Concepts/Retention & scene pacing
Retention & scene pacing
Why viewers leave, where they leave, and how pacing predicts it.
Updated Jun 11, 2026·4 min read
Retention is the percentage of viewers still watching at each moment. The retention curve shows it over time; the steepest drops tell you exactly where the video loses people.
The curve
Almost every video drops fastest in the first few seconds, then flattens. A healthy video holds 90%+ through the first 4 seconds. A big early cliff usually means the hook resolved too slowly.
Scene pacing as a proxy
When per-second retention isn't available, fypnow estimates it from scene pacing — how often the shot changes. Fast, varied cutting tends to hold attention; long static stretches tend to shed it.
Look for the gap between your hook end and your first payoff. If payoff comes much later than the hook promises, that's where the curve sags.
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