Make a Video

Selecting Your Topic

2009 SafetyScholars.com Make A Video. Win A Scholarship. Bridgestone.

Your video must address some aspect of automobile or driving safety. Here are just a few examples:

  • Seat belt usage
  • Tire inflation
  • Avoiding distractions while driving (like cell phones and texting)
  • Driving defensively
  • Stopping for a yellow light instead of speeding through it

Once you’ve chosen your topic, think about the most effective way to present it. Tell a story about your own or someone else’s experience? Develop a how-to demonstration? Make a music video?

After you know what your video is going to be about, you’re ready to move on to planning and scripting.

Planning Your Shoot

Step 1
First you need a script.
Write down what you want your characters and/or narrator to say. Then describe the visuals within each shot, including camera angles. Also include any music you plan to use (be sure that you are not using anything with a copyright). Make sure your script is detailed enough so you can plan each shot — but don’t get bogged down in too many details.

Step 2
Scout your locations.
Think about where you’ll shoot each scene. In your driveway? On your street? Inside your car? Consider which locations will make the best visuals. Which are most “do-able?” Which might require getting special permission to shoot? Are they places where you can work safely?

Step 3
Plan Your Shoot 2009 SafetyScholars.com Make A Video. Win A Scholarship. Bridgestone.Develop a storyboard.
A storyboard is simply a visual of what each scene will look like. The visuals can be as simple as a rough pencil sketch — just enough to give you the basic idea. In general, you should have one storyboarded frame for each scene or each time the camera angle or background changes.

Step 4
Create a schedule.
Chart out the time you’ll spend shooting and editing. Then — stick to the schedule!

Step 5
Get permission.
If you plan to shoot your video on someone’s private property, you’ll need written permission. Anyone who appears on camera and can be recognized in any manner will need to sign a Talent Release Form. If they’re under 18, their parents or legal guardians will also need to sign the form.