The Importance of Silence

Hi Storytellers! Happy Filmmaking Thursday!

Whenever we talk about sound we tend to talk about microphones, voiceovers, and music. But what’s just as important as the presence of sound in your videos is the absence of it. Let’s talk silence.

Some of us find comfort in silence while it makes some people’s skin crawl. And it doesn’t matter what camp you fall into. I’m not here to tell you that you need to work on getting comfortable in it or to work on being ok not having it. What I want to tell you though is that it is extremely powerful in video.

And for all of you introverts out there the good news is that you don’t need to be speaking throughout your entire video.

Here’s why:

• it can punctuate an emotion
• it can allow the time and space for your viewer to take a breath and absorb what they just experienced *This also applies to podcasts. I’ve been listening to a podcast lately that gives you the info and a really hard hitting moment and instead of berating you with more info they play a song to let you absorb it. It’s not always a full song, it sometimes is just a few seconds, but the effect is awesome.*
• it allows us to really listen and think (think meditation and how we are re-inspired and realigned by taking silent moments with ourselves)
• it brings us back into the moment (imagine when you are watching a webinar and the person is talking, talking, talking and you kind of tuned them out as you are multitasking and then they go quiet and all of a sudden that silence attracts your attention)
• in a conversation or interview it allows the person that is being interviewed to expand on their thoughts

The irony of silence is that it can be filled with more tension and emotion than those with sound. You can learn so much and get such great ideas from quiet moments. Think about how you can take a pause in your next video, take advantage of silence, and truly invite your viewer to feel and learn.

Now, I’d like to hear from you, what’s your biggest video question? Let me know in the comments below.

If you liked this video, don’t forget to subscribe and share it with your friends. If you want more, come on over and the Storyteller Circle, my private Facebook group filled with wonderful entrepreneurs like you that are looking for more support in crafting their video stories and an inspirational community. I adore the people in this group so I post some of my best stuff there. When you join you’ll instantly get a bonus gift “How to Reach, Grow & Teach Your Online Community With Video”. Just click the button below. And remember Tell Your Story. Inspire Action. Make a Change. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time! 

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