As well as writing an entry for the Fintech Awards MENA, you can also enter using a video submission.
If you feel a video would capture your chosen category better than words, this guide is for you.
Our guide will lead you through the process and show you everything you need to know, from shooting to uploading.
Benefits
A video entry can have more impact than a written one. The judges will be able to see your energy, get a sense of what your company is about and put a face to the submission.
Interviews with different members of your team can give a broader view of the company, get across your excitement and display the passion you have.
A video will also get personalities across to the judges. This will be especially important for categories such as Director or Rising Star of the Year.
Featuring interviews with clients is another way to add some credibility to your entry.
Videos are also convenient for the judges, easier to comprehend and a welcome break from reading entries on a screen.
A video entry will grab the attention of the judges in a way that a words on a page can’t. Think about following a recipe from a book compared to watching a chef on a screen.
How to
Like a written entry, videos should follow the guidelines and provide a clear picture of why you should win.
You have three minutes to demonstrate why you, your team or business should win the particular category.
We allow a 10% leeway either side, but we recommend that you fill the time, if possible, to get as many points across as you can.
An easy and interesting way to create a video entry is to set up an interview format.
One colleague can ask the questions mentioned in the criteria—acting as the judge—and another employer can answer the questions.
Alternatively, you could have an employee give a presentation or a deliver a pitch to the camera, like they would to clients.
Remember, you are really trying to sell your entry.
Budget or Blockbuster
You can create a video entry whether you have a professional camera or just a smartphone.
Whatever you are shooting on, there are three basic tips to follow—give your lens a wipe, make sure the camera is steady and record!
If you are using a smartphone, shoot horizontally. Use a tripod (or something similar) to hold the camera steady. Nobody wants shaky footage.
The camera should be shooting at around eye level, so adjust accordingly if you are seated or standing.
In general, for an interview, you want the interviewee to be looking across the camera. Have the interviewer off camera asking the questions diagonally to the interviewee. Similar to below, but only the subject in the shot.
If you are interviewing different people, you can cut and edit these clips together in the video editing software apps mentioned below.
You will also want to think about the background. Your company logo in the background or some other relevant material will look a million times more professional than your office printer or coffee machine.
Alternatively, in the video editing tools mentioned later, you will be able to cut the subject from the background and superimpose it on to a background of your choice.
Say what?
One of the most important, but often overlooked, aspects of creating a video is the sound.
If you are going to invest in anything, a microphone may be the best investment you make.
You can buy little clip-on mics, wireless or not, or microphones that attach to your phone or camera.
Otherwise, try and find somewhere with no background noise.
The cutting room floor
If you are using an iPhone, the iMovie app is the cheapest and most accessible option.
The app is intuitive to use with simple how-to steps for creating videos.
With the app, you can easily crop the picture, quickly edit to improve lighting, use multiple recordings to create one video, add an intro or text, and more.
If you have an Android device, or would like to try another video editing app, KineMaster is a good option.
It’s relatively fast and easy to use with all the basic functions you need. The free version does leave a watermark, but this won’t affect the entry.
Adobe also offers a free video editor, Adobe Premier Rush. The mobile and desktop video editing app allows you to shoot, edit and share high-quality videos.
Canva is another great editor that is free to use. Although it doesn’t have the capabilities of professional video editing software, it’s a good option.
If you want to go pro, Adobe Premier Pro is the software used by many professionals. It has more editing tools than you could ever possibly need.
Costing almost £20 a month, it may not be worth the expense, but if your company uses the Adobe suite already, or plans to in the future, it’s a top-notch option.
Apple’s Final Cut Pro is another excellent professional standard software editing tool.
All the editing software mentioned have free how to videos that you can use.
Time to upload
There are a few different options to upload your entry. Once you have a link, you’ll need to supply it via our online entry form, which is available once you register.
YouTube is the biggest platform you could use. And you can upload on the web or with a mobile. Here’s how:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio or open the YouTube app.
- In the top right-hand corner, click CREATE Upload videos
- Select the file you’d like to upload. Be sure to click Edit to edit your video details
Next, set the privacy setting of your video to unlisted. This will allow anyone with the link to see and share the video, but it won’t appear on your homepage or show up in YouTube’s search results.
For Dropbox:
- Sign in
- Click upload
- Click files or folder, then either open or upload
You can also upload via the Dropbox app.
There is also the option of sharing the video via your own website. Speak to your website developer or whoever manages online assets—they’ll know what to do.
That’s our guide to video entries! By following these steps, you will give yourself an excellent chance of being shortlisted and winning an award.
If you have any specific questions not covered here, please do get in touch with the FinTech Awards MENA team.