Create The Best Pet Adoption Video for Your Rescue

I want to help you make the best pet adoption video you can. Even if you are a nervous “never made a movie before” newbie. Why? Because shooting great video is a skill you can learn and it can be a big help to your local rescue.

You don’t need to be a Hollywood director to make an adoption video to get your cute kittens or wonderful special needs rescue pet adopted. Making how to videos about kitten or neonatal can could even save lives.

If you want to do the best for your rescue, invest a little bit of time in sharpening skills you already have from using a smartphone. If you can make a ‘phone call, you can make a movie.

Top Cat Video Tips

First of all, don’t stress about fancy video equipment. 

You do not need fancy videography equipment if you are a beginner. You do not need an expensive DSLR video setup, just grab your smartphone. Be fearless, get out there and tell an adoption story, or a rescue tale.

I have been placed in two BlogPaws® Nose to Nose Finals using an iPhone to shoot movies. If I can achieve this kind of attention, so can you. I created those videos on my own with no extra help, so keep trying.

You may be a blogger with close links to a rescue – use those links.

Get a story idea down on paper them try to tell it as a movie. It’s the best way to practice. Try a puppy getting adopted video, or cute senior cats at a local adoption event.

Use your unique selling point to brainstorm a short video to introduce your rescue family to your readers. Spotlight the beauty of adoption of a disabled pet, show a hopeful future.

Need Some Video Rescue Ideas?

• Give five rescue top planning tips,
• introduce a local volunteer,
• show how to cope with finding an ‘abandoned’ kitten.
• Create a small pet adoption commercial for social media and who knows, you might end up featured on the Dodo funny animal videos.

Remember, be confident and get filming. With a few video camera skills, you can tell an inspiring story.

Create an Inspirational Pet Video

With your skills improving every day, why not start a video project for a rescue. This can spotlight a pet, the cattery block or rabbit family. You can record an event that inspired you as BlogPaws® inspired me. Watch this.

Whether you are shooting video indoors or outdoors, at home or a rescue. Just remember, have confidence. With a few video camera skills, you can focus on telling an inspiring story.

I make this sound easy, don’t I? Let’s say it’s easier when you have a few intentions in place to guide your progress. Try these ideas:

1. Focus on your subject.
2. What is it?
3. Who is it?
4. What is the story?

Plan a simple narrative. If you need a structure or list of shots you can use our printable sheets for the UK or the USA. Having your plan in visual terms gives you an anchor to guide your story forward.

European A4 StoryBoard pdf

US Letter Size StoryBoard pdf

Planning a Movie

My tip is to develop a movie idea or story so that when you start work you do not feel as if you are stepping off a cliff,

with no support

and no idea what will happen.

Let me give you an example of how a bit of forward planning can help you be more prepared to create a movie that makes sense.

My Video Story Plan

Our cat Miranda is a lively tree climber and I knew I wanted to capture her on her fearless climb upwards during the lovely Spring weather. 

I scribbled down a movie idea to capture how much fun Miranda has in our garden. I also knew that if I was out doing some gardening she would be in a tree climbing mood. I filmed some ground shots and camera at the ready I waited for her to climb her favourite tree.

I added some licensed music to give it a cheerful vibe. If you want music AudioJungle has a range of prices, each with an official licence.

For you, the story might be a kitten’s first climb up a cat tree, or a senior venturing onto the catio.

Miranda from The Dash Kitten Movie Crew on Vimeo.

Now Make Your Rescue Movie

If you wait until you stop feeling nervous you will never start. Do it while you are scared and you will slowly realise that you can create a mini-movie.

Remember to shoot a little more than you need so you have lots of clips for your narrative. 

You will need to edit your movie. Just keep it simple, join your clips together. Add a little bit of text with crucial rescue contact details and then SHARE for your rescue cat or dog.

If you are like me, you will start off thinking that your movie is not very good but don’t be too hard on yourself.

Your videography techniques improve with every movie you make. Keep working at this and keep sharing your videos.

Add Static Images with the Ken Burns Effect

Here’s how.

Smartphone pictures can be video between the clips. You can also add printed pictures once they are scanned into a computer. After you add them, use the ‘Ken Burns‘ effect.

Let me tell you a bit about this simple but clever visual tool that allows you to use photographs and still keep your movie flowing.

The Ken Burns effect is a panning (moving across) and zooming (moving closer) effect used in video production. It will help you create the best pet adoption video for your rescue candidates by letting you include static images that appear to be moving even if they aren’t.

People expect a movie to do just that – move. The Ken Burns effect is another small but effective tool in your armoury as a smartphone video maker.

NOTE: The name derives from extensive use of the technique by American document maker Ken Burns.

People expect a movie to do just that – move. The Ken Burns effect is another small but effective tool in your armoury as a smartphone video maker.

NOTE: The name derives from extensive use of the technique by American document maker Ken Burns.

A Video to Address a Rescue Event or Challenging Issue

If you find an issue arises repeatedly for your rescue, work with other volunteers to create a video for your Facebook page and other social media.

Have an ‘Adoptapalooza’ coming up? Showcase the cats available, spotlight the seniors and disabled cats.

• You could create a movie on keeping community cats warm; raw feeding tips, or handling a lost kitten.
• Do a short promo for your rescue’s longest resident who needs a home. Keep it brief because that way it will work on a wider range of social media channels.
• If you aim for Instagram coverage – shoot SQUARE.

How Do I Edit My Pet Video?

Editing takes a bit of practice but if you can do it on your computer if the phone screen seems too small.  Look at your clips. You will see what ones you like, drag those to your timeline and start fooling around.

If you need editing help YouTube has lots of videos so there will be one for your smartphone app. Just take it slowly. No-one was born knowing how to make movies so don’t be hard on yourself.

If you need editing help YouTube has lots of videos so there will be one for your smartphone app. Just take it slowly. No-one was born knowing how to make movies so don’t be hard on yourself.

When You Need It Now

When you need a short video very quickly, our favourite instant movie secret weapon iMovie’s ‘Trailer Template’ function or the free version of Adobe Spark app.

A post on feline probiotics used up the time I had so I used a short iMovie trailer template for extra sparkle. The template consists of a pre-assembled sequence of placeholders for video and still shots. There is space for text inserts and an uplifting track perfectly timed for the template.

For a rescue volunteer, a movie is something you can plan, and incorporate into your schedule when time allows, or when you have an event to spotlight.

OK, I’m Ready What do I do?

Step One: Check our video shooting basics for the skills to get you up and running. This is a really helpful post packed with nitty-gritty advice given in a non-scary way.

We have smartphone app advice for beginners here if you need them too.

Our best advice ever?  Just get out there and film stuff. Learn to hold your smartphone as a camera, and how to keep your rescue pet centred in the frame. See if you can do a close-up. Have fun and laugh when you get it wrong, then try again and do it better,

TIP Your video is not Gone with the Wind (3hrs 58mins) it is a message to your potential adopters and fosters. A short and meaningful message you can share on your social media channels can make a big impression.

Final Video Shoot Tips

• Shoot in the best light you can
• Be an engaging and friendly presenter
• Use a lapel mic if you have one
• Add captions for hearing impaired people
• Hold your camera steady or use a tripod.

Making inspiring animal shelter adoption videos gets pets into homes! 

Now tell me, what kind of rescue video are you going to create today?