Video Guidelines
Overview
This is a detailed description of how videos are processed and published in NSIJ.
Before you read, note: NSIJ will produce a video for each article that passes the evaluation process. To achieve uniformity and maintain the quality of videos, NSIJ will handle all the video production stages, except shooting the video, however, NSIJ will assist authors in shooting their videos by hooking them up with capable videographers at their locations, a lot of guidelines and tips have also be provided below. NSIJ will produce a video script for each article, which will be a guide during all the production stages. When the video production is complete, the video will be presented on the NSIJ e-conference website and added to the page of the published article.
Video Objective: One of the aims of a video presentation is to enhance the interest, interaction and understanding of the viewer beyond what is attainable from just reading the text of the research. Therefore, it is important to make the video more interesting, interactive and understandable, keep the viewer attentive, while maintaining the viewer's focus on the scientific knowledge. Authors should think out intriguing ways of presenting, make the research visible as much as possible with pictures, charts, graphs, possible video clips from the research, short animated clips and more. When conducting your research and experiments, identify areas that can be recorded and used later for the video. The more visualization you can give to your research, the more interesting, interactive and understandable it will be. The video editor will also do a lot to make a video more captivating. The videographer should shoot with captivating concepts, switch camera angles and positions and more. For researches having more than one author, two or more authors can feature in the presentation, to add variety. At the end of the day, the viewer should be totally impacted with the scientific knowledge presented in the video and should have a strong visual memory of the research information to aid easy remembrance and application of what was learnt.
NAVIGATION
1. Shootinig your video
2. Shooting tips/criteria
3. Presentation tips
4. Submitting videos after shooting
5. Video and audio quality
6. Video processes & duration
7. Interactive (question & answer) section
Shooting your Video
1. Video Script:
It is important to use a video script to shoot your video. NSIJ will provide a video script that can easily be followed by the videographer or video shooter. This script will be issued by NSIJ to the author(s) and the videographer that will be shooting the video.
Authors that want to publish in NSIJ will receive a video script from NSIJ after the final revision of the submitted article. The cost for the script is included in the article processing fee.
Authors that want to present a video in NSIJ e-conference, but do not want to publish in NSIJ journal, will be charged for a video script that will be provided by NSIJ. Check our fees for more information.
NSIJ must provide a video script for all the videos that will be published in NSIJ Journal or presented in NSIJ e-conference. This is to maintain accuracy and some uniformity, which is vital for research and academic contents.
2. Who should shoot your video:
Option 1: NSIJ has country representatives who will introduce authors to professional videographers that will carry out the video shooting accurately and at considerable prices, using the video script supplied Sciences Extraordinario. NSIJ will link up a representative and videographer who will guide the author through the process of shooting. Authors are responsible for the cost of shooting a video.
Option 2: Author can also find a videographer in their location who will carry out the shooting. Authors should ensure the videographer can work with the video script provided by NSIJ.
Option 3: Authors, who are convinced they can shot their videos without a videographer, should inform us and give us more information about how they intend to shoot successfully; the shooting device, the equipment, shooting location, lighting strategy and more. NSIJ will render some guidance.
3. Where to Shoot:
Authors are required to choose shooting locations that reflect their field of work, especially in research and experimental related works, where the author is expected to present some videos from the experiment or research. Scientific experiments that involve certain protocols should be filmed in order to ensure that the entire process is adequately communicated. However, works that do not need to be illustrated form laboratories or research sites can be shot from neutral locations. For example, a review article may not need on-site or laboratory experiments. The authors of such articles can choose a decent location with not a too busy or noisy background.
Authors can use a postal, picture, map or other visual illustrations related to their article, as a video background. Such illustrating materials can also be incorporated by the video editor into the video at different timelines. Get more tips on where to shoot below.
4. What to Wear:
Authors presenting in a video shoot are expected to dress in a generally acceptable manner, that is, presenting authors should dress modestly and professionally. The use of lab coat or special wears used during the course of carry out the research is allowed. The presenting author(s) should look good and tidy.
Shooting Tips/Criteria
1. Shooting Devices
Please use shooting devices that can produce good quality videos. You device can be a webcam, phone, camcorder, and video cameras that produces quality videos. If you are using a phone, always use the camera at the back of the phone. The front camera in phones is usually of lesser resolution. The back camera provides better quality for taking pictures at a distance and shooting professional videos. Check your device setting to see its video resolution. While a vdieo camera with resoluation of 1080p should be used to shoot the authors' presentation, the authors can use devices of lesser resolution (preferably not lower than 720p) to shoot clips of the experiments or methodology, or clips that relate to the research.
