Easy-ish Video Editing for Your Podcast 🎞️

Matt Gilhooly of The Life Shift Podcast shares his process

Hey Besties!

We’re just six episodes into the first season of Podcast Bestie, the Podcast, and quickly approaching 20K downloads. That’s double my initial goal, and there are still a bunch of episodes with stellar guests on the way. It’s no coincidence that this launch has been so successful, and I already had a squad of Besties from this newsletter. Thank you so much for leaving such sweet reviews and helping me spread the word. I appreciate you!

Help me hit 20K downloads AND get an earful of professional podcast marketing advice from Lauren Passell in the latest episode, including HOW TO GET FEATURED ON APPLE PODCASTS! 🤩 #goals

Now, I would like to introduce you to our guest for today’s Q&A: Matt Gilhooly, indie podcaster and host of The Life Shift Podcast. I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Matt as an active member of this community, and on Twitter, where he frequently shares behind-the-scenes of how he makes his podcast.

Video editing always overwhelms me — even the thought of it! But I definitely see the upside and potential it holds, so I want to overcome my fear of video and figure out the best way to incorporate it into my post-production process. Adding video to your podcast doesn’t have to be scary, right? To demonstrate this, I’m doing a special video-for-podcasters series to prove it to you and me both. So to kick things off, Matt’s going to show us how he makes simple and affordable videos for his podcast.

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Tell us about when/why you started podcasting and your show.

MG: The Life Shift Podcast began as an assignment in a communications graduate program in the spring of 2022. However, the impetus for the show stems back to my childhood. My mother was killed in an accident when I was eight years old, and throughout my grief journey, I felt alone in my circumstances. I always wondered if others had a pivotal moment that changed everything. So when I launched this show, I wanted others to share their stories about a pivotal moment that changed everything to help listeners feel less alone in what they were going through. Along came The Life Shift podcast — candid conversations about the pivotal moments that have changed lives forever.

Have you been producing a video version of your podcast the whole time? If not, when did you start?

MG: I started the show in March 2022 but did not start launching the video version of the show until August 2022 (around episode 21). I was intimidated by the idea of creating an overlay and editing separate video files. However, I wanted to conquer this fear to learn new skills for the show.

Do you typically record interviews remotely or in person? Do you have any tips for capturing good video footage during a podcast recording?

MG: Since day one, I have conducted all my interviews remotely through Riverside. I’ve set up a studio in my home office with various lights and a new background for my video. But no fancy camera; I just use my new MacBook Air webcam for now. For my guests, I typically ask them to record in a space with good lighting (in front of them) and place the camera at eye level or just above. This request allows me to create videos where our frames are similar in size.

Are the audio-only and video versions of your show essentially the same, or do you tailor the output to each medium? How do you decide which parts of your podcast to include in the video version?

MG:  Since I am still relatively new in my video output journey, the episodes on YouTube/video format are mostly the same as the audio-only versions. I heavily edit the audio version of the podcast (filler words, content, etc.). However, on video, if I were to edit for some of those elements, there would be far too many jump cuts or awkward blank spots (in audio, you can space out audio if you find you and the guest are talking over each other). The video format seems to be more forgiving for filler words, but I do make sure to eliminate unnecessary content (or mistakes) from the video version of The Life Shift.

What software do you use to edit your podcast videos? Explain how you utilize your podcasting software stack and how much it costs.

MG: For my videos, I use a combination of Riverside (for video files), Canva (for overlay assets), and DaVinci Resolve (for video editing). Riverside costs roughly $20 per month for fifteen hours of recording. Canva is free, or there is an affordable Pro option for more elements. Finally, DaVinci Resolve is a free video editing software similar to Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro. Paying for Canva Pro and Riverside costs me about $30/month. However, I use both for my other podcasting and social media needs producing and promoting at least four full episodes per month, as well.

Can you walk us through your editing process for a typical episode of your podcast, both video and audio?

MG: 

1. I download my video files from Riverside (synced video files — two files).

2. I create the overlay asset in Canva (it can be made on the free version).

3. I customized a ‘Twitch streaming template’ within Canva with two equal-sized boxes for the video files. This template is updated with the guest’s name for each episode and saved as a transparent PNG so that the videos are visible behind the overlay.

