There are plenty of songs that celebrate the last day of school (Alice Cooper – School’s Out (from Alice Cooper: Trashes The World) and countless films that simply can’t wait for the summer holidays (Dazed and Confused, Superbad, Booksmart etc. etc. etc.) but where are all the plaudits for the school year getting up and running? Where are the uplifting anthems to cheer us on our way to the school gates? Where are the coming-of-age comedies to lift our spirits after the first INSET day?
Well, at Reels in Motion, we don’t have much of a singing voice and Netflix are “getting back” to us about our idea for a new-school-year comedy (Teachers Pet – a labrador is accidentally hired to run year 8 with hilarious consequences), so whilst we’re waiting, we thought we’d write…
…a Blog instead! You’re welcome.
Having seen for ourselves how powerful, successful and cost-effective video production can be for the education sector, we’ve put together this guide for schools, academies, colleges and Universities to show how they can benefit from professional videos.
We’ll provide you with tools to supercharge your education videos and answer some of the frequently asked questions about video production – including costs and budgets which we know can be a worry for schools and colleges.
On this note, to celebrate the start of the school year, Reels in Motion are currently offering a 15% discount to ALL education providers and organisations.
So whether you’re looking to update your prospectus from a few years ago, or whether you’ve never used video before and are looking for some guidance on taking the first steps, read on to learn how you can use video in the education sector.
Video for schools and education should be a core part of your strategy. There are many reasons why organisations now primarily rely on videos to engage with their audiences; shareability, SEO benefits and cost-effectiveness to name but a few. But the main reason is that video has the ability to combine both emotion AND deliver important messages and information.
In just a 2-minute Prospectus Video for a school, academy or FE setting, you can not only promote the key information (facilities, results/achievements, specialisms), but you can share the emotional impact your facility has on students. How people ‘feel’ when they walk through the doors, how inspiring and life-changing the teachers are, and of course, the values and ethos that are lived and breathed.
This combination of both emotional and strategic agendas puts video above most (we would say all) marketing or promotional tools. With the education sector (public and private) facing so many challenges in the coming years, the schools, colleges, universities and Academies who utilise professional videos effectively, will undoubtedly stand out from those who don’t.
Video is a versatile and highly adaptable method of communication, but we know it can be hard to know where to start. Here’s our round-up of the most popular types of videos used in the education sector to demonstrate exactly how you can benefit from them:
Video Prospectus
A video prospectus video showcases everything you offer at your facility. Highlight your varied curriculum, your talented employees, and clubs/ activities. It’s a versatile style of video that can used on your website, as a promotional video across your social media, as a tool to introduce new students to your school and much more.
Student Recruitment
A student recruitment video is a specific video campaign used to help enrolment into your facility. This is targeted at your specific demographics and is often fast-paced, aspirational and creative to truly entice your audience.
Social Media Content
Utilising social media by releasing professional, high-quality videos can supercharge your engagement. Not only will they help to raise your profile and position you as an industry leader, but they can help improve recruitment to your facility.
Drone/Aerial Tours & Inside Virtual Tour/360 Tours
Use the power of Aerial Videography with your very own Drone tour. Showcase the scale, space and facilities that you have on offer. Or, let students, parents and key stakeholders ‘walk’ the corridors and classrooms from the comfort of their homes.
Changes & New Developments
Use video to showcase changes and new developments for your establishment. You could even use animation to break down any complex changes in a way that simplifies your message. Whichever way you do it, video is a great way to highlight exciting updates.
Headteacher Messages
In educational environments where getting all students, parents and stakeholders in the same room is nigh on impossible, being able to record a powerful and persuasive video which looks great, sounds amazing and can be shared with all stakeholders, is the most effective method to communicating your messages clearly and easily.
Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) Messages
For parents and students who need further reassurance, and information, or want to hear directly from a SENCO, a short overview video is a brilliant and welcoming introduction.
Meet the Team
These short introductory videos allow students to meet all of the key teachers and employees at your facility. These videos are great for putting a face to the names, allowing students to navigate the premises with confidence.