2. Show up early and prepared for the shooting
3. Show respect for the location
Get proper permission. Be careful not to inconvenience other people, do not block important walkways. Tidy up after shooting the video and leave no trace.
4. Use a tripod
Using a tripod gives stability and focus, which are important features in video making. Avoid blurred videos or losing camera focus constantly. This will make it look unprofessional and shakiness will reduce your video quality. Using a tripod will help you shoot with ease, shooting at distances and heights that would not have been possible.
You may be able to steady your phone or camera using one hand or both hands, but it's best not to risk it, since a slight movement during the shot can make the entire shot a waste.
There are tripods for different filming devices.
5. Use adequate lighting
Always shoot your videos with a good proportion of light. You can take advantage of daylight and shoot outdoors, or use a good lighting technique to shoot indoors.
5.1. When shooting outdoor, you have to consider the position of the sun; the sun should be at the back of the camera, not in the front.
5.2. When shooting indoors,
'- Use as many lights as you can, and place them close to the shoot area. If you have a low budget, simply look within your home for lamps and other movable light sources and use them.
'- As much as possible, you can use natural light from the window, if it will create the best video in your shoot area.
'- Avoid placing lights directly above the subject's head to avoid reflection from the subject's head.
'- It is good to get adequate amount of light on the subject's face, it could be mildly directly on the subject's face or preferably, you can make it bounce off other mediums (wall, mirrors, and reflective materials) to your subject's face.
'- Knowing where to position the lights, makes a lot of difference. Test with different techniques and available equipment. Discover which blend of lights creates the best video in your shoot area, by adding and removing different available light sources.
'- Switch off all the lights in a room and use only your equipment and lightening technique to achieve what you want.
6. Always evaluate the subject
Always check the subject's hair, makeup, clothing, ear-rings, necklaces, etc. before each shot, to ensure there is no flaw.
7. Have a makeup kit nearby
Always have a makeup kit nearby, that contains all the need makeup accessories. Be ready for a quick fix if there is a tiny flaw.
8. Always shoot in landscape
Always shoot your video in landscape mode, that is, horizontally. It creates better videos and is more visually attractive when it is viewed on a widescreen. It also prevents the 2 black vertical bars that you would normally see on the sides of a video that is shot in portrait mode. So, always, always shoot horizontally.
9. Avoid Unnecessary Zooms and Pans, make sure there is a good reason to zoom or pan.
10. Give enough head room
Knowing and using the rule of thirds shooting technique can help you film professionally. It is important to allow adequate head room. Head room is the distance between the top of the frame and the top of your subject's head. It looks unprofessional to give too much head room or hardly any room at all.
11. Using a video background is an option
You may customize the video background by using a real background (outdoors, your house, your office, your lab etc.) or a fake one (curtains, paper, screen).
Single coloured backgrounds (especially white) are a great choice if you want to shoot indoors. It is beneficial and can help maintain the attention on the subject, prevent distractions in the background, prevent unexpected mess and generally makes the video look more professional.
On the other hand, real backgrounds are also a good choice; they look peculiar, genuine and authentic. However, you must ensure there are no distractions; by avoiding them, blurring them with the camera, or editing them.
12. Ensure you are recording
Always verify that the device is recording. Each time, check if the timer is counting and the recording light indicator is on.
13. Monitor the audio A great video that's inaudible (or employees arguing in the background) will not hold audience's attention. You need to make sure your audio is on point when you publish your video.
'- Every time you shoot a video, before you shoot, check the sound.
'- Ensure you can hear your own voice clearly.
'- Ensure there are no background noises.
'- Ensure the microphone is working well.
'- You may shoot your video with onscreen voice or voiceless and later add voiceover while editing.
'- Ensure you evaluate your audio/voiceover to ensure there are no mistakes, before using it for the video.
'- Avoid using the inbuilt microphone of your phone or camera or laptop to record your voice as it will usually pick up background noise and not give your professional quality. Use a good quality headset or preferably a microphone that can clip to the subject's cloth while shooting.
'- Ensure you eliminate background noise; close windows and put your phone on silent.
'- Whether it is an onscreen voice or voice over, the speaker should speak clearly and confidently, and pronounce words and scientific terms accurately. The speaker should not speak to fast.
14. Shoot in stages, mark the script as you shot and check the shot list.
15. Back up the video files immediately on a hard drive after shooting the video
16. No advertorials or branded materials, images or videos are allowed. The use of brand names in the video is not allowed.
17. Do not show the face or distress of animals when filming an experiment on animals.
18. Do not reveal information that can identify human subjects that are filmed in an experiment. Conceal their names and other personal information.
19. Avoid showing the faces of human subjects used in experiments, except it is an experiment that involves the face or a region that reveals the face.
