Instructional Video Basics
It always helps to know a little bit about making instructional
videos before posting them on the many video-sharing sites for the
world to see.
Here are basics tips and suggestions.
Have a plan. Think of the approach you want to
take. Determine how long your video will be, how long you have to
shoot, and who your target audience is.
Maintain continuity throughout the production.
This means keeping the theme at the back of your head, and the details
in check. Use the same color background when filming in segments for
longer instructional videos, but add variety like different camera
angles or lighting techniques.
Frame a shot using the rule of thirds. The rule
states that a scene is more appealing to the eyes if the main elements
are at certain points. So divide the screen into thirds vertically, and
place elements like the narrator along the imaginary line.
Consider the kinds of instructional videos:
- The Expert Interview - involves one expert on a particular
subject. The expert can act as the narrator, lending credibility to the
video.
- Person on the Street - when a person on the street
poses a question and a narrator or expert answers. This is quick to
shoot and fast to edit.
- News Magazine - the narrator takes
on the role of a reporter, and explains to the audience how an expert
creates a particular thing.
- Narrator - is ideal for sharing
a lot of information in a short amount of time. Narrator can be
off-screen and a voice is just heard to accompany the footage, or
on-screen and reading from a script.
Edit well. Cut down the instructional video to
create a tight, final project. Keep it simple by having one continuous
shot and several cutaways. Don’t go crazy with the effects.
Be prepared with a video capture device, a computer and a place to store your video.
Most computers have basic video-editing software installed like Windows
Movie Maker. With it, you can add effects, titles and music.
Upload your videos. Once the video is final, save
it in a format that video-sharing sites like YouTube can accept. Save
them in QuickTime .MOV, Windows .AVI or .MPG files as they are the most
common formats.
Make your video easy to find. Choose categories or
tags that can easily describe the content in the video. Add information
that can help others find it easily, by using descriptive words so it
can appear on Google search result pages or YouTube search results.
Sources:
Cassidy, Kyle. “Basic Training: Editing 101.” Retrieved June 3, 2009 from
http://www.videomaker.com/article/12654/
“Making and Optimizing Your Videos.” Retrieved June 3, 2009 from
http://www.youtube.com/t/howto_makevideo
Patterson, Alice. “Instructional Video: It's All About Approach.” Retrieved June 3, 2009 from
http://www.videomaker.com/article/7465/
(Published 15 June 2009, Smart Communications, Inc.)
