How to make a reel: a beginner step-by-step guide

Reels, shorts, and VK Clips are short vertical videos that platforms push to new audiences. A good one can get thousands of views with no budget. Here is how to make a reel from scratch, even if you have never edited video.

1. Start with an idea and a hook

The first 2–3 seconds decide everything. Open with a hook: an intriguing question, a bold claim, or a striking shot. Write the hook before you film — it shapes the whole video.

2. Film the material

• Vertical, 9:16. Shot horizontally? You can reframe it to vertical later.
• Light on your face, not behind you. A window is the best free light.
• Sound matters more than picture. Film in a quiet place.
• Shoot extra takes — easier to cut than to reshoot.

3. Edit

• Cut tightly: remove pauses, filler, and dead air.
• Change shots every few seconds to keep momentum.
• Add light background music under your voice.
• Keep it short — 15–40 seconds usually wins.

4. Add subtitles

Most people watch without sound. Subtitles are a must: big, 1–3 words on screen, with the active word highlighted. Speech can be transcribed and timed automatically.

5. Cover and caption

A readable cover, a short caption, 5–10 relevant hashtags, and a call to action.

6. Publish and watch retention

The key metric is retention — how many watch to the end. Drop-off at second two means a weak hook; drop-off in the middle means it drags.

How to speed things up

The slowest part is cutting long footage into clips and adding subtitles. Kadrio does the heavy lifting: AI finds strong moments and builds vertical clips with subtitles, and you finish in the editor. Need it done for you? Order editing.