Producing your videos builds on the experience you made when producing the prototype video before your application. Given the time elapsed; you should update these and discuss their execution with MMP (Contact Martin Wieser). For MOOC projects, it is important that the videos are ready two months before course start, so production should start at least 6 months before course start.

For blended learning projects we also recommend to record at least some central videos in the MMP Video studio to ensure the connection with the speaker. Additionally, it is also possible to record your own videos, preferably in the DIY studio. Again, it is important to pay attention to audio and visual quality, even if the videos are not subject to the same quality criteria as MOOCs. MMP is happy to show you around and give you advice.

External video production

You can work with external producers or shoot videos by yourself. In this case, please contact MMP before the start of production for guidance and support (equipment lending service, for one). Please note that MOOC videos are subject to certain quality criteria and must be approved by MMP.

NB: Please note, that the trailer video (about video) must be produced by MMP.

Criteria for good teaching videos

You can use videos in various ways to impart knowledge. In the context of MOOCs, short videos that present individual themes in three to a maximum of six minutes have become the standard; statistics show longer videos will not be looked at. However, not only the length of a video is important: Find out which criteria make a video a good teaching video.

Recommendations

The videos produced in the video studio may involve content, people or objects, or a combination of these. The following recommendations apply to videos produced in the video studio. Other video options (on site video production, third-party content) have specific setups for production and postproduction you should discuss with MMP individually.

Video studio: http://www.ethz.ch/videostudio

• Make a planning for the video production
  If you have not already done so when creating the video prototype, meet with MMP to do detailed planning for the video production. Based on your application’s video production plan, a schedule has to be fleshed out for the video formats you chose. The video studio is the prevalent production space for most video formats. It can be booked only together with an assistant to help you produce efficiently. Dates arranged are compulsory; short-term cancellations may result in fees. Slots cannot be extended unless the assistant (MMP) in charge agreed to the extension. Please make sure to book the studio as early as possible (first come, first serve):

  • Core business hours for the studio are 6am to 8pm Monday to Friday (CHF75/h); the studio can be booked beyond these hours at CHF125/h. We recommend half-day sessions, because fatigue will kick in after a couple of hours;
  • Do not start too early, the human voice needs more time to wake up than you think;
  • Other video production options (production on site, third-party content) have to be discussed with MMP.

For more information about the different amounts of time and effort involved in different types of video production, see video studio.

• Prepare slides for the content videos (at least one week before recording).

  • For PowerPoint slides please use the templates from the Corporate Design download area. Existing presentations in 4:3 format must be converted to 16:9 and images and graphics should be adjusted for quality (resolution).
  • Always work with graphics, which are as high-resolution as possible. Videoing of transparencies proceeds with an HD resolution of 1920×1080, which means that the videos can be viewed in full screen mode without significant loss of quality. The lower edge of a graphic may not extend below the respective page number. The other margins (ca. 1.5 cm) should also not contain writing.
  • Please make sure your graphics meet the copyrights law. It is best to use free images and reference them accordingly.
  • Use slides sparingly. The focus of videos should be on the lecturer.
  • Slides should contain additional information and should be illustrating what is being said. Here hand-written additions play an important role and are the digital equivalent of the blackboard and overhead projector.
  • Work with as little written text as possible. Avoid whole sentences; use images instead. Save written texts for the conclusion or place them on the platform.
  • Avoid redundancies in the written text and spoken word. Work with images, graphics and keywords instead.
  • Use keywords and central concepts.
  • Use digital annotation tools (highlighting, stylus, digital pointer) consistently.
  • In complex graphics identify the most important points, reduce them to a basic framework and build them up step by step
  • Avoid long sentences, respect participants’ intellects, and be collegial. Entire sentences are not required: just speak! Do not make it perfect.
  • Vary transparencies according to their images. Plan in completely empty transparencies and draw the contents.
  • If possible, describe authentic examples and cases.
  • Illustrative images are OK. Even better is to focus on these images in detail.

• Produce the content videos
  Important: Come well-prepared to the video studio! Read Checklist “On Camera”.

• Post-production and review process
  Post-production starts when your first production has been finished. Or rather: It could. Depending on your production plan, the dates you chose and your availability for reviewing your videos, please coordinate a post-production and review process with the assistant right from the start. This can be continuous so you receive everything you produce as soon as possible. Alternatively, en bloc, after a couple of recording sessions.

No matter what strategy you choose, make sure others review your videos also, and ideally people similar to the target audience your course has. The assistant will incorporate your change requests and suggestions and present you with what should be a final version most of the time. Of course, if there are further changes you consider necessary, a second iteration is possible.

Once you are finished reviewing, we need an overall “go” with respect to all videos so that “finalization” can start: Harmonize colours and audio across all videos so that they become a coherent experience in video and audio quality.

• Check the transcription of the videos
  MMP will upload the videos (audio) to 3playmedia, the transcription service. Transcription takes around 4 days. Transcripts will be uploaded as SRT file together with the videos for you to publish. In case of flaws in the transcripts, you can edit the SRT file (in Word or other editors) and upload a new version. Total costs for transcription are around CHF500.00.

  • Sequenced courses should each have a unique image.
  • Size: 2120 x 1192 pixels.
  • File Type: .png
  • Include the source of the image as well.

More information

For more information about video production, transcription or the use of external (materials in) videos, please contact MMP.

• MOOCs on edx.org: creating and adding video content
• SwissMOOCs (Open edX): creating and adding video content
• Moodle-Courses: Easy video upload to Moodle with the “Opencast Videos” plugin