Are you a volunteer for a rescue, but do you feel you could do more? Take a moment to look at the smartphone in your hand. This device can be a powerful and almost magical tool to help you get pets into their forever homes.
Create heartwarming adoption videos to showcase your rescue’s unique pet personalities and this will increase their charges chances of being adopted. I focus on cats here but your love may be dogs or even an affectionate and characterful rabbit.
If you feel that video creation is beyond your skills, let me try to persuade you otherwise. Let me help you transform yourself into a confident smartphone movie maker for a local rescue.
First Video Steps
These ideas are for pet rescue workers, bloggers, and feline or canine folks everywhere.
- You do not need to be an ‘expert’ in anything, you will grow in confidence and skill every time you create a shot or edit the simplest movie.
- You can present in front of a camera or stand behind and showcase rescue pets. The choice is yours.
- All you need a smartphone, a tripod or support of some kind, and a dash of determination to get the job done. (A tripod works really well for stability if you need to shoot a video by yourself and need to step in front of the camera)
- Remember Confidence and Determination gets pets into homes. Your video may work the little dash of magic your sad senior cat or older dog might need.
‘Know the story you want to tell‘.
Making A Good Rescue Video
Some questions to ask yourself before you rush off to start shooting video clips.
What is the subject of your video?
Once you decide on the older dog, or pair of bonded cats, make a list of shots you would love to try and get to tell their story. If you are introducing a rescue pet you might note down a list like this:
- An introduction e.g. Who are you? Introduce the rescue?
- Introduce your rescue cat and give a brief story. This can be text on the screen (for hearing impaired people) as well as audio if you want to speak.
- Share adoption details.
- Give clear and short contact details for potential adopters so they can act quickly.
Make a note of the kind of shots that will bring your video to life – things like a kitty high paw, a cute puppy head tilt, or kitty jumping skills. Remember this is only a short film, a snapshot not an award winning.
- No one sees your movie until it is finished. Edit and practice as much as you need.
Lighting top tip
I know that budget-conscious movie makers will not want to commit to expensive light setups so plan to film in natural or bright light as much as you can. A reasonably clear video can be brightened in easy to use movie software, or smartphone movie editing app.
- TIP Think from the point of view of your audience. What is your message? Keep it simple and clear.
Unsure? Create a ‘Storyboard’
Worried about where to start your video? A brief outline or plan could be all you need to focus. A pen and paper, or a planner page on a smartphone app like Evernote will work. Something to help you brainstorm ideas and scribble down ideas for video clips for your movie.
These prompts might help you focus:
- What do you want to say?
- Spotlight a special cat or kitten? How will you show their character? Was their rescue a dramatic story?
- Do you want to highlight a fundraiser for a specific pet?
- Will a simple static presentation tell your story with a few
closeups ? - Or, do you need to get outside, up on your feet, show a place or a special animal?
Remember that unless your story is utterly compelling (and it could be), people will not want to sit and watch you talk for very long. Be prepared to break up your presentation with video clips to keep our watcher’s attention. Edit in relevant clips and remember you can add a voice over later in most video editing programs.
Ready? Steady? Go!
You now have ideas, a focus! You can do this. Start thinking about how to showcase that special rescue pet you know!
Now let me ask you… Which rescue pet will feature of your first rescue movie?
Perfect timing! We just got a new foster pup in over the weekend so these tips will be great in helping fundraise for her surgery and medicines as well as hopefully finding her a home once she’s healthy
Glad to help Tiffany!
Excellent tips for creating valuable adoption videos, Marjorie! This is such important information and a great tutorial on how to do it right. I often see adoption photos or videos, and they leave out the critical information of where the furry friend is located, how big, special needs, or the type of home that the fur kid needs to thrive. Well done! I’m sharing with all my pet parents. I know they’ll incorporate your tips.
Very useful reading!
This is an incredible post and I’m saving it for future reference. Your tips are going to be so helpful.
Fantastic tips! Looking forward to seeing what folks film! I have both a tripod and Gorillapod, but just need to remember to use them (instead of bracing myself against rails, mailboxes, cars, etc.)! LOL! Pinning your post to share!
Thank you Dorothy. I have a monopod and sometimes forget I have it….
These seem like great tips for helping with a hands-free video. I’m looking forward to seeing all the videos people make!
Great recommendations. I recently purchased a tripod for my iPhone and hope to begin using it in the future.
Yay to hands-free. My hands are usually busy doing other things.
These are great tips! I get so nervous about doing video that I do my best to avoid it all all costs. LOL I hate editing and I feel so unnatural on camera.. BUT you are so right that it can all just be edited out and fixed later, or reshot if necessary. There’s really nothing to be nervous about (especially when you’re doing it solo bc no one else sees anything other than the final product anyway!)
You got the whole thing in ONE! That’s exactly right.
Yes! I love that we’re all learning this piece together – I have been a little intimidated by all of the video tech that I just don’t know. I invested in a tripod and some good equipment and we’re on this journey too! I love the hands-free concept – and it makes for much more natural filming!
I definitely need to invest in a Gorillapod. I can never get a photo of me doing anything with or to the girls, or video either. It always comes out a blurry mess.
Hubby is the video pro in this house! So we are lucky – we are two. But I often do the tutorials on my own. I find lighting by FAR to be the most important part!
I recently got a tripod and a remote, but I am so shy about actually appearing on videos – it still helps when I’m taking videos of Matilda painting, as I don’t have to be looking at the screen, which makes it harder for her to focus.
You in my eyes a genius when it comes to cameras and I am still plodding along like an old lady LOL but I do have a tripod it came with my camera so am going to this summer when in the park take it with me and start practicing, One day I will get it right. Thanks as always for the great tips
Marjorie, this is fantastic! These tips are great for so much more than cat videos, really any kind of video you need to produce. I got a tripod for my birthday about a year ago and it’s been the best tool, I use it all the time for stationary videoing. I’m intrigued by the other tools & holders you mention too, I haven’t heard of some of them. Sharing.
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Someday I’ll get a tripod! I’ve gotten pretty creative to record some of my pet videos – lots of stacking random objects so I can rest my phone on them, and on more than one occasion I’ve taped my smart phone to my vacuum cleaner (it was the perfect height for what I was recording). The things a blogger will do to get that perfect shot!
Great tips, you make it sounds so easy! I would always be flying solo if I ever decided to try and make a movie. I’m afraid the most I can manage to date is pressing the record button on my phone!
We have a tripod around here somewhere, maybe Simon hid it! Happy New Year from all of us!
We need a tripod. Bought one a few years ago, but went with a budget version which broke in about a month. Next time I plan to invest a bit more in a good one.
Happy 2019!
Oh wow. I am trying out a couple of budget ones for beginners but maybe with experience a better one is the way to go?
Thank you, what a nice post. We look forward to seeing the grooming video success. We are sure there are gadgets out there for all circumstances, especially the solo artiste who wants to make the best of themselves and their companions.
Lots of purrs
ERin
We had a Gorilla pod, but my human broke it! Grrr…
Yikes, this is… I mean.? She DID? For real.
Da momma has a tripod she got from Amazon – it works great!
Agree 100% They make a real difference!
What a great tutorial! Bravo!
We bet there will be some awesome hands-free cat videos as a result. 🙂