The Kyiv Independent produces 60-minute documentaries on difficult subjects like war crimes. They found the effort to convince a viewer to watch a 15-minute video on a traumatic topic is just as high as for a 60-minute one. The longer format, however, allows for far greater narrative depth and emotional impact.
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Despite competing with short-form content like TikTok, Ken Burns' long documentaries succeed because they are built on compelling storytelling. This challenges the myth of shrinking attention spans, suggesting instead that audiences demand more engaging content, regardless of its length.
For videos longer than a minute, a single hook at the start isn't enough. Insert a 'mid-reel hook'—a statement that builds curiosity for the end of the video (e.g., 'Wait until you hear number five...'). This re-engages viewers and significantly boosts watch time, a key algorithm metric.
Ken Burns refutes the common complaint that attention spans are shrinking. He points to binge-watching culture—where viewers consume entire seasons of shows in a weekend—as definitive proof that audiences still have an appetite for deep, long-form content. He notes this panic is not new, citing the telegraph's arrival in the 1850s.
Long-form content is superior for building influence because it allows for more time-exposure and 'reinforcement cycles.' To achieve the same exposure as two one-hour videos, a viewer would need to consume approximately 480 short-form clips. Influence is a function of time spent, not just number of views.
Longer content (podcasts, long videos) allows for exponentially more "reinforcing cycles"—instances where you provide valuable advice and build trust. A two-hour video can provide the same exposure as 480 short clips, building deeper influence.
People watched the movie 'Contagion' during the pandemic rather than reading scientific papers because the human brain is wired to learn through first-person stories, not lists of facts. Narratives provide a simulated, experiential perspective that taps into ancient brain mechanisms, making the information more memorable, understandable, and emotionally resonant.
In a media landscape dominated by video, Blackbird Spyplane's deeply reported, text-only articles became some of their most widely shared work. This demonstrates that high-quality, in-depth written content can still find a large, engaged audience without needing a video or infographic component.
When using AI tools to clip short videos from long-form content, ensure each clip is a complete, coherent thought. Clips that lack context and merely serve as an ad for the full video fail to engage audiences on short-form platforms like Instagram.
According to scientist Robin Dunbar, it takes about seven hours to build trust. Long-form content like podcasts reaches this threshold far more efficiently than the hundreds of short-form videos required, making it superior for developing high-value client relationships.
Ken Burns reveals that the true value of PBS is not just funding, but the luxury of time. He claims he could secure a $30 million budget from a streaming service in a single pitch meeting, but only PBS would grant him the decade required to produce a definitive work like his Vietnam series.