I feel you. RUclips is becoming more like a hassle in the creative aspect. No wonder why many youtubers stop making videos and leaving this platform for good.
And then you make a long video with almost no cuts and no one watches it its worst if you just started you and you get that one comment that says "this video was nice good job" that's how you know they didn't even watch 1 minute of your 30 minute video
This video felt very retention edited though... Still filled with loads of flashy effects, text pop ups, cuts every 3-7 seconds, slidey animations, zoom in and out etc etc etc. Potentially, this could have been slowed down a tonne, just to better demonstrate the trend towards this "new" (old) editing style
I think the fact that the video has under 100k views while being obviously retention edited further shows his point that retention editing is falling out of favor.
And that’s exactly what SHORTS is. A quick “hey look at me!” Video designed for short attention spans. RUclips trying to emulate Tik Tok was a mistake in my eyes. I’ve always been a long form content creator. I’m about engaging the audience and hanging out. This trend never suited my style and I’m glad things are shifting.
Shorts is good but you shouldn't do both long form and Shorts at once do them on separate channels with each channel being featured in the features tab
tbh, I've seen a really high amount of growth from shorts. I used to be stuck uploading long form videos with 0 - 10 views but then I started uploading shorts and since they're getting pushed like crazy, I'll get varying view counts from 100 to up to 10k views. Not all of them go to the original videos that they're cut from but some do and I'm finally gaining subscribers after being stuck at 500 for seemingly years.
the irony that this video is "retention edited" and performing so well in the algorithm that it got shoved in my face 2 weeks after upload..... Way to commit to the bit lmao
I made my channel a few weeks ago and my first video was a documentary on the history of the gaming company Eleventh Hour Games and their development of Last Epoch. To my surprise, the CEO of the game himself commented on it and is showing it to his new employees to "Get them up to speed on the company" he absolutely loves it! The style I chose to use when getting into RUclips was going to be un-sensational with the aim of being genuine, an easy listen and as factual as I can be. This video is even more of a breath of fresh air and reminder that I can do this and I need to continue to do it my way, thanks so much vidIQ :) ~Gav
Thanks! I have really grown to dislike the hard work that goes into editing 4-6 second attention grabbing cuts and probably even more watching others do it. It’s exhausting on so many levels but when it’s done right, it’s great and delivers exactly what you’re looking for. Just don’t need it all the time everywhere!
I know that I’ve said this before and I will say it again. I’ve gotten to a point where I’m just straight up getting tired of the fast paced editing that’s taking over every single content creation platform. In fact there’s times where I’ve felt like quitting because of the unfairness of that. It’s nice how there’s still some hope that the authenticity of RUclips is not dead yet! Especially when creators like myself can have a place here on RUclips.
I have uploaded videos in the past that are retention edited, and they performed HORRIBLY, then I uploaded a video about just talking about depression and it blew up! (Compared to the old ones) with no transitions, no subtitles, no zooming, it was very simple, its crazy how just being genuine can get you a lot of success, and its good that it makes sense! I think this is a really good change for RUclips
You had one good quote in this video: "retention editting often comes at the cost of connection" I think it's a good one to keep in mind cause it CAN be true. But I'm honestly not convinced 100%. And if I'm being honest that's simply because every video I see claiming that retention editting is dead, including this one, has hundreds of cuts to b-roll, reframing the shot size every few seconds and so on. All of those tools by the argument presented SHOULD be irrelevant yet they continue to be used even while claiming retention editing won't work for long. How am i supposed to take the video seriously when it doesn't take its own point seriously enough to do that. That being said, I want to emphasize that I think SOME of the editting in this video did enhance the subject matter and was useful. So it's probably, in my opinion, more helpful for creators to keep in mind that not all editing provides value to the video and value to the viewer. Instead of clinging on to this crazy narrative that retention editting it totally bad, it's much more accurate to keep that first quote in mind to hopefully not neglect or reject editting that can keep a viewer hooked, but take a second look at if it's necessary or if it presents a barrier to connection before implementing it.
Thanks! Popped into comments solely to confirm I wasn't the only one thinking this, "those tools by the argument presented SHOULD be irrelevant yet they continue to be used even while claiming retention editing won't work for long" Frankly, as a PT creator with a FT job, I don't have time to keep up with this level of editing, as it is. Best I can do is a few bells/whistles just to spice things up.
Yeah, I was pretty put off that the video started with “At the beginning, I was so obsessed with making something happen every four seconds” still had something happening every four seconds. He mocks constant cuts while putting them in his video. But he got me to watch 4:49 of his video before going into the comments to see if anyone else had the same issue, so I guess it worked?
@@SeanIanJacobson01 Heh! True. Honestly...I was kinda hoping it was all ironic or for example and there would eventually be a shift away from it, but nope...
This is great news. I came across a video mentioning this shift in the editing trends for YT a couple weeks ago. It was a relief to hear. I haven't created a video for my channel in a long time. Not just because I didn't want to. But, as someone who works full time, I have to plan my content creation around my weekends. Which is ok. But, that's also when I want to work the least. That being said. The trend towards a more personal and slower paced editing style is a great change. And a change that is a lot less stressful to create.
I agree. Retention editing is exhausting. Everyone does that same type of editing style which is boring. I am a video editor and I like to keep it simple. B-Roll with voiceover, simple graphics, animations and music in the background. People don't care about fancy transitions, animations, etc. that took the editor 5 hours to make first 10 seconds of a video. People care about the information and value the video provides to them.
As someone who just started making youtube videos, all I've noticed in other people's videos are their quick retention edits now instead of their message. Sometimes, I forget what they were trying to convey because of the constant cuts. It's refreshing when I watch a RUclipsr for their personality instead of the noise that drowns everything out. Great video, and I'll try to keep in mind what you said as an aspiring content creator!
Not gonna lie the beginning of this video where he acknowledged his editing style was a great touch of accountability! I 100% noticed whenever he hosts videos the style of editing was VERY active and honestly it was distracting & turned me off from most of the videos to say the least. But seeing acknowledgment & literally seeing the editing change to be less over the top and in your face is a great showing of growth! Loved this video & found a lot of what you said to really resonate! Looking forward to more!
The irony of this video… is that it’s using retention editing to hold our attention. Kick back editing does work, but in specific formats and for specific audiences. Imagine if Mr Beast’s video was edited like a 3 hour Sam Sulek video, would it work? Not sure without the data, the only way to find out what works for your audience is to try it and adjust along the way. Every channel is different. Every audience is different. What works for one creator doesn’t work for all creators.
I'm glad to see this. I'm new to editing, and I've spent a lot of time on editing videos that haven't had much traction. The trouble is most videos impress on you that you need to have scene changes, text, sounds, pops, pings etc every 6 seconds. This next video I'm keeping it as simple as I possibly can - things like a few film clips at appropriate times, b roll I've filmed myself to illustrate key points (I see people already getting sick of seeing stock footage all the time) and when I'm on camera, some simple jump cuts every now and again. It's taken a lot of pressure off.
Im with you on that. I spent 4-5 hours editing a video last night which is 4.5 mins.. absolutely exhausting. I get bored with fast edits and too much noise that I switch the video off. Its a fine line I suppose with editing long pauses enough that you dont bore the viewer, but not over editing that its so quickly paced its hard to keep the attention of the viewer because its all too quick.
