Good audio is harder than video.

• Getting good sound is harder to do than getting good video.  Keep this in mind when you are choosing locations or filming. 
• Try to avoid filming in high traffic locations or areas where you can’t control background noise, such as outdoors. 
• You may find it easier to use an external recorder for audio instead of relying on built-in microphones in cameras or your phone. 
• Try to keep your audio consistent across your video, changes in volume and background noise can be noticeable and distracting in a video. 

Try to keep video segments short.

• Shorter clips are smaller files, which are easier to work with on your computer. 
• Try stopping the recording between takes to eliminate wasted space.
• Shorter segments are easier for speakers to get through without mistakes.

Multiple takes are a good thing.

• Even if you have a perfect take on the first try, its good practice to do more. It’s much better to have extra takes than to get to editing and realize something is wrong! 
• Try filming from different angles for different takes. This will make transitions or cuts seem more natural in the final product. 
• Always be looking for “B-roll,” or extra footage. Background shots of interesting locations or actions while a speaker talks in a video helps keep things interesting. 

Avoid Vertical Videos

• Avoid taking video with you phone in an upright position, make sure to turn your phone on its side when recording.  

Find the right software for you and your video.

• There are plenty of video editing software applications out there—some simple and quick, and others complex and powerful. 
• Try starting out in simpler editors, like Windows Movie Maker or iMovie, and if you have something in mind that these apps can’t handle, move up to something bigger. 
• Don’t be afraid to try out ideas, you can always undo!
• There are tons of excellent guides online regarding video editing. If you think something would work for your video try searching for it on YouTube or Google, and you should find something to get you started. 

Save frequently.

• Video editing is an intense process on a computer. Make sure to save your work often so you don’t lose any. 
• If you are sharing editing duties among group members make sure to move all the original audio, video, and image files as well. Most editors save a project file that has your work, but only refers to the original files and will appear broken to anyone who doesn’t have those files. 
• An external hard drive or large flash drive may come in handy for video projects, especially if you plan to use a public lab. 

Keep copyright in mind.

• Copyright can be a very murky subject, especially for videos created online.
• Avoid using licensed music in your videos, many video hosting sites like YouTube have automatic filters that can detect music and will mute your video entirely. 
• There are sources of music and images online that have Creative Commons licenses. The creators of these works often allow others to use their work in projects such as videos and only ask to credit in return. For more info, read about Creative Commons licenses.