The purpose of this project is threefold.  First, you need to acquire certain skill sets to present your project properly in this class. Since we are using videos, your goal is to acquire the tools and basic knowledge in order to accomplish this.  Second, this type of communication is becoming the basis of business communication.  Your ability to present online is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.  Skill sets like this are for EVERYBODY to learn, regardless of major.  Finally, given the current global health crisis and resulting economic slowdown, it is absolutely imperative that you have these skill sets in order to GET A JOB.. Gaining skill sets in this area is absolutely CRUCIAL.  You need to be able to TELL YOUR STORY.

1. Create a video that you would be willing to share in a professional context (i.e., job search).  I am calling this a "cover letter" video.

2. The video needs to include at least one title and at least one inserted image.

3. The video cannot be over 2 minutes in length.

4. The video needs to be uploaded to YouTube.

Composing your "Cover Letter" Video

1. The objective of the video is to briefly introduce yourself via video by concentrating on a few stories about your life that relate to your ability to do a job well. (DON'T RECITE)

2. Make it brief. No more than 2 minutes.

3. Remember that employers are looking for professional characteristics -- "problem solving," "strong work ethic," "consensus making," "collaboration," "out of your comfort zone" -- that reveal your personal VALUE PROPOSITION. 

4. Once you select your professional characteristic, then introduce your story that demonstrates that trait.

5. The stories could come from an internship/job, a student club, a sports team, a family crisis, or a class project.

6. Don't read from a script. Use an outline with bullets. Treat it like a conversation.

Shooting Your Video

1.  Use your smartphone camera

2.  Check your lighting.  Make sure you minimize shadows on your face.

3. Dress professionally.

4. Neutral background.

5. Use a Tripod or something you can prop your phone on.  No Selfie sticks.

6. Speak clearly and a little louder than normal. You can always reduce your gain.

7. Do a test run before you commit to shooting your whole video.

8. Keep your outline taped to an object (wall, etc)  right behind your camera.

9.  TALK TO THE CAMERA!!

10. If you mess up (and you will), then pause, count to five, and then resume where you left off.  YOU DON'T NEED TO START OVER!  You can fix it in editing.

11.  When starting and ending your video count (to yourself to five and then start talking.  You need that space, and you can edit it out later. YOU MUST START YOUR VIDEO BY LOOKING AT YOUR CAMERA.

12. Be emotive when talking. No monologues.  Remember that you are pitching!

13.  No longer than 2 minutes.  That means your total word count needs to be between 150 and 300 words, which is not a lot.

14.  Shoot your video horizontally -- not vertically.

15.  No narrated PowerPoint presentations.

Editing Your Video

1. Use iMovie if you have a Mac.  If you have a PC, DON'T USE WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER.  You may use an editing package that you have used in the past.  If you have a PC and do not have a package, then use: www.clipchamp.com 

2. For this discussion, I will be referring to Clipchamp.  The format here is pretty similar to iMovie.

3. Start a new project with the 16:9 ratio.  (It looks like a long rectangle.) This is now the standard YouTube video size that works well on a smartphone.

4. Next, you will need to import your video from your smartphone to your computer.  Using the "Add Media" button, add that video to your available media.

5. Now focus on editing your footage.  Using the "clipping feature" (it has the scissors icon), cut out what you don't want.  It is that simple.  Make certain that you are comfortable with the footage.

6. Main rule with multiple track timelines.  If the Image is higher on the timeline, it is the one that will appear.

This is how ClipChamp currently looks through Microsoft. 

7. Adding on-screen text.  Select a title from the button labeled "Text."  Text provides you with a lot of overlay options -- you can put your words on top of your video. Text has a few opening title sequences.  

8. It also has a lot of other text overlays, like "subtitles" that are useful for your video.  For instance, in the example below, I used "subtitle" to add to my name.  These "Text bars" are extendable.  You simply grab the sides and extend them.

A Clever Way to Insert Slides into a Video

1. You can easily save PowerPoint Slides as JPEGS and PNG images that you can add to your timeline.  Create these slides in sequence, like below, and then you can easily sync them with your video dialogue.

2. In prepping your slides, start with your finished slide first and then subtract elements.  Here is an example:

3. Now save the slides in the JPEG or PNG file format, which is an option on PowerPoint.

4. Import the slides to your editing software.

5. Now drag the slides into the timeline. Sync them with your narrative. 

Getting Your Video on Youtube!

6. Now go to YouTube and log in.  If you have Gmail, then you have YouTube. 

7. Click on the "Create Video" icon in the right-hand corner of the screen.  Then select "Upload Video" from the drop-down menu.

8. Go to the upload page and just follow the instructions.

9. Presto - chango! 

You Have Now Uploaded your Video to YouTube! You are published!