Video editing is the process of taking raw footage and cutting and annotating it to create the final product for audiences. Editing can take days or months as the director refines the film. Editors manipulate time around characters for storytelling purposes and to add meaning. Key principles of editing include telling the story through techniques like chronological or non-chronological ordering, using a variety of shots to keep audiences engaged, and setting pace through music and cuts. Editing techniques maintain continuity and focus between shots through practices like matching actions and observing the 180-degree rule regarding character placement.