Video Instructions

Your video is DUE: February 1, 2010! START NOW!

 

Submitting a New Video to the Arts Guide

Whether you are new to the Arts Guide, or want to update your current video, it is important for you to read through the video instructions . Our goal is to get a great video for EVERY group. It is your group's responsibility to make sure you are represented in the Guide!

We expect groups to submit videos that represent the essence of their group, with the highest quality video as possible. This may mean spending a weekend with your group on your group's video.

To help ease this process, and also assist in developing good records and media for your group, we encourage you to keep thorough documentation, both photographs and video, of all performances and events, STARTING NOW!

 

Technical Details: What We Need From You

• Video Content: Please include your group's name and website URL in your video if possible. Do NOT put any content that will expire (i.e. only put general information that will stay the same from year to year. For example, put the group name, but don't put the name of your group's president! If you are going to tailor your video to the incoming Freshmen class, then be aware that we will ask you to make a new video the next year, as we can't re-use your video if the content has expired!)
• Font Size: If you are placing text in your video, it must be 25 pt. or larger! Do NOT put large blocks of paragraph text in your video! Text should only be used for subtitles, titles, or major catch phrases in your video.
  
• Video Length: 1 minute MAXIMUM.
• Video Format: Quicktime (.mov) is preferred. (.avi, .dv, and miniDV tape are all OK if you can't convert to Quicktime)
• Video Size: 640 x 480 pixels ratio (standard video -- NO widescreen!!!)
• Audio Settings: 16 bit (stereo or mono)
• Export Quality: good or best, 24 frames per second
• File Size: file size can be anywhere between 5 MB and 1.5 GB, but you have to figure out how to get your file to us! Burning to a CD-R is most reliable, or burning to a DVD-R. If your file is small (>15 MB) then you can try to email it to us. External harddrives are also accepted, and we will make sure to return them to you as long as you provide contact information. DV Tape is also OK, but is not preferred. We would rather have a digital file in Quicktime format.

 

Turning in your Video

Turn in your video to artsguide@stanford.edu or to the SiCa Office:

Wallenberg Hall, Bldg 160
Drop box on the second floor landing area
(650) 924-0146

 

Notice on Copyrighted Material

In order to print and distribute the Arts Guide CD, we must declare that we have the rights and permissions to use all the material in the Guide. This means that you need to agree that you have the rights to the visuals, the music and the audio that you use for your group's video-- by sending us your information, you are agreeing that you have all the neccessary rights!

If you are in need of music for your video, you may use music tracks from the Stanford Soundtrack CDs. You can listen and download the tracks online at Stanford iTunes (itunes.stanford.edu). Please notify the artist of the track before using. (For artist contact information, please visit http://soca.stanford.edu and contact the Soundtrack Coordinator.)

 

Helpful Tips for Video Production

The Arts Guide is here to help you make the best video possible for your group. Please use our resources and other campus resources to update your video!

10 Helpful tips for making your group's video presentation a success:

• Don't use your camera's built-in microphone. Use a wired or wireless microphone.
• Videotape in a quiet area without AC, fans or other loud devices such as fridges.
• Compose your shoots "well" and consistently.
• Use lighting beyond available light to expose your subject well.
• Videotape your subject with a neutral, complementary, or non-distracting background
• Don't ask your subject questions. Prompt your subject with statements such as "tell us about..." or "explain x..." That way your subject will include the prompt in their response.
• Allow a pause after your prompt and after your subject's response to make audio editing easier later.
• Create any text in graphic treatments such as lower third subject titles using san-serif fonts of 25 point or higher.
• Remember to record ambiance -- sound of the room with everything and everyone in place without talking. You can use this to edit around any responses you want to shorten with a cutaway.
• Keep it rolling. Don't stop tape in between prompts. You will be surprised what you could miss.

 

Examples: The Arts Guide Team's Top Pick Videos

Click on the link to watch each group's video.

• Stanford Taiko (an example of a really good video about a performance group. See how they portray the excitement of Taiko and the essence of their group's performance through a video of their performance?)
• Stanford Spoken Word Collective (another really good example of how to capture the essence of a group's performance, activities, and community.)
• KZSU (great use of creativity, comedy, and a situation without words to represent the character of a group.)
• LSJUMB (what can you say? humor, good editing, good footage, classic theme song of the band.)
• Dance Marathon (again-- this group captures the essence of the Dance Marathon experience, from start to finish and all that's involved)
• Everyday People (great production quality and fun-- capturing the recording and performing and rehearsing experience of the a cappella group)
• Stanford Ballroom Dance Team (really clear and concise, with great visuals and audio. Explains the group really well)

 

Other Links and Resources

Where do I get a video camera?

Meyer Library has a program to loan out cameras, and you can edit on the computers there-- they have a multi-media/video computer lab.

How do I make a video from a PowerPoint Slideshow?

Using a newer Macintosh that has PowerPoint, you can export directly to Quicktime movie format. Unfortunately this loses a lot of the transitions, and timing is strange. I suggest instead of using PowerPoint, if you just want to make a slideshow with music or a voice over track, just import your photos into iMovie, make a slideshow there, create your transitions, add your audio and then export to .mov format. That gives you more control over the way your slideshow feels-- and will make it seem more like a movie.

If you need more help, try contacting the Stanford Film Society, or email their list at sfs@lists.stanford.edu to reach the film community at Stanford.