What's a good length for a dive video?

[DMDavid]

I have a song that will fit perfectly into a video that is at least 2 minutes and 52 seconds long.

 

[diversteve]

Interesting question so I just checked some of the videos I've collected.

The longest is 8mins+ but it's shot in Komodo in the muck by Chuck Nicklin so it's still entertaining.
I also have all the clips from the World's Best Dive Destinations video ripped to my drive - the longest is 8:10 and all the rest are around 5mins.
Just checked some of the others and was surprised to find that one of my favorites - a tour of Ningaloo Reef (no whalesharks) is 3:10 - I thought it much longer. It covers the pier, schooling fish and some closeups on the larger residents of the reef in that time. A different cut runs about 5mins. since it's synced to a particular song that just barely fades at the end.

 

[BDSC]

My longest video was close to 40 minutes. It was a trip video to Little Cayman or some place like that. We had a large group so I tried to include uw shots of everyone several times. It also included above water stuff like the food, the resorts, etc etc. Took forever to burn but after I showed it to the group at a later date, almost everyone wanted a copy because folks love seeing themselves on video to show to friends.

Now I mostly just put short clips on FB. Usually from 25 to 30 seconds up to 3 or 4 minutes.

 

[MV Dive]

Here is a sample for what I use on social media.

 

[fish149]

As long as it is interesting and keeps someone's interest I don't consider overall length too much; I just try to keep my videos at around 5-10 minutes for file size concerns. Sometimes I want to show more of a particular shot that is particularly long so I'll speed up the video to 1.25-1.5 normal speed to get it in and help keep viewers from getting bored.

 

[Carl Brooke]

My current avg view time on my YT channel is six minutes and thirty eight seconds. I get exceptional view times because I have spent the time to build an audience. Regular viewers are the key to any success. It takes time and lots of content to build that audience.

The key to correct video length is - how long does it take to tell the story? Each video should tell a story. Begining, middle and end. A good guy and a bad. A journey, obstacles to overcome, victories to be won. Then you can return and "bestow boons" on your viewers. So only your story can dictate your videos length. Some stories can be told in 30 seconds. Others take hours, maybe days. If your audience is well groomed and religious followers, then they trust you and know what to expect from you. So they will invest the time. If you are looking for a one night stand. Then go short.

 

[Carl Brooke]

I typically make my videos around 2:30-3:30 minutes long, but I'm wondering how long other people cut their videos? I don't want to lose the viewer for having a video run for too long, although I have some footage I think would make about a 5 minute video. Thanks!

Belle, I subbed your YT channel. I like what you are doing. We need more folks out there showing what under the seas is really like. Not all the TV "Shark Week" hype.

 

[Bert van den Berg]

Good question! I've posted videos on YouTube that were between 3 minutes and 11 minutes long. Perhaps it was the content, but the most liked was 11 minutes long.

 

[northernone]

My attention span is anything from 3 seconds to 5 hours watching a dive video.

Keep it as short as it can tell the story you're trying to tell.... or show what you are trying to show.

 

[Bubblesong]

Usually 2 minutes of action, not suiting up and/or walking off the beach type filler stuff.
Music helps, this guy had mellow music on a video that seemed like the fish were swishing and swaying to the beat, I lost track of time watching that one.