Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OEJ9NP1obcM

Usually when I find myself scrolling on the internet, rarely do I pay attention to the amount of time I’m spending on a certain piece of media. However, for the process of actually producing the content, figuring out a way to make it engaging enough while simultaneously maintaining its purpose can pose quite the challenge especially in this day and age. When it comes to specifically making short videos in the form of a TikTok or YouTube Short, one must be even more meticulous in the editing choices they make to prevent the viewer from scrolling past it. Around a year ago, videos from a contemporary barber shop (located in Chinatown, Manhattan) called 12 Pell began to circulate in my feed, and as someone who cuts hair as a hobby, these videos naturally piqued my interest since there was always pertinent information to draw from them. While it makes sense for these videos to appeal to someone like me, I was fascinated by just how much exposure they were getting for something relatively mundane. After rewatching some of their old videos I picked up on many editing techniques that I wasn’t fully conscious of before.

One example is with the framing of the video; the client talking in the beginning of the clip was the only person in frame, however once the barber took over the dialogue the framing became more inclusive but would also change often based on what was being said. However, this type of framing is different from what is used in filmmaking because the video was mostly likely shot by a camera attached to a tripod, which means that the framing/positioning must have been done through postproduction editing. I also noticed how a zoom was used in the beginning of the clip when the client was talking which emphasized the uncertainty in his voice.

Another thing that caught my attention was how elliptical editing was used in the video. This can be seen in the very brief cuts throughout the dialogue which got rid of any slight pauses. This technique is usually implemented in short videos for the sake of improving viewer retention. Elliptical editing was also displayed through L-cuts; the video cut to clips of the haircutting process while the audio from the initial shot remained ongoing, which let the video be shorter in duration without removing any important information. All in all, these editing techniques make the video seem concise and well put together. I would recommend checking it out because even if it isn’t the most entertaining watch, it’s interesting from a film student’s perspective to see how it incorporates many different elements of filmmaking and the purposes that these elements serve in the video.