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We understand that it can be difficult to produce great and compelling videos. In order for you to make videos that meet the TWU brand and accessibility standards, we have compiled these guidelines. 

If you use free video editing software, you must choose the option to remove the company brand/watermark.

Photo release form: Whether it is a faculty member or a student, anyone in front of the camera must fill in the TWU photo release consent form.

Logo usage: Use the current TWU logo on the lab coat, print material on the wall or embed the video itself. Ensure that these logos and brands follow the TWU brand guidelines. The marketing and communications office has a brand background and banner, which can be viewed in Denton for the department to use in the video. Houston and Dallas should check with the Office of Student Life or Admissions for banners and backgrounds that can be checked by the department.

Clothes you shouldn’t wear: Wear solid-colored clothes that don’t conflict with your surroundings or background. For example, if your walls are white, don't wear white. Avoid distracted/busy patterns. Avoid wearing clothing that features other universities, and use colors that are clearly related to other schools, such as burnt orange or green when possible.

Outdoor shooting: Look for shade on a sunny day to avoid harsh light. It will reduce the shadows on your face and any squint. Cloudy days are great. Good lighting is also provided in the morning/evening when the sun has not fully risen/set. Please note that wind noise will affect the audio.

Indoor shooting: Make sure there is no strong light (from lights, windows, etc.) behind you, as it will overwhelm you and put you in the shadows. Remember that different light sources have different colors, so it may affect your results.

Audio: If someone will speak in your video, find a location with little background noise. Use lavalier or shotgun microphones to capture clean audio. If you use a microphone on your phone, make sure it is close to the subject (including conversation).

Shooting: Shoot horizontally throughout the video (preferably), as this can be used on most social media platforms. Use a tripod or mobile phone temporary stand to avoid any shaking during shooting. If your lens needs to move, walk slowly while keeping your hands steady to focus on the subject. If possible, avoid movement while recording.

Edit: Keep your video short and to the point. If possible, try to deliver your message in less than a minute. Ensure that any music, video clips, etc. used are royalty-free and not protected by copyright.

Closed captioning: All videos produced for TWU use or promotion of TWU are required by law to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This means that videos with spoken language must be closed captioned by a real person before use. Automatic subtitles cannot be used because it is not fully ADA compliant (subtitles need proofreading and correction). If the video supports academic requirements, technical teaching may be able to provide subtitle support.

Others: wrap the microphone cord under clothing to hide the microphone cord. Watch/listen to your clip when you are done to make sure everything is well recorded.

Review: Please submit all videos to MarComDesign@twu.edu before publishing. Please allow 4 days for approval.

Online sharing: Approved videos can be posted to TWU Online, a special account that allows your video brand to be exposed and allows you to embed it on a website or share a link with others. This request is made during the review process.

Social media: Videos can also be posted to pre-approved TWU social media channels. If you want to create a new TWU affiliate account, please fill in the social media application.

Closed captioning* (very important, we mentioned it twice-see above): For social media, there are two main ways to do this:

*All videos produced for TWU use or promotion of TWU must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Increase exposure: The marketing and communications office may also use your video in other places, such as the TWU website or social media. The videos most likely to be used will:

The page was last updated at 12:15 PM, November 30, 2021 

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