Simplest Biggest Editing Secret: It’s just like in life. – Plain vs Rich.
“Whenever I forget it, and it cost me.”
In general, there are only two types of video editing today. It’s too simple to remember, and it’s too wild to forget.
- Plain Editing = stick to the main story – simple and straight forward.
It’s like going to local supermarket, daily.
Pros: Fast result. Cheap cost. Sensation oriented. News-like style.
Cons: Short-term life. Overused. Hard to pop though the noise.
- Rich Editing = It’s all about B-rolls. Put visuals to hug your story – and it will turn into eye-candy.
It’s like traveling to a new place; always something unexpected to tell your friends about.
Pros: Takes the story out of box. Helps viewers run wild with their imagination. Long lasting result. Abstract oriented. Intuitive emotional charge. Creates better call to action.
Cons: Looks more expensive, because it is.
Secret Tip for myself:
Most creators write VO copy first, and then fill in the visuals to cover the content. It is single-dimension story line, like a very advances and professional PowerPoint presentation, and later, when we see it’s too plain. We spend unplanned time fixing it.
Try the opposite – line up the relevant B-roll visuals first, then write the copy on top of it. You’ll see right away, how words and imagery create a multi-layered symphony, a gentle “dance-like” reference to each other, without being too harsh and too direct as “what you see is what you hear”. Rich, or as some would say “abstract”, style of editing pleases viewers’ eyes and freeing up their internal imagination, without insulting their intelligence.
Don’t get me wrong; the Written Word a.k.a Copywriting is still a king, and probably will stay this way for long. But it begins to give its powers over to its new, and perhaps more powerful partner – The Creative Imaging.
“Seeing is Believing” is always has been more powerful than “Hearing is Believing”.
And our, newly entered post-modern Era of Visuals – proves it.
Or, in other words:
Main object of a story – is “I” – selfish. And visual B-roll elements around the story – are “Them” – the community.
We always prefer community oriented style.
Do you?
P.S. 1: Here is the example how we use simple visuals:
P.S.2: Here are some visuals used.