Video Editor for YouTube, Instagram Reels, Shorts & TikTok who protects the punchline

You send the raw footage, I turn it into videos people watch to the end and clips that stick in the feed. Editing, thumbnails, YouTube SEO and strategy from one person: I make the creative calls myself and use AI tools deliberately for routine work. One point of contact instead of an agency chain.

Start a project Work

Video, podcasts & social

I edit long-form videos – YouTube episodes, interviews, podcasts, live shows – so people watch to the end. And I turn every long-form piece into dozens of short clips for Reels, Shorts and TikTok.

Long-form editing Raw footage becomes a video people finish. Finished 16:9 master with chapters, ready to upload
Reels & shorts from long-form One long video, podcast or show becomes dozens of posts. 9:16 clips with hook, captions and safe margins
Podcast production From raw recording to finished episode – as audio, video podcast and clips.
Ads & promo videos Short spots for shows, tours, products and brands.
Subtitles & translations Clean subtitles and translations into further languages – for more reach.
Advertiser-friendly versions For comedians and podcasters: carefully defuse strong language and terms that algorithms restrict – the punchline stays, and so does monetisation.
Crowd-work & highlight clips Your strongest live moments, told cleanly.
Audio-Mastering Clear, balanced sound on every device: voices easy to understand, music and atmosphere in the right proportion, mastered to the loudness of YouTube, Spotify & co. WAV/MP3 master at −14 LUFS
Motion Design Intros, lower thirds and title cards people recognise.
Hooks & Captions Strong openings for Reels and Shorts: the result first, a surprising question or an image that stops the scroll – built with editing and on-screen text. Plus captions that get people commenting, sharing and following.

Thumbnails

More clicks on the same video — with variants to test.

High-CTR thumbnails Readable on mobile, built on one clear idea. Final thumbnail in 4K (3840 × 2160), ready for YouTube
A/B variants Data instead of gut feeling. Three variants for YouTube’s Test & Compare
Posters & event graphics Posters, flyers and social media graphics for tours, events and campaigns – eye-catching in print and readable at a glance in the feed.
AI image editing Retouching, cut-outs, new backgrounds and composites – including images that can’t be photographed like that, e.g. for thumbnails, campaigns or product shots.
Carousels & quote cards One video becomes shareable slides.
Logos & merch design Logos, brand marks and designs for shirts, hoodies and posters – including mockups that show how everything will look.

YouTube growth

Get found – and keep viewers watching. I optimise titles, tags and playlists, analyse your numbers and plan what comes next.

YouTube-SEO Titles, descriptions, chapters and tags that fit the video.
Tags & channel keywords Video tags, hidden tags and channel keywords that show YouTube what your channel is about.
Playlist strategy Playlists that lead viewers from one video to the next – more watch time per visit.
KPI analysis Click-through rate, watch time, retention and subscribers per video – with clear next steps.
Channel analysis Which topics and formats work for you – and which don’t.
Competitor analysis What works in your niche, which topics are missing and where you can stand out.
Chapters, end screens & cards Viewers find their way, stay longer and keep clicking.
Release planning Topics, dates and formats that fit together – a plan instead of random uploads.

Social media & strategy

You post yourself – I help with planning, production and analysis. If you like, I take over the whole account.

Planning & production A content plan and finished posts, tailored to your channels.
KPI analysis Numbers that turn into decisions.
Strengths, weaknesses & niche Where you stand out – and where the potential is.
Tips & guidelines Clear guidelines so you post better yourself.
Full management on request I take over your channels completely if you want.

Stand-up specials & crowd-work clips

I cut full specials, sets and crowd-work compilations so the setup has room to breathe and the laugh stays in. Sometimes the pause is the funniest part of the bit, so I don't trim it just to look fast.

Not a comedian? The same craft works for interviews, podcasts, talks and vlogs.

Upload-ready 16:9 master with chapters
Subtitles (SRT) and translations into further languages
Advertiser-friendly versions: I carefully defuse strong language and terms that platform algorithms restrict – the punchline stays, and so does the reach
Clear audio: voices easy to understand, music and atmosphere balanced, mastered to platform loudness
Intros, lower thirds and title cards where they actually help

Shorts, Reels & TikToks from your long-form

One show holds dozens of posts. I pull the moments that work without context and cut them to 9:16: a hook in the first seconds, captions people can actually read, nothing hidden behind the platform buttons.

With crowd work, the edit makes or breaks the clip. Keep the setup and the room's reaction, and it lands. Lose either, and it falls flat.

Ranked clip list with timestamps and reasoning
Finished Shorts, Reels and TikToks
Hook text, captions and hashtags per platform
Podcast clips and interview highlights, too

YouTube thumbnail design, made for the phone

Your thumbnail decides whether anyone gets to see your edit. I design for a small screen: one clear image, few words, a question viewers want answered.