I don't "watch" 90% of the videos that I "watch" on RUclips. And I run youtube for at LEAST 8 hours a day. I run it in the car when traveling to my work territory (one hour each way) and then I run it in a 2nd monitor while editing the photos and video I captured that day. Often LONG into the night. But really...I don't "watch"...I just listen. RUclips is for me what AM radio was for my grandfather and his grandfather before him. I remember walking into the garage of so many people back in the 80s and they had a radio in there tuned to the sports station....that ran 24/7. It never turned off and the channel never changed. For DECADES. When they got in their car...they turned on the same station. When they got home and were cooking...the radio went on. To the same station. They just...listened to it. All the time. That's RUclips for me in 2024. For that reason, fast and choppy editing actually grinds my gears. I want what I watch to be "background noise" that I can watch....or not. I may pay attention to what is being said while driving...or I might wander off into my own thoughts. But I don't like anything that is going to amp me up or inject anxiety in any way. No no no. For research purposes... check out a channel called Luetin09. He has a "deep dive" channel based around the tabletop game called "Warhammer 40,000". I don't even PLAY that game and I listen to all his videos. I just like the way it sounds. I like the calming nature of it. I watch all the videos all the way through to the end. If I feel upset or anxious I will put them on and just...half listen. He calms me down when I'm having a hard day. I don't even need to pay attention at all. How many people like me are out there that use RUclips as a listening resource only? I think a lot more than most people in the "How to be successful on RUclips" creators know. We're a huge demographic...and we're never talked about. We're not even on the radar of most of these channels. Nobody is teaching anyone how to make videos for people like me.
I watch but I also do what you do alot too. I drive a ton, like all day. If I'm not listening to music i have a RUclips video playing in the background. It might be a podcast, educational/information video, or anything I'm able to listen to without a need to keep my eyes on the video
I totally agree. It needs to be something that can be listened to, and I like the way you said, that doesn't amp up... enough of that already. That is why I made my channel "all wrong" the way I would like channels to be, and there are some... but you wouldn't be interested in the topics, and I have a long way to go.. but yes, I agree "that" much
hey hey! great message, i've got to admit i struggled so much with feeling like i had to make fast paced super edits. i just wanna be me (a lifelong struggle of being told to be anything but myself no matter what i do, do not be me. leads to depression and anxiety trying to speak - and rambling on. often I would be told "nope, fast paced etc is what you should do to hold attention" - doesnt suite all niches. this video made me feel less alone. ive never been a fan or wanted to copy those fast edits. i am trying - scrambling to be myself, hopefully soon i will get out of my pit of doom, and be able to upload the thing(s) iv'e created. fast pace, doesnt suite everyone - and some viewers are discovering a slower pace video would be more relaxing and enjoyable. i appreciate this video. very excellent message. calmer pace, gets the audience to know you - the creator more. it doesn't have to be as slow as a tortoise! hopefully i will fit in somewhere creatively, soon. awesome message in this video.
As the old saying goes, "What's old is new again." Per your description, Sam Sulek's videos sound just like what RUclips uploads were like when it was first launched in December 2005. (I created my first RUclips account in early 2007.) RUclips was basically created for vlogging. The vloggers and the audiences they quickly gained blew RUclips up in a very short period of time. (Check out, "The History of Vlogging" by Dan Sanchez) I created my account because I wanted my favorite music videos in categorized playlists to watch whenever I felt like it.
I cannot express how happy it would make me if retention editing was a eradicated from all platforms. I've been waiting for its downfall for quite some time now and it's taking longer than I thought.
5:50 I HAVE THAT PROBLEM!! I always have a different feeling editing than when I film and it makes it so much harder to finish. Now i have a growing list of 49 videos i gotta finish
This makes me estatic to hear since starting my channel this is how I've always made my videos. Either laid back funny horror gameing well I just talk to the camera or spooky paranormal activity where I'm authentic with my reactions and honestly since I started letting my mental health show more and more in my videos I've started to really really enjoy being able to just let the content speak for itself. Or leave in some dead air to show off just how atmospheric the game I'm playing is so everyone understands why I jump as big as I do or get as scared as I am
Thank you! I have recently picked up editing for video clients. Someone who supposedly edited for the channel that can get up to 1 million views said they would teach me somethings. but the editing they do is retention editing and personally, it just doesn't fit for me. I have been editing for years but I never been the one to overedit. I only add elements when I feel they are necessary i rather have the video create a story and use elements to enhance the story but I recently started to feel like after watching some youtube videos that I dont belong in this market. So im glad im not the only one who doesn't really like retention editing.
This was a really encouraging video to watch, man. From day one I've always said I wanted to be authentically myself in my videos. The same guy I am off camera. But for a while I kinda fell into that thing some "editing gurus" push, where they teach you to edit out every pause in your speaking, no matter how small. Not only was it a lot of work, it just didn't feel natural. That's not the way people speak in real life. Honestly, people who comment and watch my channel do seem to resonate with that "laid-back" guy feel I'm kinda known for among friends and family, which makes me feel like I'm being my true self in my videos. But my niche is very transactional, in the sense that people come looking for a certain thing. They get that thing, then they're out. So right now I'm trying to be more intentional about just sharing more of my personal life, all while keeping the main thing the main thing. Even before I watched your video I'd already decided that I'm already doing everything I want to do in my videos, which is not much more than basic cuts and fades from one scene to the next. I use music in prep scenes, fade it way down or out completely when I'm speaking, and just try to speak like I speak to people in real life. Because it IS real life. Really good stuff man, very encouraging.
I noticed the switch in the retention span on youtube. I stopped trying so hard on the editing process and start just being myself on my videos. Once I did so, my YouToube channel started doing really well. My audience is of the older age now which is amazing. My niche of editing has changed to my liking. I find that music carries your videos. So a little tip for everyone, make a video that you like and find your way of editing, and most importantly just be yourself.
Here's the thing in my opinion. You don't want to become known for someone you aren't and cannot sustain to be, because the people who wanted that person will eventually realize you aren't them and the people who would love you how you are, aren't drawn in, because they think you're someone else. So, what I'm saying is, being yourself is important to self expression like RUclips. No matter how good you are at changing yourself, people will eventually see through it and notice you aren't able to sustain that forever. So, please, be yourself, because no one could do you more beautifully than *you*!
I started a new channel a few months ago and I’ve been worried on how I should edit my videos based on what most people like. I thought most people like fast paced and lots of cuts and lots of texts. But this video reminded me why i like video editing. Thanks for reminding me!!!
Funnily enough RUclips died the second they tried to convert long videos into mind numbing short form content. They should have just had RUclips shorts on its own platform. The 100k goal has lost its meaning when long form creators when anyone can just upload 20 second videos with no thought and get the same number of subscribers
This was great, and much needed. A lot of it were points that my gut was telling me about throughout my channel journey: these days my channel is my full time job, and I can see that so much of that success has come from a genuine connection and not from frantic editing. It took a while, which gave me a plenty of time to tell myself I was doing it wrong, and I need to add more energy, just blast people with b-roll and quick cuts, but now I know a big (and the most loyal) part of my audience enjoys things being peaceful, thoughtful and honest.
Glad to hear that we are making a shift from editing-bombarding to authentic content with an actual soul to it. Knowing that you don't need to have crazy editing for your videos and still have people who stick around for your content is really relieving. Retention editing alongside with people's shortened attentions spans really seemed like a downward spiral for content creation.
Honestly, I resonate with this hard. I did videos with "zoomer editing" and not only was it exhausting, but there was a few people who seemed turned off by it. Also, it doesn't always work. The topic and story of the video matter a lot, if you don't have a good topic: zoomer editing wont help you. I did one about my experience with Genshin and it's still getting comments to this day despite me not posting for months because i got so burnt out.
Thank you for this, I thought my videos were too "small" because I don't have lots of zooms and noises. But watching this I think you're right, if people want to switch their brain off they can find lots of that kind of content on YT. But if they truly want good information and you have that to offer, then don't worry about effects just put good information out into the world and people will find your channel.
So true. Now with all those impersonal videos - automated with text to speech it's even worse. I generally skip off those videos straight away because they are nothing B-Roll bombs anyway. No heart and no soul.
