How do you make a good video about your research into animal-free innovations?
Interview with Victoria de Leeuw (RIVM) and Aniek de Winter (IRAS, UU)
Aniek de Winter (IRAS, Utrecht University) and Victoria de Leeuw (RIVM) organised a workshop entitled ‘Making videos of your animal-free research’. Aniek works in communications and stakeholder engagement for the VHP4Safety project. Victoria is a scientific researcher at the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, and involved with TPI.tv; a platform where researchers and other interested parties can upload their videos of the transition to animal-free innovation. TPI wants to find out why videos are so important for researchers (young ones in particular) and how to create the best one.
Why is it a good idea for researchers to make a video about their research?
Victoria: “Video is the number one medium for researchers to get attention for their research in an accessible manner. When we started with TPI.tv, that was a message that did not appeal to many people yet. But seven years and a global pandemic later, and short videos have become a standard part of our daily lives. And not just for entertainment purposes, but specifically as a means of acquiring knowledge. As a young researcher you are on the frontline of research; you are the one spending hours at your computer, the lab table, or in the field. So you are also the right person for sharing your research and everything involved in it with your audience via video. You should explain not just what you are doing, but also why.”
Aniek: “It is true that video has become an increasingly important medium of communication, and this trend is expected to continue. This medium is great for bridging the gap between science and society, and this is something that is backed by organisations such as NWO.”
Making a good video is often harder than you think. How did you tackle the creation of the video workshop? And who was the target audience?
Aniek: “The workshop was mainly intended for young researchers because they had shared in interviews that they would appreciate support in making videos to be uploaded to TPI.tv. We then invited all young researchers within our project for a preparatory webinar first, and then to the workshop itself. In the preparatory webinar they were taught how to film so-called cover shots and Victoria explained how to write a good script. After the webinar, the participants got started on their scripts, allowing them to start filming immediately on the day of the workshop.”
Victoria: “For the video format we used a structure that we have a lot of experience with: the golden circles of Simon Sinek. The point of his circles is that you first have to start with the ‘why’, as it appeals to people’s feelings/concerns/emotions. This captures the attention of the viewer, after which you can explain how you conducted your research and what the impact of your research is. Sort of like the abstract of a scientific paper.”
The workshop was hosted by Floris Witteveen, a vlogger. What did he teach you?
Victoria: “Floris taught us that well-placed images, with the right composition and that go with the spoken text, are very important for the appeal of your video clip. But it does not have to be super polished.”
Aniek: “If you combine text and image in the right way, it can make your message a lot more powerful. He also explained the importance of sound. If there are a lot of background noises for example, that could make the video less appealing to watch. It is therefore important to not only pay attention to the images, but also to the sound in the video.”
Which elements are important to making a good video?
Victoria: “Why why why! I keep repeating myself, but that why question is so important. Why are you labouring away so hard every day? Hopefully not just because you want that Doctor’s title, but also because you want to solve a problem. And making that connection, between the problem and what you can sometimes view as your minuscule contribution to solving that problem, is what makes a good video for me. This also means that it has to be explained in an understandable manner, which can be challenging, particularly when you choose the general public as your target audience. But it is absolutely vital!”
Aniek: “Speaking a language that is understandable to the general public can be super difficult. Another challenge is the difference between written and spoken text. Which is why, in preparation of the workshop, we carefully checked the scripts of all participants to see if the story would be intelligible to non-scientists too, and whether the sentences and script had a good flow. This was also very instructive for us!”
What is the most important tip you have for everyone that wants to make a video about his or her research?
Victoria: “Use your friends and family to practise your speech on, so you discover the best way of bringing your message across! And in preparation of actually making your video, watch scientific documentaries and images and see what the creators’ approach was from a technical standpoint. What is an interesting angle you can choose? How is someone positioned in front of the camera? And of course, check TPI.tv for inspiration!”
And, what’s just as important, how do you ensure that people can find and decide to view your video?
Victoria: “And now for some shameless self-promotion: have your video posted to TPI.tv With more than 100 videos about animal-free innovation, it is the number one place to showcase the options!”
Aniek: “Of course it is also always a good idea to share your video in your own network as well, for example on LinkedIn or via other social media channels.”
Victoria and Aniek have 12 tips on how to shoot a good video about your research:
- Write a good script.
- Start with the ‘why’ of your research, then follow up with the results and the impact.
- Use well-placed images, with the right composition and that go with the spoken text.
- Polished images are no precondition for a good video.
- Avoid disruptive background noises.
- Ensure a connection between your research and the solution to the wider problem which you are attempting to help solve.
- Use text with sentences that flow well and that you can easily read out loud.
- Use language that is understandable for non-scientists.
- Use your friends and family to practise your speech on, so you discover the best way of bringing your message across!
- Watch scientific documentaries and images and see what the creators’ approach was from a technical standpoint.
- Share your video with TPI.tv and on social media.
- And of course, check TPI.tv for inspiration!