Thumbnails in 4K (3840 × 2160), razor-sharp on big screens and TVs, plus a lightweight upload version in case your channel still has the old 2 MB limit
Variants for A/B tests in YouTube Studio
Cut-outs, composites and AI-assisted image editing
Language versions for international channels

YouTube SEO, analytics & social strategy

Uploading isn't the finish line. I write titles, descriptions, chapters and tags that tell search and recommendations what your video is about. Then we look at your numbers together: which topics, formats and thumbnails work for you, and what to drop.

Title options, description with chapters, tag set
Channel and competitor analysis with clear recommendations
KPI tracking and regular reports
Content calendar and release plan
Social media management: planning, production, publishing
Strategy calls with a written summary

Case: Nikolai Binner

For German stand-up comedian Nikolai Binner I handle editing, thumbnails and YouTube SEO. A few examples (views according to YouTube, as of 11 October 2026):

Hugo interview: 662,160 views · final edit, thumbnail, SEO, multilingual subtitles
“Frau im Publikum legt sich mit Comedian an” (audience member takes on the comedian): 902,466 views · re-edit
“Obdachloser in der U-Bahn” (homeless man on the subway): 505,971 views · re-edit
Speerspitze special: 486,350 views · thumbnail

Those views are a team effort: the material and the performance are Nikolai's. My job is to make sure as much of it as possible reaches the audience.

Real clients. Real reach.

Thumbnail: Nikolai Binner and 99-year-old Hugo, “Deutscher WW2-Veteran” (German WWII veteran) at the top, “the full interview with a contemporary witness” below — Nikolai Binner **Silent for 75 years: WWII veteran Hugo (99) tells all** 662k views Final editThumbnailYouTube-SEOMultilingual subtitles

Thumbnail: Nikolai Binner smiling with a microphone in front of a red brick wall, text “Speerspitze – Die ganze Show” (the whole show) — Nikolai Binner **Speerspitze — stand-up solo show by Nikolai Binner** 486k views Thumbnail

Thumbnail: Nikolai Binner with a microphone on stage in front of a brick wall, text “Ich hasse Fahrradfahrer” (I hate cyclists) — Nikolai Binner **Speerspitze: Penny in Neukölln, dolphin therapy and cyclists** 96k views EditThumbnailYouTube SEO

Thumbnail: Nikolai Binner with a microphone, finger to his temple, in front of a red brick wall with two silhouettes; text “Hells Angels?!” — Nikolai Binner **Hells Angels?!** Thumbnail

Thumbnail: quote “If they catch you, you’ll be shot.” above a forest at night, below Nikolai Binner and Hugo, lower third “Hugo, German WWII veteran – about his escape” — Nikolai Binner **Hugo · quote series** ThumbnailMultilingual versions

Thumbnail: Nikolai Binner and a woman in climbing harnesses on a tower ledge high above a river landscape, text “252 M” — Nikolai Binner **Repackaging: bungee vlog** 19k → 31k views after repackaging YouTube SEO: title & description

Three steps to upload.

Short briefing
Tell me what you're planning, ideally with a link to your channel or footage. You'll usually hear back within 1–2 business days.
Plan & quote
I suggest formats, scope and workflow and send you a custom quote. We agree on revision rounds at the same time.
Edit & feedback
You get a first cut and send your notes; timecodes help. I work them in.
Delivery
Finished videos, thumbnails and copy in the agreed formats, ready to upload.

Frequently asked questions

How much does video editing cost?

A Reel takes less work than a long video with a thumbnail, subtitles and SEO. After a short briefing you get a binding quote based on the actual effort – at an hourly rate well below typical agency rates (small business, no VAT charged). I like being paid for results: if your video hits a goal we set beforehand, I’d appreciate a fair performance bonus.

How long does a project take?

That depends on the scope. You'll get a realistic timeline with the quote. If you already have an upload date, mention it in your briefing.

How many revision rounds are included?

We agree on revision rounds before we start, so we both know where we stand. Notes with timecodes make every round faster.

Can I book just thumbnails or just Shorts?

Yes. You can book a single video, Shorts only or thumbnails only. If you publish regularly, an ongoing setup is often smoother, because I'll already know your channel and your style.

Do you only work with comedians?

No. Comedy is home (I founded and run the Counter Culture Comedy Club show in Cologne), but the same craft works just as well for podcasts, interviews, talks and other creator formats.

Which languages do you work in?

I speak German, English, Russian and Ukrainian myself. For every other language I use the world’s leading AI tools: subtitle translations, transcripts, multilingual websites and more. That way I can deliver high-quality work in practically any language in the world.

How do you use AI?

For the legwork: transcription, pre-selecting clip moments, subtitle drafts, image editing and variants. My toolkit includes Claude, Codex and my own scripts. Editing decisions, timing and final approval are mine. If a thumbnail contains AI-generated elements, I'll tell you.

Who owns the final files?

You get the final files in the agreed formats. Usage rights, and whether you also need project files, are set out in writing in the quote.

Got footage? Let's talk.

Tell me briefly what you're working on; a channel link helps. You'll get a no-obligation quote, usually within 1–2 business days.

Your next project?

Three fields are enough. You’ll get a no-obligation quote back, usually within 1–2 business days.

dimitriselsky@gmail.com Instagram DM