Video Creator
Create a practical short-form video workflow from audience promise to shot list, edit, captions and delivery checks.
Design for one viewer promise
Decide what the viewer should gain before choosing shots or effects.
Know how people will watch
Decide whether the viewer is finding out about a topic, learning a skill or choosing what to do. Check where the video will appear, how long it can be and whether viewers may have the sound off. Ask what the viewer already knows and what they need next. Use these answers to pick a simple shape for the story.
Write a short story plan
Start with an opening that tells the truth about what the video will show. Add three small story steps, called beats, that explain the useful information in order. End by completing the promise, such as showing the finished result or giving one safe next step. Remove any part that repeats an idea without helping the viewer.
Check facts and claims
List every statement about health, money, safety or a product. Check each one against a trusted source, such as product instructions or an expert who can confirm it. Add the source beside the line in your script. Do not cut a spoken answer in a way that changes what the person meant.
Try it: 1. Choose one person who might watch your video. 2. Write what they should learn or do in one sentence. 3. Plan an opening, three story beats and an ending that fulfils that promise. 4. Mark any facts that need checking. Deliverable: a short beat sheet with one clear viewer promise and a source note for each claim.
Plan and capture efficiently
Use a shot list, sound plan and realistic setup to avoid unnecessary reshoots.
Turn story steps into shots
Make one row in your shot list for every story step. Write what the camera should show, what will happen and whether anyone must speak. Describe the framing, which means how close or wide the picture should be. Add any words that will appear on screen and list the place or item you need.
Record clear sound
Choose the quietest safe place you can find and listen for traffic, fans or echoes. Wear headphones while recording so you can hear problems the phone's speaker may hide. Record thirty seconds of room tone, which is the quiet background sound in the room. It can help smooth edits between spoken lines.
Respect people and places
Ask people for permission before filming them in a way that can identify them. Check the rules for the space before setting up your camera. Look for private information in screens, documents or backgrounds and move it out of view. Plan a backup place or time in case noise, weather or access changes.
Try it: 1. Choose one story beat from Lesson 1. 2. Write two shots that show it, including camera distance and action. 3. Add the sound you need and what you will listen for. 4. Note each person's permission and a backup plan. Deliverable: a two-shot plan with sound, permission and backup notes.
Edit and deliver responsibly
Make the story understandable with captions and fit-for-purpose exports.
Edit so the story is easy to follow
Watch the rough edit once before adding music, stickers or effects. Check that each part follows from the one before it and remove pauses that do not help. Leave enough time for people to read words on the screen. Ask one person to watch without your explanation and point out where they feel lost.
Write and check captions
Add captions, which show the spoken words on screen, then compare them with the final recording. Correct names, unclear words and punctuation by listening again. Describe an important sound when a viewer needs it to understand the story. If the picture shows key information that nobody says aloud, add spoken words or a separate description.
Save the right final file
Check the latest rules for the place where you will share the video. Look at its required shape, length and file type, which means the way the video is saved. Export a test and watch that saved file from beginning to end. Check the sound and text on a phone, then give the approved file a name that shows its version and destination.
Try it: 1. Watch one exported video from start to finish on a phone. 2. Correct its captions by listening to the audio. 3. Check the video's shape, length and sound against the sharing site's current rules. 4. Write the filename and reviewer's name. Deliverable: one checked export and a signed delivery record.