5 Editing Mistakes YouTubers Do That Annoy Me...

Summary

This video script challenges the notion that editing creates a story, asserting that it's already there and editing's role is to guide the audience through it. The speaker offers five key editing techniques for content creators, including 'murdering your darlings' to avoid repetition, keeping videos concise for better engagement, maintaining eye line continuity, using J-cuts for smooth transitions, and embracing a curiosity loop to continuously learn and improve as a creator.

Takeaways

• 🎬 Editing is about guiding the audience through the story, not creating it.
• ✂️ 'Murder your darlings' by cutting content that doesn't add value, even if it's great footage.
• 🕒 Don't feel obligated to make long videos just for the sake of ad revenue; focus on quality over quantity.
• 📉 Be mindful of pacing; a video that's too long or slow can lose audience engagement.
• 👀 Maintain eye line continuity to make cuts flow smoothly and keep the audience comfortable.
• 🔄 Use the 'J-cut' technique where audio plays before visuals to improve the flow of edits.
• 🤔 Cultivate curiosity to overcome self-doubt and improve as a creator.
• 🔑 Adopt a learning mindset; asking 'I want to know how to make this good' instead of 'I don't know how to make this good'.
• 🔄 Embrace the 'curiosity loop' where each answer leads to new questions, fostering continuous learning.
• 🌟 Even experienced creators are always learning and should remain curious about new techniques and ideas.
• 💪 Overcoming self-doubt and maintaining a positive attitude towards learning is crucial for growth as a content creator.

Q & A

What is the primary role of editing according to the speaker?

The speaker believes that editing is not about telling the story, but rather finding and presenting a path for the audience to experience the story that has already been filmed and constructed.

Why is the phrase 'murder your darlings' used in the context of editing?

The phrase 'murder your darlings' refers to the editing technique of cutting out even the best footage if it does not serve the overall narrative or if it causes repetition and boredom for the audience.

What is the speaker's stance on the length of videos for content creators?

The speaker advises against making videos longer just for the sake of more ad revenue. Instead, they recommend focusing on creating engaging content that respects the audience's time, even if it means making videos less than 10 minutes long.

Why is maintaining eye line important in video editing?

Maintaining eye line is important because it helps the audience to quickly readjust and find the subject's eyes in a new shot, making the cuts flow more smoothly and naturally.

What is the 'j-cut' editing technique and why is it significant?

The 'j-cut' is an editing technique where audio plays before the visuals. It is significant because it allows the audience to process audio information slightly ahead of the visual, making the transition between cuts smoother.

What does the speaker mean by 'control of doubt' in the context of content creation?

The 'control of doubt' refers to overcoming self-doubt and the belief that one cannot be a good creator. The speaker encourages embracing curiosity and a learning mindset to improve one's skills over time.

How does the speaker define the 'curiosity loop'?

The 'curiosity loop' is defined as a continuous cycle of learning where finding an answer leads to more questions, which in turn leads to further exploration and improvement.

What is the speaker's advice for creators who feel they lack certain skills or resources?

The speaker advises creators to shift their mindset from saying 'I don't know' to 'I want to know', giving themselves permission to explore and learn, rather than limiting themselves with self-doubt.

What is the significance of the speaker's attempt to write an inspirational speech?

The attempt signifies the speaker's belief in the power of curiosity and the importance of trying new things, even if the outcome may not be perfect, as part of the continuous learning process.

Why did YouTube change the obligation of video length from 10 minutes to 8 minutes?

The change to 8 minutes likely reflects a shift in content creator trends and audience preferences towards shorter, more engaging videos, as well as the platform's recognition of the importance of quality over quantity.

What is the speaker's view on the relationship between video length and audience engagement?

The speaker believes that audience engagement is more important than video length. If a video is not engaging enough, stretching it to meet a minimum length requirement can lead to audience disengagement and is counterproductive.