Last summer, I was asked to help out with the digital media efforts of SNAP! Performance Productions for the upcoming season. I have been a volunteer and singer with the group since 2010, and I was extremely happy to take on the role.

All of my digital content know-how went into creating and overseeing blogs posts for the SNAP! Columbus website and designing and posting graphics on Facebook and Instagram. The biggest and most challenging task that I added to my content list was creating videos.

Learning to Edit Video

I started creating and editing my own videos back in the early 90s. I didn’t have sophisticated equipment at the time – just a couple VCRs. Twelve years ago, I learned how to use Adobe Premiere and iMovie.

Then, in 2013, I took a digital media class because I wanted to learn how to tell a story in a different way. I thought it was a necessary class. I wanted to begin a new career which focused on writing; however, I wanted to make sure I had the experience with other types of storytelling. It worked!

Don’t Waste The Viewers’ Time

The biggest takeaway that I got from the digital media class is to get to the point. Don’t waste your viewers’ time. I’ve watched a lot of videos where I have wondered: Why am I watching this? That should not be a question that goes through the viewer’s mind.

The pre-show dance party that I created for SNAP! Columbus is an example of getting to the point. The group danced and sang along with the entire song, and I could have made the video three and a half minutes long. But that would have been very boring. I wanted to give others a peek at what we do before the show, hit the highlights, and convey the enthusiasm. Brevity was key.

On the Big Screen

I ended up making 12 SNAP! Columbus videos, which were all posted to Facebook leading up to the show. And I made three additional videos that were played before and during the show. It was pretty exciting to see them up on the big screen!

The experience that I have gained through my recent volunteer efforts is starting to carry over into work. Conceptualizing, storyboarding, directing, shooting and editing videos can be challenging. They don’t need to cost a lot of money; however, the creativity, the experience, and the eye should be there. When you’ve done it right, the results are rewarding!