Because little Susie’s dance recital is about as interesting as that 30-second clip you accidentally filmed of your feet…
With today’s seemingly endless barrage of social media updates displaying every facet of life, everyone is the star of their own movie, and they demand you watch their big debut.People use these platforms to share videos of their happiest moments, craziest adventures, and enviable fortunes. More often than not, however, they are also sharing the mundane and drudgingly average parts of daily life…
Subject matter aside, if you’ve edited your footage to create a visually captivating snippet, even the most boring moments captured “on film” will have the potential to entertain someone (even if it is your Aunt Sarah who literally likes everything you post). Regardless of your experience, these editing tips will guide you on your way to posting some share-worthy or (dare we say) viral-worthy videos.
Consider the Content
If you must share the video of your toddler’s dance recital, remember that there are only a few people on this planet seriously interested in all three agonizing minutes of it. For everyone’s sake, edit your footage and cut to the highlights. A short clip of little Susie on stage nailing that tricky tap move, or (more likely) spinning aimlessly in the corner is entirely sufficient.
Think about volume. I’m not talking volume as in decibels. Rather, are five videos in a row of your paddle boarding excursion in Mexico overkill? Maybe compiling the most poignant scenes into one video will more effectively hit the message home. The message, of course, being that you are supremely outdoorsy and that we should all be jealous of your trip, right?
Regardless of the content, you’ll want to make sure that the video is at least somewhat visually pleasing to the eye. This can be accomplished by simply finding a new angle or adjusting the lighting. If you’re not sure how to select an appropriate subject and set your scene, find some helpful tips here.
Pro Tip: Tap the screen to focus your shot, then hold your finger on the focal point until the focus square flickers. Your focus point and exposure are now locked, however you can now slide your finger up and down to manually adjust the exposure.
Get To The Point
Unless the video is completely enthralling from start to finish, there’s going to be some down time, and that’s OK. Just make sure it’s not going to send the viewer to Snoozeville. Cut the thirty seconds of coasting before the amazing skateboard fail you captured. Skip over the minute-long saga of discovering you’ve had your finger over the lens. Remove the time spent filming your feet while trying to get your bearings.
Delivering a concise clip of the story you’re sharing will ensure viewers see it through to the end. Trust us…your audience will appreciate the brevity.
Pro Tip: Look for the frames timeline at the bottom of the screen below your video. On each end of the bar, you can touch and drag the ends to a new start or stop point. Once the start/end points are moved, the bar will turn yellow. You will also see a yellow “Trim” button in the top right corner. Hit that button to trim the original clip or save your trimming as a new clip.
Final Tips
Remember that a video you share is really just a short clip of what you want people to see about you. Your posts invite others into a glimpse of your brand, whether it’s personal or professional. You want your video to support your branding, and you also want people to find some sort of value in it. Use various tools to excite the senses, like overlaying text or music to impart emotion.
Speaking of sound…if someone is screaming into the receiver, decrease the volume or consider adding your favorite song or some cleverly placed sound effect to mask their atrocious contribution to the flick. There are a variety of paid and free apps that are extremely user friendly and offer a bevy of tools. They range from fairly hands off apps that allow you to pick a theme and quickly transform your video, like FilmoraGo, to more high-tech and advanced apps like Pinnacle Studio. If you find you’re not a natural in the editing department, have no fear. Most people aren’t. Practice and play around to get a feel for the tools at your disposal. You’ll be making pro videos in no time!Your videos tell your story…why not make them exceptional? If you have a home video you’re dying to share with the world, but think it needs some work, send it our way and we’ll help you brainstorm how it can be improved!
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