Short-Form Video Editor For DTC Brands

We aren't looking for someone to put clips together. We are looking for a behavioural storyteller who treats the first three seconds of a video like a high-stakes science experiment.

You understand that attention is the new currency. You don't just edit for flow; you edit for dopamine hits, curiosity gaps, and pattern interruptions. If you know how to weaponize the Zeigarnik Effect and Micro-Staccato pacing to turn a passive scroller into an active viewer, this is your playground.

• The First 3 Seconds: Craft 35 distinct Hook Variations for every asset to find the winning thumb-stop.
• Loop Mastery: Implement the Cliffhanger Effect by opening cognitive loops early and delaying the payoff to maximize watch time.
• Pattern Interruption: Use Schematic Violations and Benign Violations to snap viewers out of autopilot scrolling.
• Rhythmic Pacing: Master Micro-Staccato editingusing rapid cuts, visual punctuation, and strategic silence to dictate the viewer's pulse.

• Video: Produce high-retention Reels, TikToks, and Shorts that feel native but look premium.
• Static Assets: Engineer high-CTR thumbnails and ad creatives using Photoshop/Illustrator. You understand facial logic, eye-line cues, and the 3-second rule for readability.
• Ad Performance: Create Direct Response edits that don't just look cool, but drive specific user actions.

• Retention Analysis: Look at the Drop-off Graphs and diagnose why viewers left.
• A/B Mindset: Rapidly test different caption styles, music beds, and hook-orders based on performance feedback.

• Adobe Premiere Pro: Your primary home. You are fast, organized, and shortcut-heavy.
• After Effects: For Visual Punctuationtext animations, motion tracking, and kinetic typography that emphasizes key points.
• Canva: For Click-Engine design (Thumbnails, Carousels, and Ad Covers).
• Sound Design: You don't just add music. You use hits, risers, and The Power of the Pause to drive the emotional arc.

You receive 5 minutes of raw, rambling footage. Within 24 hours, you deliver:

1. The Master Cut: A tight, 58-second Retentive Masterpiece.
2. The Hook Lab: 3 alternate intros (The Curiosity Gap, The Controversy, and The Result-First).
3. The Click-Bait (The Good Kind): 2 high-contrast thumbnails that make it impossible not to click.

• Proven Track Record: A portfolio of short-form work that demonstrates a deep understanding of pacing and The Turn.
• Psychology Obsessed: You can explain why a certain cut works using terms like Variable Rewards or Open Loops.
• Native Fluency: You live on social media. You know the trends before they are trends, but you know the psychology that makes them work even better.

Bonus Points: Experience with AI-assisted workflows (Firefly, Midjourney, or Generative Fill) to speed up asset creation.

Don't just send a resume. Send us:

1. Your portfolio (focusing on short-form).
2. The Why: Pick one video in your portfolio and tell us the psychological principle you used to keep people watching.