Demonstration/Instruction Videos
If you need a way to communicate specific instructions and guidance to students, staff and guests, video is a reliable, easy-to-understand and easy-to-access method. We’ve produced videos for processes such as signing-in and absence registering, HSE and Fire Safety, equipment tutorials, and building navigation.
Results Day/Graduation
Creating an emotional video of the important points in your students’ journeys. Video provides a lifelong memento of a student’s special moment, and you with evidence of the huge impact you’ve had on their lives.
Drama/Art/Music Shows
Professional video recording of student performances (Plays, Nativities, Recitals, Exhibitions) is a cost-effective way to build support and participation amongst your community, as well as capturing those all-important moments indefinitely.
Many types of videos are well-suited for the education sector. Ultimately, the possibilities are endless – but one thing is clear – that video is leading the way in helping those in the education sector stand out and position themselves as forward-thinking and innovative when it comes to the education sector.
Many education settings have access to video equipment and editing software, so producing videos in-house is of course achievable. However, with so much video out there now, viewers are aware of what has been produced professionally and what has been put together in-house so if you are self-producing, make sure the videos are written, filmed and edited by capable people in your organisation.
Think of it like this – I may just about be able to set up a Bunsen Burner but you probably don’t want me teaching Year 7 Science. Short videos created for social media or quick updates for parents/students could work well in-house, but if you’re looking for a professional prospectus or promotional videos, every penny spent on a quality production company will be worth it. Speaking of which…
I hate to be ‘that guy’, but it really does depend on the requirements of the project and most importantly, how long it will take to produce. Filming and editing a recorded message from a headteacher could cost as little as £500, whereas a full video prospectus that showcases every department and facility that takes 2-3 days to film could be anywhere between £1500 – £8000. If you do not have a set budget for a project you have in mind, just speak to a good production company and they will be able to advise you on ball-park costs and estimates.
Many education providers already have photo/video consent in place for students and staff, however, we always recommend confirming this with specific project-based consent forms that are signed by staff and students for the video. This is especially important when filming any minors or vulnerable people.
This can be a common problem in videos for the education sector but can be solved in a number of ways. Firstly, your consent forms should cover whether you can still use shots/footage of them once they’re no longer employed with you. Even with this in place, you may not want them to still feature in your video, so does that mean your video is now useless? In a word, no! At Reels in Motion, we always plan for this problem and ensure that the final video can be edited easily and quickly to replace or remove any members of staff or students that can no longer appear in the video.
Yes! We are often asked to re-edit existing education videos to feature new facilities, departments or members of staff. Although there will typically be some costs for the new filming and editing, it should be relatively small in comparison to the original costs of producing the full video.
Always look for a Video production company with a strong track record in the education sector. This will give you confidence that they are knowledgeable in the specific factors and concerns in education, they are qualified to work with students, and of course, you can see previous examples and results of their work for other schools/colleges they have in their portfolio. An established production company with a good track record should also have awards and industry recognition to give you further confidence.
A good production company should be able to deliver you everything you need – from script to screen – for your video project. They will firstly consider your initial brief, then offer ideas and approaches on how to get you the results you’re looking for, before creating a script and storyboard for you to approve. They will then help with all the planning and scheduling and carry out the filming. After this, they will edit and deliver your video(s).
When you’re looking for quotes or potential ideas for your project, it always helps if you have some sort of brief or overview of what you’re looking for – but it is not essential. A good video production company should be able to assess and understand what you want even from a short phone call, but to get really specific ideas and costings, a brief will help speed things up.
If you’re unsure of what a video brief looks like or what needs to be included, you can download our free template and read our blog on How to Write a Video Brief.
So there you have it. Our handy guide on unlocking the power of video for the education sector. Whether your after creating a set of school marketing video or you want to showcase your operations – or anything in between, we have you covered.
Don’t forget – this September we are offering you 15% off as part of our Back to School sale for any video you make. So, no time is better than the present to kick-start your journey. Give us a call on 01782 454054 or click here to get in touch.
