In short
- First find out whether the footage still exists, and who holds it.
- Check permissions for the people, music and logos in the footage.
- A new edit is a new job. Its scope is agreed separately from the original film.
- Write down the new purpose, audience and length before you ask for a quote.
A new edit months later is possible if the footage still exists, you are allowed to use it the new way, and the scope is clear. Check those three things before you ask for a quote.
Check 1: Does the footage still exist?
Start by finding out who holds what. Possible places include:
- your videographer’s storage, if they kept the project
- a drive or link you received at the time
- a copy held by your organisation or a family member
- the finished video only, if nothing else was kept
Ask your videographer whether they still hold the footage, what form it is in, and how long they keep it. Storage time varies between suppliers, so ask for a clear answer.
If they no longer have it, ask whether they know of another copy. If you hold copies yourself, open them now to check they still play. The video archive and handover planner can help you plan where things are kept from now on.
Check 2: What permissions apply?
A new use is not always covered by the old one. Think about:
- People: who appears, including children, and what they agreed to
- Music: what was licensed for the first edit, and for which uses
- Logos and names: whether sponsors or organisations are still happy to be shown
- Venue and event rules: any limits on filming or publishing
For example, a family keepsake and a public advertisement are different uses. The filming and publication responsibilities checklist helps you see who needs to agree, and our hub on permissions, privacy and responsible publication goes further. If the first edit used music and you want something different now, see changing the music after a video has been edited.
Check 3: What editing is possible?
What you can ask for depends on the source material.
| What you have | What may be possible | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Raw footage from all cameras | A new story, a shorter cut, new moments | Is every camera and audio file here? |
| Only the finished video | A cut-down from what is already shown | Are the music and graphics free to reuse? |
| A mix of camera and phone footage | A combined edit, if the quality allows | See editing rescue from mixed footage |
| Footage with missing parts | A shorter edit around what exists | Which moments were never recorded? |
Our guides on editing rescue from mixed camera and phone footage and when essential footage is missing cover the harder cases.
Prepare your request
Before you ask for a quote, write down:
- The purpose of the new video and where it will be shown.
- The audience, and what they should take away.
- The moments you must see, with the date and the part of the event.
- The length you have in mind.
- Where the source files are, and who can send them.
- Who approves the result.
The post-event video asset planner helps you list what you have and what you want to make. If you plan several short pieces, event social video clips may fit.
If you are not sure where the files are, start by checking old emails and messages for the delivery link, and ask the contact person from the time.
Where we can help
A new edit is agreed as its own job, with a scope, an agreed review step and a stated way to deliver the files. If you have footage and a new purpose, you can discuss editing your event footage with us. We will look at the material before confirming what is possible.
If you have an event and a new purpose in mind, tell us what you would like made and where the footage is now. We will tell you what we need to see before we can confirm the scope.
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