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Module 4: Post-Production

On today’s social media platforms, it’s all about capturing the viewer’s attention–and doing everything you can to keep it. The way you edit your videos can make all the difference in amassing viewership.

Post-production is about bringing the best out of your content. After collecting your footage, you’ll dive into the finishing touches that seal together your message, story, and brand. Given that post-production is the glue that ties your narrative together, don’t let this step of the process slip between the cracks. You might be tempted to string your videos together without much thought. While it might feel good to take the fast and easy route, a lack of post-production can prevent your content from reaching its full potential. 

In order for your short-form video to bask in its full potential, the key is to be intentional. The way you edit your videos sets the tone, mood, and direction of your piece. These elements are all reflections of your brand, so keeping a consistent style can make it recognizable. Let’s cover the basics of smartphone video post-production.

Here are some essential elements to edit in your short-form video:

  • Length of clips 
  • Order of clips
  • Transitions 
  • Volume 
  • Sound 

First, compile all the footage you collected from the production stage. This is the clean-up stage, which involves deleting footage you don’t need and trimming your footage down to what you do need. This is the time to cut out awkward pauses at the beginning and end of your clips. Shoot for making your video as short as possible while still getting the point across.

Next, determine the flow of your video. This means ordering your clips to create your narrative or story. Do you remember writing essays? Your video has a thesis, body paragraphs, middle, and conclusion–and it should start with a hook and leave viewers with a clear understanding of your message and its purpose. Use your video’s storyboard for this step (or create a new one) to guide the direction of your piece.

Afterwards, consider the delivery of your content. Remember that your goal is to keep your viewer’s attention. If you have someone talking in your video, one of the best methods to do this is to make cuts between sentences or new ideas. This accelerates the momentum of your video–fast transitions are key. 

If you’d like, energize your video with music. Make sure that the volume of your music does not surpass the speaker. Another way to sustain viewer attention is to add in b-roll. B-roll is footage or an image that overlays your primary content. This could look like a box in the corner, or an animation that visualizes the narration. Add subtitles if you’d like to make your video accessible and playable in noisy or quiet settings. 

With an increased influx of content on social media platforms, viewers are becoming more and more attuned to the difference between high and low quality production. High quality production shows viewers you put in time and care, and that you are committed professionalism.

Testing Time! Pass the below quiz to move onto the next module.

What should your short-form video reflect?
How soon should your viewer understand your video’s purpose?
What is one way to keep viewers engaged?
How can your video reach a broader audience?
True or false: You should keep your clips as similar to the original recording as possible.
True or false: The speed of your post-production matters more than anything else.
How can you enhance the tone of your video?
How can you establish a brand voice?
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.