Why Your Films Might Be BORING... 

This video made me so happy to make! These tips are a culmination of many boring edits that I have made over the year! Simple but effective. Use the thumbnail trick!

Editing and shooting variety is a god send, can take many creators years to understand that.

It’s the first time I encounter a director (or a head of department) saying they don’t (or didn’t) like pre-production! Personally, I find it to be an incredibly galvanizing period. Post, on the other hand, is usually a gigantic chore - and also quite likely when you learn the most about filmmaking. Also would like to offer a counterpoint to your very valid tips, Mark: in my opinion, variety should not outweigh deliberateness. Yes, commercials, for instance, pretty much live or die by the fear of becoming boring and losing their audience and therefore, in 90% of the case, opt for a visual assault as a way to keep people from looking away - not as a way to communicate effectively. It is undeniable and unmistakable the power a shot has when, for a given action, the camera is in the right place, with the right lens. You can even hold the shot longer. And that is, I think, a way of thinking that has taken a severe toll, because digital has made it so easy to just shoot whatever and whenever you want… and because that is an easier way to cut a potentially engaging piece together than to develop the necessary skills to be able to get the “right” shots for each moment. Ansel Adams said “The ‘machine-gun’ approach to photography - by which many negatives are made in the hope that one will be good - is fatal to serious results.” and I think it largely applies to filmmaking - now more than ever. Regardless, tips are valid and always stimulating, just like all your videos.

Thanks for the tips and inspiration! Looking forward to seeing the finished video.

Awesome video!! Thanks Mark!!

Great tips Mark. Thanks 🙏🏻

Thank you, great video with very useful advices.

Thanks brotha. Good content, excellent work!

Can’t wait to put these tips into some projects I have coming up. Thank you once again for this incredible content.

Damn the shot where you handheld move around him and he slams the axe on the wood and in the end the shot gets wider. Dude, I ADORE your shooting style, such a big inspiration!💯

Very great tips Mr MB, thanx

Great video, Mark! Thank you, so much.

Thanks very much Mark! Very helpful

Thanks a million MB........you rock......your tips......Highly appreciated. GOD bless you.

Again great video to learn from. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Some awesome tips here! Appreciate all your great tips and videos! One of my favorite RU-vid channels!

I found this really helpful Mark. God bless.

Simple, clear direct...all helpful. Tnx!

Everytime I watch your videos, I get very inspired, and start shooting anything that is around me.... Thanks for inspiration.

Thank you! Yes a pre-preduction overview would be great. Love your channel! It definitely helped me. I’m currently in Kathmandu Nepal on a docu shoot. I’m permanently traveling the world now with my camera!

so much gold in this video! thanks, Mark!!

Preproduction is definitely something I need to do more of! At least putting my storyboards or shot lists together to help the flow of things shooting by myself. Thanks for the tips Mark!! 😎

Really cool video. Appreciate these insights and the examples represent them well.

Loved this Mark! Some really useful tips. I'm here to progress and this is a useful lil nugget

This is super useful, I really need to film a much wider variety of shots. Having only a few to choose from when editing makes the whole process so much worse.

Thanks for sharing. Very helpful

Such great, concise advice w/ examples!!!!! Cheers, Mark 👊🏼 (The creative community of RU-vid U appreciates you)

I knew all of this information already but it’s a great reminder the way you’ve presented it and helps me have a quick checklist for pre-production to ensure I’m following through with these important steps. Thanks Mark! Always refreshing to see your content 🤙

As always huge thanks!😁 Can't wait to use it and improve my next video😉

Thanks for all the valuable information you teach my bro🙏🏾

Thank you for putting this video out. I’m an editor and I’ve been stuck in a rut with my edits. Your tips have helped me look outside the box.

Man, as soon as I can, I will do you course - I love your style and teachings... Thanks for sharing this tips!

Thanks Mark another useful and learning piece here :)

Great video Mark! God bless you.

Love all of your content man! Get something new every time. Thank you for creating!

Such good advice. Feel that my own edits have been getting a little boring so perfect timing for this video. Thanks!

Love it, thanks for the tips!

Great tips Mark. Love adding a touch of diegetic audio to a fast edit. Cheers, Adam

I'm literally in the middle of an edit and I tried adding another song to change the pace. I think it worked. You're the best Mark!

Every time you upload a new video I get this excitement because I know you are about to share so much valuable information with us! Thank you so much!

Thank you! Great information here! Can't wait for more and can't wait to test this out, haha! :D

Loved this Mark. I'll definitely check out the websites you mentioned for pre-production too !

More excellent advice, thumbnail tip is brilliant. Cheers Mark

So helpful. Thanks for this, man!

Another great video! Good advice 😊👍🏻

Thanks Mark!

To create is to live twice !

