When a video sticks in your memory for some time, it’s almost never due to the expensive camera, stunning locations or epic soundtrack. It’s usually a result of one tiny micro-decision that occurred somewhere between the two frames. Often there is just a very slight placement of a cut that’s made a mere 1/2 second earlier or later. That one little decision can transform a standard shot and turn it into something that can elicit feelings of emotion, excitement, or even something extraordinary. Micro-cuts are tremendously powerful storytellers in the sense that they are generally considered to be invisible to the audience, but the audience’s emotional response to the audience will always recognize a micro-cut in their emotion.
For example, if a moment feels awkward because the shot was too long, or the shot lasted too late into the next shot, the connection the audience has with the story has become disconnected. There are a great many editors that understand that attention today is very vulnerable. Today’s audience scrolls quickly through the media therefore, if there is no instantaneous emotional connection the audience will have moved to the next video in seconds. Editors utilize micro-cuts to manage pacing as a result, editors lay out the desired reaction they want the viewer to feel. By using micro-cuts to create suspense, curiosity or relief, editors can successfully control how their audience feels throughout the movie.
Why Timing Matters More Than Effects
For many beginning editors, the misconception that flashy transitions or heavy effects create impact has created an illusion. In fact, emotion is generated through the timing of the cuts. For example, cutting just prior to someone speaking creates anticipation and cutting to the reaction shot just after delivering the punch. By using just one more beat or moment the reaction creates a larger comic response. Silence can also be framed as an effective use of time.
This is why most of the current computer-based video editing classes emphasize breaking down how people think when they tell stories instead of focusing on how to push the "button" on a software program. Video editing is now much more than technical work, it's a design composed of emotional components. New video editors quickly learn that most of the viewers that see their video do not remember how cool the effects looked, they remember the emotional impression that the video made upon them.
Micro-cuts are another tool used for eliminating distractions. With a small jump cut, hesitation in speech can be eliminated, and a tighter reaction shot creates a sense of reality. These types of changes provide a more comfortable flow for viewers because the human brain desires rhythm above perfection.
Micro-Cuts in the Age of Fast Content
Short-Form Platforms were an absolute game changer. Shortened attention spans equate to larger expectations. As for reels, advertisements, and educational videos, video creators are having to rely on cohesive pacing in order to compete with others in the online space.
People who edit videos with Social Media Optimization (SMO) techniques understand this fact intimately. A video designed for social media shares should not only be visually appealing, but the video must also flow seamlessly enough to keep a viewer’s attention until the very end of the video if an edited film allows the viewer to complete it, finish the engagement, and share it, it is highly likely that the viewer will have seen all the edits of the film and will not have seen any of those movie makers who have been featured.
Small businesses learning about digital marketing have begun to see how important editing skills are to promoting their product or service. A product filmed in a timely manner (edited) may actually compete better than other advertising methods. The impression created by an edited video or the narrative created by an edited video seems to be far more human and engaging.
What Good Editors Actually Focus On
The strong micro-cut style of editing generally comes from one or more of these habits: ● View the clips to feel the emotion in them versus the perfect picture or composition.
- Remove unwanted pauses, but leave natural breathing space between sentences for a natural flow of information.
- Use background audio or motion to cover transitions.
- Keep your viewer’s attention as a priority versus your own personal preference.
Making these small decisions over time will affect the quality of your storytelling. Learning these skills through structured video editing programs/courses or practical computer classes could potentially change your career path. In today’s world, editors are no longer just working with traditional filmmakers, but are assisting brands in communicating their message through the web while not sounding like an advertisement.
Final Thought
Most people do not think of storytelling as quiet, but it can definitely be created between frames when using constant motion and micro-cuts. With the rise of Social Media Optimization (SMO) and digital marketing strategies, editors who understand how to convey emotions through editing software which isn't what most editors do will have a significant edge over other video editors. Emotionally engaging videos will draw the viewer in, but quality editing can keep that viewer there. It is particularly vital in this age of scrolling thumbs and next-copy.
