Video Basics

Creating a Video

Creating your own video has become almost as easy as aiming the lens and microphone at a subject and pressing the record button. Video capture is accessible to many of us and is often built in to may of the devices we use. What was once a complex task has become simplified, however there are some questions you'll need to ask yourself before you get started on your video project:

What's my purpose—why am I making this video?
Who is it for?
Is the quality (production value) important or is the purpose to document and share?
Do I have permission from the subject or representative of the site I am shooting?

You may be creating a video for a course, project or just simply to demonstrate a concept. Whatever the purpose you'll need an online hosting service to publish your content.

Here are some examples of video hosting services:

YouTube: UBC's Channel
Blip.tv
Kaltura (coming soon to UBC)

Uses and Benefits

Interviews
Documenting a process
Expository
Visual story telling

Faculty Considerations

Holly Willis' piece in the EDUCAUSE Review: Video: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly identifies keys to the success for video assignments as follows:

A clear relationship between the course content and the assignment.
Faculty members' experience with video.
Discussion, before production, regarding the need for students to understand the video form and content.

"An important question for faculty to consider centers on what video brings to the assignment that writing would not. Further, faculty members need to really look at moving images as they are structured through editing and, ideally, work with video themselves to understand its possibilities and its complexities. Finally, offering and explaining a grading rubric beforehand is critical." EDUCAUSE Review, vol. 44, no. 6 (November/December 2009): 106-107

Student Considerations

Students are likely to be successful if they play to their strengths and keep it simple. Some additional considerations:

Plan you video assignment as you would a writing assignment.
Start early and get familiar with the technical resources you will be using.
Play to your strengths and (if possible) form a group for your assignment that includes people with diverse skill sets.

Need Inspiration?

This is an example of expert use of video to deliver a message. More about the video and its creator, Justin Cone editor-in-chief at Motionographer. Check it out for more inspiration.

To see a sample of our own student/staff/faculty created video at UBC, have a look at UBC's YouTube Channel

Getting Started

You likely have the tools to make a video already, even if you don't have a camcorder. Web cams, digital cameras, and even cell phones often have video recording features—many digital cameras even have a simple switch to choose between stills and video.

Most devices record in either the .AVI or .MPG formats, both of which are supported by most hosting services, and the video shot with them can be uploaded directly from the device or after being copied to your computer.

Planning

The first place to start in planning your shoot is with the story. What's the story you want to tell? What's interesting or novel about it? Knowing exactly what and how you are going to shoot (your subject) why you are shooting (your message), as well as the audience for which you are shooting, is very important part of planning.

Equipment

Gather together all of the equipment you need:

Recording device: webcam, phone cam, digital camcorder (one that captures in Digital8, MiniDV, HDV, or any of the DVD formats. Flipcams are very easy to use and don't require any additional cords or devices.
Connection to your computer, either to the USB or FireWire ports or by inserting the DVD you've recorded. Flipcams have a built in USB device that connects directly into your computer's USB port.
Video editing software: iMovie for Mac, Windows MovieMaker or free software such as Cinefx

Tip: Make sure you have all of the equipment you need and test it (including the transfer to the computer you'll be using) to ensure it is in good working order and the recorded quality is what you need. If you don't have your own equipment you can borrow some from the Chapman Learning Commons.

Scripting

Consider preparing some sort of a script to guide you. The process will help you refine your ideas about exactly what you want to capture. Developing a basic storyboard of your ideas will be very useful. How to Storyboard a Video Shoot is a great resource.

Permissions

Gather any permissions you may need from interviewees or representatives from any of the privately owned sites that you may want to shoot. UBC Public Affairs provides a consent form for your use.