How to get started with creating videos for your non-profit organisation

Producing videos for can be a rewarding and effective way to connect with your audience, share your messages, and inspire action. Here’s how to get started.

From YouTube and LinkedIn, to Instagram and TikTok - video is everywhere.

It can be a hugely powerful tool for non-profit organisations to spread their message and engage with their audience.

But knowing how to start creating videos can be overwhelming, especially if you don't have previous experience, spare time between all the other demands of digital communications, or a big budget. In this short guide, we’ll take a look at some manageable ways to get started, and some important things to consider.

1. Failing to plan? Planning to fail.

Before you start filming, it's essential to have a plan in place. At a minimum, you need to think through the purpose, audience, message, and structure of your video. Going through this process first will help you organise your thoughts and ensure that your video tells a compelling story.

Some fundamental questions you might want to consider are:

Why are you making this video? What’s it going to acheive? Why a video instead of another format?
Who will watch it? What do you want them to do after they watch it?
What are the main messages you’re looking to share? Summarise these in as few words as possible.
What will you see on screen? Outline the scenes, shots, and interviews you’ll need (the more clear you can be here, the easier it will be when it comes to filming, as you won’t end up with hours and hours of unnecessary footage!)

Bonus: Use Stock Photos and Videos

Stock media can be a great resource when putting together your video. It provides you with a wide range of high-quality, professionally captured footage at a reasonable price, and is available on-demand (great for short timelines!).

There are many websites that offer free stock photos, such as Unsplash and Pexels, or there are others, (such as Shutterstock, iStock and Storyblocks), that offer stock photos and videos for a range of budgets.

But remember - when choosing stock photos and videos, it’s important to make sure you select ones that feel relevant to the tone of your video, representative of your organisation’s message, values and brand.

2. Create a Clear and Concise Script

To ensure that your story is compelling, and hits all the right notes for your audience, it's important to have a clear and concise script.

Your script should include a strong opening that hooks your audience, a middle section that provides more detail and context, and a closing that inspires action. Make sure your script is aligned with your organization's mission and goals, and keep in mind the audience you want to reach.

One critical component to include is a clear call-to-action. This is the part of the video where you encourage your viewers to take action, whether it's to visit your website, share the video with colleagues, or to download your research. Your call-to-action should be clear and concise, and it should be placed at the end of your video so that it's fresh in your viewers' minds.

3. Filming on your smartphone

Once you have your plan and script in place, it’s time to start collecting some content. You don't need expensive equipment to create reasonably high-quality videos: most modern smartphones have a decent enough camera and video recording capabilities.

When filming with your phone, make sure you hold it the right way round depending on where you’re intending to share your video. For example, if you’re looking to create videos for Youtube or for playing back at an event, hold it horizontally to capture a widescreen image. But, if you’re intending to share it using Instagram’s IGTV or TikTok, then hold it vertically instead.

Don’t forget to pay attention to lighting and background - try to film in a well-lit area and choose a background that reinforces your message (or at the very least, doesn’t distract from it!). While you should aim to use natural lighting whenever possible, beware of filming on very sunny days as this can create harsh shadows.

Getting good audio

If you're using your phone to film, you may need to make a little more effort to get clean, usable audio. While the microphones on smartphones are good enough, they’re not well-placed to capture the best audio, and can be easily overwhelmed by background noise (or your hand accidentally grazing it!). Unless you’re purposefully trying to create something more informal, then it’s a good idea to invest in a good microphone.

Bad audio can be a huge put off to your audience, and ruin an otherwise good video. A lapel (or lavalier) mic is great for an interview scenario, or a directional mic can help you capture clearer audio even in noisy environments. There are many options available - respected companies like RODE produce a range of microphones specifically for phones, or you could consider buying a separate audio recorder such as the Zoom H1.

4. Edit, edit, edit

Once you have captured all of your footage and collected your stock media, it's time to edit your video.

Editing is a crucial step, and one of the most essential to get right. You don't need expensive editing software to create a good video, and there are many free or low-cost video editing tools available, such as iMovie or Adobe Rush. At this stage, you’ll also be able to add transitions, voiceover and music to make your video more dynamic and engaging.

When editing your video, remember that shorter is often (but not always!) better. For instance, a 10 minute video will likely not perform particularly well if shared only on social media. However, if you’ve recorded a live event, or an extended conversation (and you’ve identified that your audience would appreciate hearing it in full), then there’s no need to cut that down any more than is necessary. Fundamentally, you’ll want to make sure your edit is crisp and concise, and that your audience will have good reason to stay engaged, no matter the length.

Bonus tip: if you’re taking this approach, you might want to consider having the full version on YouTube, and then creating shorter summary snippets to share on social media.

Getting started

Producing videos for can be a rewarding and effective way to connect with your audience, share your messages, and inspire action. The steps we’ve outlined above will help you to get the ball rolling and get you started creating video content.

At UNPACK, we provide a full video production service, from developing the initial concept, to filming, editing, and working with you on distribution strategy. So whether you want some help with some of the stages above, or want us to take on the whole thing - send us a message and we’ll be excited to tell you how we can help.

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