The So-Called "Short Attention Span"
The last Transformers movie (number five hundred sixty who cares) is the epitome of the entertainment industry's perception of a typical consumer's attention span. Popular viral videos last a minute or two, network television cuts every few seconds, rarely allowing shots to play longer, and summer movies depend on the jump cut to keep action at breakneck speed. When producing marketing or professional projects it is necessary to grab the attention of the viewer as quick as possible. YouTube allows the user to skip an ad after the first five seconds which only allows that amount of time to convince you that the video is worthy of a view. The facts point to a cynical view of the typical viewers attention span that infers they are incapable of focusing for longer periods of time. I'm beginning to disagree with traditional wisdom and believe that the viewing public is yearning to experience a longer ride.
Breaking Bad finished it's five season run on September 29th of 2013. I was late to the party and binged by watching season one through four in the weeks leading up to the finale. The show is proof that viewers are capable of following a story, from beginning to end, over a longer course of time. Dr. Who has been on the air since 1963! Some of the best story telling is being told through episodic television and most are challenging the viewer to stay with a story over the course of multiple seasons.
As a content creator I've learned not to be afraid of longer running times. The goal is still to be ruthless with editing and to sacrifice any obstructions to the focus, however, that doesn't necessarily imply shorter content. Wired has a history of writing engaging features that total in the thousands of words and they survived the digital transition. Give longer story telling a try. Once you find yourself nodding off your own content, start editing.
