(upbeat music) 2 2
Narrator: Here are my three most favorite tips. 3 3
Tip number one, cut, cut, cut. 4 4
The number one rule of editing is a quote that I love, 5 5
and I forget who said it but, 6 6
"good editing is not asking yourself 'what can be added', 7 7
but 'what can be removed'". 8 8
So that's something easy to remember, 9 9
and it's going to help you, guarantee it. 10 10
Now, this doesn't mean you can't add things to your videos 11 11
in post production, because obviously that can do wonders 12 12
for your video quality as well. 13 13
But your very first, and most important job 14 14
is cut, cut, cut. 15 15
Don't get too emotionally attached to your footage. 16 16
Just because you said it, just because you shot it, 17 17
it doesn't mean it should be a part of your video. 18 18
And I think this an issue for YouTubers especially, okay. 19 19
Because almost all YouTubers edit their own videos, 20 20
at least at the beginning. 21 21
So they are a little bit too involved in a way, 22 22
so try to remove yourself from your project 23 23
when you're editing. 24 24
And watch your footage as if you're a stranger, 25 25
you should not be caring how long it took to get that shot, 26 26
or about the funny inside joke 27 27
that only you and three other people get. 28 28
If you want to have a big channel, 29 29
then it's 100% about the end product 30 30
and entertaining people who don't even know you. 31 31
Remember that, and don't waste the viewer's time. 32 32
So if you have footage of yourself talking, 33 33
and want to show some other footage to demonstrate or show 34 34
what you're talking about, then ask yourself 35 35
if it's possible to overlap the clips 36 36
so that the audio from the first clip is heard 37 37
while we watch the video of the demonstration. 38 38
If that works, then do that, 39 39
don't make me watch your clip for 20 seconds 40 40
when you could've done the same thing in 10 seconds. 41 41
This is the difference between a good video, 42 42
and a bad video. 43 43
Watch time is important on YouTube, 44 44
so we want that longer content. 45 45
But this is not the way to increase watch time, 46 46
you need to keep it tight, okay, so they say. 47 47
My second favorite tip for editing, 48 48
it's the four second rule. 49 49
Now, this is not a rule that is set in stone. 50 50
But go ahead and check out every YouTuber 51 51
that's on the rise. 52 52
Most of them have some sort of cut, or change of scenes, 53 53
or put some text or image on the screen, 54 54
or add an audio effect, or something happens, 55 55
every four seconds. 56 56
This may not be essential for all audiences, 57 57
but younger audiences in particular definitely have 58 58
a shorter attention span. 59 59
So this technique works really well. 60 60
It helps to have some variety in terms of 61 61
background and location. 62 62
But even if you're just sitting in one place during a video, 63 63
you can still have some inserts 64 64
where you show an image on the screen. 65 65
Jumpcuts, where you remove unnecessary parts of your speech. 66 66
You know, like, "um, ah, ah", and then you talk again. 67 67
Yeah, "um, ah," cut. 68 68
You can zoom in, and zoom out, 69 69
and that could be something you add. 70 70
You can add text on the screen, sound effects, 71 71
any video effects really. 72 72
Like you could make a short part black and white, 73 73
and then go back to color. 74 74
You could take a freeze-frame, or screenshot of your video 75 75
to make it look like your video is paused, 76 76
and do a voiceover, or funny narration over it. 77 77
There are a number of creative things you can do. 78 78
It's easy to go overboard here, 79 79
so just remember not all audiences 80 80
need this much stuff going on in the video. 81 81
So depending on how your audience reacts, 82 82
you could do a little less, or maybe not at all. 83 83
I personally keep this rule in mind, 84 84
and I try to incorporate it into my videos 85 85
without being too obvious, and without going too overboard. 86 86
And I'm not strict about the four seconds, 87 87
so in the middle of my video, 88 88
I might go 20 seconds without a cut, or a change of scene. 89 89
But I still think it's one of the best pieces of advice 90 90
for YouTube editing, especially for beginners. 91 91
Tip number three, don't overuse transitions. 92 92
Something I notice with new video editors 93 93
is they get a beginners editing software, 94 94
and make sure they use every single transition available. 95 95
So transitions between clips, in my opinion, 96 96
should be kept simple. 97 97
In general, you don't want people to be able to tell 98 98
that you edit with iMovie or whatever it is. 99 99
Most of the time, people don't need a transition at all. 100 100
And if you do need one, then don't feel you need to use 101 101
a different one every time. 102 102
You want your transitions to be appropriate and seamless, 103 103
and not distracting. 104 104
So, I can't see any reason why a professional YouTuber 105 105
should be using a transition where the end of their clip 106 106
turns into a flying Frisbee and spins off the screen. 107 107
You know? 108 108
Because if you want to succeed on YouTube, 109 109
you don't want to be editing videos 110 110
like a dad editing his Handycam footage 111 111
of the family vacation up in Maine last summer. 112 112
That's the vibe that I get from some of these 113 113
crazy, over-the-top transitions. 114 114
Because we love you, but we don't love you 115 115
as much as your family, so don't expect us to watch that.