Filming Tips

Tips for filming a great story

1. Think About Your Story

• Before you begin filming, prepare your subject (or yourself) on the general aim of the video. Read over the Key Questions and think about how they apply to you and your project.
• Introduce yourself. Share your name, where you are from, and what you are doing
• In your video, avoid jargon. As a general rule the simpler, the better

• Focus on content above all else – tell us about what you do. Make it personal – talk about yourself and the other people your project involves. Joke and tell anecdotes if you want, and make sure to address 1-2 of the questions.

2. Think About Framing

Taking five minutes to set up your shot can make all the difference in terms of your final video quality. Here are a few things to remember:

• Set up your camera so that the lens is level with the midpoint of the shot, set up your camera so that the lens is level with the subject’s neck.
• Position the subject off-center to add perspective.
• Don’t film too close so that their face fills the whole screen, yet try not to be so far away that the background dominates the shot.
• Use a tripod or rest your camera on books to hold the shot steady.
• If you can, film in a quiet environment with minimal ambient noise.

• Think about a natural environment to film in, maybe a venue that relates to your project somehow.

3. Remember, keep it short!

We can’t load a video that runs longer than 2 minutes. You likely have a lot to share, so we encourage you to shoot more than one video!