Do you need to make a video?

Yes, ABSOLUTELY. Why? Because without a video, projects are much more likely to fail.
Your video makes the connection between you and your audience. What’s the recipe for that? Well don’t hesitate to shoot and reshoot until you’re satisfied. The more you practice, the more at ease you’ll feel in front of the camera.
If you lack confidence, don’t panic! Few of us feel comfortable in front of a camera. Most of us even look more like Shrek (or his wife) than Brad Pitt (or his wife). No need to be perfect. Keep hesitations or funny facial expressions, viewers will see that you’re showing who you really are, and that’s what connecting is all about. Whether you entertain or captivate your viewers, your goal here is to make your watchers FEEL something.
One last thing: keep in mind that the effort you’re putting into it is worth it: a video is the first thing backers click on when they want to check a project.
 

What is a good video?

Quality is important (we’ll give you tips for that), but not as much as the story you tell. Be passionate and show your real you.

Get ready
-Be different. You’re free to do whatever you like in your video but making something original will help you stand out more to your viewers. And remember, humor is always cool!
-Write 3 to 4 bullet points and start recording. You can edit it together later if you need to.
-Ask your friends to be part of the video! They’ll help you out, give advice and make the whole experience more fun!
-Listen to what you just said, decide what you like, discard the rest. Do it again at once and repeat the process (you’ll see that you’re getting better and better with every take). Don’t be too hard on yourself, take your time, breath and don’t give up.
-Keep it short: don’t waste screen time talking about absolutely all of your rewards or about every single detail of your project (you have a lot of text space under your video to do that).
Instead, focus on making a connection and getting to the point: you’re trying to convince people one by one to support you. So show this excitement as if you were talking to your best friend, your mum or partner, this one single person whose support means the world to you.
-Smile and let the show begin!

Here are the basics to help you started:
-Introduce yourself.
You are trying to make a connection so don’t be shy! Show your face even for a short time. This will make the video personal and this will help people to know you (this is kind of useful when you try to get people’s support!)
-Tell us who you are, why you’re doing what you’re doing, and how you feel about the whole thing
-Show people examples of your work or talk about your past experience
-Tell people what you are doing here (this is your project’s story) using any fun visuals you can think of (see below for tips on how to make the best video you can)
-Ask for people’s support and explain why you need it
-Tell people what they’ll get for their money (i.e., your rewards)
-You may also want to include a brief explanation for newcomers on Boostbloom’s all-or-nothing structure
-Say thank you!
Now that you know what to put in your video, here are some tips on how to do it.
 

How to make your video look (and sound) good

You don’t have to be a video expert, you don’t need a top quality camera either; even smartphones can record quality movies. Just make sure to:
-Be heard
Sound is essential. Sound must be as clear as possible. (You can easily add subtitles to your video if you want to appeal to a larger audience. The internet offers many ways to add subtitles to video for free.) Make sure you’re in a quiet and echo-free place: close doors and windows and if possible, stay away from your fridge (you can eat before recording your video though…) and from other sources of unwanted noise.
-Be seen
If your image is grainy, well reason is light (or lack thereof that is). That’s why plenty of light is essential when you record. Add as many light sources as possible, image will be sharper, and watchers happier.
Best is to use various sources of lights (lamps, sunlight, flashes or mirrors) coming from many directions. Do not ever record at night or in darkness (unless your project is a horror movie and you want to show a sample of your skills!)
And the golden rule: Make something you’d want to spend your time watching: it’s likely other people will enjoy watching it, too!
When you’re done, don’t forget to share the link to your video around you on your social networks, and ask your friends to share it too! See our special section on Sharing here.
 

A quick word on editing

The aim is not to make something professional. If you’re a film maker chances are pretty high your video will look great and that’s amazing. For others the important thing to remember is that your video needs to be personal, straight to the point, and not too long. If not, you may have to edit it.
-Keep the best parts: here you look for the clear lines, the fun moments where people can see an expression on your face (a smile, an arched eyebrow, a pause as you’re searching for the right words). Simply put, any moment that makes your video REAL is good.
-Edit those together in big chunks.
Many free (or not) tools are available. Windows Movie Maker and iMovie both work well for this. But keep in mind that you want to showcase your project, not your editing skills.
-Make it captivating from the start
Keep the essential: When you think you’re done, take a break, then come back and cut out 25% of the video. This is a must. Once again put yourself in a potential backer’s shoes and make sure your video, especially the first 20 seconds, is pure punch. People are going to visit your page, press “play” on your video, and… then what? Zzzzz?
 

When you’re done:

Ask yourself:
Is my video fun enough for someone not to press stop in the middle of it?
Is it enjoyable and informative at the same time?
Are you recording an album? If so, did you stop to consider the background music you used on your video, is it your own music? Is it related to your project?
Are you shooting a short movie? Do you show a cool scene of your film in your video?
Is your project planning/organizing an event? Then show some logos, artwork or anything tangible for your viewers to feel that the project is real.
Are you writing a novel? Then show your skills and read us a sample dialogue. You can display your acting skills too at the same time!
Is this a cause you’re trying to raise money for? Show your viewers tangible steps that have already been taken and how much it helped!
And of course, if you’re selling a product, show us a prototype!
See? Possibilities are endless, just make sure your video is real, informative, short and fun all the way. You’re not raising money for a dream, but for a reality. And you’re bringing rewards in exchange!
Spoiler here
Make sure you don't use copyrighted music in your video unless you get permission! This is against the law and worse (!), your project will be deleted.
For sound and music, you may try some Creative Commons-licensed music — per the terms of their licenses. This is available on the Free Music Archive website or on Soundcloud. Check it out!