This starter guide was created for nonprofits and social good organizations to learn how to tell powerful stories, discover storytelling tips, and take the first steps in becoming storymakers.

1. B E C O M E A
STORYMAKER

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Good storytelling
inspires community, increases fundraising,
and creates change.
There's no better time to
get started than
right now!
This starter guide was created for
nonprofits and social good organizations to
learn how to tell powerful stories, discover
storytelling tips, and take the first steps in
becoming storymakers.

3. INSPIRE
02
CREATE
24
EDUCATE
06
STAND OUT
28
We want to spark your imagination
and highlight transformative storytelling.
Watch and learn from the best to ignite
your own ideas!
When it comes to telling a good story,
there are fundamental principles to
consider. Discover basic storytelling
terms, techniques, and tricks to keep in
mind before you press record.
Browse through recommended how-tos
and recorded content to learn all about
storytelling production and
postproduction processes.
Stories need to engage and
influence emotions, values, judgments,
and imaginations. Learn how to create
stories that stand out.
C O N T E N T S

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I N S P I R E Alexia Foundation
http://www.alexiafoundation.org/stories
Alexia Foundation promotes the power of
photojournalism to give voice to social injustice.
Through grants, scholarships, and special projects,
The Alexia Foundation supports photographers as
agents for change.
Show Me Something
http://vimeo.com/90647239
Watch this infographic exploration of video
engagement, from Shutterstock.
G E T
I N S P I R E D2 Contents

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StoryCorps
http://storycorps.org/listen/
StoryCorps provides people of all backgrounds and
beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and
preserve the stories of their lives to remind one another
of our shared humanity, to strengthen and build the
connections between people, to teach the value of
listening, and to weave storytelling into the fabric of
our culture.
Lessons for Storytellers
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRCtupIatuLk
56y9hhzTC7i56lO-b1ygZ
Sit down with some of the most well-seasoned
storytellers and creators in social good storymaking
to learn how your nonprofit, library, or foundation can
create better digital stories.
The Science of Storytelling: Why
Telling a Story Is the Most Powerful
Way to Activate Our Brains
http://lifehacker.com/5965703/the-science-of-
storytelling-whytelling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-
way-to-activate-our-brains
A good story can make or break a presentation,
article, or conversation. Buffer cofounder Leo Widrich
shares the science of why storytelling is so uniquely
powerful.
KDMC Berkeley
http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/tutorials/
KDMC has hosted dozens of speakers for their
digital media training sessions, and most of them are
webcast live. Browse through archived presentations
created for the next generation of new media leaders.
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G E T
E D U C A T E D
7Contents
EDUCATE
TechSoup
http://www.techsoup.org/support/articles-and-how-
tos/digital-storytelling-toolkit
Browse through TechSoup's recommended resources
on how to tell better digital stories.
Visual Storytelling E-Book The Digital
Video Documentary
http://cargocollective.com/visualstorytelling
Download this visual storytelling e-book by Nancy
Kalow of the Center for Documentary Studies at
Duke University.

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YouTube Creator Academy
http://www.youtube.com/yt/creators/education.html
Strengthen your YouTube skills with free online
lessons.
Vimeo Video School
http://vimeo.com/videoschool
Learn how to make better videos through lessons,
tutorials, and sage advice from the folks at Vimeo,
your friendly personal creativity consultants.
8 Contents 9Contents 9Contents

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Now that you have a great idea for a story,
it's time to start shooting video, right? Not so fast!
Before you start shooting, learn how to compose your shots.
Visually arranging the elements in the
frame can be used to focus a viewer's
attention and to create balance or
movement within a scene.
Your first impulse may be to put your subject
in the middle of the frame.
Don't!
Instead, use the "Rule of Thirds."
This is a way of organizing an image by dividing the frame into three horizontal
and three vertical sections. Subjects placed along these lines or at their intersections
will naturally draw a viewer's focus.
Remember: this "rule" is really just a starting point. Don't be afraid to experiment.
V I D E O
PRODUCTION
COMPOSITION
Rule of Thirds
= +
Tips
1

