How long should a gift film be
One, three or five minutes: how to choose by the occasion, the song and the number of photos.
2 min read
The rule: the film should end a moment before anyone looks at their phone. At most events that is between two and four minutes. Here is how to choose.
By the occasion
- A personal gift watched at home: one to two minutes. Short, strong, watched again.
- A family evening or a birthday: three minutes. Time for every generation.
- A bar mitzvah or a wedding on a big screen: three to five minutes. A full hall is more patient, and there are many photos.
By the song
Most songs run three to four minutes. If you picked one song, match the film to it so the closing lands on the final note. Two shorter songs also work.
By the number of photos
Each photo is about five seconds. A one minute pack is 12 clips, three minutes is 36, five minutes is 60. Count the photos you really want and you know the pack.
When to go shorter
If you are torn between two lengths, take the shorter one. A short film that ends while everyone is still gripped beats a long one that starts to drag. You can always add clips later.
The opening and the closing
They do not count as clips. A five second opening with a name and a date and a five second closing with one sentence add ten seconds that work hard.