Telling Your Visual Story

Jennifer Bennett, CVA Senior Manager, Education & Training VolunteerMatch

@JenBennettCVA jbennett@volunteermatch.or g

#VMLearn - #NCVSSAVE http://www.slideshare.net/volunteermatch

What are we talking about?

• What moves you?

• Best practices for videos

• Finding resources

• Promoting and sharing your video

• What’s your story?

• What next?

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What Moves You? Let’s watch… maybe grab a kleenex SoccerSocket

http://vimeo.com/15612091

Beth’s Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtJWkMrtlvo

CASA Guardian Ad Litem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc9Ew6uHddY

Dog Adoption PSA – created by a student

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXvo7D_bSIs

Change your World – created by a VM High School Intern

http://youtu.be/i_Y-ibkBpUs

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Best practices for videos

Think about what makes a video watchable

• Short!

• About two minutes

• Don’t expect people to “schedule time” to watch

your video

• The internet is full of distractions

• Steady

• Get a tri-pod, use it. Shaky videos are hard to

watch and distracting

• Hold your scenes

• Quick cuts are hard to follow

• 15 – 20 seconds

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Best practices for videos

Know what you need

• Storyboard

• It doesn’t have to be fancy but you need to

outline your scenes

• Online tools, note cards, cartoon panels

• Sound

• If people are talking you’ll need special

equipment and sound editing

• Consider word panels or instrumentals to start

• Camera

• We have powerful cameras in our pockets!

• Point and shoots have exceptional video

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Finding Resources

What do you need help with?

• All of it! I have no idea where to start.

• Find a professional – recruit a skilled volunteer

• Reach out to journalism or visual arts classes

• Approach corporate partners

• Find other organizations (BAYVAC)

• I could just use a little support or advice

• Crowdsource or engage micro-volunteers for

feedback

• Do you have experts in your volunteer corps?

• Online how-tos and discussion groups

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• Social media

• Facebook, YouTube, twitter

• Spread the word

• Promote on your own channels

• website, newsletter, email

• Tap those community connections

• Who do you know?

• Who does your board, volunteers,

donors know?

Share your story

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• The 5 W’s

• Who, What, When, Where and (W)How

• Build your story arc

• Set up the story

• What’s the problem or conflict?

• What’s the resolution or solution

• What’s the call to action?

What’s your story?

(page 9 #VMLearn)

What moves you? Your video should reflect the values and

culture of your organization.

• Be authentic

• Stay true to your mission and your work.

• Humor is hard

•You might want to be funny, but you are not

actually that funny.

• Humor is subjective and can be insensitive.

• What matters in your organization

•What do your volunteers, donors, clients tell

you is most important about the work you do?

What are your ideas?

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Resources More Video Examples DoGooder Video Awards http://www.youtube.com/user/nonprofitvideoawards

Free Resources I’ve Used

Windows Movie Maker http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/get-

movie-maker-download

Screencast-o-matic http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/

(Free or Low Cost)

Top lists for Free Editing Downloads

Macs - WonderShare.com http://www.wondershare.com/video-editor/free-video-

editing-software-mac.html

PCs – Tech Radar http://www.techradar.com/us/news/software/applications/best-

free-video-editing-software-9-top-programs-you-should-download-1136264#null

Best Practices and Guide

Into Focus http://see3.com/intofocus

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Getting Started • Get the ideas flowing

• What’s your story? Workshop it. Creativity

works best with other brains present.

• Who else should be involved?

• What’s the voice of your organization?

• What do you sound like? What does it feel like?

• Identify the places you’ll need help or

support

•Where could that come from? Who do you

know?

• Remember there’s a learning curve

• The first one will take the longest (page 12 #VMLearn)

Getting Started

• Find the overlap between minimal and

viable

• It’s fast and cheap. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

The next one will be better.

• Don’t over think it.

• Just do it!

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Questions?

Jennifer Bennett, CVA

Senior Manager, Education & Training

VolunteerMatch

@Jen BennettCVA

jbennett@volunteermatch.org

http://www.slideshare.net/volunteermatch

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