Quality Guidelines

What is this about?

We all have the same goal - to get our messages out to our audiences.  Messages get lost if you can't hear them or if a shaky shot makes you seasick.  So staff will review all content to make sure it is of an acceptable technical quality. 

"Acceptable technical quality?" What does that mean?

Video

• Use a tripod.
• Sufficiently light the subjects of the video so they are clearly visible. 
• The image must be in focus (text should be legible if capturing a projected image).
• Position camera(s) to avoid capturing people walking or sitting in front of the lense.
• In general, frame subjects from the head-on perspective (avoid framing subjects in profile) with a medium shot (just below the sternum to the top of the head).
• Using multiple cameras?
• Using both close-ups and wider shots is interesting and enhances production value.
• One camera should frame subjects with a medium shot (as described above), and a second camera should frame subjects with a wide shot showing the entire subject, panel, stage, etc.
• If zooming is necessary, a variable zoom controller and high-quality tripod with a fluid head can mitigate unsteady or jerky camera movements.
• If a variable zoom controller and high-quality tripod are not available, go with a static shot with minimal camera movement.

Audio

• Place the microphone close enough to the subject to capture audible, intelligible and comprehensible sound.
• The audio should be clear and free of hum or buzz.

How will this work?

Staff will review videos submitted to UCLA's YouTube.com channel to check production values.  If there are questions, we'll contact the content producer.  As appropriate, we can consult with content producers on post-production work such as video and/or audio editing so videos can meet the standards.