Objective

To provide CAHNR departments, units, and programs with professional video services for use in promotional materials, such as websites, social media, digital marketing materials, and news stories. This SOP will serve to 1) confirm the responsibilities of the CAHNR Office of Communications and the CAHNR unit requesting services; 2) determine the scope of services to be provided; 3) establish the standard timeline for scheduling, coordinating, and executing the shoot, and for processing and delivering final video files; 4) provide recommendations for acceptability of subjects and locations to make video shoots as efficient as possible and ensure deliverables meet the standards of the CAHNR Office of Communications and the desired outcomes of the CAHNR unit requesting service.

Scope

This SOP applies to all video services provided by CAHNR’s Office of Communications. Video services provided by external agencies or individuals outside of CAHNR’s Office of Communications are out of the scope of this SOP.

Roles/Responsibilities

Requestor: The individual/unit within CAHNR requesting video services from the CAHNR Office of Communications using the online project request form. The Requestor serves as the point of contact for CAHNR’s Office of Communications and the CAHNR Multimedia Specialist to support all aspects of the video shoot (e.g. submitting the request for service, discussing desired outcomes, coordinating with members of the unit as needed for the shoot, etc.)

CAHNR Director of Communications: The CAHNR Director of Communications will assign appropriate projects to the CAHNR Multimedia Specialist. The CAHNR Director of Communications will work with the Requestor and the CAHNR Multimedia Specialist to determine the scope and timeline of the project.

CAHNR Multimedia Specialist: The assigned CAHNR Multimedia Specialist will create a high-quality video to support the desired outcomes. The CAHNR Multimedia Specialist will work with the Requestor on the logistics of organizing and executing the video shoot.

Timeline

The CAHNR Office of Communications will respond to a request for video services within five (5) business days upon receipt of the submission form. The video shoot will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time that is acceptable to both the Requestor and the CAHNR Office of Communications. The timeline for delivery will depend on the desired outcomes and the scale of the project.

Subject/Location Preparation

As part of preparation for the video shoot, the Requestor should ensure that locations/equipment/spaces to be filmed should be tidy, clean, and accessible to the CAHNR Multimedia Specialist. This includes ensuring that all EHS requirements are met during the shoot, even if the activities are staged. Individuals to be filmed should be available and willing to participate in the shoot. Their attire should be appropriate for the desired shoot (e.g. lab coats should be clean and pressed, only UConn logos should be worn, goggles, gloves, etc. should be worn if required by EHS for a given activity).

Permissions/Licenses:

Certain locations like private land or State/National Parks may require permission. It is the responsibility of the Requestor to ensure that the CAHNR Multimedia Specialist has permission to shoot in such locations, and/or connect the CAHNR Multimedia Specialist with the appropriate parties to ensure permission is granted.

Use of the final video (or any portion thereof) in a location or for a purpose other than what was originally agreed upon by the Requestor and the Office of Communications should be approved by the CAHNR Office of Communications. This will allow the Office of Communications to provide guidance on use for file format, accessibility, and audience to be addressed.

Deliverables

The CAHNR Multimedia Specialist will shoot professional video and will process/edit videos using professional editing software prior to delivery. The CAHNR Multimedia Specialist will oversee delivering and backing up the final video files. The CAHNR Multimedia Specialist will notify the Requestor via email to deliver the final video.

Video Checklist

• All students, staff, and faculty have been made aware photographers will be present in the shoot location
• All required permissions have been received to shoot at the location
• All attire is appropriate for the shoot (lab coats are cleaned/pressed and there are enough for all participants, no logos are visible other than UConn, attire adheres to all relevant compliance requirements, etc.)
• All location areas are tidy, clean, and accessible
• All areas are prepared for staged activities, if applicable
• Voiceover recording, if applicable, will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon time that is acceptable to both the Requestor and the CAHNR Office of Communications and recorded in the office’s Audio/Visual Studio
• Voiceover recordings require a script to be sent to CAHNR Multimedia Specialist before recording
• Sound recording completed on-location will be limited to on-camera interviews, unless the Requestor has discussed with Office of Communications