Exactly what i needed thx Mark 🙌

Great info, love this.

Super helpful stuff man! Thanks for putting this out. Would love to know more about your pre-production process.

A very helpful video and something I will try to be aware of. Thanks🥂

EXCELLENT shirt Mark!! Oh, and great video too! Lots of stuff that seems simple on the surface, yet so easy to forget when you're on set in the moment. Great advice.

Pretty useful tips... cheers... greetings from Sweden

Great stuff again, as always, Mark!

I learnt so much from this video! Much appreciated Mark 🤙

So good, thank you Mark.

Love your content Mark!

I learn so much on this channel. Visuals are amazing as well.

Thanks for this

Fantastic tips as always - I am always frightened to watch your videos because I know taht I have to embrace your tips at my next shoot - and after every video of you I am thankful again that I saw it because you always challenge us to really get better. :)! Thank you!

Awesome advice. Love the Akira shirt. :)

Awesome. Coming from theater, I'm all about pre production, script, all of it. Plenty of spontaneous magic is going to happen along any process anyway, but you gotta have a solid plan before all of that can happen. Thanks for the great video, as always...

Thanks, Mark. Nice frame look too.

Very useful!

Finally found it, something that i also aspire to do in future.... thank you for the information

Thank you so much for all that amazing advice! I just got done shooting and editing a small film I made with a friend. A lot of your ideas make a lot of sense, although since I'm using my phone as the camera it would be pretty hard to switch lenses 😂.

You’re videos are so helpful. Today I uploaded a trailer which I made while I am here visiting my fiancé and on Sunday I will release the full documentary. I couldn’t have done it without all your tips and tricks. Thank you so much and please continue making videos. They helped and still help and inspire me daily to make better videos ♥️.

i love your tips man ! always unique

Thank you !

This is great bro! A few days ago i did the same things. Took some references of Shot deck. I'm learning a Lot with you about planning better my videos!

Really clear points, just what I’ve been thinking about at the moment. Thanks

Awesome tips as usual Mark! Also super cool you were filming 20min away from me! 😱🙌

great video mark! I was hoping that you would touch on pacing in terms of editing more. Like how often you should cut fast vs slow. etc... Thanks man!

So helpful !!

Very professional - nice job

This video came out at the PERFECT time. My JSB Cinema team is taking part in a weekend 72hr film fest challenge. This'll help us prepare to create, edit, & submit within 72 hrs. Thanks man!

Thank you, Sifu Mark.

thank your for sharing ! good reminder 👌🏻

Thank you.✅

Amazing thabks

Great content.

Dude, such a great video!

this seems obvious but a lot of people miss it and I definitely did. Thank you for such an amazing video. also, great films dude!

As always, enriched with valuable information. I am glad to be part of the 10%

Great value as usual! 10% crew!!

Brooooo this is true cinematography. You're a true inspiration!

This is my first time seeing one of your videos. This is AMAZING!

Thanks! The advice to scan your thumbnails to check for variety is great. When you're planning a documentary shoot do you have any rules of thumb for shot lists -- as in what types of shots/how many shots/ratio of wide shots to close ups for a given location? Or does it depend on the place, the story, inspiration, etc?

I can tell you are such a humble guy and a possitive dude :) would love to go for a coffee if you are ever in London England oh i'm in post production i'm a colourist that sues DaVinci Resolve. Yeah ive always said this to people that variety is great in all aspects which is why i'm looking to do other things so my showreel doesnt just have film footage in it, i'm looking for music videos to do and commercials mainly but at this point stuff like your body builder shoot that would be awesome to have something like that so if you ever need a colourist :)

It's so important what You are talking about. All the changes of mood/texture/pace have the same place as in theater or acting, the emotional journey. Really people apply this and people will start to feel and not only watch your films. Thank You Mark for another great nugget of advice

loved this one

This is very good one!

Every time I watch your videos I feel very inspired and creative, now I just gotta carv out the time to get to work, cuz to be honest making film, especially as a noob like me is VERY time consuming 😂😂😂 Thank you for your work Mark!

Looking forward to seeing this new MMA doc. Keep up the good work my dewd.

Hey Mark, Milanote is a great tool to have in the arsenal, it’s made me approach the latest work I’m shooting in a totally different way. Have you read Contagious? This book has also really helped, just trying give back, your videos really help, thanks man, keep well, keep strong.

Ever since I subscribed to your channel I have learnt so much about docu-film making, I am currently shooting a docu-film and these tips couldn't have come at a better time.

Bonus Tip: Proper placement of lawn chair to get the best angles is a must =D

Thanks mark. I was hesitant to open this video but I’m watching for a second time now…

Great video, Mark! Random question...what watch are you wearing? 👀

Shotdeck is cool...thanks for the tip.