I was at a small meetup in Denver and a stranger's comment flipped my script on video intros

We were all sharing our latest project struggles, and I mentioned my videos felt stiff. A guy named Mark, who edits for a living, said 'Your first three seconds are a checklist, not a conversation.' He was right. I went home, cut my standard 'Hey guys, welcome back' opener from my next five videos, and just started with the core problem. My watch time on those jumped by about 20 seconds on average. Has anyone else tried ditching their usual greeting cold turkey?

3 comments

3 Comments

garcia.tyler2mo ago

That's the hook, not the intro.

christopherwilson2mo ago

Forget hooks and intros for a second, the real problem is calling any of it a "rule." Seen so many great songs and stories that just dive right into the middle of the thing. Getting hung up on labels can kill the vibe before you even start. Sometimes the best intro is just the first sound you hear.

the_elliot2mo ago

Honestly @garcia.tyler you're right about the hook thing, a lot of people mix those up. The intro should really build on that first line.