How to remove filler words from a video (and which ones to keep)
How Descript, Premiere, Riverside, CapCut and InShot remove ums and uhs, what each option does, why removing all of them sounds wrong, and how to do it by hand on a phone.
Guides
Talking-head videos,step by step.
How to cut, trim and tighten a video on your phone, what the terms mean, and how to sound good on camera in the first place. Kept up to date as the apps change.
Text-based editing
How to write a video transcript: get one automatically, clean it up, use it to edit
How to write a video transcript: what a transcript is, how to get one automatically, how to clean it up, and how to use it to cut a talking-head video.
What is a video transcript? Meaning, transcript vs captions, and why editors use one
What is a video transcript, how it differs from captions and subtitles, how to get one automatically or write one yourself, and why editors cut video from the text.
Jump cuts
How to make jump cuts: by hand, automatically, or from a transcript
Three ways to make jump cuts in a talking-head video: manual cuts on a timeline, automatic jump cut editors that remove silence, and cutting by deleting words. Plus how to make them look intentional.
What is a jump cut? Definition, examples and how to make it look intentional
A jump cut skips forward in time within the same shot. Where it came from, where you see it every day, how it differs from other cuts, and how to make one land cleanly.
Pacing & silence
How to remove silence from a video without making it sound rushed
Automatic silence removal saves an hour and can cost a video its breathing room. The three settings that matter, how the big editors handle it, and how to do it on a phone.
Creator workflow
How to edit a talking-head video: the passes, the cuts and the finish
A talking-head edit is mostly removal, done in the right order. Select, cut, pace, add visual variety, caption, mix. What each pass does and what to look for, on any editor.
How to edit a video podcast: from raw tracks to YouTube, Spotify and clips
The workflow for editing a podcast video: sync, multicam, text-based editing, filler words and pauses, sound, chapters and export for YouTube and Spotify. Plus which software fits which show.
How to make a talking-head video on your phone: setup, recording and edit
From an empty corner to a clean 60-second cut: where the phone goes, which settings to lock, how to record so the edit is easy, and the order to edit in.
How to make podcast clips: find the moment, cut it tight, post it vertical
A podcast clip is one strong moment, cut to 30–90 seconds, reframed vertical and captioned. How to find the moment, which tools automate it, and how to cut a clip on your phone.
What is a talking head video? Definition, examples and how to make one
A talking head video is one person speaking to the camera, framed from the chest up. Where the term comes from, the common formats, examples, and how to make one that holds attention.
What is a yap video? The unscripted talking format, and how to make one
A yap video is a short, unscripted video of you talking to your phone camera about one idea. Where the word comes from, why the format works, and how to record and edit one.
What is B-roll? Meaning, origin, A-roll vs B-roll and when you need it
B-roll is supporting footage cut over the main shot while the main audio continues. What the term means, where it comes from, the types of B-roll, and when a talking-head video needs it.
Editing on your phone
Edit video on Android: Google Photos, free editors and talking-head clips
To edit video on Android, start with Google Photos for trims, crops and speed, then move to a free editor or a transcript editor when a clip needs more.
Edit video on iPhone: Photos, iMovie, free apps and talking-head edits
To edit video on iPhone for free, trim and crop in Photos, cut the middle and join takes in iMovie, and edit talking-heads by their transcript.
Edit video size on your phone: aspect ratio, resolution and file size
Edit video size on iPhone or Android: crop to 9:16 or square, lower the resolution and shrink the file, using the built-in apps first and an editor where they stop.
How to combine videos on iPhone: iMovie, the Photos workaround and multiple takes
Photos cannot join clips into one video. How to combine videos on iPhone with iMovie, what the iOS 27 slideshow trick can and cannot do, and how to merge several talking-head takes.
How to cut and trim a video on Android, including the middle
Trim the ends in Google Photos, cut out a part in the middle, or shorten a talking-head video by deleting words. Steps for Pixel and most Android phones, with links for Samsung.
How to cut out parts of a video on iPhone, not just the start and end
The Photos app trims only the ends of a clip. How to cut a section out of the middle with iMovie, with other editors, and by deleting the words in a talking-head take.
How to cut out parts of a video on Samsung Galaxy: Gallery, Studio and beyond
Trim a video in the Samsung Gallery, cut out the middle with Studio, use Auto trim on newer Galaxy phones, and remove spoken mistakes by deleting words.
How to edit Instagram Reels: Instagram's editor, Edits, other apps and talking-head Reels
Edit a Reel inside Instagram, in Meta's Edits app or in another editor. What each video editor for Instagram Reels is good at, and how to cut a talking-head Reel quickly.
How to edit YouTube Shorts: the built-in editor, other apps, and talking-head Shorts
Edit a Short in the YouTube app, know the current limits (3 minutes, vertical or square), choose a better YouTube Shorts editor when you need one, and cut talking-head Shorts fast.
How to merge videos on Android: Google Photos, Samsung Studio and free editors
Combine two or more videos into one on Android with Google Photos, Samsung's Studio or a free editor, and how to merge several talking-head takes into one clean video.
How to shorten a video on iPhone: four ways, and when each one is right
Trim the ends in Photos, cut out the middle, tighten the pauses or speed it up. Which method fits which video, with the steps for each on iPhone.
On camera
How to stop saying um: what the research says, and what to do on camera
Why we say um, how much it actually hurts, the technique that reduced filler sounds in studies, and why on video you do not have to stop them all while recording.
How to talk to camera: eye line, energy, notes and takes that edit well
Practical ways to speak on camera without sounding stiff: where to look, how much energy to bring, script or bullet points, and how to record so the edit is easy.
