Posterized video might be likened to abstract painting. Details and naturalistic lighting are sacrificed in order to emphasize some other aspect of reality. In the music video “Coming Down,” Adam Edworthy uses posterizing to create visuals that sync with the music of the British rock band Buchanan.
Posterizing and related effects can be achieved using software programs such as Adobe Premier Pro and Adobe Affect Effects. Readers just getting into visual effects might benefit from vlogger Shameless Maya’s informative and entertaining episode—Special Effects for Beginners. For a more advanced treatment check out Justin Odisho’s Adobe Premiere Pro: Top 10 Video Effects.
Apart from visual abstraction, “Coming Down” illustrates another post-production editing technique: cutting to the music. This approach, which is used throughout, may be most clearly seen at 1:47 of the video. Note that the series of panning shots begin and end with decisive changes in the music. For another example of cutting to the music, see Connor deMayo’s drone travelogue “New Canaan.”
The editors of MobileMovieMaking.com have chosen “Coming Down” as a Mobile Movie of the Week.