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Headroom
Giving a person the correct amount
of headroom allows them to look
comfortable in the frame.
Too much headroom gives the
impression that the subject is
sinking below the frame.
Too little headroom makes the
subject appear to have become
stuck in the ceiling.
To reduce tension or accentuate motion in a frame, leave space in front of
an object in the direction it is facing.
The rule of thirds grid
can also be used to
draw attention to a
specific depth or to
group objects in your
shot by their distance
from the camera.
Your camera may already know this rule! Many digital cameras (including mobile apps)
come with options to display a grid overlay while recording.
Check your manual to see if these options are available.
Lead Room
Background
Middleground
Foreground
Some Tools Know the Rules

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Now that you have a great idea for a story,
it's time to start shooting video, right? Not so fast!
Before you start shooting, learn how to set up lighting.
Lighting gives you the ability to choose
what is hidden and revealed within each
shot. Use it wisely! Improper lighting
can turn a great idea into a bad viewing
experience.
V I D E O
PRODUCTION
LIGHTING
Indoor Lighting
Tips
2 Lights should be positioned above
a subject's eye level, tilted down
at a 30-45° angle.
Too high an angle causes a
nose shadow to appear on your
subject's lips. This is a bad look
for everyone.
Normal key light
position range
Shadows
increase
Lighting Angles
90°
Flat 0°
30°–45°

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Recording indoors gives you more control over
your lighting conditions.
A three-point lighting setup
can give you a high level of control during single
subject shots.
You don't have to go broke to get a great shot. One affordable option is to purchase
halogen work lights from a hardware store. These bright lights often come with their
own stands, for additional savings.
One of the easiest ways to ruin a shot is to place a bright light within the frame. This
makes it very difficult for a camera to capture the true brightness and contrast of the
images you're trying to record. Try to avoid including lights and windows in your shots.
The three lights in this
setup are:
Key Light
Primary light, used to highlight the
subject. Place the light 30-45°
to the side of the subject.
Two-Point Lighting
This setup generally works well,
especially when the subject stands out
from the background.
Single Light
This simplest setup is best used in
well-lit areas or to create dramatic
shadows.
Fill Light
Used to control the contrast
between highlights and shadows.
Less fill lighting will darken
shadows. Place the light 30-45°
to the side of the subject, on the
opposite side from the key light.
Back Light
Lights the subject from behind.
Used to separate the subject from
the background. Place the light
behind the subject.
Three-Point Lighting
Budget Lighting
You Want to See Light, Not "The Lights"
Using Fewer Lights
45°
45°
2
3
1
45°
45°
2
1
45°
1
2
3
1

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Outdoor Lighting
At its peak, the sun can be too bright to
use for great lighting.
Schedule your shots in the morning
or at dusk, when the sun's light is
softer. This will minimize lighting and
shadow problems.
Though it's not as predictable as indoor lighting, outdoor video requires less
setup time and allows you to capture subjects that will never appear indoors.
The Sun Is a Giant Light
The Magic Hour
Position the subject relative to the sun
in the same way as you would when
using a key light or back light.
Make sure the sun isn't shining
directly into a subject's eyes.
Now that you have a great idea for a story,
it's time to start shooting video, right? Not so fast!
Before you start shooting, learn how to record audio.
V I D E O
PRODUCTION
Tips
3

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Audio quality is as important as image
quality when creating a great video.
Improve your audio quality through
microphone placement, noise control,
and audio levels.
AUDIO ADVICE
Using
Microphones
Control
Noise
Proper microphone placement ensures
you record at the correct volume and
avoid unwanted noise.
Before you record, take a minute to
become aware of nearby sounds.
Try to eliminate unwanted noise
by closing doors and windows or finding
a quiet location.
Lavalier
Placement
A lavalier microphone often rests
on a speaker's chest and attaches
to clothing with small clips. Hide
the cable by running it inside the
speaker's clothing.
You can create a
"broadcast loop"
by looping a length of cable
between the microphone and
the clip. This added cable slack
reduces accidental noise.
Hand-held or standing
microphones can also be
used. When no extra hands
or mic stands are available,
have the speaker hold the
mic below the video frame.

