Before Shooting:

• Develop an idea: Why do you want to make a video? What is your intention? 
• Think of a hook: How will you capture your audience’s attention so that they keep watching your video? Think of something you can say or show on the camera to grab the viewer’s attention.

During Shooting:

• Make sure your device is set up to shoot vertically (portrait format).
• Do a quick sound check to ensure clear audio and sufficient sound levels.
• Limit background sounds. For example, go to a silent place. If you are outside, avoid crowded  and windy areas.

After Shooting:

• Trim Clips: Cut out any unnecessary parts.
• Adjust Speed: Increase or slow the speed of the video.
• Add Text: Give your video character by adding emojis, memes, or short text. This can help you emphasize certain parts of the film more or break up your video with sub-sections.
• Add Music: Choose music that suits the intention of your Reel.
• Add Effects: Use filters, transitions, and effects to enhance your Reel.
• Add Captions: Captions make your videos accessible to a broader audience, including those with hearing impairments. Captions also help viewers understand the content, especially if the audio is unclear or the video is muted.
• Consider translating captions: multiple languages attract a wider audience.
• Identify your production: Use relevant and engaging hashtags or descriptions to find your video easily.
• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages from your peers or broader community.

Before Shooting:

• What will you talk about? Choose what you will react to. Is it a project that you are working on? An event that happened at the school or in the media? Or is it something else? 
• How will you react? Choose the tone of your reaction. Will you try to be serious, funny, etc? 
• Prepare your space: Make sure that the background is clean and well-lit, and that background noise is minimal.
• How are you going to show what you’re reacting to? If it’s online, you can share your screen or use video capture software like Loom. If you’re reacting to something that’s physically in front of you, consider taking a photo or video of it, or if shooting with a phone, use the cameras on the front and back of your phone.

During Shooting:

• Zoom in or Zoom out? Think about using filming angles that suit your original purpose or goal. A close-up shows the details of a document or situation. A wide shot shows an overall view.
• Be Authentic: Say what you really think respectfully. 
• Be concise: Keep your videos short and to the point. You should pick one topic; only talk about one thing at a time.

After Shooting

• Trim Clips: Cut out any unnecessary parts.
• Adjust Speed: Increase or slow the speed of the video.
• Add Text: Give your video character by adding emojis, memes, or short text. This can help you emphasize certain parts of the film more or break up your video with sub-sections.
• Add Music: Choose music that suits the intention of your Reel.
• Add Effects: Use filters, transitions, and effects to enhance your Reel.
• Add Captions: Captions make your videos accessible to a broader audience, including those with hearing impairments. Captions also help viewers understand the content, especially if the audio is unclear or the video is muted.
• Consider translating captions: multiple languages attract a wider audience.
• Identify your production: Use relevant and engaging hashtags or descriptions to find your video easily.
• Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments and messages from your peers or broader community.

Before Shooting:

• Define your objectives: What is the purpose of your video? Do you want to inform, entertain or persuade your audience? 
• Write a script: A script will help you stay on track and communicate a clear message.
• Create a storyboard:  Planning your video step-by-step ensures you don’t forget anything during filming! Remember to plan all the shots, transitions, music and text you hope to use. Need a template? Look here!
• Prepare your filming schedule
  • Choose the order in which you will shoot your scenes
  • For each scene, plan all the necessary equipment (location, lighting, microphone, accessories, etc.)
  • Decide whether you want to record the voices at the same time as the images or separately.

During Shooting:

• As you shoot each scene, check the following:
  • Just before recording:
    • Costume, hair, makeup: Are the people on screen dressed appropriately for filming?
    • Accessories: Are all the necessary accessories and props ready?
    • What if there is a green screen? Make sure it covers the entire background and that the people and objects being filmed don’t wear green: We don’t want them to disappear in the video!
  • Sound
    • Do some sound tests. Can you hear people speaking? Do you need a microphone? Is it on?
  • Image
    • Lighting: Is the lighting sufficient?
    • Camera: 
      • Use a tripod to have a stable image
      • Refer to your storyboard to properly frame your image.
    • Action: Inform people near you that you are filming. Everyone in the background should remain silent. 

After Shooting:

Editing

• Clean up the footage! Download and watch everything you’ve shot, then make choices. For each section, ask yourself: Is this shot good? Should we keep it in reserve or should we discard it?
• Make a preliminary draft: Consult your storyboard and place the shots in the correct order.
• Prepare the final version:
  • Add transitions and effects: Use transitions to connect different shots smoothly and add effects to enhance your video.
  • Add text and graphics: Use text overlays to provide additional information or highlight key points.
  • Add music: Choose background music that complements the mood of your video.
• Publish your video:
  • Who do you want to share it with? Choose how you want to distribute your video (Google Classroom, TEAMS, email, class presentation, etc.).
  • In what format? Export your creation in a format accepted by the platform you have chosen (often in MP4 or MOV).
  • Present and celebrate! Plan to watch it in class, with your friends or family. 

Before Shooting:

• Form a team and determine your roles: Stop-motion is a lot easier to make as a team! Form a team of 2-3 people and together decide who will be the photographer and who will move the characters and elements.
• Develop your concept: What story are you burning to tell? Create a simple storyboard breaking down complex movements into tiny, incremental steps.
• Choose your medium and animation materials:  Will clay figures dance across your scene, or will Lego figures tell your tale? Pick 2D material (playdough, paper, pieces of wool, leaves, flowers) or 3D materials (blocks, figurines, your hands) that match your creative vision.
• Background elements : Will your animation be filmed in a natural environment (classroom, park, woods) or in front of a green screen (made of cardboard or fabric)?  
• Gather materials: Ensure you have a device with a camera, a stable surface or a tripod, good lighting, and all of your animation materials. Pro tip: Clear tape or string can also be helpful.

During Shooting:

• Set up your space: Create a dedicated animation area with consistent lighting and minimal background movement. Ensure this area will be left undisturbed for the entire filming process.  (We don’t want our LEGO heroes falling off the table!) .
• Check the contrast: Make sure there’s enough contrast between your characters and objects with the green screen so they remain clearly visible in your final production. Pro Tip: The lighting can change throughout the day. Close the windows and use artificial lighting to reduce moving shadows!
• Verify the contrast: Make sure the characters and objects are a different colour than the background, especially if you are using a green screen!. This will ensure you can see them in your final project.
• Take a lot of photos, carefully: For every second of film, take around 12 to 24  photos. For each photo: 1) Move the objects or characters in small incremental steps. Be precise!  2) Take all of the photos from the same angle.
  Pro tip: Take the time to ensure there are no hands in the photo . . . unless you want them there on purpose!

After Shooting:

• Adjust the frequency of the images: Select a set number of frames (pictures) per second. 12 images per second will give you a more classic, choppy look while 24 images per second will give you a more professional look with smoother motion. 
• Add audio and visual elements: Add a title and conclusion to your video. Use narration to explain your story or process, and then enrich your animation with music and sound effects to create a special ambiance. By ambiance, we mean the emotional climate that you want your viewers to feel or experience.  
• Replace green screen: If you used a green screen, use editing software to remove the background from your video. Then, replace it with desired image(s) or video clip(s).
• Export and share: Export your video in an accessible file format (eg, mp4). Give the file a name and description, then share it with others.