https://youtu.be/UhSinkXMR4Y

Something about this part of the yoyotech frag video where it's xerox's sniping spree sniping on cp_gravelpit has always been one of my favourite things EVER in a frag video.

Edit: Can't directly embed to where I'm talking about so watch the whole thing, it's a REALLY good video, but the specific part/spree is at 4:17

Edit2: That credits scene tho. Something about that decal placement, so good. hrngggg

The thing that very few frag movies seem to succeed at is capturing the team element of Team Fortress 2.

This is why the Torn Production movies are the greatest. They tell the story of the plays (when appropriate) and show you how all the contributions from each team member combined to create a well executed team win.

It's fucking art, man :D

Do you mean out of place and/or irrelevant SFM smooths/scenes or SFM smooths/scenes in general?

I start rendering demos a few seconds or so before the frag(s) of interest happen for this specific reason, though I would be a hypocrite if I said I was good at not letting clips drag on. It's something I'm going to make sure to work on.

Probably in my top 5 frag videos of all time. It's a work of art.

It's fine to actually record with a decent sized margin like 5 secs or something before and after, gives you more margin to work with, it's what you do with the recorded clip after that counts. IE: Sometimes I cut clips too short in advance (to synch with music) but then end up getting a few black spaces which are not long enough for a smooth/sfm shot but not short enough for a transition either or that specific song part doesn't mesh too well with a different shot/transition, having that margin helps fill those voids sometimes, even if you have to toy with the velocity in your favor.

Frag video -> frags. No editing other than a bit of color correction. If you would have to speed up a clip, it probably wasn't interesting anyways. Use generic music (e.g. electronic/rock), not whatever ska-punk fusion you happen to like that day; the goal of music in a frag video is to establish a rhythm and have something to sync frags to, not to be a substitute for a link to your last.fm page. By and far, frags are the most important part. Don't include drawn-out fights, more than a few missed shots (especially missed airshots), or any smooths at all. Grape's and Zebbosai's are great examples of different, but well done frag videos.

For movies, there is obviously a lot more artistic freedom. Music can be a lot more varied, as the extra editing allows it to be worked in better. Like everyone else has said, Torn is the gold standard for high profile movies. The Experiment S9 is one of the best frag movies for TF2, and the quality of the players is only a part of that. Also, don't make (serious) movies from anything less structured than scrims, especially when the movie is for a team.

Please don't do anything in sfm, it's absurdly contrived.

I really like frag videos that include the players hud + hitsound

This might be long...

•Like other have stated, syncing music with the frags goes a long way, but only if it's done correctly. both the song and the frag needs to be interesting. "Departure - by Cla" does this perfectly.

•Another aspect is fast-pace. there's nothing worse than having to wait a bunch for those insane or intense moments, to the point that the video loses its essence. Focusing on the frags and avoiding useless edits, zooms and slow-motions also goes a long way. It is fine to use them as long as it is well placed on the video and you don't overdo it. It really depends whether you're going for an aesthetic movie editing video, which then it doesn't make sense to call it a frag vid. For this aspect, there's no better example than this bit of Prominence - by Afterglow

•Just as important as the above is the quality of the video/recording. Graphics do not really "matter" in this aspect. you can have a good frag vid both with your usual maxframes config or lawena's. But any sign of recording lag and low video quality is a huge throw-off. Making sure everything is butter smooth makes the video pleasing to the eye. Obviously, youtube's 60fps setting is the way to go, and Mightyme did it well on Red Light Green Light

•Not overdoing in the colors is also a must. some people like a more bright frag vids, other goes for a cinematic look, but the biggest mistake is taking it to the extreme. A dark over-saturated frag video isn't very appealing just as much as a super bright instagram-esque video is. The correct is finding the balance between the two and knowing to be dynamic about this. Take this bit of Rocket science 2 - by Grape as an example. if you look closely, there's a very subtle color edit that matches and "improves" the already existing colors of the map. Trying to force a different color on something that does not match it is bad. You can even be creative about this. mixing monochromatic with sudden color change can be very pleasant. this will sound weird but i found that in one of carpet's video. specifically, the intro of bind mouse1 "taunt; hail satan". Something like that would look incredible in a single frag scene, something like a very long airshot which would benefit of the slow-motion and the contrast between the dramatic and sudden sparkle of dazzled elegance.

•The above brings me to my next aspect. Innovation. By taking a look at 500 frag videos, there is nothing more certain that most of them always follows that same specific pattern. we all know what it is, we can all recognize it when we see it. You don't really think about it when you are seeing the frag video. The only moment it comes to relevance is when you see a frag video that doesn't have it. Innovation and creativity, when combined with adequate execution, transcend the limits of its mechanism, striking a universal chord, to which you perceive its distinction to the rest. It is definitely very important and not surprising that you don't see it very often. If the video maker has the boldness to differ, again, and i can't stress this enough, with the adequate, talented and virtuous execution, your frag video institutes in the viewer's mind of the importance of your differentiality. it's in our subconscious and nobody escapes from it.

