# Color Correction and Audio in Editing. What Drives the Price | Illia BizTech > How color correction differs from a plain video cut, why audio matters as much as picture, and how long professional editing actually takes. Source: https://illia-biztech.de/en/blog/farbkorrektur-ton-warum-teurer-editor 1. [Home](/en) 2. [Resources](/en/blog) 3. Color Correction and Audio. Why It Costs More Than Basic Cutting ![An editor adjusts color correction on a video using a professional monitor](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/medium_farbkorrektur_ton_warum_teurer_editor_211bbd30cf.png) ![Portrait of Alina Belichenko, content and social media specialist](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/small_Alina_Belichenko_author_ae667ebec9.png) By: Alina Belichenko October 12, 2026 # Color Correction and Audio. Why It Costs More Than Basic Cutting Basic cutting arranges the filmed shots into a sequence, while color correction and audio work fix what the camera and microphone captured differently from how it looked on set, and those are two tasks with very different workloads. ## What professional editing actually includes Professional editing does not stop at removing what is unnecessary and putting shots in the right place. It includes color correction, audio work, often text or simple graphics, and several rounds of revisions based on client feedback. Basic video cutting only handles the first of these tasks, so the two differ in both time and result, even though both get called "editing." ## What separates color correction from basic video cutting Basic video cutting, in the terms used by [Videomaker](https://www.videomaker.com/how-to/editing/color-correction/color-correction-vs-color-grading-know-the-difference/), is assembling the filmed shots in the right order and length. Color correction only starts after that and solves a different problem, it makes color technically accurate and consistent from shot to shot when the same video was filmed under different light or on different cameras. Separate from correction is color grading, a creative step where color gets a specific mood or style rather than just being fixed. Per [Vimeo's](https://vimeo.com/blog/post/color-grading-vs-color-correction-explained) description, in a professional workflow correction always comes before grading, because styling a color that is not yet technically balanced does not make sense. ## Why audio in a video matters as much as the picture Viewers forgive an imperfect picture far more easily than bad audio. A slightly soft shot or minor camera shake barely gets in the way of understanding what is happening, while noise, echo, or sharp volume jumps are physically unpleasant to listen to and push viewers to close a video faster than an imperfect picture ever would. That is why professional editing always includes audio work, removing background noise, evening out volume between shots, and mixing voice with music so the speech stays clear. ## How long does color correction take The exact time depends on the volume and complexity of the footage, but the order of magnitude is telling. Per an estimate from iColorist, an experienced colorist in film and TV production handles roughly 200 to 300 shots a full working day, and a half-hour piece with straightforward material can take around four hours of work. Those figures come from professional film and TV production, not social media, but the ratio holds. Color correction always takes noticeably more time than simply assembling shots, even if for a vertical 30-second video the absolute number is not hours but still a meaningful share of an editor's working hour. ## What actually drives the price of editing * How much footage was shot and how many takes and angles need reviewing before the right shots are picked * How complex the color correction is, footage from one camera under consistent light is faster to process than material from several cameras and locations in one day * Audio work, noise removal, volume leveling, mixing with music * Text, captions, or simple graphics * The number of revision rounds built into the agreement with the client ## Start Here If a video is currently commissioned as a basic cut with no color correction or audio work, it is worth asking the editor directly what the quote actually covers and what can be added separately, so two different services are not compared at the same price. Alina Belichenko always lists color correction and audio work as separate line items in a quote, rather than folding them into one lump sum for "editing." **Share** [ ![A video editor looks through numbered folders of video files on a computer screen](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/medium_rohmaterial_organisieren_schnittarchiv_6e39ed65ab.png) Previous Post Organizing Raw Footage So Your Editor Does Not Waste Time](/en/blog/rohmaterial-organisieren-schnittarchiv) [ ![A person scrolls through short videos on a smartphone, finger hovering over the screen](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/medium_hook_erste_drei_sekunden_video_db69bf1bd5.png) Next Post The First Three Seconds of a Video. Why Viewers Leave Right There](/en/blog/hook-erste-drei-sekunden-video) ![Portrait of Alina Belichenko, content and social media specialist](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/small_Alina_Belichenko_author_ae667ebec9.png) ##### Alina Belichenko Alina edits Reels, TikTok videos, YouTube Shorts and training videos. She works with subtitles, color correction, audio, music and text animation, and adapts videos for different platforms and formats. ##### Recent Posts [![An editor working in video editing software with AI features on screen](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/medium_ki_tools_videoschnitt_vor_und_nachteile_f3a71162be.png)](/en/blog/ki-tools-videoschnitt-vor-und-nachteile) #### [What AI Editing Tools Actually Do, and What They Don't](/en/blog/ki-tools-videoschnitt-vor-und-nachteile) October 16, 2026 [](/en/blog/ki-tools-videoschnitt-vor-und-nachteile) [![A video editor reviewing a flawed shot on a monitor before deciding on a reshoot](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/medium_content_nachdrehen_oder_um_fehler_schneiden_f8735cb368.png)](/en/blog/content-nachdrehen-oder-um-fehler-schneiden) #### [When a Reshoot Pays Off and When Editing Can Save the Footage](/en/blog/content-nachdrehen-oder-um-fehler-schneiden) October 15, 2026 [](/en/blog/content-nachdrehen-oder-um-fehler-schneiden) [![A video editor selecting a cover frame for a video on a laptop screen](/_ipx/f_webp,q_75/https://cms.illia-biztech.de/uploads/medium_thumbnail_vorschaubild_video_wirkung_a1fe6c0cd9.png)](/en/blog/thumbnail-vorschaubild-video-wirkung) #### [Why the Video Thumbnail Decides Whether Anyone Clicks](/en/blog/thumbnail-vorschaubild-video-wirkung) October 14, 2026 [](/en/blog/thumbnail-vorschaubild-video-wirkung) The problem is almost never that a client is unwilling to pay for quality, it is that "editing" and "color correction with audio work" sound like the same service to them. Alina Belichenko separates these line items in the very first conversation and shows the difference with a before-and-after example. Illia BizTech builds and maintains websites for companies in Germany in German, English, Russian and Ukrainian, from the first version through ongoing maintenance and search visibility work. One monthly plan covers the website, advertising and content, the scope is agreed in advance and can be moved between them when priorities change. The domain, hosting and ad accounts stay registered to the company, so the work can continue on the existing setup without a full rebuild. That fits businesses moving to Germany or expanding into the German-speaking market who want to explain their task once.