ReadOut Submission Help

The following page has tips and help guides for those applying to ReadOut 2022.

If you need help creating a video, contact readoutfestival@gmail.com

Tips and Tricks for a Great Video

• Start with introducing yourself and your book title.
• For those unable to see your video, please briefly describe your appearance and surroundings. 
• Remember to look at the camera while you read.
• If possible use natural light.
• No matter what your light source is, make sure it is in front of you (behind the camera) and not somewhere behind you.
• Try filming in landscape rather than portrait.
• Video stability is key. If you have a tripod for your device, that’s best. If not, just make sure it’s in a stable place during the video. It’s best not to hold the device.
• Silence your cell. You don’t want to be halfway through your reading, only to get a notification chirp or a phone call in the middle. If possible, put your device on airplane mode so this doesn’t happen to you.
• Make sure you have enough storage before you start. Unfortunately, video can take up a lot of room on your device’s storage. For some of us, this may not be a problem, but a lot of us live on the edge of our device’s storage. A good rule of thumb is to have at least 3 GB free for a 5-minute video, leaving room for retakes.
• Don’t zoom in, its best to take the wide-open approach.
• If you have an external microphone for your device, again, that’s best. Since most of us probably don’t, a tip is not to block the built-in microphone. If you are using our tip about stability, make sure you are not blocking the microphone.
• AE/AF Lock – Your device will try to autofocus while you are filming. This can be an issue if you have low lighting, pick up a book, or have anything else in the shot that the camera may film. Most Vloggers suggest locking your autofocus to a fixed position so that the lighting and the focusing isn’t a distraction to your viewer. On an iPhone, click the red shutter button to start a video. On an Apple iOS device, tap anywhere on the screen and you will see AE/AF Lock come up. (AE stands for auto exposure, AF autofocus), you are all set. Please note, some Android devices also have this function depending on the version and app you may be using.
• Be yourself and relax. We are looking forward to everyone’s submissions.

Sample Video

Below is an example of a video submission.  Videos may be up to 5 minutes long.