Video

Overview  |  Recommended Software  |  Design Tips  |  Examples  |  Stock Video Databases  |  Instructional Videos YouTube Playlist  |  Equipment Available at UW-Madison

A video is a time-based recording of both the visual and audible components into a single medium. This page focuses mostly on the visual components of videos (see the Audio resources page for specifics about audio).

There are many different kinds of videos that you can create. Below you can find some examples of the common video projects that we work with and a short description:

• Video Blogs or “vlogs” are a form of online journaling that has become popular. These videos are usually simple, lightly-edited, and often use a single camera. The vlogger typically sits in front of and speaks directly to the camera and the audience. Vlogs are posted mostly on YouTube and Facebook, some on Vimeo and other sites, and are generally used as a medium to elicit viewer interaction via comments. Popular video bloggers often monetize their videos/channels in order to make money.
• Video Essays take a writing assignment and add to it by introducing audio and visual components. Much like written essays, video essays are often structured with an outline and present research or craft an argument. This style of video is commonly compared to a short video documentary style, but the goals of a video essay and a video documentary can differ significantly.
• Video Documentaries are non-fiction videos that document an event and/or inform viewers about a subject matter. Motion picture length documentaries are often a genre used to persuade viewers to take action or make change. Some consider these to be the “long form” of video essays, however, we consider documentaries to be their own category.
• Video Slideshows are made up of a collection of images that typically are accompanied by a music or a soundtrack. Some recorded voice may be present in video slideshows, but it is not necessary.
  • Slideshow Voiceover Videos are typically presentations (PowerPoint, Google Slides, Keynote) with a pre-recorded audio track and timed slides, rather than a live presentation. This genre of video is commonly used for giving presentations and lectures in online courses. We recommend visiting the Presentations page for more about how to design a pre-recorded slideshow.
• Instructional Videos are videos that take a concept or idea and explain it in video form. They can be as simple as a recorded lecture or slideshow voiceover, to as complicated as an animated video.
• Narrative Videos are comparable to a motion picture film, in that they are often fictional and tell stories. They typically include monologue/dialogue, music, and sound effects. They differ from animations by using real people and places.
• Animation Videos are when images or objects are manipulated in a video to appear as though they are moving. Cartoons and stop-motion are two forms of animation. The former typically consists of a series of hand-drawn or digitally created images, whereas the later is the manipulation of objects using short single frames. Animation videos can be fiction (narrative) or non-fiction (video essay or documentary).

Video Design Tip:
There are a lot of things that make up the video planning, recording, and editing processes. It is easy to jump in and get started, but then make mistakes early on that make more work for you in the long run. Get some recommendations for your video by meeting with one of our DesignLab consultants early on in the process, before you record, so you can save yourself time later!

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When shooting effective videos, there are 6 key design elements that you should consider. These elements are orientation, focus, shot scale, composition, lighting, and white balance. In this section, we will provide tips in shooting more professional-looking videos.

1. Orientation – Shoot your videos with the right orientation for the platform. Making sure you orient your frame properly ensures that the elements in your frame during your shoot are also the same elements in your final output without need for cropping or having black bars on the outside of your video.

• Vertical Orientation If your video is going to viewed on social media (Tik Tok, Instagram, etc.) it may need to be oriented vertically (left frame below).
• Horizontal Orientation If your video will be viewed on a computer screen or TV (like YouTube or Vimeo), you should orient your shot horizontally (right frame below).

2. Focus – Your video should be clear and crisp.

• Your subject should not be blurry. Use your camera’s built in capabilities to focus on the subject when filming. When working with a person as your subject of focus, aim your focus as the subject’s eyes. You cannot sharpen a blurry video after the fact, but you can always make it blurry later when editing. Nowadays, most cameras have an auto-focus feature. If you’re struggling to get your camera to auto-focus, consider moving the object you are filming closer or further away from the camera. You may also need to turn off auto-focus and manually adjust your camera settings.
• Avoid unnecessary and distracting visual information. You can guide your viewer’s attention to the elements you want to emphasize on your video by placing the focus solely on the subject and making the excess information blurry. As you can see below, the left shot has the focus on the figurine of the man with glasses and the background is out of focus, while the right shot has a focus on the Darth Vader figurine.