I feel like many people saw the fall of the overly edited videos because there is so much of it already and it became more apparent when Mr.Beast came into the picture and made it his own style and people jumping on the train because it’s “successful” and loses the whole point of being a content creator and that’a why I want to make authentic videos that have quality in it, still in the process lol
You do not create a channel for retention based content. Because those people come and go, Genuinely treat your channel like a hobby, and eventually your own community of longterm fans will grow out more. 😊
The worst issue for me is pointless music scattered all over videos. I can't be bothered with hyperactive videos. I want actual interesting content. The presentation is not so important.
I really hope that you're right and we are getting to the calm soon. I'm so sick and tired of seeing theses overly done edits which just focuses on grabbing your attention then sharing a story. Personal I like chilled-out editing since I want to start doing that for my channel.
I had a 1 million view video and it really has a message people connected with! Went from 300 subs to 2300 in 28 days! And still going. Thanks for the tips
You say all this but has been primarily my editing style for awhile now, refinement but relaxed and straight forward. No over the top editing but still quality. Yet I can guarantee you the growth has been painfully slow.
@@juanchopestudios I once made a video talking a bit about Vidiq being kinda scammy. I like their product, works very well. But their youtube videos are all based on selling you false confidence and big promises. At end of the day all it really comes down to is Good thumbnail - Title - make lots of content to be discovered - Quality. They often like to do videos on "look at this guy who got a million subs in 1 year" but fail to mention they had lots of money to make what they did and spent a year or more on literally just making that video. Its not so simple as just "do this and be big"
I've found when I try to edit for retention it is usually the same or worse than my fast edits. It could be the type of content I create, but I've never found it was worth the energy.
8 месяцев назад+1
Authentic and part of a story. Tell a story. If the story is compelling I would put up with bad audio even. And no one puts up with bad audio.
I've always liked smaller channels because the creators are more personable and relatable. It's nice to see a glimpse of the real them rather than the character they created.
I hate retention editing because of how lifeless it is and how it completely destroys the connection between the creator and the viewer but at 3:29 I disagree that viewers are maturing. The biggest demographic on RUclips right now is the 4-11 age range and what they want to see are those 8 minute fast paced overedited videos because it releases the most dopamine for them. I doubt that retention editing is going away anytime soon.
Honestly thank god. Never had the desire to retention edit. I'm not a master of editing by any stretch, but I've always maintained a more simple style on principle.
That’s what i try to do - be myself. I don’t like fake hyper loud videos, I’m an introvert. For a while it bothered me bc I felt like I was boring, but I’m glad ti hear YT once again strives for individuality of a creator rather than mass viral-ity of stupid stuff with no real content. I just make video game reviews and share my opinions. My editing is minimalistic. I’m a noob, what can I say? When it’s a livestream, i wanna chat with people having a video game more like a background with possible fun stuff happening when i’m not paying attention. Thanks for letting me know, I may not be as lame as I thought I were LOL Maybe I stand a chance of building a cozy community!
THANK YOU! I've been doing videos for years on RUclips and my style has always been more of a calm one. (My viewers have joked that my channel was the "Bob Ross" of diecast car customizations. 🤣)I've been holding out that eventually the overproduced sugar rush videos would eventually exhaust other people as much as they exhaust me. I haven't gone "viral" by any stretch yet, but it's refreshing to hear that my style where I want to create meaningful videos and share myself through my craft with my audience would win out in the long run. I feel like this is RUclips going back to its roots by, ironically, having such a strong AI algorithm that it can finally tell who's doing more meaningful videos and who is just "gaming the system" with frustrating teases and filler to maximize ad revenue. Great video and an excellent explanation of this new trend. Let's hope it sticks around so we can spend less time editing and more time "creating."
Interesting, what you're describing here is what I was doing for my channel from the getgo. I'm a screenwriter and film editor, I launched a video essay channel breaking down stories but I didn't want to compete with the retention editing style channels because they always seemed just exhausting to me. I screenwrite my videos, and I edit them like I would a movie. Even treating audio cues as if they were diegetic in a movie. So far it paid off, after 6 months I got 2400 subs and over 80k views. Bear in mind, these are long videos, between 30mins and 1 hour and retention curve is always a nice hockey stick. As you said, the old style got tiring.
Awesome, John, this is us! Our film reviews are authentic conversations between the two of us, with pieces of video to illustrate what we're talking about from time to time. We try to create the sensation that this is the discussion we'd be having while walking out of a theater, but the viewer is there, as well. Thanks for the encouragement! -- Christy
Personally I’ve never found the retention editing to be interesting to watch but I have started to incorporate the style slightly if the moment called for it. I never felt that every moment needed to be a over exaggerated scene. In the past I never really put any edits at all in my videos which looking back was probably not the best, but I’ve learned from it. Being gaming channel I just like to let my reactions and facial expressions do the work and showcase the game without being too distracting. I can see the growth that I’ve had over the years and it’s always exciting to see that new videos start to thrive when I try different things. I don’t like following the trendy edits and videos types so I’m always gonna be me and create what I enjoy and hope that other will resonate with too.
Me too. Now with all those impersonal videos - automated with text to speech it's even worse. I generally skip off those videos straight away because they are nothing B-Roll bombs anyway. No heart and no soul.
I'm going to start a series on my channel this year and filming/editing it in that retention-editing style has sort of overwhelmed me. I wasn't sure how I was going to do it and when I watched similar videos, I found something. The idea is so unique and crazy that it doesn't need fancy editing. As long as it's clear and my passion for the project comes out, that is what's most important.
The problem I have is how everyone told all these people to be just like them and now people are begging for authenticity.. the copycat issue is the real issue. Some people’s favorite creator is following someone else’s rubric.
Thanks for the video, your editing is amazing!! I am a throwback @KaceyAnnReynolds to the old school style of why people started to watch You Tube to begin with.... To learn, have fun, and connect.... The earliest person to emulate this style was Julie Child, she drank wine, made a lot of mistakes, and made French cooking seem easy..... My goal is to be the "Julia Child" of healthy living/weight loss/reverse aging.......I work full-time and editing is not my joy, but talking to my camera is my joy.... I am a health coach and retired teacher, so I have learned to be entertaining while teaching people to be more healthy.... This was easy for me because I had previously taught middle school, and you have to be silly to keep their attention!!
The thing about retention is an overcomplicated nightmare! I had edited some videos and it was hard to do it, thinking if this video can attract and retain the viewer. The graph, on the other hand, doesn't help either despite the books I read and watched videos about it and how well is getting received. One example, in 2021 I uploaded a video about the Latin American furry fandom and how they dealt with the pandemic. Throughout the 2022 until some furry con, the video caught the attention and I got 4k views because of the good response.
This comment is more for me to read later, but also, thank you.. After taking several months off, I needed to see this. Our best videos were connection. Our worst were retention edits. As a self proclaimed optimist, I will admit I thought that retention was the impending doom of RUclips lol. I'm reshooting my current video because of this. Connection matters so much more. Tbh shorts and their lack of growth on YT compared to other platforms should have been our first clue that connection is more important. Cheers 🤘 Cliff
I recently started a channel and I’ve been noticing the best thing to do is just have fun and don’t worry about the views. I just wish I could get more interaction for comments but it’s only the begging and the people that have joined really interact we almost talk every day
I’ve been trying to change up my editing style, but honestly I just enjoy adding a lot of edits and sound effects. Lately I have realized that I can chill on the editing a bit because even I got tired of all the over the top stuff I put in my videos and also I’m getting more and more viewers who will watch my videos regardless. Now im trying to brainstorm ways to keep that style I like, but also making it genuine and not so over the top. I just REALLY love editing
My latest video wasn’t edited at all, wasn’t even scripted and was shot on an iPhone. And it performed better than ALL of the previous videos that I spent Hundreds of dollars and a lot of time on. Focus on Value, Authenticity and Consistency. And you will grow your channel 🙏 - Harut
This is awesome. As an independent musician, I was struggling with how to get some content out without compromising who I am. This video definitely helped.
