Re-create the Ali Abdaal Video Editing Style
Ali Abdaal's Shorts use a distinctive black-and-white grade with selective colour pops, handwritten-style captions, and a thoughtful, contemplative framing. Every detail below is from his actual content.
Re-create the Ali Abdaal style with Choppity
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See the Ali Abdaal editing style in action
First 10 seconds from recent Ali Abdaal videos. Hover to play.
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Watch full videoEvery detail of the Ali Abdaal editing style
Follow these specs to recreate the style yourself, or let Choppity handle it automatically.
Font
Handwritten/script-style font in sentence case. Multi-line captions positioned to the left of the speaker, reading vertically down the frame. Distinctive and editorial.
Font Styling
White text on the greyscale background. Key words highlighted in yellow for emphasis — matches the selective colour pop in the video. No outline or drop shadow needed against the dark tones.
Caption Effect
Phrase-by-phrase reveal rather than word-by-word. Captions appear alongside the speaker, not overlaid on top. Creates a reading-alongside-listening experience.
Pacing & Cuts
Moderate pacing — 2 to 5 seconds per shot. Fewer jump cuts than Hormozi but more than Leila. Cuts are intentional, happening at natural thought transitions.
Tempo & Rhythm
Thoughtful and reflective. The pacing matches Ali's calm, considered speaking style. Background music sets a meditative mood that complements the contemplative tone.
Color Grading
Black-and-white / desaturated base with selective colour pops. In the analysed frame, the video is mostly greyscale but yellow headphones and yellow caption highlights provide the only colour. Striking and instantly recognisable.
Zoom & Framing
9:16 vertical. Medium shot centred on the speaker. Slightly wider framing than Hormozi — shows upper body and hands. The subject is positioned slightly off-centre to leave room for captions.
Set & Lighting
Clean grey background. Soft, even lighting with neutral colour temperature. The monochrome grade means the actual lighting colour doesn't matter — it's the exposure and contrast that count.
Audio
Clean voice recording with gentle background music. The music is low-energy and contemplative — think lo-fi or ambient. It reinforces the thoughtful, calm brand identity.
Hook
Opens with a question or reframe ("Am I actually clear on..."). The hook is intellectual curiosity rather than shock or urgency. Draws in the thinking audience.
What makes the Ali Abdaal editing style so effective?
Ali Abdaal's editing style is instantly recognisable because of the black-and-white grade with selective colour pops. It's a technique borrowed from cinema and editorial photography that makes his content stand out in any social media feed.
The selective colour (yellow headphones, yellow caption highlights) creates a cohesive visual identity that viewers can spot in a fraction of a second while scrolling. This is deliberate branding through editing.
The handwritten caption style placed alongside (not on top of) the speaker adds an editorial, almost journal-like quality that perfectly matches his thoughtful, reflective content.
How to achieve the selective colour pop effect
The black-and-white with selective colour technique works by desaturating the entire image to greyscale, then masking specific elements to retain their original colour. In Ali's case, yellow is the signature accent colour.
In post-production, you can achieve this with a hue/saturation adjustment — desaturate all channels except yellow. Alternatively, use a black-and-white adjustment layer and mask out the coloured elements.
The key is consistency: pick one accent colour and use it across every video, your captions, and any graphics. Yellow works because it's high-contrast against greyscale.
How Ali Abdaal positions captions differently
Unlike most creators who centre captions in the lower third, Ali positions his captions to the side of the speaker in a vertical reading layout. This is more like reading a page than watching a subtitle track.
The handwritten font choice reinforces the personal, reflective brand. It feels like reading someone's journal rather than watching a production. Paired with the selective colour highlights on key words, it creates a unique reading experience.
With Choppity, you can experiment with caption positioning and font styles to find your own signature approach.
Apply the Ali Abdaal style to your videos
Choppity's AI generates captions, removes silences, reframes to 9:16, and finds the best moments — automatically. Match any style in minutes.
Try Choppity freeFrequently asked questions
What editing style does Ali Abdaal use?
A black-and-white / desaturated grade with selective yellow colour pops. Handwritten-style captions positioned alongside the speaker. Moderate cut pacing with a calm, contemplative tone.
How does Ali Abdaal do the selective colour effect?
By desaturating the entire video to greyscale then masking specific elements (like yellow headphones) to keep their colour. The technique is achievable in most editing software with hue/saturation adjustments.
What font does Ali Abdaal use for captions?
A handwritten/script-style font in sentence case. Key words are highlighted in yellow to match the selective colour accent. The captions are positioned vertically alongside the speaker rather than centred at the bottom.
Can Choppity recreate this style?
Choppity can generate the animated captions with custom font choices and colour highlights. For the black-and-white grade, apply that in your colour grading step, then use Choppity's caption and reframing tools for the final output.
What makes his style different from other creators?
The selective colour technique and side-positioned handwritten captions are unique. Most creators use centred bold captions — Ali's approach feels more editorial and reflective, matching his brand as a thoughtful productivity creator.
What music does Ali Abdaal use?
Low-energy, contemplative background music — lo-fi or ambient tracks. The music is barely audible but sets a meditative mood that complements his calm speaking style.
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