Library Subject Guides
To make and edit a video, you need the content that will be turned into the final video. So how do you go about creating video?
First, you should plan out your video, taking into account the different styles of video content. You might create a storyboard and write a script, whilst exploring different ways of presenting your material. Once you know what you're making, you'll need to start creating and sourcing video content, which might involve filming, finding stock footage and images, and creating animations and text using other tools. And finally, you'll want to make sure you've got all of your material organised, ready to edit!
The first part of making a video is planning that video. People often skip past the planning stage, thinking that a idea of what you want the final video to be like is enough, but it is crucial to plan out your video, including what media you need to go into that video and the practicalities of making it.
Start by thinking about your video as a narrative. Regardless of whether you're making a fictional or non-fictional video, there is a story you are telling the audience. Video is a time-based medium, which means people watch a video in a particular order, through time. So when they see things is controlled by the order you put them in the video and the way you tell your narrative.
In the example above (which looks like a film strip, but also works as a storyboard), the audience's expectations are played with, because they don't know that the dog is a costume initially. Considering what the audience does or doesn't know as the video plays is a classic way of creating effects like fear or humour. It is also very important for informational or educational videos, as you shouldn't refer to content or information that hasn't already been covered in the video if you're not expecting your audience to already know it before watching.
When planning your video, it can be helpful to get a sense of important points, such as:
If you're struggling to get these ideas out in writing, try talking through your idea and video plan with someone else. Other people's feedback can be very helpful.
You will probably need to keep returning to your plan and tweaking it as you work, particularly once you've filmed content. Be critical of your plan, too - ask yourself whether your plan, storyboard, and script match up and if your intended message is still clear.
Storyboards are a way of planning your video, usually in a visual way. They are used to outline what will appear on the screen, both in terms of types of video content and actual camera shots, and you can use them to track any audio too, e.g. if there's background music, narration, talking, etc. Storyboards can be created digitally using specific storyboarding tools (e.g. free tool Storyboarder), drawing tools, or presentation apps like PowerPoint, or they can be drawn on paper.
In the example above, different video styles are planned out, but the specific sections aren't storyboarded (e.g. the animation section isn't drawn out in more detail). Depending on the type and length of video you're creating, you might want to make a broad storyboard like this, or one that goes into more depth about shot types or animation.
Storyboards should be helpful to you. Don't focus too much time on creating beautiful artwork - stick figures or vague outlines are often all that is needed. You can even write what you would see as a starting point, if you really don't want to draw anything!
If there is any spoken content in your video, scripts are how you plan out that spoken content. They are useful both during the filming process, so people know what they are saying, and during the editing process, when you can use the script to know what people are going to say when, and edit around those parts.
Having a clear plan for what people are going to say before you record is very helpful, as it ensures you can get all of the content you need and helps people to communicate clearly. It can be much harder to edit if people have to keep re-recording bits until they say exactly what they want to. If you're looking for a more improvised or "off the cuff" style of video, consider at least having bullet points of the key points that need to be covered.
If you're recording narration or a talking head video in which someone is talking to camera, you might want to use the script as an autocue, which is text to read whilst recording and it tends to move down as you speak. You can often find free digital tools online that can turn text into an autocue if needed.
Accessibility is about designing things so that they can be used by as many people as possible. It is important to consider accessiblity from the start of planning videos, to ensure that people can access your content.
When planning and creating videos, here are some considerations around accessibility:
When creating videos for a particular purpose, you will often have guidelines or advice you will need to follow. Check this from the start, so you know if it affects your planning, filming, or editing. Here are some useful prompts to consider before starting:
There's a range of different styles of video you may want to use, such as a person talking to camera, action shots and animations. There is not a set rule on which styles you should and shouldn't use, but using more than one styles can add interest and variation to your completed video. It can be useful to watch other people's videos, especially ones you find effective, as a way of working out which styles you'd like to include in your own video.
Styles of videos mentioned below are not the only options, but just a few suggestions that can be useful to know about when planning and creating your video.
A Talking head is a video in which one or more people are talking directly to the camera.
This type of video is great for having someone, often an interviewer or an interviewee, share information directly intended for the people watching the video. Showing the image of the person speaking as well as the audio can be helpful in providing a context for the information being shared and for making the audience feel like they are being spoken to directly.
It's completely up to you on how you film the person speaking. Many talking head videos include just the head and shoulders of the speaker in the centre of the video, but you could choose to set up a wider-angled shot if it was more appropriate. This could be while the speaker is standing or sitting, whichever is most comfortable the speaker while you film.
It's worth considering what kind of background you would like to have behind the person. Sometimes a plain white wall might be useful, or a empty but furnished space can also add a little interest. You might want to choose a relevant background to the topic being discussed, and typically you'll want to choose a location where people aren't walking past in the background.
As talking heads videos often rely on the spoken audio of the speaker, you may need to consider the best audio option to ensure they are recorded nice and clearly. Lapel microphones, or a microphone that can be held closely to the speaker can help to get clear audio.
