So you have just been tasked with making an online video or you have decided that now is the time to embrace the fact that most social media platforms favour video . . . . . what now?
I was delighted and quite frankly rather surprised to be invited to be a facilitator on the awesome #BYOD4L, that is Bring Your Own Device for Learning event. This is an online open learning event for students and teachers, I was invited by @alexgspiers. Alongside Alex I joined the fantastic facilitators team of: @sheilmcn, @debbaff and @neilwithnell. Our first task was to make and post a video introducing ourselves and promoting the #BYOD4L event. This was something I hadn’t done before, eek!
Let me share my experience with you, it might just save you 6 hrs!
- If you are using your phone with the screen facing you, cover the screen. I found it quite off putting looking at myself and seeing the timer as I was speaking. A tissue works well 🙂
- Have a few prompts of the main points that you want to cover in your video at eye level, this saves you looking down and makes you look like a pro :). Disclaimer: I had many notes as I have a terrible memory, so er . . . . I didn’t look like a pro.
- Make sure your video is landscape, after take 23 (no, not even joking!) I sent my video to @alexgspiers for feedback before posting it online. Alex dropped the bombshell that it would have been better if the video had been landscape so that there’s not a lot of dead space above my head. Why did I not think of that 😦 ?
- Do NOT underestimate how long this might take you to record your video! I literally started in daylight and finished in the dark, clearly i’m not a natural! You will probably be much more efficient and talented than me!
- Don’t give up! I succeeded after 51 takes . . . you think i’m joking? See proof below 😉
- Try to speak slowly and clearly, being Scottish I naturally speak quite fast. we are a nation who speak really quite quickly!
- Feel the fear and do it anyway. If I can do it, you can too!
If you can . . . .try and watch the video to the end! This is my no means a perfect example, far from it. However, it met the requirements of introducing myself and the event!
Shortest video attempt here is 8 seconds, the longest 3:04
In case you are wondering why I didn’t just edit a video a. I didn’t know how and I didn’t have time to learn and b. I wanted it to flow.
Awww suz I just love the way you write your blog posts 🤗 your end product was really REALLY just great … and the fact that you are so willing to be vulnerable and honest and share your journey in a brilliantly engaging way makes you such a fabulous team member and I’m sure also makes you a great teacher 🤓
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Awwww thank you Debs, you really are too kind. Knowing I had the support of you and the rest of the #BYOD4L team gave me the motivation to keep going! Thanks for having me along for the ride….. it was a blast! Watching the excellent videos you and the rest of the team had made was both helpful and terrifying. The videos you all had produced were to such a high standard! I meant to put that comment in the blog 🤪!
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