About This Guide

This guide is designed to walk you through best practices for making a video for your multimodal assignment or any other kind of video project. Whether you are recording yourself giving a speech, making a presentation into a video, or making another type of video, this guide will help you learn how to plan your video project, record, and edit your video.

Planning Your Video

Creating a video will always take longer than you expect, but putting time into the planning process will help the recording and editing steps take less time and be less stressful. Follow these steps to prepare for your video project.

1. Start now

Starting early and planning your video will make it easier to keep on track and finish your video with as little stress as possible. 

Giving your self mini-deadlines will help you plan out your entire project. This is especially important if you plan on using any Studio equipment to record your video. The Studio has equipment that can be reserved in advance, so you can book your equipment now and know that it will be available. The Studio also has a video recording suite that includes a camera, lighting, and 3 backdrops that you can use to record. The Video Suite is only available by reservation.

If you aren't able to book the Video Suite or the reservable equipment, don't worry! The Studio has lots of cameras that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. We also have tripods and phone holders so you can record on your phone, as well as lights and backdrops that you can check out and use at home. If you are taking an online class or aren't able to come to campus to check out equipment, you can always use your phone or webcam and other things around your house to film your video.

Whatever type of equipment you end up using, the most important thing is to have a plan. By planning ahead, you can get right to work recording your footage as soon as you have your equipment: writing notes, practicing, and making a storyboard will mean less time recording. The Library has an online workshop that can help you plan your project (the link is below). Even though the workshop is about organizing a group project, the tips and tools will work for a solo project too.

2. Write a Script

Start your script by outlining what you want your video to say. It's tempting to decide to wing it, but using a script will help you make sure that you include everything you need, you haven't forgotten anything important, and all your facts are accurate. When you don't use a script, it is really easy to forget or misstate a fact. Using a script means fewer mistakes, which means filming gets done faster.

If you get to choose the format of your video, this is the time to decide what kind of video you're making. Start by looking at what's out there and finding something that appeals to you. Take notes on what you like about it, and pay attention to the techniques the creator of the video(s) used. If you're not sure how they accomplished the things you liked, ask someone at the Studio! Use sketches, notes, or whatever works for you to keep track of the things you'd like to emulate.

After you have your script, you should make a storyboard.

3. Make a Storyboard

A storyboard is a tool that you can use to plan out each shot in your script. A storyboard consists of illustrations or images placed in sequence, to help you visually plan a video project. This will help you visualize your final video as well as plan out what you need to have and where you need to be when you record. Like writing a script, making a storyboard will help you cut down on your actual recording time because you will have a visual that you can refer to while recording.

Your storyboard should include sketches of each shot you plan to have in your video, and might contain descriptions of actions, lines from your script, and notes on audio (including sound effects and background music). Each box on the storyboard should cover about 10 seconds of your visual sequence, or every time the visuals in the video significantly change (like if you go from text to an image to a video). Don't worry if you aren't an artist. A storyboard doesn't have to be a beautiful piece of artwork, and you can even put it together in PowerPoint, Google Docs, or other online tools like Canva.

"Storyboard, Page 1" by gever tulley is licensed under  CC BY-NC 2.0

4. Save Your Work

Saving your work might seem obvious, but this is more about how to save your work. Use these tips to save your work as you go and you can avoid a project meltdown:

• Know how to save while you edit
  Depending on what software you use to edit your video, you may need to manually save your work. If you are making a short video using CapCut or recording a presentation using Canva, these cloud-based tools will automatically save your work. But if you are editing your video using software like Camtasia, iMovie, or Adobe Premiere, you will need to manually save your work. Desktop software does not auto-save, and you will lose your work if you don't save it properly.
• Keep everything in one place and save a backup
  Keeping everything in one place will help you keep track of all your footage, and it will be essential when you're editing. Save your footage and your project in Google Drive or to an external hard drive (you can get one from the Studio for 2 weeks), and keep a backup copy just in case.

• Use a naming convention
  A consistent naming convention will help you keep track of all the pieces of your project. If you take a picture or record a video, your camera (or phone) will give it a random name. Saving your footage to your external hard drive and renaming your files will make it easier to keep track of all your recordings and keep your assets together.

Recording Your Video

When it's time to record your video, there are several elements to consider.

Equipment

The Studio has lots of equipment that you can use to film your video. We have a variety of camcorders that you can check out for three days at a time. Some Studio equipment needs to be reserved (see the link below) before you can check it out but other equipment, like our mini HD camcorders, does not require a reservation. 

You can also always use your phone to record! Your smartphone more than likely has a pretty good camera built into it, and you can certainly record your video with it. We even have equipment in the Studio that you can use to make your phone recording even better, including tripods, microphones, and our Vlogging Kits.

If you do choose to film with your phone, you will need to make sure that your phone is recording in a file format that you will be able to edit later. Whether you have an iPhone or an Android, you should check the recording format on your phone. iPhones and some Androids record in "high efficiency" mode, and these recordings cannot be edited with most video editors. Instead, find your camera settings and switch your phone to record in "most compatible" mode. You can always switch it back after you're done recording.

If you have an iPhone, change your camera settings:

1. Open Settings
2. Open Camera
3. Open Formats
4. Choose "Most Compatible"

Lighting

Lighting is important because otherwise your audience won't be able to see you giving your speech very well. Natural light is usually your best bet, but sometimes it isn't an option. If you are filming inside, you can check out a lighting kit from the Studio or DIY a lighting setup if you're not close to campus.  Once you know how you will be lighting your scene, you can start using experimenting with the lights to avoid some common lighting problems. Try setting your lights up in front of the subjects. This helps you avoid harsh overhead lighting, and prevents backlighting that will turn the people on camera into silhouettes.

