"I filmed two hours, that's enough for one minute, right?" Not necessarily. If the two hours are the same thing from the same angle, the usable part may be a few dozen seconds. This page explains how much footage, and what kind, makes a good one-minute video.
Rough ratios
For an event recap, a shop introduction or a product video, one minute of finished video needs roughly five to ten minutes of different shots. Interviews need more, because so much speech gets cut: a two-minute interview piece often comes from twenty minutes of recording. These are working references, not rules.
Variety beats length
Editing joins different pictures together. Ten minutes of one shot yields five usable seconds; ten different shots of ten seconds each yield ten usable five-second pieces. So rather than keep rolling, change position, angle and distance. For each subject, shoot at least three:
- Wide: the whole space, the whole person.
- Medium: waist up, the tabletop.
- Close-up: hands, product, expressions, details.
Seconds per shot
Hold each shot still for 8 to 10 seconds. The edit usually uses the steady 3 to 5 seconds in the middle, with room either side. Shots that move on after two or three seconds are often unusable.
Make a shot list before shooting
List what the video needs to say, and next to each item the shots it needs. For a shop introduction:
- Frontage: sign, entrance, day and night
- Space: wide interior, seating, counter
- People: the owner's introduction, staff at work
- Product: the making, finished close-ups, a customer receiving it
- Details: menu, lettering on the sign, decor
Shoot from the list and tick things off, and you won't get home to find something missing. For the supporting shots, see what B-roll is and what to shoot.
What if you shot too much
Too much isn't the problem; unsorted is. Back home, delete the obviously ruined clips (unwatchably shaky, pointing at the floor), rename the rest by time or content, and the edit goes much faster. See the footage preparation checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Not enough footage. Can it be supplemented?
Yes, with photos, past videos and screenshots. Scene shots can also be AI-generated, but the real premises, product and people are best reshot.
Do we have to film ourselves? Do you offer filming?
We focus on editing and post-production. Film it yourself or hire a videographer; we'll tell you what to watch for so post goes smoothly.
Does more footage make editing more expensive?
The amount and organisation of footage affect editing time, and that's reflected in the quote. A shot list before and sorting after is usually the cheapest approach.