20. Ethical guidelines as well as laws governing such experiments must be followed when conducting and filming experiments on humans, animals or plants. Authors should obtain all required permissions and consents before conducting and filming such experiments.
Presentation Tips
1. Give structure and order to your presentation, have sections and subsections. This will make your presentation and video more organised.
2. Use a visual outline to draw out the content in the steps you are planning to present it. It will help improve the retention and remembrance of what you want to say.
3. Put adequate effort in knowing your content by heart; it will boast your confidence.
4. Practicing beforehand makes perfect and builds confidence. It is normal to be a bit nervous, but you can deal with nervousness by preparation and practice. Do not be overwhelmed with despair; constantly present to yourself on the mirror, or to persons close to you.
5. Do not speak too quickly, be moderately slow. Using pauses and short silence will prevent "ah" and "um" and generally impact to your speech positively. Take some time to rehearse your speech rate.
6. Use your hands and other body movements and gestures while presenting. Smile and use matching facial expressions.
7. Do not be afraid to show your personality and unique differences. Be proud of your colour, nationality, race, ascent and language. Differences are meant to spice up science and life.
8. Use vocal variations, switch your tone between low and loud, serious and happy, and more.
9. Emphasis should be made on the main ideas of your research topic throughout your presentation so that the essential points stick. As much as possible, make these the parts what the viewer is able to take home and recall.
Submitting videos after shooting
How to submit your video for editing after shooting
To submit your video clips for editing after shooting base on the script provided by NSIJ:
1. Ensure all the files from the shooting are correctly named. The video script is divided into scenes numerically that should be shot differently. You should name the file from each shot with the name of the related scene (eg. Scene1, scene2, scene3, etc), if a scene has more than one shot you can name it this way (Scene1-1, Scene1-2, scene1-3).
2. The best shot for each scene should be the one submitted, not multiple repeated copies. That is, if multiple shots are repeated by the video shooter in search of a better one, the best copy of the clip should be selected and decided jointly by the author and videographer before submission.
3. Give file names to other video clips that may be associated with the research, following a numeric order (e.g clip1, clip2, clip3).
4. All video clips must be submitted in the video and audio quality stated above.
5. The corresponding author or the videographer should submit the files using the video submission form or send the files to video@sciencextraordinario.com
Video & Audio Quality
Video/Audio Export Settings (Video/audio Quality)
· The video should be submitted in MP4, MOV, AVI, FLV, MPG, WMV formats. We prefer MP4 format.
· Maximum Resolution: 1080p (FHD), 1440 x 1080 for 4:3 videos and 1920 x 1080 for 16:9 Videos,
· Minimum Resolution: 720p (HD), 1280 x 720 for 16:9 Videos.
· Recommended Codec: H.264
· Supported Video Frame Rates 24, 25, 30
· Audio Codec: AAC-LC (up to 48kHz - 96kHz)
· Audio channels - 2 (stereo)
· Audio Bit Rate: 128 kbps, 192 kbps, or 256 kbps,
Video Processes & Duration
1. NSIJ will produce a video script within a week after the final revision of the author.
2. A bulk of the video production duration depends on how soon the author(s) can be ready for the video shooting; getting a shooting location and scheduling time for it. NSIJ will assist the author to make arrangements for a video videographer (video shooter) that is based in the author's region, except if the authors have a capable videographer to invite for the shooting. The video shots should be completed anytime from 1 hour to 4 hours, depending on the number of scenes to be shot that would be required in the video script.
3. The corresponding author will receive the clips from the shots made by the videographer and send them according to the guidelines above on how to submit videos to NSIJ after the shooting. The authors will also send personal clips that may have been shoot during the research as well as additional pictorial representation of the research.
4. After NSIJ receives all the clips from the video shooting, it will take a maximum of two weeks to finish the video production, including the time it will take for the authors to see and approve the final video.
5. The final video is slotted in for the NSIJ e-conference and the author is empowered with all the useful tools on the e-conference website to expand the impact of the research to millions across the globe,
Interactive (question & answer) section
Tips for the interactive (question and answer) section
1. Before you write or present, think of all the possible questions that may pop up in the mind of the reader or viewer. Address these questions as you write or present. If the answers cannot be incorporated into the write up or video, prepare yourself for such questions before they are asked.
2. Blend confidence with humility. Whatever and however criticisms are presented in this section, be humble. Thank the commenter for his or her input and respond politely.
3. Apologizes if true mistakes are discovered and highlighted by a questioner and commend him or her for discovering it.
4. Own up and request for some time to respond to questions you are not sure of. This is better than leaving such questions without a reply for a long time.
5. A beauty of this e-conference is that it gives the presenter the room/opportunity to the get the right answers and to answer/reply each question/comment in an organized fashion.