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Set Your Levels
It's much easier to record audio correctly than it is to repair a bad recording afterwards.
Set the audio levels on your recording device before you get started.
Using an Audio Meter
Good Levels
Avoid Clipping
Many digital cameras can
display audio meters that will
help you set the correct audio
recording level.
Consult your manual or the
manufacturer's website to see if
your camera's settings contain
this tool.
Set audio levels so the loudest
sounds you will record register
between -12 and -6 decibels.
The recording on the right shows
the loudest sounds staying within
this preferred range.
When a recorded sound reaches
the maximum level of 0 decibels,
the tops and bottoms of the sound
waves are clipped off, making the
recording sound distorted.
The recording on the right shows
in red where the loudest sounds
are being clipped.
Rec. level
Sound recording
Sound rec. Manual
-dB 40
L
R
12 0
MENU
-dB 40
-dB 40
L
L
R
R
12
12
0
0

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C R E A T E
G E T
C R E A T I V E
Sequence and Variety Shooting in
Video Storytelling Storify
https://storify.com/mututemple/sequence-shooting
For video storytelling, you take shots and put them
together in sequences. Learn how to create a well-
edited video sequence that adds variety and energy to
storytelling.
Adobe Spark
https://spark.adobe.com
Adobe Spark is a mobile graphic app that allows you
to turn your ideas into powerful social graphics and
animated videos.
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TechSoup Storytelling Course
https://techsoup.course.tc/storymakers-1/
Ready to become a Storymaker? TechSoup has
created a free helpful educational course so you can
dive right into the three phases of the storytelling
adventure. Our course provides a step-by-step
roadmap from story creation through postproduction
and marketing. Become a digital storyteller today!
Adobe Creative Cloud, Photoshop
Elements, & Premiere Elements
https://www.techsoup.org/adobe
Get access to a range of creative software products
for your nonprofit charity or public library through the
Adobe program at TechSoup.
You can use Adobe products to edit images, design
websites, publish newsletters, create video and audio
productions, and more.
Sony Ci
https://www.sonymcs.com/signup-page/lin1-free-5gb/
Sony Ci is a revolutionary new cloud-based multimedia
platform with powerful apps for editing and reviewing
video. Ci lets you invite your friends, your team,
and your clients to one shared production
workspace in the cloud.
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G E T
N O T I C E D
Ted Talk with Ryan Merkley:
Online Video
— Annotated, Remixed, and Popped
http://www.ted.com/talks/ryan_merkley_online_video_
annotated_remixed_and_popped
Videos on the web should work like the web itself; they
should be dynamic, full of links, maps, and information
that can be edited and updated live. On the TED stage,
Ryan Merkley demos Popcorn Maker, an online tool for
easy video remixing.
Amara Video Translator
http://www.amara.org/en/
Amara is to an award-winning subtitle editor that makes
it easy to caption and translate video. Amara also hosts
volunteer localization and accessibility communities,
and oers professional tools and services for subtitles.
S T A N D
O U T
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See3 Communications
— Guide to Online Video for Nonprofits
http://youtu.be/YF6vSxKg1cg
See3 provides strategy, video, and web services to
nonprofits and social causes.
See3 Communications
— Into Focus: Benchmarks for Nonprofit
Video and a Guide for Creators
http://see3.com/intofocus/
This benchmark report and guide is the first to examine
how and what nonprofits are doing with video and
what best practices have emerged.
TechSoup Webinar
— Get Your Story Noticed
http://youtu.be/1jAYAaWoiIY
Now that you've got a bang-up digital story in your
pocket, how do you ensure that people view it? Where
should you host it — YouTube, Instagram, your own
website, or all of the above? Here are the strategies to
optimize getting your story noticed.
TechSoup Webinar
— Storymakers Event Hosting Guide
http://tbd
Designed to help partners, organizations, and individuals
host storymakers events. Inside you'll find resources,
conversation starters, and suggested activities.
TechSoup Webinar
— Maximize Your Story After Its
Creation: Marketing, Fundraising,
and PR
https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/
meetingArchive?eventId=5l8egwiz6vne
We are visual creatures. But, it's really what we do
with those stories that makes the magic happen.
Learn how to maximize your story's impact in the
marketing phase.
31

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This guide was made
possible with generous
support
from the
David and Lucile
Packard Foundation.
Published by TechSoup
Become a Storymaker Guide
© Copyright 2017, TechSoup.
All rights reserved.
This work is published under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-
NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.
This resource guide was curated
by Ale Bezdikian and designed by Jeff Li.

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