Why video?
A good photo can tell a great story. But a video can bring the story and characters alive. It doesn’t have to be highly produced, the shorter the better, and often, smart phones can get the job done. When you use a video with key soundbites from the characters, and key points to highlight and accompany the written story, the story becomes more dynamic, engaging, and memorable.
Keep it simple
Unless you’re aiming to win an award in the media industry for your video, keep your video story simple, and make sure the message of the story is clearly conveyed to the audience. A few questions to ask yourself:
- How do you want people to feel when they watch your video?
- What action do you want them to take?
- Who do you want to reach with this video and why?
Helpful editing tools
There are many video editing tools that may already be available to you at no, or low cost. Some examples are:
- iMovie, (Mac OS)
- Movie Maker, (Windows/Microsoft OS)
- Canva
- Vimeo
Using your smart phone
If you own a smartphone with the most recent operating system, it will likely have a high-quality camera and microphone. Many videos used on social media and websites are created with smartphones. Dive in and learn how to maximize the video and audio recording features your smartphone has to offer, purchase a tripod (you won’t regret this), use it to collect stories, choose a video editor, and get to work.
Audio quality
In addition to video, make sure you also capture good quality audio. For example, if you’re interviewing a teacher in a school, make sure you conduct the interview away from a loud playground or hallway. Find a location that is quiet, and where you won’t be interrupted.