Framing

Use the storyboard you created to guide the ways you frame your shots. Framing your shots correctly can help you convey a lot of information visually. Think about how near or far your camera should be to your subjects. The distance between the camera lens and the action of the scene can help the viewer focus on what's important or establish what's going on in the environment. Remember that one of the requirements of your recorded speech is that you are visible and filling most of the frame for most of your video. Do some test recordings to mark where you need to stand to make sure you fill the frame.

Use the "rule of thirds" to help your visuals look more balanced. The rule of thirds divides your composition into 3 vertical columns and 3 horizontal rows. Placing key points of interest along these lines or at other key points of interest help your viewers interact more naturally with the visuals while also looking more balanced.

"Mr. Rogers Interview -- The rule of Thirds" by robnyland is licensed under  CC BY 2.0

Camera Orientation

The #1 rule of framing is to film horizontally. If you're using a Studio camera, this won't be a problem because filming horizontally is their default setup. If you're using your phone, you need to turn it sideways. Filming vertically limits what will fit in your frame, and when you go to edit it your footage you will have black bars on the sides of your video. Take a look at this scene from Mad Max Fury Road (2015) and notice the difference between the horizontal and vertical versions.

In the landscape video, you can see the whole scene. In the portrait video, you miss about two-thirds of the scene. Filming in landscape mode means that you can capture more in the field of view and your professor will be able to see the whole video when they watch it on their computer, because computer monitors are generally landscape-oriented.

Of course, filming in landscape mode is not necessary if you are making a vertical video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, etc).

Editing Your Video

When it's time to edit your video, it can be overwhelming to know which video editor to use. This section will walk you through how to use CapCut for video editing. CapCut is an online video editor that can allow you to edit on any browser, on any computer, anywhere. There's also an app so you can edit on your phone, but this guide will focus on the browser version. CapCut is a great option if you want to be able to edit from home and/or on a campus computer since you can access your projects any time you sign in.

Studio computers are also equipped with Adobe Premiere Pro, Camtasia, iMovie, and Final Cut Pro, so if you want to use (or learn) one of those video editors, just come in!

Creating a New Project

To get started, you can sign up for a free account at capcut.com (use the link below) or login using your MocsNet Gmail account. After logging in, CapCut's home page is filled with pre-made templates to potentially choose from. For your video project, you will probably want to select "New video" to get to a blank canvas. When you're creating your video, make sure to check your assignment for any guidelines about the dimensions of your video. It's much easier to start your video with the correct dimensions than have to fix it later. If your video needs to be horizontal, choose 16:9 for your aspect ratio. There are also aspect ratios for vertical and square videos. Select your aspect ratio by clicking the white box just below the cloud icon.

Before getting started, it would be beneficial to explore all of the controls on the left sidebar. This is where you will upload the media that you will edit as well as find all the elements that will allow you to customize your video project. After exploring, select the "Upload" button under "Media" and import the footage that you have filmed. Once your media is uploaded, you can begin dragging your clips into the timeline where all of the editing will happen.

Editing in the Timeline

The timeline is where all of the main editing will happen. We recommend starting by placing your clips in the order that you mapped out on your storyboard. Once your clips are in order, you can begin fine-tuning your edit. The top of the timeline is equipped with tools that will allow you to split your video, crop your video, flip your video, and more!

Customizing Your Video

There are a myriad of elements to choose from as you make your video your own. CapCut allows you to add stickers, audio, text, transitions, and more. 

Elements. Elements allows you to make your video unique by giving you an array of stock videos, photos, graphics, and more to choose from. Search through each category to personalize your video.

Audio. Adding additional audio to your video, such as sound effects or background music, can affect the mood of your video and make it more dynamic. To add additional audio into CapCut, you can either find your own off a third-party site, like SoundCloud or YouTube, or you can browse CapCut's free audio library that has a large selection of music and sound effects. If you want to import your own audio into your project, you will just upload the file that you want to add the same way that you uploaded your videos into the Media bin.

Text. Whether it's informational content throughout your video or end credits, text can provide context to your video project. To add text to your video, CapCut offers a few different options. You can explore the pre-made fonts or templates provided in the text tab, or you can customize your own text by selecting "Add heading" or "Add body text".

Transitions. Transitions are a great way to make cuts in your video feel seamless. Adding transitions can prevent any unnecessary jump cuts or make a cut between two clips more visually interesting. CapCut divides their transitions into different categories that you can browse. Once you have chosen a transition, add it to your video by dragging and dropping it between 2 clips on the timeline. You are able to edit the length of the transition by dragging the sides of the transition or adjusting the duration at the top right editing window.  

Finishing Your Video

Before exporting your video, it is best to watch over the final project and make any necessary final touches. Once you are ready to save and share your video, you will choose the "Export" button at the top right of the screen. Here you can instantly share your final video on social media or for other people to review. In order to upload your video to Canvas, you will want to select the "Download" button where you can name your video and change the quality, frame rate, or format. We recommend downloading it as an MP4. Once you have downloaded your video, be sure to save it to a folder or hard drive where you will be able to access it again easily.

If you need help with CapCut, come to the Studio or get in touch with us through chat on the Library website!

Other Helpful Links

Here are some links that you may find helpful while working on your podcast or any other multimodal assignment.