I love ALL of this so much!! This more authentic/less hype style of editing is all exactly how I have gone about my first year of videos...without knowing I was accidentally ahead of the trend lol
I’ve been editing with the slower pace ever since I’ve started. While I am struggling to get views I massively prefer the slower pace. Not because it’s easier to edit or cause it takes less time it’s because they feel more genuine. I think it builds more of a connection to the viewer and can help turn my channel into a community.
At last! Someone who advocates that it is not necessary for video editing to be big and flashy. The type of videos I am making reflect the style and pace of the subject matter, while most of the editing tutorials fail to recognise the more subtle styles of video creation.
This is exactly how I have been shooting for ages. Like a chill hang conversation, between me and the viewer. Peeps have pointed out how they like it, many many times. Perhaps the winds have blown in my boring favor?!
One of the best VidIQ videos yet. All the flash editing is just a style for certain audiences. But, its not necessary in my niche. Helps me dial back some of the overwhelm. Thanks.
I quit consuming every type of short video after I started noticing the same editing patterns. They're keeping us "entertained" with just visuals and satisfying sounds... like we often used to keep children busy. Transition after transition, over and over again, keeping information irrelevant. Made me appreciate long-form content WAY more; slower-paced, actually allowing me to keep useful information with me by the end of it.
I would like this video more without the whoosh sound and zoom every few seconds. Generally nice advice though. The general desire to create content for the low-attention-span generation, fueling the and maintaining the problem, creates very tiring content. I want to learn, laugh or be entertained by someone/people as though I am inviting them into my home. Lots of rapid cuts and stock clips of things to needlessly demonstrate a point, rather than clear speaking can break the bond between the viewer/listener and the presenter. On that note, youTubers - if you have to edit two halfs of a sentence together - rerecord the whole sentence :D
Great vid, John. It's incredible seeing how some creators are going back to a more simple approach to videos. Sometimes viewers will just appreciate how you talk about and/or explain things even with hardly any edits. I guess it's a testament to the power of the spoken word.
Something I realized a while ago while making videos is not including extra reaction gif clips, music, images, and noises all the time and let my own words carry the video. Found myself being able to come back and enjoy my own videos later as a time capsule of myself rather than what was funny then and made things more personal and lifted a lot of my work load. This video reminded me of that so thanks❤
Jesus Christ this is the video I've been looking for, let's hope this year is easier for me since I always have trouble editing obnoxious retention editing.
Noticed this a while ago too, and basically only use edits that I draw myself and make them into animations. I even make thumbnails from screenshots of the video. Good information ☺️
Thank Christ for that! I get a headache watching some videos, and trying to mimic that is a fool's errand and in any case beyond my skillset. It takes me long enough to edit out my hesitations and mistakes! In any case, my audience skew older and I'm guessing they have zero patience for jazzy editing. Phew.
Love it!! Since I'm super new , like now new, to content creating I needed this. I was so nervous about the whole retention editing etc and here the landscape is changing to something I think I'm more comfortable with. Now if I can only find the niche (me and better half just have too many fun things we into) but we started with just small travel vid. Thank you so so much for this. It's the first video talking about this edit style that I watched. You nailed it.
Painful is gracious lol. He was annoying to watch. You could tell he projected himself differently. I hope he continues to just be himself instead of the other version he created
I have always find amazing just how people could fill the whole editing program layers with alot and a lot of things. Even with my most ambitious projects, i ended up with ten layers but for a minute or two. It is true! Watching a person more personally that like a brand it feels more comfortable, more chillax. I think that's how a fandom/followers can be obtained, it's like being in a conversation with a friend. And other thing, I know mr. Beast usually makes a lot of editing but he doesn't fear showing a lot of other emotions like awkwarness (suddenly silence or side eye looking at each other) when a comment doesn't really hit, and that makes a lot of difference with TV type of production.
I'm really glad you made this video. I've struggled with Editing in the past, and now that I'm learning what the editing program can do, I see many different philosphies as to HOW you should edit. I This video was quite helpful, thanks!
Good advice, but as always I'm often left wondering how I can apply this to a gaming channel? Do I make my edits longer? With less cuts, leaving all the awkward silences in? Or is there a happy medium for gaming channels to start trying?
Thats great advice and honestly, I'm happy that this style of video is becoming more popular. People need time to unwind and process things. This overwhelming, fast talking stuff... the world is already full of it, if you ask me 😄
This is absolutely brilliant. Thank you for this! I've found that I've had a lot more success when I've focused on storytelling and finding the things that others in the same field miss. A good topic and a good story makes up for the lack super high production value.
Yes, as an editor I think clients think that if you edit a video to death with tons of mega attention getting tricks then it will get more views, and they want you to copy and stick rigidly to styles the have seen other successful people using, but actually it is the content that holds the attention and interest. Not that it can’t be well-edited, but it doesn’t have to be over the top.
I realized this before I started mine too, from a consumer's point of view. I am my target audience, and bells and whistles aren't appreciated by 50/60 year olds! It's working!
I like the way editing is simple and not hyper. Thats what believe what I'm currently doing in my videos. I use smooth effects and play Lo-fi music. We want engagement but also simplicity.
i think my work is the closest thing to the opposite of retention editing , which seems to be causing me some difficulty in growth , but i think staying true to your own identity is the most critical aspect of anyone becoming who they're going to be 🔮
what annoys me most about RUclips nowadays isn't even the editing, it's the constant use of stock footage. You never know when it's worth actually keeping your eyes on the screen.
LoL we just recorded a large street party which was very noisy, thousands of people, cutting scenes every 12 seconds on average and people seem to like it. The music is whatever is being played live, nothing we can control. How else would you make an event like this so authentic it feels like you are there? We always strive to improve 🙂
I half agree? I think that as a new RUclipsr, you’re new on the scene, you almost HAVE to go to those big parties. You need to stand out, mingle, make friends that you can then invite to those chill kickbacks… Authenticity is great, and I would never discourage people to not be themselves, but you definitely need to put yourself out there when you’re just starting out.
I watch videos from half a dozen different niches and the creators I like best are the ones with simple editing. The quality of the content means so much more to me than a flashy video with garbage content.
Thank you for this. This confirms what I was feeling I needed to do for my channel anyway, it's good to know that it's also the BEST thing for my channel! Authenticity and connection over "retention editing".
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
Man the retention grabbing editing is so lifeless and makes youtube feel like a job just to keep people watching
Yea, makes youtube feel less like a hobby and more like a lowkey stressful job
I feel you. RUclips is becoming more like a hassle in the creative aspect. No wonder why many youtubers stop making videos and leaving this platform for good.
Agreed
agreed and its so exhausting trying to keep up with that when editing your own videos is hard as it is
And then you make a long video with almost no cuts and no one watches it its worst if you just started you and you get that one comment that says "this video was nice good job" that's how you know they didn't even watch 1 minute of your 30 minute video
This video felt very retention edited though... Still filled with loads of flashy effects, text pop ups, cuts every 3-7 seconds, slidey animations, zoom in and out etc etc etc. Potentially, this could have been slowed down a tonne, just to better demonstrate the trend towards this "new" (old) editing style
It feels like those channels showing the formula to "gain 1 million subscribers" when they barely have 100 or 200...
@@vonrust8980 LOL omg I forgot about those videos
I think the fact that the video has under 100k views while being obviously retention edited further shows his point that retention editing is falling out of favor.
Yeah I actually thought this was a satire of the ‘no more retention editing’ conversation, due to the large number of effects, punch ins etc 😅
this is the most bruh video ive ever bruhed
And that’s exactly what SHORTS is. A quick “hey look at me!” Video designed for short attention spans. RUclips trying to emulate Tik Tok was a mistake in my eyes. I’ve always been a long form content creator. I’m about engaging the audience and hanging out. This trend never suited my style and I’m glad things are shifting.
