3D
Translucent Glass
Create a cool title design using a 3D displacement map
The Jungle
Create a overgrown jungle scene with rocky title
Element Animation Engine
Animate Pre-Fractured Objects with Element 3D!
Biohazard Logo
Extrude a 3D logo in this video
Procedural Crumble
Create a procedural crumbling effect using Shatter Effect
Light Glow
Create an illuminating title with color casting in 3D
Green Smoke
Create a cloudy smoke title with real footage
Shatterize
Create a progressive shatter effect in After Effects
3D Ball Dispersion
Create a ball transition effect with CC Ball Action
Blueprint Reveal
Create a draw-on blue print title card
Ancient Titles
Create particles that only appear in the light beams
The Ring
Build a silver ring in After Effects with a particle wipe
Spin Orbs
Create a spinning orb that self animates with time
Speed Particles
Use expressions to drive particles based on speed
Fly By Titles
Create titles that fly by the camera
Graffiti Writing
Simulate graffiti writing on a wall in 3D
Fracture Design
Fracture layers and manipulate in 3D space with ease
VFX Tutorials
Here, I have provided some tutorials that will significantly help you create visual effects.
Explosions, gun shots and muzzle flashes, light sabers and alien stuff, you name it, It’s here.
Cloning Yourself
Probably one of the most on-demand VFX tutorials
Missle Launch
Fire a missile with new JetStrike pack & Particula
Sub Surface Skin
Create an illuminated skin effect inspired by Iron Man 3!
Scopes
Use after effects to simulate a variety of optical scopes
Alien Surface
Create a realistic set extension using a Matte Painting
3D Truck Compositing
Composite a 3D truck into live action with 3D camera track
Mid Air Emergency
Composite footage into Airplane interio
Magical Hits
Composite stock footage elements to create magic hits
Dynamic Machine Gun
Create a machine gun with dynamic ricochets types
Depth Charge
Combine multiple explosions to create a Depth Charge
Blast Wave
Build a realistic explosion using Action Essentials 2
Advanced Time Freeze
Composite suspended 3D glass into a live action shot
3D Ledge
I ntegrate 3D with Live Action footage using 2D tracking
Smoke Trails
Create realistic smoke trails with Particular particles
Lightning Strike
Add Rain & Atmosphere then build a Lightning Bolt
Disintegration
Build a furious procedural Disintegration effect in AE
Futuristic HUD
Create 3D interface display as seen in Iron Man's helmet
Soul Removal
Create Energy particle system in After Effects
Energy
Create a complex energy scene with CC particle world
Advanced Car Hit
Create a realistic vehicle collision with body damage
The Healer
Create a healing effect as seen by many super heroes
3D Eyeball
Make a 3D eyeball that can look around the room
Eye Replacement
Create creepy eye effects by replacing eyeball
Skin Displacement
Simulate the look of bugs crawling under the skin
Set Extensions
Extend a live action set with custom matte painting
Day To Night Conversion
Transform daylight footage to night footage
Demon Face Warp
Add face warp using reverse motion tracking
Advanced Sky Replacement
Use procedural mattes to remove a blown out sky
The Blue Planet
Create a cool earth in After Effects
Earth Zoom
Create a cosmic Earth zoom in AE
Time Freeze
Simulate a frozen world around one person
Simulated Lightning
Make a muzzle flash actually light up your scene

Every editor’s must-have. You will need this whether you want to create intros, VFX edits or whatever else.
In my opinion, this is by far the most important DVD for a VFX artist to have.
Triune Digital: Fire Assets
This pack has such unique looking fire loops, and because this pack is relatively new, your video is going to stand out, and your audience wont be able to tell where you get your stuff from!
Riot Gear
Great for making professional intros or things that don’t necessarily have to do with VFX.
Pro Scores
Cinematic production music, this is for anyone who needs amazing cinematic music for their short films, but it can work with anything.
Designer Sound FX
Another awesome sounds pack. The difference between Designer Sound and Pro Scores is that Pro Scores has cinematic sounds and orchestral Music while Designer Sound has a variety of in-real life sounds like impacts and swishes in addition to some simple layered music.
Gun Foley SFX
Hollywood Guns SFX
Let me put it this way; if a gun exists, one of these packs has it's bullet sound.
Triune Sound: Fighting SFX
This pack has some really high quality fight sounds. It will definitely come in handy in many situations.
Triune Sound: Hits & Risers
Whatever you're making, you're going to need an "impact" sound pack. This is one of the good packs out there. It has 170 sounds to create any impact sound you need for your video or film.
Triune Scores: Horror Pack
Are you into creepy stuff? do you tend to make horror-related videos? this pack will help you scare the shit out of your audience.
Triune Scores: Trailer Pack Vol1
Nothing compliments Youtube intros more than good trailer sounds. This pack will not only help you when it comes to intros, but anything else as well.
Film Magic Pro
If you’re intro creating short films, this will give your video a cinematic and professional look.
3D Packs
Some useful websites that will help you with your journey.
http://www.videocopilot.net/
Tutorials and resources for a variety of video editing programs can be found here.
http://cgi.tutsplus.com/
Tutorials for a variety of video editing programs can be found here.
http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/adobe-after...ced-users/
50 Adobe After Effect Tutorials
http://vfxbro.com/
This guy creates great tutorials and free resources.
http://www.creativebloq.com/3d-tips/afte...ls-1232661
45 After Effects Tutorials (all levels)
http://www.lynda.com/After-Effects-train...150-0.html
For more After Effects Tutorials.
http://www.lynda.com/Premiere-Pro-traini...287-0.html
For more Adobe Premier Tutorials.
http://www.lynda.com/Final-Cut-Pro-train...201-0.html
For Final Cut Pro tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/CorridorDigital
After you've learnt the basics from VideoCopilot, check out these guys for more great tutorials.
https://www.youtube.com/user/freddiew
Same as Corridor Digital, these guys helped me a lot and still do.
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKJXZkYXXoRTDUDKHohq6sA
Great and useful AE templates can be found on this Youtube channel.
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2I98pBdGHdTDT_qv9s2TDg
Great and useful AE templates can be found on this Youtube Channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfKs3mu...LM0A5nscwA
An amazing guy to get inspiration from for anything VFX related.
http://www.youtube.com/user/BakersTuts
More After Effects tutorials. Suggested by Reαl.
http://mitchmartinez.com/free-4k-red-epi...k-footage/
4K Res Time lapses, suggested by NeverHere
http://www.videvo.net/
Stock Motion Graphics, suggested by NeverHere
http://www.vidsplay.com/
HD Stock Footage, suggested by NeverHere
http://archive.org/browse.php?field=subj...ck_footage
Public Domain Footage, suggested by NeverHere
https://musopen.org/
Music, Mostly Classical, suggested by NeverHere
http://soungle.com/
Audio Effect Search Engine, suggested by NeverHere
http://www.bigsoundbank.com/
Foley Audio, suggested by NeverHere
http://sweetsoundeffects.com/
Audio Packs, suggested by NeverHere
http://www.soundgator.com/
Foley Audio, suggested by NeverHere
http://www.shutterstock.com/video/
Shutterstock makes for a useful site to use when thinking about greenscreen.
The company has a wide range of categories to chose from including aerial shots, celebrities and time-lapse footage.
http://www.hollywoodcamerawork.com/greenscreenplates
This site provides some free VFX Plates to download and test
http://www.videoblocks.com/videos/greenscreen
Video Blocks offers backgrounds as well as allowing you to provide the background to the footage provided

I would like to thank everyone who put time into reading my guide and hopefully put effort into learning, and I’d like to wish you all good luck on your journeys.
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