So you want to make a video and win our contest? Take a few minutes to review our short list of tips and tricks and read about some of the resources we list here.
General Tips and Good Ideas
- Be creative! Use titles that are unique to you and your video. Instead of including words like "Dream & Journey" in your title, use something more imaginative and characteristic of your video. This will help you stand out from the crowd and get noticed.
- Don't just sit in front of a camera and talk. We encourage you to go outside to shoot some B-roll! Make your video as interesting as possible to stand out.
- Show us who you are as much as you can. Of course, 2 minutes is not enough time for you to tell us everything but we want to get a sense of who you are and how your community has impacted or influenced you and/or your pursuits.
- Produce a high quality video, HD preferred. If you have a great story to tell but we're not able to see what's happening in your video, it won't get the attention it may deserve.
- Record the best quality sound possible. If you can't be heard or understood, we won't know how great your video is! Test the sound before you start filming and periodically throughout. You don't necessarily have to have a microphone but if you have access to one, this may help.
Audio/Music
One of the recurring problems we have with contest entries is the use of copyrighted music- do not use it. There are several sites that have free music available for your video and you should use something that not only fits your video theme but doesn't have a copyright.
- Free music and sound effects for your video from YouTube: www.youtube.com/audiolibrary
- Legal music for your video (links to many sites): creativecommons.org/legalmusicforvideos
Make sure that you have permission to use images and music in your video. If Beyoncé is your friend, make sure she signs a release allowing you to use her music.
Stock Footage
There are lots of places on the net to find low-cost and free stock footage that you can use to improve your video. If you need images that you're not able to shoot, check these out:
Stock footage can be found that covers almost any location and any genre. Look around and add some cheap (free) production value to your video.
Editing Software
Both Windows and Mac computers have free software to help you edit your video. There are also several other free and really inexpensive apps that you can download to help unleash your creativity.
- Apple iMovie — Apple iMovie
- Windows Live Movie Maker — Windows Live Movie Maker
- Open source and cross-platform video editing software, Lightworks — Lightworks
Where to Start
Totally lost and don't know where to begin? Check out these resources for learning the basics of creating great videos!
- Vimeo's excellent series, Video 101.
- Videomaker magazine has a great list of resources and lessons for beginners.