A good video can significantly make a difference for a nonprofit organization. After all, creating an engaging video can help raise awareness, deliver important information, and increase donations. Understanding your audience and the goal of the video will lead you down a successful path.

So, when making a video for your nonprofit, how do you do so effectively and affordably? 

Get Started With The Basics

Naturally, your video's content and directional style will depend on your brand and the message you want to promote. Still, there are some ways to ensure that your story is told efficiently.

Developing a Story

What is the story you are trying to tell with this video? Is the purpose to tell the brand story - who you are what and what your organization is about? Or, is it an impact video, shedding light on how the organization is making a difference? Awareness and fundraising seem to be the most common goals for nonprofit videos. From there, start to figure out the message and who is best sutied to deliver that message. It could be a voice from within the organization, a client or beneficiary perspective, or a scripted voiceover that drives the video.

Often times, we’ll work through an AV (audio/visual) type script with a client to break down what we may hear with what we may see in the video. If the video is interview based versus scripted, the audio side may contain main points you plan to hit on in the interviews.

Creating an Emotional Connection

Try thinking back to your high school English class days. Remember the concept of “pathos”?

Pathos refers to using techniques that evoke an emotional response. Most nonprofit videos will appeal to the emotions of a group and produce feelings that naturally exist within said group. It's a popular technique used in literature, film, and other art.

At its core, pathos uses a storytelling approach to engage the audience and move them to take action. The message should remain relatable and easily understandable. A few popular pathos tools to help you get started on building that connection:

• Use a metaphor or anecdote (known as a hook) at the start of your video.

• Use a passionate narration to promote an emotional response from your audience

• Use visual and verbal cues that relate to your message throughout the video.

Choosing Music

Music is a big part of the overall emotion of the video. Choosing the right soundtrack to your video will make a difference. Music helps tell the story and can change as the message unfolds. Music helps inform the emotion of the piece, from more somber moments to those of inspiration and hope.

Impactful Quotes

You want the audience to understand and respond to your nonprofit's impact. The best way to do that is to pull in impactful quotes or statistics for proof. Often time we will interview those benefitting from the organization’s work and services, and this provides firsthand accounts of the difference the organization makes. The audience will be more likely to get involved or donate if they know what their time and/or money is going towards.

On To Production

One of the most challenging questions to consider is how to actually film the video. Here are a few tips on how to obtain the high production value you're looking for.

Inspiring Visuals

Once the storyline has been developed, you will need to determine what are the appropriate visuals to pair with the message. What will showcase your organization’s message and impact in the most inspiring way? Consider what you have access to film - people, places, events. Leaning on resources already at your disposable will help contain production costs.

Clean Audio

The camera is, of course, the star of the show. However, what many people seem to neglect is that audio can make or break your video. Having a way to capture clean sound is going to help deliver your message, well, loud and clear. Especially if you are interviewing members of the organization or clients that the organization serves, you’ll want to capture good soundbites. Poor audio quality can detract and distract from the message.

Plan Ahead

In advance, mapping out the basics like budget and design will promote a more straightforward, more complimentary story moving forward.

Are you looking to take that next step? Check out our website for more information on nonprofit videos and review some examples.