The Art of the Cut: Create Your Story
How a few simple cuts can turn your digital clutter into a time machine
6/5/20261 min read
How many videos do you have on your phone right now? Hundreds? Thousands? And how often do you actually watch them? Probably never.
We’ve become hoarders, obsessed with ensuring that no video, not even the duplicates, ever escapes the digital realm.
The solution isn't to stop filming; it's to start editing. It’s about turning those 20 fragmented clips from a single day into a story. A story you’ll actually want to watch over and over again.
I enjoy editing videos. Whether it’s a family vacation, a motorcycle ride, or a hiking trip, my camera is often rolling. And thanks to today’s tech, the only studio you need fits right in your pocket. Although, to be honest, I strongly recommend upgrading to a computer when it's time to actually sit down and edit.
My approach is strictly minimalist: no fancy transitions, no crazy effects. Just simple cuts and good music. Over the years, I’ve made close to a hundred of these short movies. They are my time machines. They let me and my family relive those past moments. And nothing beats the smile on my kids' faces when they look back at our adventures.
The rule in our household is simple. My wife is in charge of photo albums and I'm in charge of video editing. Her work is done in a few days. I, on the other hand, need a few weeks. Wife must wait. Wife not happy.
To be fair, not all projects are created equal. Some are easy and I'm done relatively quickly. A three-week vacation, however, requires a mountain of cuts, hours of time, and sometimes a lot of pure self-motivation. But the end product is always worth it. I haven't had one single regret working on those movies.
So, have a go at it. Get creative with your camera angles. Find software with a user-friendly layout. Tell a story. Relive it every month. Lock those memories in for a lifetime.