When I first got into editing, I thought all the fancy transitions, expensive effects, and learning every button in a software like Adobe’s Premiere Pro, was the best way to make better content.
The knowledge I’d learned from media classes in college reinforced this. Then I started making Beat Saber videos…
After editing my fair share of map showcases, tutorials, analysis videos, and shorts, I realized that Beat Saber has a unique challenge when it comes to editing that other games don’t. At it’s core, Beat Saber is the same thing over and over again and on video it’s someone slicing blocks for a few minutes. That’s boring, unless you know or play the game.
And don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad thing at all! It’s why we love the game. But when it comes to content, you have to work a little harder to keep your viewer engaged.
My philosophy when it comes to editing my content is less about making a video look ‘cool’ and more about guiding someone’s attention. Every design descision plays into the why behind the viewer’s attention. Why should they stay? Here’s what I’ve found.
The Click Comes First
You could make the coolest Beat Saber map showcase ever, but if no one clicks on the video, it doesn’t matter.
Before anyone ever sees your gameplay, they’re making a decision between your thumbnail and your title. This is like your banner saying “hey! Come check out my video!”. It’s your first impression.
In my own trial and error, I’ve found that simple trumps complicated 9 times out of 10. Bright colors, album art, and large text all stand out to the eye; they’re attention grabbers. Keeping it simple allows your viewer to understand what’s going on in a matter of seconds.
The same goes for titles. Instead of describing what the video is in detail, try giving people a reason to care. Curiosity is a powerful thing, and asking a simple question in your title is enough for people to click for the answer. If someone can already guess everything in your video from the title alone, you’ve given them little reason to click.
Now, the goal isn’t to trick people via clickbait, YouTube will get mad at you. It’s to make them curious enough to find out more.
Playing a custom Beat Saber map.
Guide the Viewer’s Attention
One of the biggest mistakes I made early on was treating every part of a song the same. I'd find a camera angle, leave it there for twenty seconds, switch once or twice, and call it good. But now I think about editing more like directing someone's eyes.
Especially in the first thirty seconds, I try to change angles every five to eight seconds or so. Not because there's a rule that says I have to, there isn’t, but because new viewers haven't committed yet. Every change gives them something fresh to look at before they have a chance to get bored.
As the song goes on, though, those rules change.
Fast songs usually benefit from quicker edits. Slower songs often look better when you let a shot breathe or transition with a smooth crossfade instead of another hard cut.
You can also try editing to the music itself rather than a timer. The music already tells a story. Your edit should support that story, not fight against it.
Motion Makes Everything Better
One of the easiest ways to make gameplay feel more cinematic doesn't actually happen inside Beat Saber. It happens in your editor.
Even if your gameplay is recorded from a static camera or is simply your POV from the headset, adding subtle motion in post can make the footage feel dramatically more alive.
A slow push, a gentle pull back during a quiet section, or a slight pan across the frame gives the viewer's eye something to follow and breaks up their expectations of static, static, static, and so on.
The key word here is subtle. If people notice the motion itself, you've probably gone a little too far. The best movement is the kind that adds emphasis without distraction.
Of course, starting with clean footage helps too. If you're able, record multiple camera angles so you have options later. I also recommend enabling camera smoothing in Beat Saber. Stable footage simply gives you more flexibility when you start editing.
The mod Camera2 on PCVR is a great tool to have in your toolbox. You don't need elaborate camera setups to make an engaging video but even simple, well-composed shots combined with small movements in your editing software can make a huge difference.
If you’re interested you can check out how I create content here.
Recording 2 Beat Saber cameras side by side
Use Text With Purpose
If you've watched a few of my videos, you've probably noticed I use text... a lot. And that isn't because I like filling the screen.
Text gives the viewer another way to engage with the video. Sometimes I'll pull an important sentence from my script onto the screen because I want people to remember it. Other times I'll highlight a comment, add lyrics during a Short, or reinforce a joke that would've been easy to miss.
If you’re into creating discussion videos or content outside of showcases, text can be your best friend as it guides attention to the moments that matter.
One of the easiest ways to lose a viewer is to leave them staring at the same visual for too long without giving them anything new to notice. Thoughtful use of text can solve that without interrupting the flow of the video.
Editing a video in Adobe Premiere
Record Once, Create for Weeks
When I started making content, I would record one thing at a time. Had an idea for a video? Great, let me boot up all the recording software, record, create the voice over, edit, and publish. Though I’ve found that is the least efficient way to make content. I record for my future self.
Let’s say I spend 2 hours playing Beat Saber and I record it all. Sure, I’ll come away with a few map showcases, but that’s rarely where I’ll stop.
That same recording might end up in a Beat Saber Basics episode to demonstrate a common mistake, or it might become a behind the scenes moment for my Lights On series. I might pull a funny moment for a short, reuse a clean section as b-roll for a long-form video or grab a screenshot for a thumbnail weeks later.
The more I record, the more content gets thrown into my content library for future use. It’s incredible how much content you can create from one session when you stop thinking one video at a time.
It’s All About Attention
The more videos I edit, the less I think editing is about fancy effects. They do have their place but editing for Beat Saber is more about attention. Every decision you make in the editing room should answer one question: “why does this deserve the viewer’s attention right now?”.
Sometimes the answer comes in the form of a camera cut, a zoom, a lyric on screen, or a thumbnail that sparks curiosity.
Whatever it may be, your job as an editor is to not just show your gameplay but to help people experience it.