Creating a technology video is a great way to promote a technology, particularly when “seeing” is more powerful than “reading.” In this three part series, I will discuss two sets of tips (general and technical) and lessons learned (many through personal trial and error!) that may be helpful in creating your own effective technology video.
Project Tips
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Prepare 2-3 questions prior to your interview. Don’t forget a question about the tech transfer office and their contribution(s). Often, you will get much more than you need from just a few questions. Keep an eye on how “technical” or jargon-filled the language of the interviewee is – if necessary let them know they are speaking to a broader, more general audience. Be sure they talk about the technology’s benefits over existing technology/practices and about the future potential or development path of the technology.
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Scheduling can be a challenge as faculty and students are very busy people! Suggest a place where the technology can be used in a more visually interesting location. Conduct the interview in a quiet place where they can sit and speak; this practice will provide the best audio for voiceover as well as video clips for transitions. Don’t forget to take a look at the background and be sure the interviewee doesn’t blend in to it or that there aren’t any distracting elements.
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Once you’ve edited the video into small sections, write a short voiceover script to help introduce the video and tie together these sections. Sections should be brief and should introduce the technical field, highlight a specific benefit of the technology, demonstrate how it is an improvement from earlier technology, and explain the OTT’s involvement and/or the future of the technology.
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Music and stock photography can really help tie a video together, make it more interesting, and create a more professional end product. A word of caution however, adding these types of media to your video can create legal problems if not done correctly. One easy solution is to utilize Creative Commons (http://www.creativecommons.org) as they are a great source for cheap and free works. Don’t forget the photo/video office on your campus – they can be a great resource! Also, be sure to credit any images, video clips, music, etc. as appropriate. If you’re not sure, add the credit. It can’t hurt.
Stay tuned next week for our next segment on technology videos where we will delve into the more technical aspects.
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– Jordan Mills
Jordan a student employee in the office and a Film Studies major with a concentration in Film and Media Management and is expected to graduate in May 2014.