Creative video montage ideas.

Edit together a thought-provoking video montage with these pro tips.

Video montage is a creative, compelling way to tell a story. Weave an effective montage that elevates your overall narrative with these ideas and editing tips.

Video montage ideas.

Video montages can fit into your broader film, vlog, or story in many ways. Here are some ideas to consider, depending on your storytelling goals:

• Compress time: Show character development in a quick, effective way. Think about the training video montage from the iconic movie Rocky. Rather than telling the whole story of how the main character transforms himself into a fighter, the video montage — paired with its famous, soaring score — showcases the highlights and evokes inspiration.
• Highlight details: Cut together everyday details — dew on a leaf, the rustle of wind through trees, a smiling face — to create a poetic effect that turns the ordinary into the extraordinary.
• Combine storylines: Tell multiple stories simultaneously by editing together segments of different narratives. This technique can be masterfully used to heighten drama. Think about the baptism scene at the end of The Godfather. The climax comes to a head in multiple, action-packed scenes that resolve simultaneously — and intensely.

Elevate your video montage.

Skillful editing heightens your video montage’s effect. Try these tips as you edit:

• The magic of music: The best montages are stories that speak for themselves — they don’t require any sort of dialogue. Edit in music to set the tone and evoke an emotional response that doesn’t require explanation.
• Remember timing and pacing: Montages are meant to be short interjections within your narrative. You shouldn’t be constructing an entirely new story with this device. Keep it short and sweet — under three minutes is best.
• Vary your cuts: If each video cut is the same time length, it becomes distracting and predictable. Edit your cuts intentionally — you could tailor them specifically to accompany the rhythm of the music or in a way that builds drama.

Explore what more you can do with Adobe Premiere Rush to experiment with and create a moving video montage.