When we say 'action', we just mean any shot where you are filming any kind of action or movement. It can also mean when you are moving the camera, such as to get a wider angle or change view to something else, but you don't have to move the camera to film action footage.
If you're filming action shots, you may need to test to see how your camera equipment behaves, to check you can capture the kind of footage you need. Some cameras may have a dedicated setting for filming moving subjects or to keep the camera steady when being moved.
This kind of footage can be really useful to capture as either the primary footage, for example when showing people doing particular things, but also as secondary video (sometimes referred to as 'B-roll') that can be added with another style of video (a talking head, for example) to give a visual example of what is being talked about.
Animations are great for using images and text on screen to emphasise a point or explain something in more detail. They can be an illustration, collection of stock images, diagrams or anything you want to put together. It help be useful when it's difficult to film a specific item, or to help visualise a more abstract concept or theme that's featured in the video.
Animations don't need to be complex or have lots of moving parts. An image with a simple movement, like moving left to right, or wobbling a little bit can be enough to make a point and engage your audience. If you're making your own, remember to use free-to-use media or check copyright guidelines when adding media to your animation.
Microsoft PowerPoint is a great tool for creating animation videos, where you can compile your content and use the built-in movement animations. Once created, you can create a video from PowerPoint and add it to your video when editing. We'll explore using PowerPoint for creating animated videos (and even edit together full videos) later on this page.
Recording the screen of a device can be an effective way of sharing a visual of something you are explaining. This could be used for creating instructional videos, or showing some resources you have, like a web page or slide deck. You could use it to show a procedure, rather than just explaining it. You may need to play about with the resolution and scale of the screen you're recording, to ensure its clear to see when being watched back (such as on a smaller mobile phone screen).
If you are recording your screen to show a certain type of software or procedure, be aware that software updates can mean that parts of your video may become out of date and may need updating in the future.
You can also use screen capture techniques to record videos of presentations and talks, by recording your computer screen as you present, or alternatively you can export slides as a video themselves without needing to do this.
Some video editors like Corel Videostudio (available on University computers) have a built-in recorder that lets you select a screen, or part of a screen, to record. Some versions of Microsoft PowerPoint also has a built-in screen recorder on the Insert tab. We explore available options and tips for creating these videos on our screencasting and screenshots page.
When it's time to start recording, you'll need to start capturing some of your assets - the media files you will be using to create your video. Take a bit of time to look at your plans and think about where and what you are going to capture. There's a few steps you can take to make things as easy as possible when it comes to editing your video later on.
When choosing your equipment for filming, our advice is to focus on your content rather than how good your equipment is. You can make use of the equipment that's available to you. Most smartphones can record videos in a suitable HD quality for platforms like YouTube or for other social media. If you are recording something static (like a person talking to camera), placing your phone on a tripod or wedging it on a surface, will help to reduce any wobble in the shot. When recording shots where you need to move with the camera, it's always worth testing to see if it works for what you need. Most smartphones have some kind of 'stability control' setting that will reduce some of the natural wobble from holding a phone.
A dedicated camera may be useful if you have a lot of footage you'll need to store, or you need to a film at a high resolution. It's always worth looking at the settings for a camera, as very high resolution images can take up a lot of storage space and may not be needed.
For members of the University, the Creativity Lab webpage has information on how you can hire camera equipment, accessories and audio devices for up to a week, for free.
While is it possible to record a scene using multiple cameras from different angles, it can take a little longer to edit, as you will need to cut the two sets of footage together into one. If you're planning on doing this, it is worth trying out multi-cam editing (as this process is called) before you film anything, so you get a sense of what it is like and how long it might take.
It's a good idea to work out if you're going set up a camera in Landscape (long edge at the top) or Portrait (short edge at the top) while filming, depending on where the video will be watched later on. For example, YouTube often works well with landscape videos, whereas Instagram reels are usually portrait. You may need to check out a platform you're going to use before you get filming.
When filming in a certain location, you may need to first seek permission to film there. If you can ask ahead of time, that can be really useful to ensure you have no issues on the day of filming. For example, if you're filming inside a University building, ask for permission from staff within that building to ensure they are both aware and give their permission. It's always a good idea to have a plan B in case you can't get permission for a certain location.
You'll also need consent from the people you are filming and provide them with details about how the content will be used. You may need to check video guidelines or ask your department for information on any guidance or privacy notices you may need to use while gathering consent. If you're recording footage in a public place, it's worth trying to find a camera angle that reduces the amount of people moving in the background, as you'll need to make everyone aware and seek consent from anyone is is captured in the recording.
When recording video with any spoken content, or where the sound is needed, try and record the best sound you can. Sometimes the microphone that's built into a smartphone or camera will record what you need, but it's always worth doing a test. There can be factors such as being outside, or in certain spaces that can mean the audio recorded can vary.
There may be times where an external microphone may help you to capture better quality sound. This can help in situations such as when the speaker or subject is further away from the camera or in a space with a bit of background/atmospheric noise. Here's a few example microphones that can be helpful:
All of these options are available to hire, for members of the University, from the Creativity Lab.
