Videography

EO’s Brand In Motion

EO Videography and Motion

About EO Videography & Motion

Video is a powerful tool for global communication. When creating videos, it is essential to adhere to the signature look established for EO, ensuring the brand is prominently reflected in the content. Follow these recommendations to highlight EO’s identity effectively.

Before you decide to make a video consider the following:

  • What is the goal of your video? Can it be said in two minutes or less? Many viewers may not watch your video beyond that time.
  • Is the message easy to understand if told through video?
  • Is the message clear and interesting? How will it specifically maximize engagement?

Guidelines for Shooting:

Supplemental equipment such as items below will improve the quality of your video. However, only use them if you are reasonably proficient. Do not try to learn on-the-spot:

Two cameras instead of one

Tripod

Treat our logo with respect

Proper lens for the environment (only for SLRs and pro camcorders)

Lights with light stands. A reflector can be a suitable substitute if a bright light source already exists

Extension cords

Sound recording equipment – recorder, microphone, headphones

Makeup to soften blemishes and reduce shine on face

Test all equipment before you record to make sure it works

Quick Tips

Don't Use Digital Zoom

AVOID THE DIGITAL ZOOM

Smartphones are incapable of zooming with a lens, so when you zoom in when recording, you sacrifice image quality. If you need a closer shot, walk closer.

Lighting Tips

LIGHTING

Best Practices:

  • Face your subject toward a window for natural light.
  • Watch the screen while recording to ensure the subject and overall composition look balanced.
  • Avoid placing a window or any light source behind your interview subject to prevent silhouettes.
  • If lights are used, make sure the subject’s face is evenly lit with minimal shadows on their face.
  • In terms of angle of light, remember that lights are meant to simulate the sun. A useful starting point is to light your subject at a 45-degree angle.
  • If there are multiple lights, make sure the light color is consistent between each.
  • Check the frame on your camera to ensure your light level is not too bright or too dark.
Audio Tips

AUDIO

  • Record in areas with minimal background noise, such as music, wind, or people talking. While audio can be adjusted in post-production, starting with clean audio ensures a better final result.
  • Lapel mics, if used, should be clipped on a lapel or collar or between two buttons, and the wire should be run underneath the subject’s shirt.
  • The mic should be roughly 6 inches (15 cm.) away from the subject’s mouth.
Framing Tips

FRAMING

  • Center your subject in the frame when they are talking to the camera.
  • Show the head and upper torso, including hand movements if applicable.
  • Create visual depth by avoiding positioning your interview directly in front of a wall. This also eliminates visual shadows on the wall.
  • Ensure there is no equipment or other clutter visible in background of your camera shot.

TEXT AND LOGOS 

Only use the official, updated EO logo in your video, found in this brand portal. This can be in the form of using our branded intro and outro bumper videos and EO watermark (or bug) to place in the bottom right corner of the screen, available on our Asset Hub.

Be sure to use our official lower third template file, created with After Effects, for displaying people’s names, titles, or chapters in your video. This is lso available on our Asset Hub.

The Roboto font should be used for ALL text in the video. All varying weights of the font are acceptable. Avoid use of all other fonts for text on screen in video.

For horizontal video, a semi-transparent white version of the EO ring (“bug”) must be present in the bottom right corner throughout the video. This is also available on the Asset Hub.

IMAGERY

Whenever possible, avoid using stock video or photos to supplement your footage. EO records a lot of footage at larger events, and it is always preferable to use authentic content reflecting our members and experiences. This can be found on EO’s Asset Hub. (members and staff, log in for full access)

IMAGERY

Music will almost always make the video flow better. There are many royalty-free music options online. Try premiumbeat.com or audiojungle.net. Make sure this music is purchased and not use the preview version, otherwise you will hear the music “watermarked” with the company name repeated throughout the song.

Is your audio loud enough in the video? Increase the volume of your content until it peaks at -3 decibels. This is a best practice for all online video. The same goes for if video is too loud. If you hear distortion in the audio, you will need to decrease the volume to -3 decibels at points where content is loudest.

SIZING

Make sure you are editing in the correct dimensions. Below are the proper sizes for popular platforms:

SUBTITLES

Prioritize the use of subtitles on screen in the following situations:

  • If your video be shown in a country with language needs outside of your own that require translations
  • If there be deaf or hard-of-hearing members in your audience?

Best practice for translating content for subtitles:

  • Use a professional service to have subtitles generated for your video. Third-party services such as Rev and 3Play Media specialize in quick turnaround caption/subtitle creation that offers translation in many languages.
  • Avoid using AI-generated captions that are not verified by native speakers for cultural context, accuracy, and quality. AI translations are not entirely accurate.

Whichever service you use to create captions, you may be given a subtitle file as the deliverable (.vtt, .srt etc). Most video players will provide the ability to upload these files to the video. If that is not an option, consider “burning in” your subtitles so that they are embedded into the video.

For instructions on how to use the EO Asset Hub, please watch this video