9:16 · live action · fitness · 2023
Energy is made in the edit, not in the footage
Gym footage starts looking like every other gym video very quickly. What makes the difference is rhythm, and that only happens in post.
01 · Brief
What had to be solved
Live-action gym footage had to become a vertical short that carries energy: in the feed, in portrait, and in most cases with the sound off.
02 · Approach
How I approached it
The beat sets the cut points, not the footage. I analyse the music first, lay the cut markers, and only then look for the movement that fits the accent. Selection goes by direction of movement, not by the prettiest frame, that's the only way you get a flow that holds.
03 · Execution
What actually happened
- Music analysis first: cut points land on the beat, not beside it
- Takes selected by direction of movement and continuity
- On-screen text carries the message for silent playback
- Grade for a consistent studio look across changing light
- Pacing control: dense opening, clean close
04 · Why it matters
What counts about it
Not an AI project but craft: screen the footage, build the rhythm, guide the eye. That stays the foundation, even when the images come out of a model.
Available now
Sound like what you're looking for?
Send me a line about the project · I'll come back the same day with an honest read on it, not a sales email.