Numbers wise, shorts have been quite sussesful so I wouldnt call them a mistake even if I personally didn't like them
@@mikestar104lots of bad ideas still made a lot of money
Shorts is good but you shouldn't do both long form and Shorts at once do them on separate channels with each channel being featured in the features tab
so true
tbh, I've seen a really high amount of growth from shorts. I used to be stuck uploading long form videos with 0 - 10 views but then I started uploading shorts and since they're getting pushed like crazy, I'll get varying view counts from 100 to up to 10k views. Not all of them go to the original videos that they're cut from but some do and I'm finally gaining subscribers after being stuck at 500 for seemingly years.
the irony that this video is "retention edited" and performing so well in the algorithm that it got shoved in my face 2 weeks after upload.....
Way to commit to the bit lmao
I made my channel a few weeks ago and my first video was a documentary on the history of the gaming company Eleventh Hour Games and their development of Last Epoch.
To my surprise, the CEO of the game himself commented on it and is showing it to his new employees to "Get them up to speed on the company" he absolutely loves it!
The style I chose to use when getting into RUclips was going to be un-sensational with the aim of being genuine, an easy listen and as factual as I can be.
This video is even more of a breath of fresh air and reminder that I can do this and I need to continue to do it my way, thanks so much vidIQ :)
~Gav
You are doing a great job! Keep growing!
Dude thats awesome congradz! Keep it up!
Keep it that way even if u see a slump. Yt is a rollercoaster
🌙
Calm narrative documentaries are the best! I love Last Epoch, btw! Hipe to jump into 1.0 soon!
Thanks! I have really grown to dislike the hard work that goes into editing 4-6 second attention grabbing cuts and probably even more watching others do it. It’s exhausting on so many levels but when it’s done right, it’s great and delivers exactly what you’re looking for. Just don’t need it all the time everywhere!
I know that I’ve said this before and I will say it again. I’ve gotten to a point where I’m just straight up getting tired of the fast paced editing that’s taking over every single content creation platform. In fact there’s times where I’ve felt like quitting because of the unfairness of that.
It’s nice how there’s still some hope that the authenticity of RUclips is not dead yet! Especially when creators like myself can have a place here on RUclips.
“Authenticity is not dead yet” - I love it
@@RUclipsOrganicMarketing But the "yet" is so haunting
this!
I have uploaded videos in the past that are retention edited, and they performed HORRIBLY, then I uploaded a video about just talking about depression and it blew up! (Compared to the old ones) with no transitions, no subtitles, no zooming, it was very simple, its crazy how just being genuine can get you a lot of success, and its good that it makes sense! I think this is a really good change for RUclips
You had one good quote in this video: "retention editting often comes at the cost of connection" I think it's a good one to keep in mind cause it CAN be true. But I'm honestly not convinced 100%. And if I'm being honest that's simply because every video I see claiming that retention editting is dead, including this one, has hundreds of cuts to b-roll, reframing the shot size every few seconds and so on. All of those tools by the argument presented SHOULD be irrelevant yet they continue to be used even while claiming retention editing won't work for long.
How am i supposed to take the video seriously when it doesn't take its own point seriously enough to do that.
That being said, I want to emphasize that I think SOME of the editting in this video did enhance the subject matter and was useful. So it's probably, in my opinion, more helpful for creators to keep in mind that not all editing provides value to the video and value to the viewer. Instead of clinging on to this crazy narrative that retention editting it totally bad, it's much more accurate to keep that first quote in mind to hopefully not neglect or reject editting that can keep a viewer hooked, but take a second look at if it's necessary or if it presents a barrier to connection before implementing it.
As a bit of an edit the tips in the second half of this video are sort of what I mean. Selective editting is a good way to phrase that
That's just the way it is. See what the RUclips gurus say and do the exact opposite.
Thanks! Popped into comments solely to confirm I wasn't the only one thinking this, "those tools by the argument presented SHOULD be irrelevant yet they continue to be used even while claiming retention editing won't work for long"
Frankly, as a PT creator with a FT job, I don't have time to keep up with this level of editing, as it is. Best I can do is a few bells/whistles just to spice things up.
Yeah, I was pretty put off that the video started with “At the beginning, I was so obsessed with making something happen every four seconds” still had something happening every four seconds. He mocks constant cuts while putting them in his video. But he got me to watch 4:49 of his video before going into the comments to see if anyone else had the same issue, so I guess it worked?
@@SeanIanJacobson01 Heh! True. Honestly...I was kinda hoping it was all ironic or for example and there would eventually be a shift away from it, but nope...
This is great news. I came across a video mentioning this shift in the editing trends for YT a couple weeks ago. It was a relief to hear. I haven't created a video for my channel in a long time. Not just because I didn't want to. But, as someone who works full time, I have to plan my content creation around my weekends. Which is ok. But, that's also when I want to work the least. That being said. The trend towards a more personal and slower paced editing style is a great change. And a change that is a lot less stressful to create.
I agree. Retention editing is exhausting. Everyone does that same type of editing style which is boring. I am a video editor and I like to keep it simple. B-Roll with voiceover, simple graphics, animations and music in the background. People don't care about fancy transitions, animations, etc. that took the editor 5 hours to make first 10 seconds of a video. People care about the information and value the video provides to them.
As someone who just started making youtube videos, all I've noticed in other people's videos are their quick retention edits now instead of their message. Sometimes, I forget what they were trying to convey because of the constant cuts. It's refreshing when I watch a RUclipsr for their personality instead of the noise that drowns everything out. Great video, and I'll try to keep in mind what you said as an aspiring content creator!
Not gonna lie the beginning of this video where he acknowledged his editing style was a great touch of accountability! I 100% noticed whenever he hosts videos the style of editing was VERY active and honestly it was distracting & turned me off from most of the videos to say the least. But seeing acknowledgment & literally seeing the editing change to be less over the top and in your face is a great showing of growth! Loved this video & found a lot of what you said to really resonate! Looking forward to more!
The irony of this video… is that it’s using retention editing to hold our attention. Kick back editing does work, but in specific formats and for specific audiences. Imagine if Mr Beast’s video was edited like a 3 hour Sam Sulek video, would it work? Not sure without the data, the only way to find out what works for your audience is to try it and adjust along the way.
Every channel is different. Every audience is different. What works for one creator doesn’t work for all creators.
❤
I'm glad to see this. I'm new to editing, and I've spent a lot of time on editing videos that haven't had much traction. The trouble is most videos impress on you that you need to have scene changes, text, sounds, pops, pings etc every 6 seconds. This next video I'm keeping it as simple as I possibly can - things like a few film clips at appropriate times, b roll I've filmed myself to illustrate key points (I see people already getting sick of seeing stock footage all the time) and when I'm on camera, some simple jump cuts every now and again. It's taken a lot of pressure off.
Im with you on that. I spent 4-5 hours editing a video last night which is 4.5 mins.. absolutely exhausting. I get bored with fast edits and too much noise that I switch the video off. Its a fine line I suppose with editing long pauses enough that you dont bore the viewer, but not over editing that its so quickly paced its hard to keep the attention of the viewer because its all too quick.
I don't "watch" 90% of the videos that I "watch" on RUclips. And I run youtube for at LEAST 8 hours a day. I run it in the car when traveling to my work territory (one hour each way) and then I run it in a 2nd monitor while editing the photos and video I captured that day. Often LONG into the night. But really...I don't "watch"...I just listen. RUclips is for me what AM radio was for my grandfather and his grandfather before him. I remember walking into the garage of so many people back in the 80s and they had a radio in there tuned to the sports station....that ran 24/7. It never turned off and the channel never changed. For DECADES. When they got in their car...they turned on the same station. When they got home and were cooking...the radio went on. To the same station. They just...listened to it. All the time. That's RUclips for me in 2024.