I don't know if i should expand this much further, of which i could. but it's a mere opinion of mine and i can't prove to you if i have the credibility to do so. As of now, this is what came to my head.

I'm sorry but I have to disagree with this, if used right sfm can complement the frags very elegantly and have amazing results, it works specially well for transitional elements.

Salade au Thon does this quite well, specifically in What?! and French are Fucking Awesome.

I completely disagree with the notion that there's a specific genre of "fragvid music" and everyone has to use the same utterly terrible EDM in every video

I like editors who use the types of music that they like to listen to (although, bonus points if they don't have terrible taste in music like shadowburn does)

What?! is great but FaFA is too much for me. it's a cool idea for a video but the camera work is too much imo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQBhAcxqUBc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3v25aHYT2w
any or all of tays edits are exactly what i enjoy in a tf2 edit

60 fps

actually good music not electro shit

To add to what Admirable was talking about, here's another excellent example from someone other than Torn Productions "telling the story" at 3:30:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMfLZ-cOvbI

Another unforgettable section in that video worth taking note of would be the two yukon last clips around 2:45-3:10. Between Leogeo2's casting, the sick zoom in on the kritz soldier's eyes followed by a crit airshot, and finally the double airshot on Seagull (with a single rocket from both Jaeger and Relic and both soldiers glancing at each other like "damn") I'm sure many a soldier main found themselves with a half chub.

I say this as a guy who watches frag vids sommetimes, I don't make any, but in my opinion, a good song for a frag video should be a song with decent build up before the "drop". Note this doesn't only apply for electronic songs, there are plenty of Rock songs with similar structure. My choice would be can't stop by Red Hot Chilli Peppers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfOdWSiyWoc

. However if you want to use an Electronic artist I'd suggest Ratatat or Justice, though both are kinda overdone in frag videos.

i often find that moving pictures are important in any type of video

but most importantly the editing must not outweigh the frags and vice-versa, I absolutely despise extremely well edited 4v4 frags.

I think smooth transitions can make the whole video less cringeworthy, regardless of the quality of the video or the skill of the player.

https://youtu.be/VQoOqN32Vw0?t=7s

To me it's all about the editing. Coming from a Call of Duty background, I really like the insanely overedited style where there are tons of filters, cool smooths throughout, and music that is perfectly synced to the action.

Even when using a more plain style, syncing the music up with the action really makes a frag movie way better imo. It doesn't even have to be all the time, but when there is like a pounding bass or a drop or tempo change coming up having the frag slow down and speed up so that the impacts are synced with that part of the music really gives the feel that the frag was monstrously devastating.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx6h70gDL3g

Still the best thing ever made. Edits were on point, music was great, and the frags didn't suck

i really like when one of the corners has the player's name if it's a frag video featuring multiple people

on another note how does one make a scout frag video considering all the posts on here ask for airshots/crazy shots? scout frag videos feel kinda stale and unless its like a 5k or 6k its not worth including.

it will always be hard to make a good scout frag movie.
especially since the streaks can be not impressive.
so if you want to make one you'll have to get creative or just make a fragshow.

Storytelling is what I really look in a frag video, along with catchy song and good frags.

This is the perfect example, maybe it's not TF2, but it is good:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37-Kkuk_2nc&list=PL-PNGCQZamRaE3CD3fNbAjukNJYM9oZi5&index=1

Unless the editing is made in a general theme or setting and all the editing compliments the frags, I don't like edited frag vids. My favorite type of fragideos are just very simple, preferably with a minimalistic hud (think variations of m0rehud, broesel etc.) without some edgy font

I'm personally a big fan of hearing a caster over top of some sick frags with the music synced up for it as well. Those are the kind of frag movies that give me chills.

so basically Good frags from the top competitions?
now try to get those for your generic frag video:D

1. 60 FPS
2. Color Work that makes the scenery/sky pop out, while keeping the colors at least distinguishable. (ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3tv1PrCgQ)
3. Beautiful HUDs (specifically Hudas Isacriote, although I can't tolerate it in game, it looks great on video.
4. Music unrecognizable from other frag vids (ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OEsXi0KUHc)
5. Small SFM work or STV recordings to introduce in-game situationS (ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nriKsv4NTxs) [Please ignore the fact that it's a pub market gardener vid, because when you look past that you can clearly see the effect of the SFM work]
6. Having momentary syncs with the music (ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3tv1PrCgQ) [AGAIN]
7. Having certain flickshots played in slow mo (ex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v3tv1PrCgQ) [AGAIIIIIN]

tl;dr
i love rocket science 2.

You linked one of cla's oldest videos, his newer videos are amazing.