You don't always have to create all of the media you need to go into your video. You might want to find stock media, video, audio, and images that other people have created and given permission for others to use. Always bear in mind that published video is always subject to copyright law, so you can’t just use any sound or video you want. If you don't have any budget to pay for stock media, you will need to find free-to-use stock media that is copyright free or has a Creative Commons licence that would allow you to use it.
When editing, it is worth checking what you are allowed to do with the content and if you're allowed to edit/change it. You also want to check about attribution and include any attribution information in your video's credits.
There are a range of sources for free-to-use media that can be helpful when creating videos. See our searching for video guidance for more information about finding video content, but here's our quick resource with a range of links to useful websites for stock video:
You might also want to source other kinds of content, such as images and audio. In particular, you might want music for your video, and you need to pay attention to copyright whenever you're adding music to a video that is going to be shared with others. Copyrighted music can be the reason your video is removed from a video-sharing site, for example!
For in-depth information and advice about sourcing and using media that you've not created yourself, take a look at:
While there are many tools out there to help you create different kinds of videos, you might be surprised to learn that Microsoft PowerPoint can actually be a powerful (pun intended) tool for creating video content. You can export a PowerPoint slide deck as a video file like .mp4, so anything can be turned into a video, and by using features like animation, transitions, and narration recording, and by inserting and editing media like images, sounds, and videos, you can put together video content quite easily.
PowerPoint is a helpful alternative to paid-for animation tools that animate images or text, as animation is a feature built into PowerPoint, so if you already have access to PowerPoint (as all members of the University of York do) you can create animated video content that you can export from PowerPoint and then import into a video editor. You can make animated titles, infographics, images, and more.
You can also use PowerPoint to make an entire video and never need to open a video editor! Adding content, animating content and slide transitions, recording voiceovers, and inserting sounds and video can all be done in the application. PowerPoint can even trim video clips you have from elsewhere. This makes PowerPoint a helpful option for creating a video if you aren't confident using a video editor and want to include more text/animated content. Here's an example of a video made entirely in PowerPoint (including the voiceover):
Many of the skills needed to create videos in PowerPoint are the same as those needed to create presentations. Our Presentations guide has information on animating content, using animated transitions, and inserting audio and video content, and these are the key features you'll need to make slides behave more like a video.
We'll look in more depth at how you can get the most out of creating videos using PowerPoint:
Simply, to make a video from any PowerPoint slide deck, go to the File menu, then choose Export. On a Windows device, you will see some options down the side for formats, so choose Create a video to get the video export option and settings. On a Mac, you will get a box appear prompting you to give the exported file a name, and at the bottom of that box should be a File Format drop-down that you can change to MP4.
Both of these methods will give you options about file quality and size, and whether the exported video will Use Recorded Timings and Narrations.
Microsoft also have their own guidance on how to turn your presentation into a video.
You might be looking for a slides-like look in your video (for example, having a title on each new "slide" with text or an image/diagram underneath), but you might also be looking for something that feels a bit more like a video. Let's explore some ways you might do this (but remember that design is very subjective, and there's nothing wrong with your video looking like slides if that's the effect you want):
The presentations guide page on animation has all of the information about using the Animation tab in PowerPoint, but these slides from our 'PowerPoint for animations' session covers the process of making animated videos in PowerPoint and links to other useful resources.
As well as filming, finding stock video, and using PowerPoint as an unusual video creation tool, there are lots of other digital tools out there that can help you to create video content (and other media you might want for videos, like music).
We'll explore some options, but do look into any tool you might use to ensure it works for your purpose. A lot of video creation tools that can help you with things like animation or automating video creation will put a watermark (a logo from that company) on your video unless you pay for a licence to the tool, which you often will not want to appear on your final video. Some tools may limit which features or bits of content you can use if you are using a free version rather than paying for the tool.
Our document of free to use video creation and editing tools has some options that are either available at the University of York or free to use in some format. It covers simple options like PowerPoint and Canva, as well as using free versions or free trials of other tools where possible:
This collection of digital creativity tools relating to video includes some tools that can create video content. Be aware that many of these tools use generative AI elements, so we advise that you familiarise yourself with AI generation tools and their advantages and disadvantages before using these.
If you're looking to record all or part of your screen for a video, see the screencasting guidance for tools you can use (spoilers: once again, one option is PowerPoint):
It might sound obvious, but for effective video editing, you need to have all of your assets (the content that will go into your video) organised in a way that makes sense to you and anyone else you are working with.
Giving your files sensible names is important. By default, lots of video files have names like 12345.mov or recording.mp4, which isn't very useful when you're looking through a list of files for the ones you need. Renaming them to describe what it is in the video clip will save a lot of time when editing, especially for larger projects.
Arranging all of your assets into folders for what kind of video/audio they are is also useful. For example, if you've filmed an interview or someone talking to camera, and you've also got other footage and maybe some animated graphics or statistics, you could put those into separate folders. When you come to edit, it will be much easier to locate the right material. Doing this also makes it easier to see what you've got and what media you might still need.
