Video Checklist

Preproduction

  • Write script and have it approved.
  • Make sure shoot locations are available and reserved
  • Have available equipment capable of accomplishing your anticipated vision.
  • Make a plan for recording sound.
  • Schedule any talent (actors) being used in the video.
  • Make a plan for video output.
  • Determine desired camera settings before shooting (resolution, frame rate, etc.).

Production

  • Bring all necessary gear to the shoot.
  • Set white balance.
  • Make sure camera settings are correct.
  • Make sure tripod is level.
  • Use headphones when recording audio.
  • Shoot establishing shots.
  • Get shots of the environment (coverage, B-roll) to make editing easier.
  • Get wide, medium and close-up shots of on-camera talent delivering his or her lines.
  • Make shots as stable as possible.
  • Don’t zoom during shots.
  • Keep the subject of each shot in sharp focus.

Post-production

  • Add UNT intro and outro graphics.
  • Keep footage organized and together.
  • Watch for flash frames (black frames caused by gaps between clips).
  • Make sure audio levels are consistent.
  • Use only essential footage/audio in the final piece (to avoid videos that drag).
  • Make sure any titles included are appropriate and look professional.
  • Avoid typefaces: Comic Sans, Papyrus, Chiller, Curlz, etc.
  • Use the standard UNT typeface for video titles, Helvetica Neue/
  • Make sure you adhere to standard export settings.
  • Set H.264 codec, 1920X1080, 30p or 24p, at least 20mbps (bitrate).
  • Set audio at 44.1kHz or 48kHz (usually set correctly by default).

YouTube

  • Include relevant video title.
  • Include relevant description.
  • Include relevant video tags and include UNT-related tags as well (i.e. eagles, mean green, unt, north texas, university, etc.)
  • Set the category as “Education.”
  • When upload is complete, change the video settings so comments are allowed “by approval only.”