“The first few seconds of your video is when people decide whether they want to keep watching. If they’re not intrigued, they’ll scroll past.” This is why perfecting your intro might be the most important thing you do as a creator. And for filmmaker and VFX creator Ignace Aleya, it’s been a big part of his success.
Ignace has made a name for himself by perfecting the hook. Each of his videos opens with intention – a mood, a moment, or a feeling that pulls you in fast and doesn’t let go. The result is a channel with over 500,000 subscribers and counting.
In this interview with Uppbeat, Ignace shares how to craft intros that demand your audience’s attention. He shares how he uses emotion to create intrigue, and why you need to get straight to the point if you want that all-important view.
- Focus on getting an emotional reaction
- Build your video out from your intro
- Hit viewers with something memorable right away
- Let your visuals do the talking
- Skip the long-winded intros
1. Hook viewers with emotion rather than information
If you’ve ever started a video by listing everything it’s about, Ignace would gently steer you in another direction. His approach? Don’t explain, evoke a feeling instead.
IA: “Every time I’m trying to think of how to start a video, I always ask myself: ‘What emotion do I want to create here?’”
Emotion isn’t something creators always consider consciously, especially in how-to or tech-focused content. But Ignace sees it as the secret ingredient that helps an intro land, even before the story kicks in.
IA: “Even with tutorials or breakdowns, I want to set a mood. Whether that’s excitement, curiosity, tension – emotion comes before information. You can always explain later."
Ignace treats the opening moment as a way to build a personal connection with viewers. Take for example when Ignace turned his car into a transformer and tells the audience how he almost broke the car in the process. As a viewer you instantly want to find out what happened.
When your video taps into the audience’s emotions early on, you make it more likely that they’ll want to stick around and watch to the end.
Ignace’s Key Takeaway:
Ask yourself: what do I want the viewer to feel in the first five seconds? Lead with that instead of an elaborate opening sequence. And definitely over an intro about yourself!
2. Build the video around the intro, not the other way around
“Sometimes I build the entire concept of a video around that opening scene. That’s how important it is to me.” Instead of saving his best ideas for halfway through a video, Ignace often starts with them.
Ignace treats the hook as a creative jumping-off point. It’s something that shapes the story, the visuals and even the pacing of the rest of the video. If that moment is strong, the rest flows naturally. Otherwise, the whole structure can fall flat.
“In my VFX videos, I often imagine the first shot first. Like, what’s the thing that’s going to make someone think: ‘I need to see more of this’?” By designing the video around a powerful opening, Ignace ensures the energy is there from the start – and stays consistent throughout.
Ignace’s Key Takeaway:
Think of your intro as the starting point for creativity, not a last-minute edit. If it’s strong enough, it should inspire the rest of your video.
3. Don’t make your viewers wait to see something memorable
You don’t have long to convince someone to keep watching. And Ignace doesn’t hold back when it comes to how fast that hook needs to happen: “YouTube gives you a couple of seconds to earn someone’s attention. If they’re not hooked immediately, they’re gone.”
Ignace found out the hard way that lengthy intros rarely work, especially in an algorithm-driven world where videos compete for attention in crowded feeds. It’s why you never have to wait long for the action to start in his videos, like when he stops time as part of an After Effects tutorial. By making a strong impression right away, he ensures people are less likely to leave.
IA: "You have to give them something right away. A visual, a question, a reaction – it just has to land fast.”
That means if you have a great moment in mind, don’t save it. Lead with what’s going to have an impact and give people a reason to stay before they’ve even had the chance to think about scrolling.
Whether you start your video with a cinematic shot, an unexpected transition, or a bold claim, Ignace wants your viewer to feel like they’ve already been rewarded, before you even get into the real content.
Ignace’s Key Takeaway:
Start with impact. If you’ve got something visually or emotionally compelling, show it immediately. Don’t hold back or try to build up to something memorable.
4. Let the visuals do the talking
“Sometimes, a shot tells the story better than any words could. You don’t always need to explain things – show them.” With his VFX background, it’s no surprise that Ignace is a strong believer in visual storytelling – and that applies from the very first frame.
Rather than starting every video with a voiceover or intro line, he often lets the visuals speak first – think elements like the lighting, colors, or even attention-grabbing motion graphics. This gives your viewers a load of information before a single word is said.
You can see this in action in Ignace’s video where he gets his car to do Hot Wheels-style tricks. Within seconds, the visuals set up the challenge without a word of explanation and instantly make you want to see if he can actually pull it off.
IA: "People immediately get what kind of video they’re watching. Even the way you light or color a shot in the intro can change the viewer’s mood. You’re building a world in seconds.”
Ignace also sees this as a way to establish your identity as a creator. Your visual choices – even subtle ones – build consistency and give people a sense of who you are.
Ignace’s Key Takeaway:
Think of your intro as a visual trailer. How much can you communicate without words? If the visuals feel intentional, viewers will trust what’s coming next.
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5. Skip the long-winded intros
One of Ignace’s best insights is that most of your viewers don’t know who you are, and that’s okay. Don’t feel you need to introduce yourself every time.
IA: “I don’t waste time talking about who I am or what I’ve been doing. 80 or 90% of my viewers come for the video and not for me. They’ll build a connection with me as they watch more of my videos.”
You’ll build a personal bond with your audience in time, but trying to front-load that relationship at the start of every video can actually get in the way. Instead, Ignace sticks to a formula: spark curiosity, then bring clarity. The goal is to earn their attention and then tell them – quickly – what the video’s going to deliver.
IA: “Curiosity is what you need to show in the first two or three seconds. After that, you have to be really clear and intentional about what your audience is going to see and then deliver.
Ignace’s Key Takeaway:
Don’t waste time over-introducing yourself. Focus on sparking curiosity and be clear about what the viewer’s going to get from watching your video. Your story can come later.
Every intro should make people feel something right away
Your intro is your best shot at convincing people to watch until the end. Ignace knows that if you want people to stick around, your intro needs to do more than just say welcome. It needs to spark curiosity and deliver value straight away. Nail that, and the rest of the video has room to shine.
A strong intro doesn’t just keep viewers watching though. It also plays a big role in how your content performs the likes of YouTube and TikTok. Those first few seconds can directly impact how widely your video gets seen.
If you’re looking to grow your audience, check out our guides on how to get more views on YouTube and how to get more views on TikTok for practical tips you can apply to your next upload.
