Filming a video course description at home is easy! Follow these steps to create a high-quality video from home, without needing any extra equipment.
We encourage people to record videos on their phones, because smartphones often have better cameras and more versatility than web cameras.
Prepare
Clean your lens
All smudges and fingerprints will make your video less clear
Check the record settings
For iPhone, go to Settings --> Camera --> Record video: 1080p at 30 frames per second; Formats: high efficiency
Lighting
Record in a room with plenty of natural light, during morning or midday when the lighting is best.
The light should be in front of you, not behind you. This prevents backlighting and glare, and ensures your face is visible in the footage.
We do not advise recording outside, due to possible noise interference.
Background
At minimum, make sure your background is clean, free from clutter or mess.
We suggest including some set dressings, such as Mason gear or objects and articles related to your field of study.
Set up the phone
Videos should be recorded horizontally (landscape, sometimes referred to as longways), not vertically as you would hold the phone to talk.
If you have a tripod, excellent! If not, place phone on a shelf or on furniture—somewhere steady, secure, with the phone as straight (not leaning forward or backwards) as possible.
The phone should be at or slightly higher than eye-level.
Alternatively, recruit a family member with steady hands and plenty of patience to record.
Keep it basic
Don’t use digital zoom or selfie mode. These degrade the quality of the video.
Prepare talking points, not a script: scripting can feel stilted and dry, and requires extra work on your part. Instead, we suggest writing down a few key points you want to cover, and working from that.
Offer students insights into your course that you cannot glean from a paragraph description online.
Record
Do as many takes as it takes
Remember, you only share the final, polished product. Try different variations of tone and phrasing. Speak confidently. Make sure there’s minimal background noise or visual distraction.
Keep it short
The video should be no more than 2 mins in length. Leave the details for the class description; this should be a broad view that highlights key points of class structure or class content.
Make it unique!
Remember, this is meant to show students how interesting, exciting, and valuable your course is. Give students a sample of what it will be like in your course. Don’t be afraid to get creative.
Finish
If you are comfortable and have experience, you may use iMovie or another video editing app to trim your video or splice together multiple takes. We do not recommend doing this unless you feel comfortable with the platform.
Once done, upload your video to the Dropbox, and refer to our guide on How to Promote a Class to use this video to your full advantage.
For more self-recording suggestions, this video from University of Rochester gives good tips as well.
July 20, 2020