3. Shot Scale – Your subject should not be too close or too far from the camera.

• Long Shot – Full shot of the subject (head to toe). Good for showing in b-roll and showing full body movement but not ideal for most footage. A long shot does allow for a lot more background information around the subject (left image below).
• Medium Shot – This is the standard shot scale, in which the subject is seen from the waist up. Commonly seen in television interviews and on newscasts. This shot puts the subject as the largest part of the frame and eliminates excess background information (right image below).

4. Composition – Use the rule of thirds to orient your subject in the frame. The rule of thirds is an imaginary 3 x 3 grid in your frame (see image below for grid lines). When you have a subject interacting with an environment, you can use the rule of thirds to help you place the subject and balance the space.

• Top to Bottom – The subject’s eyes are best located near the top line 1/3 of the frame, near or just above the line (as demonstrated below).
• Left to Right – If the subject is looking directly at the camera and the background is not important to the shot, it is best to center them in the middle of the frame. However, if you want to capture some of the background, you can put the subject to the left or right 1/3 of the frame, centering them along one of the grid lines. When not centered, it is best to have the subject at a slight angle facing away from the edge of the frame (as demonstrated below).

5. Lighting – Make sure your subject is well lit. Since your subject’s face is the most important communication tool, you want to be sure that their face is well lit (left image below). Filming the subject in front of a bright window, for example, will cast the subject in shadow and prevent the viewer from seeing them properly. Don’t have professional lights? Use house lamps or desk lights!

When you shoot indoors, try to establish a 3-point lighting setup.

• Key Light – The major and strongest lighting. Positioned to one side of the subject.
• Fill Light – The secondary lighting on the other side of the subject that is softer than the key light. This light source is meant to cancel out all shadows that have been created by the key light.
• Back Light – This light is located opposite the fill light behind the subject. Back light gives definition to the subject and gives a three-dimensional feeling, keeping the subject from blending in with the background.

6. White Balance – You want your footage to look natural, where colors come across true. White balance removes artificial color casts in your image so that it looks natural and accurate to the setting. It’s best to aim for a neutral color temperature (as in the center picture below) where whites are “true white.” That is, the image matches the color that you perceive with your eyes in the specific location where you are shooting. You can use a white piece of paper to test your white balance before you’re shooting. If you want to go cooler or warmer color temperature, you’re better off doing this in the editing process in case you change your mind later on.

Below are a few DesignLab recommended stock video databases:

Coverr – A collection of stock videos designed primarily as cover videos for websites. All Videos published on this site can be used for free both for commercial and noncommercial purposes. You do not need to ask permission from or provide credit to the Videographer or Coverr.co, although it is appreciated when possible.

Moving Picture Archive – This library contains digital movies uploaded by Archive users which range from classic full-length films, to daily alternative news broadcasts, to cartoons and concerts. Many of these videos are available for free download. *Be sure to check for licensing!

Pexels Video – This site provides high quality and completely free stock videos licensed under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license. This means you can edit or change the videos and use them free for personal and even for commercial projects. All without asking for permission and attribution is not required.

Videezy – This site allows you to share and download Free HD Stock Videos, b-roll, backgrounds, and other cool free video footage. All the videos are free to download and, depending on the license, free to use in your projects.

Videvo – This site offers completely free stock video footage and motion graphics for use in any project. Everything on Videvo is free to use for commercial or non-commercial usage.

Vidsplay –  This is a collection of completely free stock footage. You are granted non-exclusive rights to use and download our video material without the need to pay royalties for each use.

Vimeo Free HD Stock – This is a group of videos designed by a user. All clips found in this group are given away for free use in your projects. *The free nature of these videos does not apply to other Vimeo content.