Quick Summary

1. Do some pre-production planning and go over your plan with the studio staff
2. Short videos are better.  Divide up your lecture into key points that can fit into 5 to 10 minute video segments.
3. Book some time alone in the studio to try out the equipment and perfect your style.
4. Decide if you want to read from a prompter or wing it with notes
5. Assemble any graphic assets that will be included in your production.
6. Rehearse your Delivery
7. Book a production date

Getting Started Is Easy!

There are many sites on the Internet with excellent advice on creating educational videos.  There is a list of references at the end of this document with links to information about the production process.  Many of the authors divide the process into 1) Planning, 2) Production and use of video cameras and 3) Post Production and Editing.

What we have done for you

The HonCC Video Studio has taken care of Step 2, “Production and the use of video cameras.” The camera and the audio are all ready to go.  The Live Production workflow used by the studio results in no post-production or editing required. Step 3 has been eliminated.  The only part left for the faculty is the planning of the production and the delivery.  The rest is all taken care of.

Why we are better

The HonCC Video Studio has sophisticated equipment and therefore is capable of much more professional results than do-it-yourself production provides. The references at the end of this document provide many perspectives on video production often depending on the assumed technology and equipment that the person has access to.  Reference 2, for example, seems to assume that all you have is a laptop with a camera and recommends “the talking head” approach.  Reference 2 does have valuable information on the preparation and delivery of your content.

Everyone does agree that shorter is better.

Let’s see what is involved in the planning.

Planning and Goals

One method, not recommended, is to simply show up with the PowerPoint slides that you use for your standard lecture in class. This certainly is the quickest way to create an educational video, but generally does not result in an engaging and effective video that the students will watch.

A better method is to spend a little time in the pre-production planning stage.

Pre-Production

Identify the key message, goals, style, audience, script, storyboard and the purpose and strategic steps to communicate the message. These are governed by the use of a creative brief, script, and storyboard (1).

What’s the point of a video if it doesn’t communicate effectively? If a viewer watches a video and doesn’t understand the message or the video production process is untidy and unprofessional, all the time put into the project is wasted – a scenario best avoided (2)!

The author of Reference 1 recommends using a “Creative Brief” to ensure that you have a clear understanding of your key message, the audience, as well as the goals, and other key aspects to assist you in making an effective educational video.  The use of imagery, embedded video segments, graphics and other techniques needed to engage your students should be included in the creative brief.

Speech Preparation

Video training requires a different kind of prep than live lecture prep. First, you have to consider whether you’ll speak from a script or freely. If you script it, make it sound like speech, not like writing. Be sure to read it aloud as you’re developing it. With either choice, you’ll need to practice beforehand to get the words right and to sound natural. This helps you come across more confident and helps to build your ethos. You also want your speech clean, so you want to avoid false starts and all of those “um”s and “uh”s. Practice helps with this (1).

How you speak matters a great deal. You’ll need to practice and prepare your voice for audio recording. Pay attention to the way your words are coming out. Watch your tone. You want it confident and upbeat, not aggressive, tired, impatient, or dull. Try to deepen and soften it a bit and lower the volume a bit.

Run a few tests to get your voice right. Tip: Don’t record at the end of the day. Your energy will be lower than at other times, and this will come across in your voice. If you’re tired, you will tire and bore your learners.

Audio quality matters a great deal—many experts say it matters almost even more than video quality (2).

Videos should be relatively short: 2-9 minutes, and not more than 20 minutes. This means planning your words carefully so you can be succinct. Speak SLOWLY and articulate CAREFULLY. We all have an accent, and clear speech is always appreciated.

Account for technological challenges in the learner’s equipment with slow and clear speech (2).

 

Generally, it does not take much time to improve your delivery but take as much time as you need.  If you find that videos are a valuable asset to your course, it is worth the time to perfect your delivery style.

Including video clips along with your presentation adds a little variety. The studio team can assist with special effects and other types of simple animation.

We encourage faculty to reserve time in the studio to make some practice videos and try out their speaking techniques.

References: Sources used in this document

1. https://www.reelmarketer.com/how-to-make-an-educational-video/
2. https://www.ispringsolutions.com/blog/6-tips-to-create-engaging-training-videos/
3. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/10-tips-creating-effective-instructional-videos/
4. https://elearningbrothers.com/blog/7-technical-tips-for-creating-video-lectures/