FR> You do not have to be a professional filmmaker to make a good video for your crowdfunding campaign. With crowdfunding, success is more about enthusiasm than perfection. Here are a few tips on how to make a great video for your Sponsume page.

TELL THEM what you are doing

Don't assume people already know what your campaign is and what you're all about. In your video pitch be sure to address the 5 Ws: who are you? What are you raising money for? Where will the campaign take place? When do you expect to be finished? And of course -- why should your audience care?

Keep your pitch under 5 minutes so you can retain your audience’s attention (1-2 mn is usually enough). Most internet users have the attention span of a gnat.

You may want to speak directly at your audience. It makes your appeal feel more personal and gives a face to your campaign.

BE HUMAN

Have a conversation with camera (add a wig to your camera if it helps). Engage: tell the lens who you are, why you’re doing what you’re doing. Show your passion.

People care most about the human side of things. Tell the story behind your project!

WHAT KIND OF CAMERA?

Most Mac computers’ integrated cameras are fine for achieving what you need (Photobooth). However if you have a PC, consider using an external digital camera.

Do you know someone who owns a DSLR camera (stands for Digital Single Lens Reflex)? If you do, ask them for help. DSLR lenses generally give terrific results.

SOUND. 1, 2, 3 can you hear me? Good audio is essential.

Do you have a microphone that you can plug into your computer? If you do, time to use it!

Take a few seconds to listen to what is going on around you: can you hear any background noises (traffic, neighbour’s music, fridge)? Background noises can really ruin the feel of your video. So take your video (or any audio recording) in a quiet space and try to eliminate white noise and static by using your video editor. Try to get some distance or turn off all noisy equipment while you’re recording.

LIGHT

Cameras work better with LOTS of light. Just give your camera what she needs - this won’t necessarily make your video brighter, but it’s likely to make it much crisper and more polished.

Set up a few extra lamps around you. Don’t record your video at night. Try and get some natural light and bear in mind mirrors help by reflecting ambient light.

SHOOTING YOURSELF (with a camera…)

Write a brief outline with a few bullet points. Make sure to get people's attention from the very beginning of your video – the first 15 seconds are crucial! (see point about gnats earlier)

Press the “record” button. Wait a few seconds before starting your pitch - this will make editing much easier. 3, 2, 1 Pitch!

When you’re done with the first take, decide what you liked about what you just said. Do it again. And again.

If the process gets a bit frustrating, take a deep breath, look at the camera, and start again. You will probably be getting more comfortable in front of the camera with every take. Alternatively, time to practice that meditation routine you learned... and get back to your video later.

EDITING. There is a gem in there! Release it.

For editing, Windows Movie Maker (PC) and iMovie (Mac) both work fine for this.

You’ve got a rough diamond. Honestly... Time to polish it! Find and extract the clear lines, fun and emotions that are present in your draft version.

Put yourself in the shoes of a potential backer and make sure your intro makes viewers ask for more.

More info for PC and Mac owners.

SAVE IT! And then upload it…

Upload to Vimeo (better pic quality) or YouTube (more traffic) (follow instructions on their sites).

That’s it, you’re now ready to build your crowdfunding page! Read next: our short guide to your crowdfunding campaign.

AND FINALLY

Please DO NOT use material that belongs to others (pictures, photos, music, logos, etc.) unless the owners explicitly authorise you to do so.

More info:

Tips on Vimeo see in particular “Shooting basics” and “Editing basics”.