• by Chad Early , August 16, 2022

While the metaverse is still in its infancy—and no one can quite predict how it’ll grow—it's a particularly exciting time for video editors, who should play a pivotal role in shaping user experiences in the virtual world.

In the last 20 years, the leaps we’ve made in creating videos have been massive. What used to require equipment that cost six figures can now be achieved on a smartphone. As a video editor who works with brands, the job isn’t about who can splice together a 15-second TikTok. It’s about client problem-solving: making sure the copy, key points, and storytelling are all there.

As the metaverse evolves, most of the current content we consume will be integrated for us to watch in our VR headsets. It’s only logical that we start creating that content within the metaverse itself. Video editing in VR can be a powerful tool that will shape the next stage of this industry. Here’s how.

Enhanced collaboration.

Before the pandemic, if a client wanted me to edit a 30-second commercial, we'd meet in person and go through the footage together. The journey we would both take to get to the final product would help the client understand the process and why I made certain decisions.

The pandemic changed all that. We would still edit together in, say, a Zoom call, but aspects of the experience were lacking: It was harder to read facial expressions, nuance was lost.

The metaverse helps fix that. It offers the distraction-free comforts of a post-facility or edit suite, but allows editors to bring clients and stakeholders into the same space, no matter where they physically are.

Increased productivity.

Video editors spend a lot of time creating their work environment: their office, soundproofing, lighting. All in service to creating the best possible environment to produce high-quality creative content. The metaverse provides that by simply putting on a headset. As we look to edit more in the metaverse, the technology will have to speed up. And it already has. In the past six months, a number of tools, like Adobe Aero and Immersed VR, have enhanced an editor’s capabilities.

Better end user experience.

Many people may not realize this, but much of the video in the metaverse is still constructed in the real world on a flat screen. You create, export, then put your headset on to play it back. Don’t like certain sounds? Need to change some visuals? You’ll have to take your headset off, edit on your flat screen, then test again.

Editing in the metaverse delivers a quicker feedback loop. It allows creators and brands to experience—in real time—what the end consumer will see, which only stands to enrich the final product.

While no one knows how the metaverse will evolve in six months or even a year, if you want to play a role in shaping its future, it’s time to start creating in the metaverse, not just for it.