Video Resources Guide

Let’s make a video! Great minds think alike.

Video can be a great tool to get your message out and add value to your communications mix. So, let’s get started.

Step 1: If your department or division has a communication or marketing person, work with them. See the list of campus communicators.

Step 2: Know your audience. Put their wants, needs and interests first when crafting your message and determining your vehicles. Will video reach them and reach them in a way that meets your goals?

Step 3: Make a plan. Develop objectives with a timeline to help decide tactics. Sometimes that includes video; sometimes it does not.

Step 4: Give as much lead time as possible. Make requests well in advance of your deadline. Consider the workload and schedules of those you are working with.

While the Division of Strategic Communications includes video and creative media production capabilities, we may not always be able to accommodate requests from our campus partners. In those cases, the following resources should provide the assistance you need.

Options for on-campus video support:

The Center for Public Television at UA’s Digital Media Center offers video production services. Contact Gray Lloyd.
Panopto is an audio and video capture tool in many classrooms and lecture spaces.
The Center for Instructional Technology team can help with captioning for accessibility purposes.

Want to capture quick footage for your story?

Here are a few best practices for capturing low-resolution video.

Video Capturing Tips (iPhone & Android)

Focus: Make sure the subject is in focus. Do this by tapping the screen with your finger, or by holding your hand in front of the camera. The camera should auto-adjust to your hand, then the subject after you move your hand from the shot.

Exposure: Check exposure. Make sure the subject in the shot isn’t too bright or too dark. Most cameras adjust to this automatically. Avoid shaded areas because the camera won’t separate your foreground and background.

Stabilization: Place your phone on a tripod or gimbal to reduce shakiness. If neither is an option, focus on your subject and keep the camera in the same spot. A little shake is not the end of the world.

Audio: Cameras have internal microphones, but it’s essential to test this before filming. Conduct a test record and count to five. If you can clearly hear yourself, then you are all set. Avoid loud areas! Examples: Traffic or construction sites.

File Size: Quality can drop based on the file size. Keep videos to 15-20 seconds. For example, if it’s an interview, stop recording between each question. A pause in recording will ensure video keeps its quality when transferring.

Shot Selection: The key to a dynamic video is having a variety of shots. Do not record one long continuous shot. Break up the video by using an establishing wide shot, some medium range shots and a few tight shots of the subject. A good rule of thumb is to have at least ten different video clips.

Video Editing

There are many apps for video editing available on mobile app marketplaces.

UA faculty, staff and students can access Adobe Creative Cloud, which offers easy-to-learn and easy-to-use video editing software, including Premiere Rush and Adobe Express. TIP: The Adobe license includes access to instructional videos and other training materials.

Stock Video

The UA brand portal offers campus drone video, video end graphics and campus stock video, as well as stock images.

UA’s Adobe license also includes access to most Adobe Stock content, which includes thousands of stock images and stock video footage.