Dear Sisters,
We invite you to respond to the question: What is a piece of wisdom you have received in Religious Life that still sustains you today? with a short self-recorded video.
The content and tone of the video is entirely up to you. You could share a humorous story, a serious lesson you’ve learned during your time in religious life, or a piece of wisdom someone else has shared with you.
The length of the video should be 1 minute and 30 seconds or less.
Below we have outlined best practices to help you to record a high quality video.
Location
Choose a non-distracting background. Select an area that doesn’t have too many items in the background that might draw viewers away from what you are saying (posters, other people, etc).
Set up
Make sure that the video is recorded vertically. We want this video to be authentic and personal and encourage you to use your smartphone for recording.
Don’t zoom in on your face. Ideally, the video should include your upper body/shoulders/head and leave a little bit of space above your head, so the top of your head does not get cropped out in the video. It is best to film the video at arm's length, or about two feet.
Make sure your phone/camera is set up at eye level.You could hold your device in your hands at eye level, or your device could be leaned against a pile of books or resting in a windowsill.
If you would prefer to have someone assist you filming the video, a friend or fellow sister can film you with a smartphone. In this instance, the camera video should include the upper body/shoulders/head. Your legs should not be visible. (The person filming the video should be mindful of the sounds they make as breathing, humming, or sighing can be picked up on audio.)
Sound
Choose a quiet location with little background noise (street sounds, music, other voices).
Turn off fans or heaters to avoid additional noise. It’s important to select a filming location where you will not encounter interruptions.
Avoid places where there might be an echo (i.e. a church sanctuary or stairwell). Try a short recording test to make sure you can see and hear yourself clearly.
Please start and end your recording with 1-2 seconds of silence while looking straight into the camera with a neutral or smiling expression. The pauses at the beginning and end of your video are important for us to be able to edit the videos properly.
Lighting
Film yourself during the daytime if possible.
Make sure that there is plenty of lighting in your videos. Natural lighting is preferred to overhead lighting.
Don’t film yourself with a window to your back. This creates very dim lighting.
Get creative! If it feels natural to you, perhaps film yourself while outside. Just be mindful of background noise, such as construction, traffic, or birds chirping.
General tips
Sit or stand up straight.
Try to keep hand motions to a minimum.
Look at the camera consistently.
Be mindful that you do not rush and speak too quickly. Slow down and speak at a conversational pace.
We encourage you to write down a general idea of what you would like to say, as a way to prepare and organize your thoughts. You could also "rehearse" what you’d like to say prior to recording the video.
While you record your video, imagine that you are speaking with a friend.
Keep videos to a maximum length of approximately 1 minute and 30 seconds. It’s absolutely okay if the videos are shorter than that.
DO NOT introduce yourself. We will include this information in the video captions. Since these are very short videos, we want to leave plenty of time for your response to the question.
Sending your video
There are two ways to send us your video.
Since the video will be large in size, the best way to send your recording to us is through WeTransfer. You can set up a free account through WeTransfer. Once you create your account, you will need to check your email to verify your account. Once you do so, WeTransfer will prompt you to send your file. Through their platform, you can send the video directly to GSR columns editor, Sr. Helga Leija at hleija@ncronline.org or GSR social/multimedia editor Olivia Bardo at obardo@ncronline.org.
If you have a Google email account, you can send us your video through Google Drive. Download the Google Drive app on your smartphone and log into your Google Drive account. Click the "plus" button on the bottom right side of the screen. Select the "upload" button and then select "Photos and Videos." When prompted, select your video and click the “upload” button on the right side of your screen. Once the video is uploaded, click the "locate" button that appears to view your video. When you see your video link, click the "..." on the right side of the video link. When prompted, click the "share" button and share with hleija@ncronline.org or obardo@ncronline.org.