What makes the perfect explainer video? Easy to understand content, visuals that engage viewers, and lastly but most importantly – careful, intentional editing.
Explainer videos are short, succinct, and effective—and the content must be edited in such a way to capture their attention and keep it. With so much competition from other brands, you want to make sure your explainer video stands out from the pack.
To create an outstanding explainer video that captures viewers’ attention and keeps them engaged, you’ll need to use a variety of editing techniques.
Below, we’re breaking down the top editing techniques used to transform explainer videos –
1. The Cut-Away
The cut-away is one of the most important editing techniques used in explainer videos. This is when the video editor transitions from one clip to another without showing the full continuous footage. This technique is especially helpful when there’s a longer dialogue being played, or if the scene is too long and you want to move quickly from one portion of the explainer video to another.
The cut-away also comes in handy when you’re looking to spice up the video and avoid monotony. Too much of the same footage can quickly become tiresome to viewers, which is why interjecting quick cut-aways can be super helpful.
2. Colour Grading
Part of editing an explainer video is making sure the visuals and audio are cohesive. And one of the best ways to ensure this is with colour grading. This involves adjusting the colours within a video so they’re easier on the eyes and don’t clash with the music and sound effects.
Colour grading can also be used to make the video more impactful and engaging. For example, you could use a red palette to emphasise a call to action, or a blue palette to create a more calming effect.
3. Visual Fades
Another important editing technique for explainer videos is visual fades. Fades are simple transitions in which one visual fades out and another fades in to indicate a change of scene.
Using visually appealing fades combined with gradual shifts between scenes can help draw viewers in and keep them interested in the video. Many explainer videos are already visually attractive, but adding smooth transitions through fades can give them an extra layer of sophistication.
4. Remove Boring Elements
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when editing an explainer video is to keep in the boring parts. Sure, the footage or audio track may have been important once, but keeping unnecessary information can take away from the overall impact of the video.
That’s why it’s important to use an edit to strip away unnecessary elements like visuals, sound effects, or audio that don’t contribute much to the final explainer video. Doing this will help keep the video snappy and interesting, as every second of the video counts.
5. Add Graphics and Motion
Sometimes, you really want to drive a certain point or emotion home in an explainer video. To do this, you can add graphics and motion that are meaningful and visually appealing.
For example, you could add in dynamic titles and maps to give viewers a better understanding of the location or background. Or, you could use arrows and animations to help explain more complex topics. Playing around with different types of graphics can have quite an impact on the overall explainer video.
6. Clean Audio
Just as visuals can make or break an explainer video, so can sound. In order to make sure the audio in the video is as crisp and clear as possible, you’ll need to take advantage of audio editing tools. This means removing background noise, normalising volume levels, and compressing the overall sound.
It’s also a good idea to add in sound effects and music. Music can help break up the video and make transitions more interesting, whereas sound effects can increase the impact of certain visuals. However, make sure the music and sound effects aren’t too overpowering and are used sparingly throughout the explainer video.
7. Storytelling
No matter what kind of explainer video you’re creating, you always want to keep the story top of mind. Without a clear storyline, viewers won’t be able to make sense of the video.
That’s why you should strive to create a strong narrative structure with the editing of your explainer video. That doesn’t mean all the pieces have to fit together perfectly, but rather that each segment has a purpose. In other words, make sure the explainer video isn’t just a series of visuals or sound effects—but rather a story.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have the fundamentals of explainer video editing under your belt, you’re ready to start putting your own video together! Keep in mind that the editing process isn’t going to happen overnight—it may take some time and some trial and error to get your explainer video exactly the way you want it.
But with a little bit of practice and lots of patience, you’ll be well on your way to creating explainer videos that will truly make an impact.
Give your Story an Immersive Journey – What A Story – Video Production Solutions
At WhataStory, we believe that it’s not only about creating great videos; we also strive to put our customer’s interest first. Quality customer service and technical support is our top priority. We work directly with the client to ensure their message is clear and concise. All of our videos are made with the utmost precision and the results are always astonishing.
Whether you’re looking to increase brand awareness, boost conversion rates, or deliver a meaningful message, WhataStory has the solutions and resources to ensure your success. Contact us today to learn how our innovative explainer video production solutions can help your business.