   

4. I load the videos and PNG into DaVinci Resolve.

5. Opening the Edit menu, I add the guest file as the V1 track and the host file as the V2 track. Finally, as the third track, I add the overlay PNG and make it as long as the full video (by dragging the right side of the file).

   

6. You can now use the Transform options (top right of screenshot) to adjust where the videos are in the empty boxes. For example, I change the X position for the host track to move it to the left and adjust the zoom to fit it in the window. I do the same for the guest track, but move it to the right and adjust the zoom so that both videos look similar.

7. Light editing is easy. Simply watch the video and wherever you need cuts, highlight all tracks and split track at the start of the edit and do the same at the end of the segment. Then be sure all tracks are selected, and press delete.

   

8. You can add transitions, but that isn’t always necessary, especially for beginners.

9. Once complete, you can select how you want it exported (I choose YouTube). Then you render the file to save it as a video file.

10. Upload to YouTube and set it up like you would your audio file in your hosting platform. Some people may choose to bring their video into Descript at this point and do further editing now that everything is set up visually.

11. Finally, I create a customized thumbnail for each video that complements the episode artwork and other show assets.

Do you have any strategies for making your podcast videos visually engaging and interesting?

MG: I have not yet graduated to the bells and whistles of video editing. As I just entered year two, I still focus heavily on the stories shared by my guests. My goal is that each episode finds the ears that need to hear the story/message the most. I want people to feel less alone; typically, a candid conversation of this nature can get them there.

What’s your typical YouTube posting cadence? And what’s the strategy behind that? Any takeaways based on your experience thus far?

MG: I post the episodes of The Life Shift to YouTube on release day (Tuesdays at 4am ET). I post YouTube Shorts (AI-developed clips from Momento) at least twice weekly to build the channel's exposure. I find early mornings do the best, but I still have yet to figure out the best strategy for my show on YouTube since it’s about personal stories.

Right now, this channel is still a work in progress as I find that most of my growth is in the audio version more than the video. However, I do not want to get “left behind” when YouTube for podcasting grows. So, I use this time to build my skills and develop a presence for my show.

Have you noticed any differences in audience engagement between your audio-only podcast and the video version?

MG: The audio-only version of the podcast grows more significantly than the video version. However, I have a regular group of people who prefer to watch the conversations on YouTube. These individuals also comment on each episode (which is excellent for engagement and feedback). At this point in my journey, The Life Shift podcast is an audio-first experience, but I want to be present on YouTube for those who want to watch the video. The message is still the same — helping others feel less alone.

What have been the most effective ways for you to promote your podcast? Does video help with that?

MG: Video is most helpful for social media promotion as I share enticing clips that interest potential viewers in my guests’ stories, and then hopefully, they find the full episodes (or engage with questions).

I use Canva to make most of my social media assets, with the help of Momento.fm for captioned video clips I use for YouTube Shorts, Instagram, Twitter, etc. Momento helps to highlight important “moments” from each episode and then has a system to create assets (with customization) to use on social media. 

What advice do you have for other podcasters who are considering adding a video component to their show?

MG: Do it as soon as you can, but do not pressure yourself to make everything perfect. It is a learning process, but it seems way more daunting than it is. Give yourself time to make mistakes, but challenge yourself to find the software stack that works for you. I personally found that my process works well for the current needs of The Life Shift.

Anything else you’d like to add?

MG: Keep learning, but make sure to do it when you are ready. There is a ton of advice out there for podcasters, but not everything makes sense for every show. Make this journey as enjoyable as possible because it can be a ton of work, but I have found that it is simply the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done in my life. Enjoy the ride!

Also, a thank you to you, Courtney, for doing what you do for the industry, especially for those of us indie podcasters who sometimes feel overlooked amongst so many great shows.

Aw, thanks so much, Matt! It’s truly my pleasure. And thank YOU for this confidence-building video primer!

➡️ Check out Matt’s podcast, The Life Shift, on your favorite podcast player, and follow the show on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram

➡️ And give his new video trailer some love on YouTube (created with the AI tool Momento!)

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So… ROLL CALL! 🗣

Do you incorporate video in your podcast production process? If so, what apps and hacks do you use to save time and delivery great quality?

Follow me @courtneykocak on Twitter and Instagram. For more, check out my website courtneykocak.com.

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