Tips for Your Video

Pick the global challenge you are most excited about and read the Background Reading associated with your selected global challenge.

Do your research. The best videos use strong facts/statistics as supporting evidence from a variety of sources. The Video Project Organizer will help guide you and make sure you stay on track.

Use the best information, not the most information, to support your sustainable solution. Be clear and concise in your video – 60 seconds goes by quickly.

If you choose to use statistics, make them relevant by putting them in context. For example, stating that “an estimated 140,000 species go extinct each year” is more impactful when you add that this number is greater than the number of people living in some U.S. state capitals, including Hartford, Connecticut and Topeka, Kansas!

Develop a solution. Make sure that your solution solves the problem you identified in your video. You want viewers to be empowered by a video that shows a realistic way to solve a global challenge that is impacted by human population growth.

Be creative. You can use video, skits, pictures, voice over, music, flip-books – the sky is the limit! Get your friends involved and collaborate to make an even better project.

Make sure you have Copyright free images and music!

If you’re filming on a smartphone, film in landscape mode and use the highest video quality you can. There are many apps that make the filming and editing process easier.

Speak slowly and clearly so that viewers can understand. Make sure to enunciate your words. You may be tempted to speak more quickly to include more information, but resist that impulse! We suggest to write out your script before filming and aim to speak at a pace of 125 to 200 words a minute. Feel free to add subtitles if you’re worried about the audio – just be sure to watch out for spelling errors.

Make sure you follow all of the Rules and Guidelines, including length, content, and copyright rules. It is especially important to keep an organized list of all of your sources.

Avoid common mistakes. Watch this video of the 7 Most Common Mistakes that result in videos not becoming a finalist.

Have fun! This is a great opportunity to learn more about pressing global challenges regarding world population, and it should be a fun project for you and your friends.