Video
Find Videographers
Need help with a project? Browse our list of approved videographers.
Download Logos
Looking for a logo? Find and download official Colby logos for your project.
Questions Regarding Video?
Contact [email protected]
Communications Support
The Office of Communications’ Multimedia team produces promotional videos for external audiences highlighting the Colby brand. This encompasses videos alongside Colby News stories such as featured alumni or faculty research, and videos highlighting the College’s accomplishments, institutional priorities, new spaces, and more. Check out our YouTube channel!
Need assistance hiring a videographer? Have a question about video?
Vendors
Browse a list of videographers Colby has successfully collaborated with on various creative projects. If you have recommendations for a vendor to be added to this list, submit the form here.
Working with Videographers
Working with a video production company can be an extremely exciting and fulfilling experience! Here are some things to know before hiring a vendor:
- Every production company is different.
Some companies specialize in event coverage, others in commercial video, while others stick to documentary work. Research the company, review the work in their portfolio, and reach out to the ones that you feel drawn to. - Give examples of inspiration.
When talking with the vendor, the more examples you can share of existing videos (from anywhere) that are similar in style, content, or approach to what you want to accomplish, the better. This will help the company know how much time and how many crew members they will need to tackle the job. - Be as specific as possible.
Vendors have a myriad of things to consider when planning your video. From different locations to casting to how many shots are feasible in one day, it can be a lot to juggle. The more specifics you can provide for them about what you’re after, the more accurate their estimate will be. - Have a sense of your budget.
Knowing how much you want to spend will help the production company tell you precisely what’s possible. Even if you don’t feel comfortable sharing the number with the vendor, knowing internally what you want to spend will help your negotiations.
Getting Started
Before you decide to create a video, whether in-house or by collaborating with a video production company, it’s important to answer a few questions.
- Do you have the time to create this video?
Making videos is a time-consuming process. It’s much more than showing up with a camera — you need a plan, a script, plenty of footage to make your video work, and clean audio. This often involves scouting a location ahead of time, reserving rooms to ensure no one else will be doing noisy activities nearby, and ensuring that the light will be good.
- Do you have the budget to create this video?
Videos can become pricey very quickly. - Is a video the best solution for your needs?
We often think of videos as a flashy, catch-all medium, but a lot of elements have to fall into place for a video to be successful. Sometimes—when viewed against the budget and time allotted—a photo, an illustration, a well-crafted landing page, or another visual medium could be more effective. Be sure to build out a solid strategy for not just video production, but for how you intend to promote your video and get the biggest return on your investment.
Creative Brief
Once you determine that a video is what you’re after, next up is to establish a creative brief.
You can use this as a template:
- Objective: Outline your goal for the video. What message are you trying to convey?
- Target Audience: Who are your primary and secondary audiences?
- Brand: What brand guidelines do you need to adhere to? (Please keep in mind that you represent Colby College and only approved fonts, logos, and colors can be used.)
- Insight: What’s the backstory of the video you’re trying to tell? What pertinent information will be helpful to you or a video production company? Feel free to elaborate.
- Execution: How exactly are you going to execute this video? Outline everyone involved, their roles and responsibilities, and any other important details. Note any non-negotiable details like “everyone in the film must be wearing a facial covering” or any other department-specific notes you feel people should know.
DIY Videography
Many simple videos can be created by your own team on an iPhone or similar device, especially if the end product will only have a few, short cuts. If you decide to film by yourself, here are some things to keep in mind:
- Bad audio can ruin an otherwise good video.
Be sure to record when there are no other loud sounds around. That dump truck half a mile away? Yes, your microphone will pick up that sound. A slightly breezy day? Yes, it will sound like you’re in a windstorm. You’ll likely never be able to eliminate all distracting sounds, but removing what you can will go a long way. - Too much camera movement makes the video impossible to watch.
Use a tripod when possible, and hold the camera with both hands when it isn’t. - Pay attention to light, composition, and color.
Many of the same guidelines from photography are applicable here. Avoid distracting backgrounds, shoot in the morning or late afternoon for the best light, and keep your horizons level.
- Record longer and for more quantity than you think you need.
The general rule in filmmaking at the documentary level is that one hour of footage makes one minute of the final film. So, with that in mind, the more angles you can capture and different types of footage you can obtain, the easier time you will have in post-production. - If you’re not skilled in Adobe Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro X, there are a variety of free video editing programs available on the web.
The standard on Macs is iMovie, and PCs offer Windows Media Player. Both are powerful tools in their own right, and there are a plethora of tutorials on YouTube to help you accomplish what you’re after.
Consent Form
Are you featuring members of the Colby community, actors, or other participants in your video? Ensure anyone who is going to be in front of the camera signs a consent release form. This provides written permission from the owner of your subject stating that they’re okay with you publishing their property.