{"id":64441,"date":"2023-03-01T12:07:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T17:07:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/network.napco.com\/non-profit-pro\/?post_type=article&p=64441"},"modified":"2023-03-08T19:04:05","modified_gmt":"2023-03-09T00:04:05","slug":"how-to-create-nonprofit-video-stories-using-your-iphone","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.nonprofitpro.com\/article\/how-to-create-nonprofit-video-stories-using-your-iphone\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create Videos for Your Nonprofit Using Your iPhone"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year, 87% of online traffic is expected to be 100% video, Matt Carpenter, story architect at <\/span>Beard & Bowler<\/span><\/a>, said. But a video doesn’t need to be extremely polished and professional to get attention and make an impact.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Carpenter and Jason Ellinger, producer and director at Beard & Bowler, led yesterday’s session, “You Need Video! This Is How.” at <\/span>The 2023 Nonprofit Marketing Summit<\/span><\/a> from <\/span>Community Boost<\/span><\/a>. There, they shared why nonprofits need to start telling stories with video now — and how to do it with limited resources.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a writer, it hurt Carpenter to share that people will be reading less content this year, and he expects the divide to become bigger as the younger generations age.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The painful thing for this writer to tell you is your written words are becoming much, much less effective in moving the needle to get people to an action … whether that’s to like, to follow, to donate, to buy,” he said. “Words are not cutting it as much. However, video is seeing a higher and higher increased conversion rate. That’s not the wave of the future, that’s the wave of the now.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to high conversion rates, Carpenter noted emails containing a video experience 400% higher engagement.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Even if it’s just a cellphone video, people for some reason are drawn to this content,” he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

“This is your best piece of video equipment that you have access to,” Ellinger added. “Any iPhone in the last five to 10 years has a 4k camera, some of them have these wide-angle lenses [with] optical zoom … and it’s in your pocket. Audio is pretty solid, too.”<\/span><\/p>\n

So how can you get started producing video content without big-budget equipment and crews? Here are five tips they shared for how nonprofits can begin to tell intriguing stories with iPhone video.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Steady Your Phone<\/span><\/h2>\n

Unsteady hands are easy to fix. There are two affordable ways to steady your videos.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stabilizer.<\/b> This will steady your phone during active shots, including walking and running, to increase production value. Ellinger recommended the <\/span>DJI Osmo Mobile 6<\/span><\/a>, which costs $160 and is compatible with <\/span>most mobile phones (opens as a PDF)<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tripod. <\/b>If that’s out of your organization’s budget or you’re aiming to produce stationery videos, find a simple phone tripod, like <\/span>this one<\/span><\/a> that runs about a sixth of the cost of the stabilizer.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s just convenient to have,” Carpenter said of the tripod. “You can place it on your desk, film with it a couple of times … and ask [your executive director or director of development] to record a personal video.“<\/span><\/p>\n

Improve Audio<\/span><\/h2>\n

Unlike video, viewers need quality audio — or they’ll tune out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“Your eyes will tolerate a bad or out-of-focus shot, but we just can’t physically tolerate bad audio,” Ellinger said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Carpenter added that viewers are 10 times more likely to turn their attention away from poor audio or distracting background noises than blurry, unclear or uninteresting video.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Rode Wireless Go II<\/span><\/a>, a dual channel wireless microphone system, costs $299. But even a more simplistic microphone that plugs directly into your iPhone with a Lightning cable will improve sound quality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Find the Perfect Lighting and Camera Angle<\/span><\/h2>\n

Ellinger recommended <\/span>Aputure<\/span><\/a>, which offers color hues, small LED and tube lights. However, light prices can add up, so take advantage of natural lighting to save money.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“What I recommend to do is try to get a window in front of you,” Ellinger said. “Even if it’s not your desk setup, make sure that window is in front of you and it’ll give you a nice, soft lighting source.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When it comes to angles, they say something. Below eye level is more of a powerful angle, while above eye level diminishes the message, Ellinger said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The best is eye level, just slightly above,” he said. “ That’s where I keep my angle when I shoot.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Ellinger also noted turning on your iPhone camera’s rule of thirds to ensure your subject is centered, in the right third or in the left third to create the best shot composition.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Develop Rapport With the Interview Subject<\/span><\/h2>\n

Making your interview subject comfortable is also an important step. Ellinger creates rapport during the process of setting up the interview. Between back and forth for scheduling and a 45-minute pre-interview, there is a certain camaraderie by the time the shoot day happens, putting the subject at ease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“A lot of times people that we interview have two and three jobs, so it’s one of those things where it takes a lot to contact them,” Ellinger said. “So I’ll be emailing, I’ll be texting, I’ll be calling. And by the time we get to interview one … we’re already like ‘Hey, John, how’s the wife and kids? How’s this going? How’s that going?’”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The interviewee’s answers won’t be perfect, so overlaying the a-roll, the interview audio, with b-roll, alternate program shots, allows you to edit the audio as needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But if they’re still nervous or uneasy. They offered four ways to calm them down:<\/span><\/p>\n