Edit

Editing:

It's best to plan your shots BEFORE you film.  Here is a link to key cuts that you should plan ahead of time:

Sound and Audio Normalizing:

1. Remember that sound is 30 to 50% of your film

2. Listen to each clip carefully (ideally with speakers) and use the audio level meters.  Your audio should be just below the yellow (in the  -18 to -6 Db level)

   1. can you distinctively hear all conversation?  (if not, adjust)

   2. Are your voice levels similar throughout? (adjust accordingly - louder talking/yelling should be louder)

   3. Does your music overpower your voice?  (lower music volume)

   4. Does the background "noise" transition naturally from shot to shot?  *this is often overlooked

   5. Do your sound effects work convincingly and are they lined up perfectly?  (make adjustments - including levels)

   6. Is music used to add emotion to your film?

   7. Are all of your music and sound effect clips "Creative Commons" or "Open Source" and documented?

Colour Grading:

Once you have completed your draft, use colour grading on your clips to more effectively set the mood of your film.

1. Find a free "LUTs" file that you can use.

2. Work through the basics of colour grading in Adobe Premiere

3. You can also colour grade yourself and then create a LUTs which can be applied to your other clips

4. Did you shoot in C-Log or other flat log format? Use Adobe's auto detection shown in this video