For that reason, fast and choppy editing actually grinds my gears. I want what I watch to be "background noise" that I can watch....or not. I may pay attention to what is being said while driving...or I might wander off into my own thoughts. But I don't like anything that is going to amp me up or inject anxiety in any way. No no no.
For research purposes... check out a channel called Luetin09. He has a "deep dive" channel based around the tabletop game called "Warhammer 40,000". I don't even PLAY that game and I listen to all his videos. I just like the way it sounds. I like the calming nature of it. I watch all the videos all the way through to the end. If I feel upset or anxious I will put them on and just...half listen. He calms me down when I'm having a hard day. I don't even need to pay attention at all.
How many people like me are out there that use RUclips as a listening resource only? I think a lot more than most people in the "How to be successful on RUclips" creators know. We're a huge demographic...and we're never talked about. We're not even on the radar of most of these channels. Nobody is teaching anyone how to make videos for people like me.
Yes I mostly listen and rarely watch except weekends sometimes.
I watch but I also do what you do alot too. I drive a ton, like all day. If I'm not listening to music i have a RUclips video playing in the background. It might be a podcast, educational/information video, or anything I'm able to listen to without a need to keep my eyes on the video
Oh I miss 90s radio ❤
When I play games at night, I usually have RUclips playing in the background. I listen to podcasts, news, or music; it's so relaxing
I totally agree. It needs to be something that can be listened to, and I like the way you said, that doesn't amp up... enough of that already. That is why I made my channel "all wrong" the way I would like channels to be, and there are some... but you wouldn't be interested in the topics, and I have a long way to go.. but yes, I agree "that" much
hey hey! great message, i've got to admit i struggled so much with feeling like i had to make fast paced super edits.
i just wanna be me (a lifelong struggle of being told to be anything but myself no matter what i do, do not be me. leads to depression and anxiety trying to speak - and rambling on.
often I would be told "nope, fast paced etc is what you should do to hold attention" - doesnt suite all niches. this video made me feel less alone. ive never been a fan or wanted to copy those fast edits. i am trying - scrambling to be myself, hopefully soon i will get out of my pit of doom, and be able to upload the thing(s) iv'e created.
fast pace, doesnt suite everyone - and some viewers are discovering a slower pace video would be more relaxing and enjoyable.
i appreciate this video. very excellent message. calmer pace, gets the audience to know you - the creator more. it doesn't have to be as slow as a tortoise! hopefully i will fit in somewhere creatively, soon.
awesome message in this video.
As the old saying goes, "What's old is new again."
Per your description, Sam Sulek's videos sound just like what RUclips uploads were like when it was first launched in December 2005. (I created my first RUclips account in early 2007.) RUclips was basically created for vlogging.
The vloggers and the audiences they quickly gained blew RUclips up in a very short period of time. (Check out, "The History of Vlogging" by Dan Sanchez) I created my account because I wanted my favorite music videos in categorized playlists to watch whenever I felt like it.
I cannot express how happy it would make me if retention editing was a eradicated from all platforms. I've been waiting for its downfall for quite some time now and it's taking longer than I thought.
5:50 I HAVE THAT PROBLEM!! I always have a different feeling editing than when I film and it makes it so much harder to finish. Now i have a growing list of 49 videos i gotta finish
This makes me estatic to hear since starting my channel this is how I've always made my videos. Either laid back funny horror gameing well I just talk to the camera or spooky paranormal activity where I'm authentic with my reactions and honestly since I started letting my mental health show more and more in my videos I've started to really really enjoy being able to just let the content speak for itself. Or leave in some dead air to show off just how atmospheric the game I'm playing is so everyone understands why I jump as big as I do or get as scared as I am
Thank you! I have recently picked up editing for video clients. Someone who supposedly edited for the channel that can get up to 1 million views said they would teach me somethings. but the editing they do is retention editing and personally, it just doesn't fit for me. I have been editing for years but I never been the one to overedit. I only add elements when I feel they are necessary i rather have the video create a story and use elements to enhance the story but I recently started to feel like after watching some youtube videos that I dont belong in this market. So im glad im not the only one who doesn't really like retention editing.
This was a really encouraging video to watch, man. From day one I've always said I wanted to be authentically myself in my videos. The same guy I am off camera. But for a while I kinda fell into that thing some "editing gurus" push, where they teach you to edit out every pause in your speaking, no matter how small. Not only was it a lot of work, it just didn't feel natural. That's not the way people speak in real life.
Honestly, people who comment and watch my channel do seem to resonate with that "laid-back" guy feel I'm kinda known for among friends and family, which makes me feel like I'm being my true self in my videos. But my niche is very transactional, in the sense that people come looking for a certain thing. They get that thing, then they're out. So right now I'm trying to be more intentional about just sharing more of my personal life, all while keeping the main thing the main thing.
Even before I watched your video I'd already decided that I'm already doing everything I want to do in my videos, which is not much more than basic cuts and fades from one scene to the next. I use music in prep scenes, fade it way down or out completely when I'm speaking, and just try to speak like I speak to people in real life. Because it IS real life. Really good stuff man, very encouraging.
I noticed the switch in the retention span on youtube. I stopped trying so hard on the editing process and start just being myself on my videos. Once I did so, my YouToube channel started doing really well. My audience is of the older age now which is amazing. My niche of editing has changed to my liking. I find that music carries your videos. So a little tip for everyone, make a video that you like and find your way of editing, and most importantly just be yourself.
Here's the thing in my opinion. You don't want to become known for someone you aren't and cannot sustain to be, because the people who wanted that person will eventually realize you aren't them and the people who would love you how you are, aren't drawn in, because they think you're someone else.
So, what I'm saying is, being yourself is important to self expression like RUclips. No matter how good you are at changing yourself, people will eventually see through it and notice you aren't able to sustain that forever. So, please, be yourself, because no one could do you more beautifully than *you*!
I started a new channel a few months ago and I’ve been worried on how I should edit my videos based on what most people like. I thought most people like fast paced and lots of cuts and lots of texts. But this video reminded me why i like video editing. Thanks for reminding me!!!
Funnily enough RUclips died the second they tried to convert long videos into mind numbing short form content. They should have just had RUclips shorts on its own platform. The 100k goal has lost its meaning when long form creators when anyone can just upload 20 second videos with no thought and get the same number of subscribers
This was great, and much needed. A lot of it were points that my gut was telling me about throughout my channel journey: these days my channel is my full time job, and I can see that so much of that success has come from a genuine connection and not from frantic editing. It took a while, which gave me a plenty of time to tell myself I was doing it wrong, and I need to add more energy, just blast people with b-roll and quick cuts, but now I know a big (and the most loyal) part of my audience enjoys things being peaceful, thoughtful and honest.
The over edited videos really were overstimulating. Sometimes it’s just nice to have another voice in the room.
Glad to hear that we are making a shift from editing-bombarding to authentic content with an actual soul to it. Knowing that you don't need to have crazy editing for your videos and still have people who stick around for your content is really relieving.
Retention editing alongside with people's shortened attentions spans really seemed like a downward spiral for content creation.
Honestly, I resonate with this hard. I did videos with "zoomer editing" and not only was it exhausting, but there was a few people who seemed turned off by it. Also, it doesn't always work.
The topic and story of the video matter a lot, if you don't have a good topic: zoomer editing wont help you. I did one about my experience with Genshin and it's still getting comments to this day despite me not posting for months because i got so burnt out.
Thank you for this, I thought my videos were too "small" because I don't have lots of zooms and noises. But watching this I think you're right, if people want to switch their brain off they can find lots of that kind of content on YT. But if they truly want good information and you have that to offer, then don't worry about effects just put good information out into the world and people will find your channel.
So true. Now with all those impersonal videos - automated with text to speech it's even worse. I generally skip off those videos straight away because they are nothing B-Roll bombs anyway. No heart and no soul.
