While we have been using video here at the school for years, only recently did we purchase an inexpensive Flip camera. For those of you not familiar with the Flip, it is a small, tiny, hand-held, fully HD-quality video camera. There is no real zoom and really only one button: On and off. But the ability to grab HD-quality video anytime and anywhere is pretty incredible, and very useful.
For example, our Director takes her Flip with her to alumni events for impromptu interviews. These are short clips with our alumni sharing a story about their time at the school, or their excitement at being at the event. Not only do we get fun, engaging quotes from real people, but our alumni are excited to see us using the newest technology. They ask about the camera, try it out, and love that they will shortly be online, viewable by other alums.
In addition to the Flip, we set up traditional video interviews with faculty and researchers here at the school. These are pre-planned and organized recordings and are the more structured way to create video. This process is another great tool for us because these clips tell a deeper and more involved story. They share a different kind of knowledge and offer another kind of engagement.
But with the Flip we can grab video on the fly, as we think of it. Suddenly you are on video safari, everyday, 24/7. The chase is on, and the challenge is: Can you capture it? Are you willing to accept on-the-fly editorializing? Reality TV? Sometimes it's great and sometimes not, but with a little editing, these live action snippets give a very real and immediate face our alumni outreach and larger goal of sharing the great stories of the Leeds school.
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