telling your visual story
TRANSCRIPT
Telling Your Visual Story
Jennifer Bennett, CVA Senior Manager, Education & Training VolunteerMatch
@JenBennettCVA [email protected] g
#VMLearn - #NCVSSAVE http://www.slideshare.net/volunteermatch
What are we talking about?
• What moves you?
• Best practices for videos
• Finding resources
• Promoting and sharing your video
• What’s your story?
• What next?
(page 2 #VMLearn)
What Moves You? Let’s watch… maybe grab a kleenex SoccerSocket
http://vimeo.com/15612091
Beth’s Story
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtJWkMrtlvo
CASA Guardian Ad Litem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc9Ew6uHddY
Dog Adoption PSA – created by a student
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXvo7D_bSIs
Change your World – created by a VM High School Intern
http://youtu.be/i_Y-ibkBpUs
(page 3 #VMLearn)
(page 4 #VMLearn)
Best practices for videos
Think about what makes a video watchable
• Short!
• About two minutes
• Don’t expect people to “schedule time” to watch
your video
• The internet is full of distractions
• Steady
• Get a tri-pod, use it. Shaky videos are hard to
watch and distracting
• Hold your scenes
• Quick cuts are hard to follow
• 15 – 20 seconds
(page 5 #VMLearn)
Best practices for videos
Know what you need
• Storyboard
• It doesn’t have to be fancy but you need to
outline your scenes
• Online tools, note cards, cartoon panels
• Sound
• If people are talking you’ll need special
equipment and sound editing
• Consider word panels or instrumentals to start
• Camera
• We have powerful cameras in our pockets!
• Point and shoots have exceptional video
(page 6 #VMLearn)
Finding Resources
What do you need help with?
• All of it! I have no idea where to start.
• Find a professional – recruit a skilled volunteer
• Reach out to journalism or visual arts classes
• Approach corporate partners
• Find other organizations (BAYVAC)
• I could just use a little support or advice
• Crowdsource or engage micro-volunteers for
feedback
• Do you have experts in your volunteer corps?
• Online how-tos and discussion groups
(page 7 #VMLearn)
• Social media
• Facebook, YouTube, twitter
• Spread the word
• Promote on your own channels
• website, newsletter, email
• Tap those community connections
• Who do you know?
• Who does your board, volunteers,
donors know?
Share your story
(page 8 #VMLearn)
• The 5 W’s
• Who, What, When, Where and (W)How
• Build your story arc
• Set up the story
• What’s the problem or conflict?
• What’s the resolution or solution
• What’s the call to action?
What’s your story?
(page 9 #VMLearn)
What moves you? Your video should reflect the values and
culture of your organization.
• Be authentic
• Stay true to your mission and your work.
• Humor is hard
•You might want to be funny, but you are not
actually that funny.
• Humor is subjective and can be insensitive.
• What matters in your organization
•What do your volunteers, donors, clients tell
you is most important about the work you do?
What are your ideas?
(page 10 #VMLearn)
Resources More Video Examples DoGooder Video Awards http://www.youtube.com/user/nonprofitvideoawards
Free Resources I’ve Used
Windows Movie Maker http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-
movie-maker-download
Screencast-o-matic http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
(Free or Low Cost)
Top lists for Free Editing Downloads
Macs - WonderShare.com http://www.wondershare.com/video-editor/free-video-
editing-software-mac.html
PCs – Tech Radar http://www.techradar.com/us/news/software/applications/best-
free-video-editing-software-9-top-programs-you-should-download-1136264#null
Best Practices and Guide
Into Focus http://see3.com/intofocus
(page 11 #VMLearn)
Getting Started • Get the ideas flowing
• What’s your story? Workshop it. Creativity
works best with other brains present.
• Who else should be involved?
• What’s the voice of your organization?
• What do you sound like? What does it feel like?
• Identify the places you’ll need help or
support
•Where could that come from? Who do you
know?
• Remember there’s a learning curve
• The first one will take the longest (page 12 #VMLearn)
Getting Started
• Find the overlap between minimal and
viable
• It’s fast and cheap. It doesn’t have to be perfect.
The next one will be better.
• Don’t over think it.
• Just do it!
(page 13 #VMLearn)
Questions?
Jennifer Bennett, CVA
Senior Manager, Education & Training
VolunteerMatch
@Jen BennettCVA
http://www.slideshare.net/volunteermatch
(page 14 #VMLearn)