I feel like many people saw the fall of the overly edited videos because there is so much of it already and it became more apparent when Mr.Beast came into the picture and made it his own style and people jumping on the train because it’s “successful” and loses the whole point of being a content creator and that’a why I want to make authentic videos that have quality in it, still in the process lol
You do not create a channel for retention based content. Because those people come and go, Genuinely treat your channel like a hobby, and eventually your own community of longterm fans will grow out more. 😊
The worst issue for me is pointless music scattered all over videos.
I can't be bothered with hyperactive videos. I want actual interesting content. The presentation is not so important.
I really hope that you're right and we are getting to the calm soon. I'm so sick and tired of seeing theses overly done edits which just focuses on grabbing your attention then sharing a story. Personal I like chilled-out editing since I want to start doing that for my channel.
I had a 1 million view video and it really has a message people connected with! Went from 300 subs to 2300 in 28 days! And still going. Thanks for the tips
You say all this but has been primarily my editing style for awhile now, refinement but relaxed and straight forward. No over the top editing but still quality. Yet I can guarantee you the growth has been painfully slow.
@@juanchopestudios I once made a video talking a bit about Vidiq being kinda scammy. I like their product, works very well. But their youtube videos are all based on selling you false confidence and big promises. At end of the day all it really comes down to is Good thumbnail - Title - make lots of content to be discovered - Quality. They often like to do videos on "look at this guy who got a million subs in 1 year" but fail to mention they had lots of money to make what they did and spent a year or more on literally just making that video. Its not so simple as just "do this and be big"
this is true. I made a barely edited short and it got around 94% retention and blew up.
I've found when I try to edit for retention it is usually the same or worse than my fast edits. It could be the type of content I create, but I've never found it was worth the energy.
Authentic and part of a story. Tell a story. If the story is compelling I would put up with bad audio even. And no one puts up with bad audio.
I've always liked smaller channels because the creators are more personable and relatable. It's nice to see a glimpse of the real them rather than the character they created.
I hate retention editing because of how lifeless it is and how it completely destroys the connection between the creator and the viewer but at 3:29 I disagree that viewers are maturing. The biggest demographic on RUclips right now is the 4-11 age range and what they want to see are those 8 minute fast paced overedited videos because it releases the most dopamine for them. I doubt that retention editing is going away anytime soon.
Honestly these days both retention edits do well but also something very simplistic and emotional that people can relate with
Honestly thank god. Never had the desire to retention edit. I'm not a master of editing by any stretch, but I've always maintained a more simple style on principle.
That’s what i try to do - be myself. I don’t like fake hyper loud videos, I’m an introvert. For a while it bothered me bc I felt like I was boring, but I’m glad ti hear YT once again strives for individuality of a creator rather than mass viral-ity of stupid stuff with no real content. I just make video game reviews and share my opinions. My editing is minimalistic. I’m a noob, what can I say? When it’s a livestream, i wanna chat with people having a video game more like a background with possible fun stuff happening when i’m not paying attention. Thanks for letting me know, I may not be as lame as I thought I were LOL Maybe I stand a chance of building a cozy community!
THANK YOU! I've been doing videos for years on RUclips and my style has always been more of a calm one. (My viewers have joked that my channel was the "Bob Ross" of diecast car customizations. 🤣)I've been holding out that eventually the overproduced sugar rush videos would eventually exhaust other people as much as they exhaust me. I haven't gone "viral" by any stretch yet, but it's refreshing to hear that my style where I want to create meaningful videos and share myself through my craft with my audience would win out in the long run. I feel like this is RUclips going back to its roots by, ironically, having such a strong AI algorithm that it can finally tell who's doing more meaningful videos and who is just "gaming the system" with frustrating teases and filler to maximize ad revenue. Great video and an excellent explanation of this new trend. Let's hope it sticks around so we can spend less time editing and more time "creating."
Interesting, what you're describing here is what I was doing for my channel from the getgo. I'm a screenwriter and film editor, I launched a video essay channel breaking down stories but I didn't want to compete with the retention editing style channels because they always seemed just exhausting to me. I screenwrite my videos, and I edit them like I would a movie. Even treating audio cues as if they were diegetic in a movie. So far it paid off, after 6 months I got 2400 subs and over 80k views. Bear in mind, these are long videos, between 30mins and 1 hour and retention curve is always a nice hockey stick. As you said, the old style got tiring.
Awesome, John, this is us! Our film reviews are authentic conversations between the two of us, with pieces of video to illustrate what we're talking about from time to time. We try to create the sensation that this is the discussion we'd be having while walking out of a theater, but the viewer is there, as well. Thanks for the encouragement! -- Christy
Personally I’ve never found the retention editing to be interesting to watch but I have started to incorporate the style slightly if the moment called for it. I never felt that every moment needed to be a over exaggerated scene. In the past I never really put any edits at all in my videos which looking back was probably not the best, but I’ve learned from it.
Being gaming channel I just like to let my reactions and facial expressions do the work and showcase the game without being too distracting. I can see the growth that I’ve had over the years and it’s always exciting to see that new videos start to thrive when I try different things. I don’t like following the trendy edits and videos types so I’m always gonna be me and create what I enjoy and hope that other will resonate with too.
Yes I absolutely HATE overuse of Broll like they were the first person who thought of it. I switch off.
BROLL Lolz yah that I'm smart Broll broll bros kidaHEYYLOL
Me too. Now with all those impersonal videos - automated with text to speech it's even worse. I generally skip off those videos straight away because they are nothing B-Roll bombs anyway. No heart and no soul.
I'm going to start a series on my channel this year and filming/editing it in that retention-editing style has sort of overwhelmed me. I wasn't sure how I was going to do it and when I watched similar videos, I found something. The idea is so unique and crazy that it doesn't need fancy editing. As long as it's clear and my passion for the project comes out, that is what's most important.
The problem I have is how everyone told all these people to be just like them and now people are begging for authenticity.. the copycat issue is the real issue. Some people’s favorite creator is following someone else’s rubric.
Thanks for the video, your editing is amazing!! I am a throwback @KaceyAnnReynolds to the old school style of why people started to watch You Tube to begin with.... To learn, have fun, and connect.... The earliest person to emulate this style was Julie Child, she drank wine, made a lot of mistakes, and made French cooking seem easy..... My goal is to be the "Julia Child" of healthy living/weight loss/reverse aging.......I work full-time and editing is not my joy, but talking to my camera is my joy.... I am a health coach and retired teacher, so I have learned to be entertaining while teaching people to be more healthy.... This was easy for me because I had previously taught middle school, and you have to be silly to keep their attention!!
_"If it's not fun, why bother?"_ - Reggie Fils Aime
Glad we're seeing some fun shine in the eyes of RUclips.
The thing about retention is an overcomplicated nightmare!
I had edited some videos and it was hard to do it, thinking if this video can attract and retain the viewer.
The graph, on the other hand, doesn't help either despite the books I read and watched videos about it and how well is getting received.
One example, in 2021 I uploaded a video about the Latin American furry fandom and how they dealt with the pandemic. Throughout the 2022 until some furry con, the video caught the attention and I got 4k views because of the good response.
This comment is more for me to read later, but also, thank you.. After taking several months off, I needed to see this. Our best videos were connection. Our worst were retention edits. As a self proclaimed optimist, I will admit I thought that retention was the impending doom of RUclips lol. I'm reshooting my current video because of this. Connection matters so much more. Tbh shorts and their lack of growth on YT compared to other platforms should have been our first clue that connection is more important.
