a16z

The median gap between cuts in a16z films is 4.37 seconds. That pace gives viewers time to absorb a speaker's point before the next visual arrives. Most social video cuts every one to two seconds; a16z holds three times longer.

65% of frames in a16z films show a face on screen. The firm uses talking heads to carry ideas, not b-roll montages. When you see a person speaking for two thirds of the runtime, the video feels like a conversation, not a commercial.

The average a16z film runs 97 seconds. That length fits between a 60-second social clip and a three-minute explainer. It is long enough to make one complete argument and short enough that most viewers finish.

36% of frames in a16z films are underexposed. Dark backgrounds isolate the subject and create visual contrast. When the frame is mostly black, a lit face or object becomes the only thing to look at, focusing attention without cutting away.

Use long holds between cuts, around four seconds per shot. Keep a face on screen for most of the runtime. Underexpose backgrounds so the subject stands out. Run between 90 and 100 seconds. Let one person carry the idea instead of cutting to b-roll.