How to Create Video Stories of Your Family

Ever wondered what to do with the endless collection of digital pictures and videos in your galleries? Have you thought of organizing them for easy access? What about sharing and even preserving them for the future? You can do so in a simple and meaningful way: create video stories and become your family’s storyteller. This free online course teaches you how to use your mobile device for video editing. We provide the skills and tools you need to turn all those photos and videos into stories your friends and family can enjoy and pass on.

The course begins with an overview of the resources you need, including your mobile device and a few applications used to create video stories. We cover editing with IOS and Android mobile devices (phones or tablets) and provide some fun activities to do with kids. The course presents a workbook and activity sheets that you can print and use as you progress. We establish the importance of shifting your mindset from capturing random moments to telling stories with your devices. We also explain when to shoot and when not to shoot, to zoom or not to zoom and how to easily organize and edit all your existing clips and shots.

We discuss some rules you should keep in mind when you take pictures or videos and outline lighting considerations and how to hold the phone still. We then delve into guidelines for storytelling, backing up your videos, uploading to platforms like YouTube and copyright issues. We explore planning activities that allow you to create special moments with your children to capture on camera, including live performances, birthdays, holiday diaries, infancy and more. This course suits anyone who wants to keep a record of their life and use it as a storytelling tool to preserve their loved ones’ memories.