How can you use video editing to create a sense of awe for your viewers?

Filmmakers can create a sense of awe by telling great stories that evoke that "Awe" emotion. it is all about STORYTELLING. to learn more about the topic I would suggest a book called: Save the cat. In that book you can learn about story structure, character life cycle etc. you should always keep improving your storytelling skills - Cheers! Mark Emyan Founder @ 2m Studios

To evoke awe in video editing, carefully selecting shots is essential. To fascinate viewers, it requires a skillful blending of shot composition, including framing, camera movement, and perspectives. For engagement, a variety of image styles, from wide panoramas to close-ups, must be intelligently used. Making an emotional impact requires careful consideration of timing, rhythm, visual effects, and colour grading. Additionally, flawless sound design synchronisation improves storytelling. A video can deeply leave the audience in awe and amazement by carefully choosing and arranging shots in alignment with the narrative's goal.

To create a sense of awe, choose your shots wisely. Capture the most stunning, dramatic, and impactful moments to craft a compelling visual narrative. Use different shot types to evoke various emotions: wide shots to show scale and context, close-ups for details and expressions, aerial shots for perspective and grandeur, and slow-motion shots for intensity and suspense. This strategic selection of shots helps grab and maintain your viewers' attention, enhancing the overall impact and emotional resonance of your video.

I would look at it differently. Awe factor can create initial viewer engagement yet not to retain it on longer spans. We can look at that by analyzing viewer engagement following a given social media trends. If we learn something from TikTok, how we can maximize the impact of our message in the shortest time needed.

Utilising transition shots in video editing in a creative way increases storytelling by connecting sequences that have a common theme or symbolic meaning. While viewers are taken on captivating excursions by spatial transitions and match cuts, which effortlessly connect pieces across frames. By displaying incremental changes, time manipulation techniques like time-lapse encourage wonder. Innovative fades that are supported by sound and music integration raise the suspense and mood. Make transition shots a potent storytelling tool by ensuring narrative coherence and taking creative risks to surprise and captivate the viewer.

Transitions can either ‘MAKE’ or ‘BREAK’ your videos. In my perspective use of transition is also a mini skill that every video editor should polish…. Another thing you should glue in your mind is that - not every video needs seamless transition. - not every video needs a fade in or fade out transition. Every video has its own style. A useful tip: don’t leave your transitions empty. What I mean by that is use some sort of sound effect that settles with that transitions i.e add a shutter sound effect when using light leak transition.

Pick transitions that align with the theme of your video, but don't over do it or make it complex. Aransition's goal is to take the viewer from one scene to the other. For example, use smooth crossfades for a serene atmosphere, or dynamic wipes for a more energetic vibe. And don't forget to use sound effects

Another way to create a sense of awe is to use transitions creatively. Transitions, the changes between shots, can smooth the flow or add contrast and surprise. Different transitions create various effects and moods: cuts can show sudden changes or connections, fades can depict gradual changes or the passage of time, wipes can indicate direction or movement, and zooms can highlight focus or reveals. By strategically using these transitions, you can enhance the narrative, maintain viewer engagement, and evoke the desired emotions throughout your video.

I'm not fan of using predetermined transitions, I like to create them with some intention, whether using masks or ghost shots, it gives a personalized touch and dynamism.

Music and sound play a profound role in shaping the viewer's emotional experience in video editing. They set the subject and mood, syncing with the visuals. Tempos and crescendos influence pacing and intensity, while leveraging a song's dynamic range creates impactful contrasts. Thoughtful sound effects and ambient details enhance immersion. Consistent musical themes enhance the narrative, and strategic use of silence builds anticipation. Skillful audio integration elevates storytelling, whether through creative compositions or clever sound choices, ultimately heightening the sense of wonder in video editing.

A third way to create a sense of awe is to add music and sound effects. These elements help create atmosphere, emotion, and tension, complementing your visuals. Use different types of music and sound effects to evoke various moods: ambient music for calmness or mystery, dramatic music for urgency or excitement, and upbeat music for happiness or energy. Natural sound effects enhance realism and immersion, artificial sounds add fantasy or humor, and stylized effects provide exaggeration or emphasis. Thoughtfully incorporating these audio elements will elevate the overall impact and emotional depth of your video.

Color grading is a vital element of video editing, significantly influencing visual storytelling. It involves adjusting colors and tones to evoke emotions, set moods, and achieve a cohesive look. By tweaking brightness, contrast, saturation, and hues, it can elevate ordinary footage into cinematic art. This tool allows for artistic expression, from warm, inviting tones in romantic scenes to cold, desaturated hues in darker settings. Consistent grading ensures visual coherence, and targeted adjustments can emphasize key elements, drawing the viewer's focus. In essence, color grading is a potent tool that enhances the visual impact and depth of storytelling in video editing.

The storytelling potential of video editing is greatly enhanced by the use of text and visuals. Titles, subtitles, and captions are examples of text overlays that serve to set the scene, deliver information, and direct the spectator through the story. Clarity is improved by their ability to define setting, time, and character names. In order to make difficult information more understandable, graphics, such as animations, charts, and illustrations, can graphically express data, concepts, or abstract ideas. The look and feel of the video are influenced by the text and graphic design, which includes fonts, colours, and animations. When combined with images and sound, text and graphics enhance the storytelling process in video editing.

Tracking your titles so they appear to be part of the scene, using software such as Adobe After Effects, is a good way to create awe-inspiring value. We are engaged by images with perspective and depth. Text that is tracked to look like it is placed on a surface is generally engaging.

Awe isn’t created by SFX and transition. It’s created by pacing and story. In any context. Whether that’s an advert or a film. The artist/creator needs to understand reward systems, hooks, development, pacing. All of this comes together and creates something that makes people want to carry on watching. All the little effects and icing are still relevant, but not as much as you think. Not once have I carried on watching a video because it has light leak transitions.

Cameras and lenses matter. Different combinations will give different finishes to the how the footage fundamentally feels. You need awe-inspiring lighting to work with, but you also need to find the right camera/lens combination to capture it with the texture and feeling you wanted. This can only come with experience and experimentation. Colour grading your footage to meet the intention is critical, and can add new dynamics to your footage, but there's options to experiment with that and make changes. Once it's shot, it's shot. RED, Sony, Arri, Canon, even 35mm film, all fundamentally feel different on screen both by brand and from camera model to camera model, and each model can offer you options or limitations.