Story-Driven Video Editor (YouTube & Shorts)

Location: Remote
Type: Long-term, full-time
Time commitment: ~25–30 hours per week
Compensation: $900/month to start, with scope to grow as the channel grows

Hi, I’m Keshav. I run a YouTube channel focused on leadership, wellbeing, and practical personal development. The content is thoughtful, grounded, and designed to help people think and live better, not surface-level motivation.

I’m looking for a story-driven video editor who understands pacing, restraint, and audience retention, and who wants to grow with a channel over time. This is a long-term role, not a short freelance gig.

What you’ll be working on

Long-form YouTube videos
Typically 10–20 minutes, around 1 per week
Short-form content
YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels, TikTok
Approximately 12–16 shorts per month to start
Helping shape a consistent, recognisable editing style over time

We’ll start at a sustainable cadence and scale based on what’s realistic and working.

Style philosophy (important)

This channel is intentionally not hyper-edited or dopamine-maximised.

The editing style sits in a deliberate tension between:

The slow, cinematic, restrained aesthetic of Life of RZA and Malama Life
The retention-aware, narrative-driven structure of James Jani

Minimal is the default.
Cuts, zooms, sound design, and motion are used only when they matter.

Silence and breathing room are tools.
Cinematic means intention and texture, not constant slowness.

Think: calm → emphasis → calm.

Skills required

Required

Proven experience editing YouTube long-form and short-form
Strong instinct for storytelling, pacing, and retention
Ability to take a loose or ambiguous brief and make confident creative decisions
Proficiency in Adobe Premiere Pro
Good ear for sound design and music selection
Clear written and spoken English
Reliable communication and ability to integrate feedback

Nice to have

After Effects or motion graphics experience
Experience cutting talking-head content into Shorts/Reels/TikToks
Familiarity with YouTube analytics and retention graphs

What this role is (and isn’t)

This is:

A long-term role with stability and creative ownership
A chance to help shape a channel’s visual identity
Consistent work with room to grow

This is not:

A high-pressure viral content factory
A role with rigid SOPs or constant micromanagement
A short-term freelance gig

Compensation & growth

Starting pay: $900/month
Designed as a long-term relationship
Compensation and scope are expected to grow as the channel grows and revenue becomes consistent

I’m looking for someone who is genuinely happy with this role at this stage of their career and takes pride in doing thoughtful work consistently.

How to apply

Please submit your application via the form linked below.

Include:

Examples of long-form and short-form edits you’ve done
A short explanation of how you think about hooks and retention
The word “samosa” somewhere in your application (so I know you read this)

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a paid trial edit (a short YouTube Short). This is not about perfection, but about taste, judgment, and creative decision-making.

I’m rebuilding consistency after not posting regularly for several years. The most important thing right now is showing up, publishing, and improving over time.

If this sounds like something you’d enjoy being part of, I’d love to hear from you.

Keshav Bhatt

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Story-Driven Video Editor (YouTube & Shorts)