★ Free Self-Paced Course
Edit Like a Creator
Short-form video editing in CapCut — the craft that makes a clip people actually want to share on TikTok, Reels & Shorts. Taught with the free YouTube videos of Matt Loui — 15+ years of editing experience, distilled into hands-on projects.
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🎉 You finished the whole course! You officially know how to edit AND how to ship work people actually want to watch. Now go run the 30-day challenge. 🚀
👋 How this course works
Each module pairs one of Matt Loui’s free YouTube videos (your lesson) with a short list of Projects — small things you actually make to lock in what he taught. The secret to getting good fast is simple — don’t just watch, make stuff. Even a messy 15-second clip teaches you more than an hour of passive watching.
Tick the box at the bottom of each module as you finish it. Your progress saves automatically on this device, so you can come back anytime. Aim for one module a week and you’ll be done in a month — then run the 30/30 capstone for daily practice.
💡 The big idea: edit once, post everywhere. A vertical 9:16 video works on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts — so every video you make can go to all three.
Part 1
Get the Foundation
Install CapCut, learn the interface, and ship your first edits.
1
Beginner to Pro — fundamentals
⏱ ~1 hr · Matt Loui
Why it mattersBefore any technique, you need CapCut installed and you need to know where things live. Matt’s “Beginner to Pro” walkthrough takes you from zero to confidently moving around the interface and making your first export.
In this video
- Installing CapCut on Mac or PC
- Creating a project & importing footage
- The timeline, toolbar, and the basic edit actions
- Exporting your finished video
🛠 Projects
- Project 1. Install CapCut, import any clip from your camera roll, and export it as your first 10-second project. Goal: prove the buttons aren’t scary.
- Project 2. Take 3 short clips → trim each to its best 2 seconds → arrange in order with clean cuts → export.
- Project 3. Make a 15-second talking-head with a text title card at the start and background music underneath. Export.
Part 2
Build Your Toolkit
31 techniques that turn a basic editor into one people watch twice.
2
10 Essential Tricks — the basics every editor leans on
⏱ ~1 hr · Matt Loui
Why it mattersMatt’s “CapCut is HARD until you learn these 10 tricks” is the smallest catalogue of foundational moves that unlock the rest of the tool. Don’t try to memorize them — pick a few, drill them, and they’ll be in your hands within a week.
In this video
- 10 specific editing techniques back-to-back
- How and when to use each one
- Patterns you’ll see in viral short-form everywhere
🛠 Projects
- Project 1. Pick 5 tricks from Matt’s 10 that look most useful for your niche. Make a 10-second demo clip for each.
- Project 2. Combine 3 of those tricks into a single 15-second clip — one cohesive moment, not a montage.
- Project 3. “What I learned” compilation reel — stitch your 5 demos into a 30-second showcase with a title card.
3
21 Advanced Tricks — level up
⏱ ~1 hr · Matt Loui
Why it mattersOnce you’ve got the 15 basics, Matt’s 21-trick follow-up unlocks the “ooh, how did they do that?” moves — keyframes, masking, layering, advanced text. These are what separate a clean edit from a memorable one.
In this video
- Keyframe-driven motion (zoom-ins, pans, slides)
- Masking and layering techniques
- Advanced text animations and effects
🛠 Projects
- Project 1. Pick 3 keyframe-based tricks from the video. Make a 10-second demo clip for each.
- Project 2. Pick 2 masking-based tricks. Make a 10-second demo clip for each.
- Project 3. Combine one keyframe trick + one masking trick into a single 15-second story clip.
Part 3
Make It Look Pro
The taste layer — what turns “a kid with a phone” into “a creator I follow.”
4
Cinematic Polish — 7 hacks
⏱ ~45 min · Matt Loui
Why it mattersMost “phone-quality” content stays phone-quality because creators skip the small finishing moves. Matt’s 7 cinematic hacks — color, framing, audio, pacing — are the smallest investment with the biggest visible difference.
In this video
- 7 specific hacks that move a clip from “basic” to “cinematic”
- Where each hack matters most
- How to layer them without overcooking the look
🛠 Projects
- Project 1. Take any “basic” handheld clip you shot recently. Apply 3 of Matt’s hacks. Save as a side-by-side before/after.
- Project 2. Take that same clip and now apply ALL 7 hacks. Compare with the original — notice what each hack added.
- Project 3. Shoot fresh footage with the 7 hacks in mind from the start. Edit a 30-second short film.
5
Documentary Techniques — pro storytelling moves
⏱ ~45 min · Matt Loui
Why it mattersDocumentary editors use a small handful of techniques — J-cuts, B-roll layering, sound-design beats, smart pacing — that viewers feel even when they can’t name what they’re watching. The same moves work in short-form, and they’re what separates a clean edit from a memorable one.
In this video
- 6 documentary-style editing techniques you can apply to any video
- Audio-first transitions (J-cuts, L-cuts)
- Layering B-roll to add meaning to a talking-head clip
🛠 Projects
- Project 1. Apply one J-cut between two of your existing clips. Notice how the audio overlap feels.
- Project 2. Take a talking-head clip and layer in B-roll for at least one moment.
- Project 3. Add one sound-design moment (snap / swoosh / hit) at a single edit point.
- Project 4. Final clip — make a 60-second talking-head video that uses 4 of Matt’s 6 documentary techniques. Post it.
Capstone
30 Projects to Make It Stick
Self-paced editing reps. Tick each project off as you ship it — your progress lives on this device.
🏁
The 30 Projects List
⏱ Self-paced — ~1 hr each
Why it mattersYou don’t learn editing by watching — you learn by editing. Each project below is small, isolated, and pulls from a specific technique in Matt’s videos. Work through them in order if you want a guided path, or jump around — motivated students just keep shipping.
Ground rules
- One project per session — each fits in under an hour
- Done beats perfect, every time
- Tick the box when you ship the export — that’s the only rule
Bonus
Cheat Sheet
Pin this. Use it on every single video.
✂️ Pre-export editing checklist
- Cuts are tight — no dead air, no slow intros
- Vertical 9:16, fills the screen
- Captions on (sound-off friendly)
- New visual every 2–4 seconds
- Music or fitting sound layered in
- At least one polished moment (transition, sound design, B-roll layer)
- Color and audio levels balanced
- Exported clean — NO watermark
Important
Be a Smart, Safe Creator
Making and posting videos is fun — protecting yourself online matters even more.
- Guard your privacy. Avoid showing your school, home address, daily route, or anything that reveals exactly where you live.
- Check with a parent/guardian about account settings, what you post, and platform age rules.
- Never chase dangerous trends. If a trend involves risk, stunts, or anything that could hurt you or others — skip it. No view count is worth it.
- Comments can be harsh. Don’t take mean comments to heart, block/report when needed, and talk to someone you trust if it gets to you.
- Protect your time. Set limits so editing stays a fun hobby, not something that eats your sleep or schoolwork.
- Keep it kind & honest. Don’t post others without permission, and don’t copy creators outright — add your own twist.
Built as a free, self-paced learning path · All videos by Matt Loui on YouTube, free to watch.
Trends and apps change fast — when in doubt, search the topic + the current year for the freshest tutorial. Have fun out there. 🎬
Trends and apps change fast — when in doubt, search the topic + the current year for the freshest tutorial. Have fun out there. 🎬