Video Specifications

Thank you for your willingness to create a video for the Frances Clark Center.

A smartphone camera will be well-suited to capture video if professional video equipment is not available. Due to quality concerns, please do not record using Zoom. Before recording your video, please consider the following:

Angle: Please record in landscape orientation (horizontal). Vertical orientation will not be accepted. When demonstrating at the keyboard be certain the camera can capture the keyboard of the instrument as well as you. If this is a teaching video, capture a wide enough angle to include the face and hands of the student and teacher (even if standing).

Lighting: Be sure your studio space is well lit. Open window shades or turn on lights. Avoid backlighting/silhouette effect by not positioning yourself between a lightsource and the camera.

Audio: There should be no background noise. Do not position yourself too far from the camera or audio quality will suffer. Please consider the tuning of your piano.

Stability: Mount camera to tripod, music stand, something stationary. If angle changes are needed during the video, please execute these as smoothly as possible, or edit in a splice.

Scores: If the video features music, the publication/edition of the score must not be visible. These videos are not meant to endorse any publisher or publication.

Please do a TEST first to check all of the above.

General considerations:

• Highly patterned clothing and background decorations can be distracting; please consider your wardrobe choice.
• Be aware of background decorations and furniture.
• Look directly at the camera; speak with inflection and energy. Be aware of pacing and flow.
• Please avoid reading from a script. Aim for more natural speech patterns to connect more directly with the viewer.
• Audio/Video settings (generally standard on current model smartphones and tablets)

Specifications: Teacher Education Webinar Series

• 720p resolution at 30 frames per second
• Web optimized
• Audio bitrate set at 128
• MP4 format
• Click here for more details

Specifications: Frances Clark Center Video Series

From the Artist Bench, Inside the Studio, Inspiring Artistry, Questions and Answers, Quick Teaching Tips

• No more than 1280×720 pixels (720p) video and 128kbps AAC or MP3 audio.
• Preferred video/audio settings: 1920×1080+ pixels (1080p) and 320kbps+ AAC or MP3 audio, or uncompressed .WAV.
• Preferred file formats: .MP4, .M4V, .MOV., MKV