Creating a video that will get your message across doesn’t need to be time consuming or expensive.
Of course it is possible to go down the big budget route, but assuming that you don’t have much money or time, we’ve pulled together some simple ideas to help you use video effectively.
1. Use a free video production tool
There are a number of sites that will take your images, text and music (assuming you aren’t breaking any copyright laws) and turn it into a eye catching video. The best known is Animoto, it will let you create a 30 second video for free, or a full length version for $3. Charities can also apply for free pro accounts.
The best thing about tools like Animoto is that you really can create a video in 15 minutes. Here’s an example, produced by a number of charities shortly after the Haiti earthquake:
It’s hardly ground breaking, but it is perfect for displaying images from an event or a project visit.
2. Animate
A simple ‘stop frame’ animation can really stick in your memory. You could use Lego, drawing or even fridge magnets. You can add photos too. Here’s a very simple one from Trees for Cities:
3. Shoot some vox pops
Ask a selection of people the same question and film their response e.g. Why do you care about poverty? Here are some that Amnesty UK did around International Women’s Day:
We can’t mention voxpops without mentioning the Fifty People, One Question project. This wasn’t cheap to produce, but it shows you how absorbing this style of video can be.
4. Make an audio slideshow
Do you have some good photos of your work? If these are combined with audio, text or music, the resulting slideshow can be even more impactful than a video. Check out a very simple audio slideshow from For dementia, and this slightly more high-end one, produced for Medicines Sans Frontiers:
What equipment do I need?
Cameras
It is worth getting your hands on a Flip camera, they make capturing and editing high quality video very simple. Their size and ease of use make them perfect to give to staff in the field, or for taking on project visits. The place where a Flip camera will struggle is filming an interview in a noisy place, as it won’t pick up the audio very well. For that reason, if budget allows, we’d advise you buy a low-end video camera, making sure it can work with an external microphone.
Software
If you are using a Mac, the best software for editing video is Final Cut Pro (or the cheaper Final Cut Express), though iMovie can work for simple projects. On PCs we’d recommend Adobe Premiere.
But I’ve never made a video before…
We strongly believe that anyone is capable of producing an engaging video. The most important thing is that you are not afraid to have a go. If you do end up filming an interview, have a read of our HandsUp guide to filming interviews.
The biggest piece of advice we’d give are to keep it short and snappy (2-3 minutes max). If you want further training, there are some great tutorials on the Channel 4 website.
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