A Reel That Works with Sound Off
A reel that works with the sound off has the point on screen in the first three seconds and proof that does not need the voice.
A reel that works with the sound off can be understood on a train. The title is visible immediately. The middle is a picture of the point, not a talking head with no words. The ask is on screen or so obvious that the picture is the ask. Design this version first. Add the voice as a bonus.
Watch it muted before you export
Play the cut once with the volume at zero. If you are lost, the viewer is lost. Do not fix it by telling yourself they will unmute. Many will not.
Pictures that are the sentence
A hand doing the step is the sentence. A face nodding is not, unless the words are on screen. Explainer beats and product close-ups survive mute. Inside jokes do not.
Voice can add tone, not the only fact
Prices, dates, and the one instruction have to be visible. The voice can be warmer than the text. It cannot be the only place the date exists.
A worked example
Muted: title "Wednesday bun, half price," then the bun, then a clock at three. You never need the audio to know the offer. The voice only adds the branch name, which is also in the caption.
Before you post
- You watched it muted.
- The offer is visible.
- The voice is not the only copy of a date or price.
Where Scro fits
Scro can put the title on the opening and captions on the voice so the mute version and the sound version match. Approve the stills with the words in the safe zone.
Build the mute version first. Finished samples are on the examples page.
Related: Trim Silence at the Start of a Reel.