### Highlights

- Cut your films down to as short as you possibly can, and after that, cut them down some more
- Remember that every frame counts, avoid repetition and always keep the message of your video in mind
- You'd be surprised what a dramatic effect cutting out "ums" and "uhs" from an interview makes

## Getting to the essence of the edit

In an article about the power of video, I recently read that the average attention span of a person nowadays is just 8 seconds. This means when a person comes to a website, you have (on average) just 8 seconds to capture their attention. If you want to grow as a storyteller, one of the most important things you need to learn is the discipline of cutting out anything and everything that is not absolutely needed to contribute to the story.

## There’s a reason they call it “cutting”

A good friend of mine, an Indie filmmaker, once told me, "cut your films down to as short as you possibly can, then once you’ve done that, cut them down some more." Here are some tips:

- **Every frame counts**: I get so detailed in my cutting that I’ll shave off individual frames from some shots.
- **Don’t repeat**: Utilize the best soundbite from interviews to make a stronger point.
- **Aim for a specific length**: For a web promo, 2-2.5 minutes is ideal.
- **Save longer versions along the way**: Duplicate sequences to keep track of edited content.
- **Be mindful of the message**: Always keep that message in mind.
- **Split it up**: Sometimes, you can split a video into multiple parts for better engagement.
- **The human eye and ear are amazing**: Use that to your advantage by delivering concise information.

## Delivering a lot of information in little time

Take a look at this award-winning commercial for the “Got Milk” campaign. It’s only 60 seconds but conveys a lot of information.

## What a difference the “ums” make

One of the most effective ways to shorten an edit is to get rid of all the ums, pauses, and tangential thoughts an interviewee gives. This can dramatically reduce the length of the video.

## Gut-wrenching sometimes, but necessary

There will come times when it may be gut-wrenching cutting out what you think is a really cool soundbite. Just remember that the viewer has not seen all the footage you’re watching.

In summary, the next time you’re editing a project, play a game. Whatever length you were initially planning to make it, cut it in half, and practice cutting your films down.