Cheers 🤘
Cliff
I recently started a channel and I’ve been noticing the best thing to do is just have fun and don’t worry about the views. I just wish I could get more interaction for comments but it’s only the begging and the people that have joined really interact we almost talk every day
I’ve been trying to change up my editing style, but honestly I just enjoy adding a lot of edits and sound effects. Lately I have realized that I can chill on the editing a bit because even I got tired of all the over the top stuff I put in my videos and also I’m getting more and more viewers who will watch my videos regardless. Now im trying to brainstorm ways to keep that style I like, but also making it genuine and not so over the top. I just REALLY love editing
i find it so hard to compete with retention editing and it take forever! i love making people smile and find it sucks the soul out of the video
My latest video wasn’t edited at all, wasn’t even scripted and was shot on an iPhone.
And it performed better than ALL of the previous videos that I spent Hundreds of dollars and a lot of time on.
Focus on Value, Authenticity and Consistency.
And you will grow your channel 🙏
- Harut
This is awesome. As an independent musician, I was struggling with how to get some content out without compromising who I am. This video definitely helped.
I've been feeling this way since retention editing became popular lol, glad this is catching so videos won't be annoying anymore
I love ALL of this so much!! This more authentic/less hype style of editing is all exactly how I have gone about my first year of videos...without knowing I was accidentally ahead of the trend lol
I’ve been editing with the slower pace ever since I’ve started. While I am struggling to get views I massively prefer the slower pace. Not because it’s easier to edit or cause it takes less time it’s because they feel more genuine. I think it builds more of a connection to the viewer and can help turn my channel into a community.
I'm so glad to hear that you like my editing style.
Good points here. It also means that offering value and connection can win instead of just great edits and sound effects. Thanks for the ideas! - Dane
At last! Someone who advocates that it is not necessary for video editing to be big and flashy. The type of videos I am making reflect the style and pace of the subject matter, while most of the editing tutorials fail to recognise the more subtle styles of video creation.
This is exactly how I have been shooting for ages. Like a chill hang conversation, between me and the viewer. Peeps have pointed out how they like it, many many times. Perhaps the winds have blown in my boring favor?!
One of the best VidIQ videos yet. All the flash editing is just a style for certain audiences. But, its not necessary in my niche. Helps me dial back some of the overwhelm. Thanks.
I quit consuming every type of short video after I started noticing the same editing patterns. They're keeping us "entertained" with just visuals and satisfying sounds... like we often used to keep children busy. Transition after transition, over and over again, keeping information irrelevant. Made me appreciate long-form content WAY more; slower-paced, actually allowing me to keep useful information with me by the end of it.
I would like this video more without the whoosh sound and zoom every few seconds. Generally nice advice though. The general desire to create content for the low-attention-span generation, fueling the and maintaining the problem, creates very tiring content. I want to learn, laugh or be entertained by someone/people as though I am inviting them into my home. Lots of rapid cuts and stock clips of things to needlessly demonstrate a point, rather than clear speaking can break the bond between the viewer/listener and the presenter. On that note, youTubers - if you have to edit two halfs of a sentence together - rerecord the whole sentence :D
Great vid, John. It's incredible seeing how some creators are going back to a more simple approach to videos. Sometimes viewers will just appreciate how you talk about and/or explain things even with hardly any edits. I guess it's a testament to the power of the spoken word.
Something I realized a while ago while making videos is not including extra reaction gif clips, music, images, and noises all the time and let my own words carry the video.
Found myself being able to come back and enjoy my own videos later as a time capsule of myself rather than what was funny then and made things more personal and lifted a lot of my work load.
This video reminded me of that so thanks❤
Jesus Christ this is the video I've been looking for, let's hope this year is easier for me since I always have trouble editing obnoxious retention editing.
Noticed this a while ago too, and basically only use edits that I draw myself and make them into animations. I even make thumbnails from screenshots of the video. Good information ☺️
Thank Christ for that! I get a headache watching some videos, and trying to mimic that is a fool's errand and in any case beyond my skillset. It takes me long enough to edit out my hesitations and mistakes! In any case, my audience skew older and I'm guessing they have zero patience for jazzy editing. Phew.
Love it!! Since I'm super new , like now new, to content creating I needed this. I was so nervous about the whole retention editing etc and here the landscape is changing to something I think I'm more comfortable with. Now if I can only find the niche (me and better half just have too many fun things we into) but we started with just small travel vid. Thank you so so much for this. It's the first video talking about this edit style that I watched. You nailed it.
Definitely agree that your former edits, while good, were painfully over the top and overdone. This style is much better imo!
Painful is gracious lol. He was annoying to watch. You could tell he projected himself differently. I hope he continues to just be himself instead of the other version he created
I have always find amazing just how people could fill the whole editing program layers with alot and a lot of things. Even with my most ambitious projects, i ended up with ten layers but for a minute or two.
It is true! Watching a person more personally that like a brand it feels more comfortable, more chillax. I think that's how a fandom/followers can be obtained, it's like being in a conversation with a friend.
And other thing, I know mr. Beast usually makes a lot of editing but he doesn't fear showing a lot of other emotions like awkwarness (suddenly silence or side eye looking at each other) when a comment doesn't really hit, and that makes a lot of difference with TV type of production.
I'm really glad you made this video. I've struggled with Editing in the past, and now that I'm learning what the editing program can do, I see many different philosphies as to HOW you should edit. I This video was quite helpful, thanks!
6:32 that clip of you rapping made me smile
This more relaxed style of editing is what I prefer to watch and make.
Good advice, but as always I'm often left wondering how I can apply this to a gaming channel? Do I make my edits longer? With less cuts, leaving all the awkward silences in? Or is there a happy medium for gaming channels to start trying?
Thats great advice and honestly, I'm happy that this style of video is becoming more popular. People need time to unwind and process things. This overwhelming, fast talking stuff... the world is already full of it, if you ask me 😄
This is absolutely brilliant. Thank you for this!
I've found that I've had a lot more success when I've focused on storytelling and finding the things that others in the same field miss. A good topic and a good story makes up for the lack super high production value.
Yes, as an editor I think clients think that if you edit a video to death with tons of mega attention getting tricks then it will get more views, and they want you to copy and stick rigidly to styles the have seen other successful people using, but actually it is the content that holds the attention and interest. Not that it can’t be well-edited, but it doesn’t have to be over the top.
I realized this before I started mine too, from a consumer's point of view. I am my target audience, and bells and whistles aren't appreciated by 50/60 year olds! It's working!
I like the way editing is simple and not hyper. Thats what believe what I'm currently doing in my videos. I use smooth effects and play Lo-fi music. We want engagement but also simplicity.
i think my work is the closest thing to the opposite of retention editing , which seems to be causing me some difficulty in growth , but i think staying true to your own identity is the most critical aspect of anyone becoming who they're going to be 🔮
what annoys me most about RUclips nowadays isn't even the editing, it's the constant use of stock footage. You never know when it's worth actually keeping your eyes on the screen.
LoL we just recorded a large street party which was very noisy, thousands of people, cutting scenes every 12 seconds on average and people seem to like it. The music is whatever is being played live, nothing we can control. How else would you make an event like this so authentic it feels like you are there? We always strive to improve 🙂
I can't stand retention editing, as a video editor, when I see it, it drives me nuts, it's exhausting.
I half agree? I think that as a new RUclipsr, you’re new on the scene, you almost HAVE to go to those big parties. You need to stand out, mingle, make friends that you can then invite to those chill kickbacks…
Authenticity is great, and I would never discourage people to not be themselves, but you definitely need to put yourself out there when you’re just starting out.
I watch videos from half a dozen different niches and the creators I like best are the ones with simple editing. The quality of the content means so much more to me than a flashy video with garbage content.
Thank you for this. This confirms what I was feeling I needed to do for my channel anyway, it's good to know that it's also the BEST thing for my channel! Authenticity and connection over "retention editing".
That’s my editing style . Since the beginning
I just made my first video recently. It's scary getting into this youtube game. But I hope I can start connecting with people who love, what I love.
You got this!
@@vidIQ Thanks for the reply 😊
Well, hell, if we're coming out of the crazy fast editing Era, my Minecraft channel should take off like a bat out of hell!