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Beyond PowerPoint: Tips to Level Up Your Videos

This guide brings together information for beginning video production using Adobe products and more. This is supplemental information for a session delivered on 8/14/23 during PDD.

Script & Storyboard Guidance

5 Scriptwriting Tips 

  1. Use clear, informal language. Write for learners with English as their second language (plain English) and use an informal, friendly tone. 

  1. Keep it short. Keep your script under 700 words (< 5 mins) to maintain learner engagement. 

  1. Create a clear structure. Open with a fun fact, question or scenario to grab attention. Set up expectations, discuss the topic, and finish with a summary. 

  1. Read your script out loud to check that it is engaging, conveys your core message, and flows naturally. This is also the best way to spot repetition and awkward wording! 

  1. Practice presenting a few times before filming to get comfortable with delivery. 

5 Storyboarding Tips

  1. Be mindful of the space where closed captions are generally located. Avoid placing relevant information in this area. 

  2. If using text be sure to allow enough time for it to be read by your viewer. 

  3. Use stock video in groups of 2-5 clips of 4-5 seconds each, unless there is something specific being demonstrated that takes longer. 

  4. Only use an image if a video clip is not available and it is essential to illustrate a point. 

  5. Avoid complex, text-heavy graphics as they’re not accessible in video format. 

Attribution 
“How to Create Video for Online Courses” by University of Edinburgh is licensed under CC BY-NA 4.0  

General Style Guidelins

Visual Style Tips

  1. Be thoughtful with the choices you make regarding the visual elements of your video. You want all pieces - style, color, music, videos, animations - to work in harmony with each other
  2. Aim for consistency - for colors and fonts stay within two or three choices. For images, keep the style consistent when considering weight, detail, abstraction, etc.
  3. Consider modern user experience - most people watch videos on their phones and those screens are small
    • High-contrast : white backgrounds
    • Clean icons
    • Monochrome or complementary color palette 
  4. Be aware of usability issues with red/green colors

Adobe Color Wheel can help you decide on an attractive color palette and also has tools to check for contrast and accessibility

Attribution

Arave, Gary. "Mise en Place : The Secret Recipe for Instructional Videos."  TREAT Yourself: Revitalizing Your Teaching, Research, Engagement,     Advocacy, and Teamwork, LOEX, 12 May 2023, Hilton Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA. Breakout Session.