When should I use slow motion?

The Diagnosis

Slow motion is temporal emphasis: it stretches a moment to tell viewers 'this is the beat that matters.' That power is entirely relative — a speed ramp only hits because of the full-speed footage around it, exactly like loud only hits after quiet. Which gives you the rule: deploy it at genuine peaks (the reveal, the impact, the reaction) and let everything else run at speed. The common mistake is atmospheric slow motion — long dreamy stretches at 50% because it 'feels cinematic.' It reads as padding, kills your pacing math, and spends the emphasis before you need it. The related tools follow the same logic: a hard freeze is the loudest stop you own, and a punch-in is emphasis that costs no time at all. Pick the smallest tool that marks the moment.