>>Video is the most immersive form of “storytelling”
we can do. It not only features voices and music, but
also the actual faces and surroundings of the people who are important to your program. >>And while a blog can be great for conveying
your daily work, a good dynamic video is the most effective fundraising tool there is. >>Most youth programs are either going to
rely on volunteers or pro bono work from professionals to make a video. But if there is money to invest in some basic
equipment, i
t can be worthwhile depending on your goals. >>A computer and Internet is a given, I hope. A camera, too, though you can find basic camcorders
for a couple hundred dollars. And if you have a smartphone, particularly
an iPhone, you may be surprised at how good the quality is on its camera feature. >>For editing, video software is relatively
cheap these days. Both Macs and PCs have free options: iMovie
for Macs and Movie Maker for Windows. More advanced software, such as Apple Final
Cut and Adobe
Premiere, runs a couple hundred dollars. >>Even with the free options, it will take
time and training to get someone on your staff to figure this out. And if you’re looking for something more
polished, an actual professional is your best bet. You might even be able to find someone local
who will donate their effort. >>Here’s an example of how editing software
works. iMovie, the free Mac editor, arranges your
files in little drag-able boxes. You literally just put them in the proper
order, and cl
ick and drag to shorten them. >>Movie Maker, the free Windows editor, works
similarly. >>These videos were made by the Colorado Rural
Collaborative. Those are the real locations where these kids
lived while homeless. The program staff got in touch with a local
video production team who volunteered to go with them to these locations throughout Colorado
and shoot testimonials. They’ve been aired on TV stations in rural
Colorado to raise awareness of youth homelessness. >>Once you make your video,
it’s time to
get people to see it. There are a lot of options here. >>For one, you can embed or share the video
on your Facebook page. This allows people to like and/or share it. >>You can and should also post it on your
organizations website homepage, so visitors can see the work you’ve done. >>There’s also YouTube, which like blogs
is free and takes only a couple minutes to start using. Upload your videos there, and when it asks
for “tags,” use things like “Youth Work,” “Runaway and Homeless Y
outh,” or your
community name so that people can find it when searching for content on those topics. >>You can use an iTunes account to share your
videos through an RSS feed. >>And as we saw with the Colorado PSAs, television
is another distribution method for videos. That depends on your area and the stations
and your budget. But it’s there and could be powerful. >>If you are unfamiliar with these distribution
options, a number of easy introductory tools exist to help newcomers. >>iTunes and Yo
uTube will keep track of how
many times your video has been downloaded or viewed, so you can keep track of your program’s
reach and popularity. >>If your budget is particularly tight or
you like the possibility of collaborating with local partners, here are some potential
resources to look for in your community. >>Colleges and even high schools will likely
have some form of audio-visual department, including students who will be eager for field
experience. Contact those departments to see if the
y’d
be willing to work with you. Libraries may even have the resources to create
video as well, and sometimes hold classes for young people to learn the basics of film
production. >>Barring that, local filmmakers and production
companies will often donate their time to nonprofits, particularly if the goal is a
video that might be used on television or online. >>And there are even youth-serving programs
that help bring young people to film sets and teach them the ropes of filmmaking. Examples inc
lude Beyond Media, and Hawaii
Youth Television. >>As we’ve said, videos are the most immersive
form of communication. To that end, take advantage of the format. It might sound obvious, but you should shoot
video of things that look engaging, namely faces and action. If there’s an event you want to capture,
use the footage of people moving or interacting. If there’s a person you want on camera,
get them close enough that viewers can see their eyes. >>But confidentiality is a big concern here. You
r communications plan should include a
release form for anyone who appears on video, allowing you to use their image. And since video is meant for sharing, be careful
about who you put in yours. It can be affecting to have young people on
camera explaining their difficult stories, but they might not want to have those stories
in circulation when they’re older. Be careful and judicious about who goes on
video and what they share.
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