Help:Video documentation
This page provides recommendations for producing video documentation for Appropedia.
About video documentation
[edit | edit source]We use the term video documentation to describe the types of videos you see across Appropedia: a person explains their project, how it was made, and how it works. Video offers a straightforward approach to documentation, since you can use it to explain a project in a couple of minutes and use this as a starting point for a fully fledged documentation page.
For this reason, we encourage you to use video as a first approach to documenting your project if you're not sure where to start documenting, if you have little time to produce documentation, or when you need other people to provide you with information about the project.
What you can document
[edit | edit source]Our community uses video to answer various questions:
- Explain generalities: what is the project?
- Process documentation: how was it done or assembled?
- Use instructions: how do you use it?
- Operation test: did it work as intended?
Practical advice
[edit | edit source]| The video shows | Do | Don't |
|---|---|---|
| A large project like a building or large machine | Begin with a wide shot showing the entire project and its surroundings. Record from multiple angles. Complement with photographs of the project. |
Only record close-ups that make it difficult to understand the project's total size or context. |
| A small object, detailed component or manual action | Take close-up shots to show physical details or how someone works. Add a wider shot showing where every component belongs. If possible, add an object to the frame for the size reference. |
Record details only from far away. Show components without showing how they fit into the rest of the project. |
| A process with many steps | Record the process from beginning to end. Show important actions, tools and materials. Pause or move closer for difficult or important steps. You can create a timelapse for long processes. |
Skip intermediate steps because they may seem obvious. Show only the project start and final result. |
| A person demonstrating how something works | Show both the person and their work. Move closer when their hands, tools or controls are doing an important action. |
Keep the camera on the person's face with the action happening outside the frame. |
| A finished device or project in use | Show the complete device before demonstrating it. Record the project's operation under normal conditions. Show the result or output. Consider documenting any errors and how they can be avoided in the future. |
Show the device without showing what it does. Assume the project's purpose will be obvious to someone unfamiliar with it in the future. |
| An important connection, control, opening or moving part | Get close enough that its shape and operation are easily visible. Hold the camera still for a few seconds. |
Record a clip too short to be useable later.
Make wide shot where the important detail is too small to see. |
| Materials, tools or components | Show the materials individually and together. Include photographs if identifying them later may be difficult. |
Mention materials without showing them. Leave important tools or components outside the frame. |
| The location or context where the project is used | Record a few wide shots showing the surroundings. Show and describe how the project relates to the place, users or nearby infrastructure. |
Record everything so tightly that the viewer cannot understand where or how the project is used. |
Technical considerations
[edit | edit source]- Consider vertical vs. horizontal recordings. Given that vertical videos are common nowadays on social media, they may be better suited for social media, while horizontal video gives you a larger depth of field. Also, save your videos in formats that maintain quality, such as MP4 or MOV, for online sharing.
- You don't need professional-grade audio when showcasing a video, so you can use a cheap microphone if available. If the environment doesn't allow for decent audio quality, consider doing a voice over which can be edited on a smartphone.
- We discourage the use of background music to avoid copyright issues. If you do use it, avoid adding it to sections when no one is speaking.
- In most cases, execution is usually more important than equipment.
Your process
[edit | edit source]- Plan your documentation: Define length format and important things to mention such as purpose, story, uses, how it was made and how it works.
- Record: You can record all in a single shot or multiple videos. You can also record voiceover audio.
- Edit and add details: Assemble all video shorts and audio if necessary. You can also add a title screen.
- Publish online: Consider using an open source platform like Appropedia, Wikimedia Commons or Internet Archive to ensure future users don't lose access.
Other recommendations
[edit | edit source]Here are some recommendations as you make video documentation.
- Don't worry about making a script but focus on some important points such as the project motivation, what it does, how was it made, and how it works. Add any details that can be converted into a documentation page in the future.
- Document as you go. Recording while you work prevents forgetting any details and helps you collect material you can edit later.
- Be brief. A 2-5 minute video can be enough in many cases.
- Supplement the video with quality photographs.
| License | CC-BY-SA-4.0 |
|---|---|
| Cite as | "Help:Video documentation". Appropedia. 2026. Retrieved October 3, 2026. |