The short version
- Film details, wide shots, people and reactions — not just the main moments.
- Follow the event's natural arc: arrival, build-up, peak, celebration, farewell.
- Choose music that matches the mood and cut on its beat.
- Use a line or two from speeches as emotional anchors.
- Keep it short — usually two to five minutes, or under a minute for social.
What to film
- Establishing shots: the venue, the sign, the decorations before people arrive.
- Details: flowers, food, name cards, shoes, the cake, the stage.
- Key moments: the entrance, the vows, the kickoff, the award, the first dance, the speech.
- Reactions: laughter, tears, applause — often more powerful than the moment itself.
- Candid people shots: guests talking, children playing, colleagues networking.
- Clean audio of speeches: get close, or record a phone on the lectern.
Film short clips of several seconds each, and shoot some at 60 fps for slow motion on emotional moments.
A structure that works
- Opening: setting and anticipation — details, arrivals, preparations.
- Build-up: people gathering, the first formal moments.
- Peak: the key moment, with the best speech line or reaction.
- Celebration: energy — dancing, cheering, fun.
- Close: a quiet ending shot, a thank-you or the date and names.
Music and speeches
Music carries the emotion of a highlight video. Pick a track that fits the event — romantic, upbeat, inspiring — and use licensed or royalty-free music if you'll share it publicly (see our music guide). Many highlight videos use two tracks: a softer one for the build-up and a lively one for the celebration.
Short lines from speeches, vows or interviews make great anchors. Lower the music under the spoken line, then bring it back up. One or two lines is usually enough.
Pacing and length
- Length: a full highlight film is often two to five minutes; a social teaser, 30–60 seconds.
- Shot length: quick cuts for energetic sections, longer holds on emotional moments.
- Slow motion: save it for the peak — the kiss, the trophy lift, the confetti.
- Transitions: mostly cuts on the beat, with dissolves for gentle moments. See our transitions guide.
Step by step: edit a highlight video in VDOAPP
- Select your best clips and add them to the free online editor, along with any photos.
- Add the music in the Audio tab and listen through for the beats and changes.
- Order and trim clips to the structure above, using the trim tool and dragging to reorder.
- Add slow motion to the peak with a Hero speed curve in the Clip tab.
- Feature a speech line: keep that clip's volume up and lower the music under it.
- Unify the colour in the Filter tab and Apply to all clips.
- Add titles: names, the date or the event name with a gentle Fade.
- Export a full version in 16:9 and a vertical teaser in 9:16.
Permissions and privacy
Events are full of people who didn't sign up to be in a public video. Before posting publicly, check that the hosts are happy with it, respect anyone who asks not to be filmed, and follow your organisation's or school's policies — especially where children are involved. Sharing privately with attendees is often the better choice.