ACC Visual Identity: Videography

Video is an effective tool for storytelling across social media, websites, advertising, and more. To ensure that your videos are professional, compelling, and reflect brand standards, incorporate these best practices and guidelines.

All videos and multimedia created for marketing purposes must meet video requirements set by the Office College Relations & Marketing (OCRM). This includes videos produced internally or by an outside vendor.

Videos for Marketing Purposes

Videos are created to promote the college, its campuses, its programs and services, its students, faculty, and staff, and more. These videos must be approved by OCRM before distribution. If you would like something to air on ACCTV that fits the mission and purpose of the channel, please submit it to [email protected] for consideration.

Minimum Requirements and Guidelines

Footage

We strive for an authentic look and feel to videography; stock footage should never be used to represent ACC students, faculty or staff, or college programs.

Accessibility

All videos must have closed captions. Add these manually using Adobe Premiere or through vendors like rev.com, which will provide a Closed Captions file (.srt) to use in your video uploads. Note:

Graphics added in post-production must not overlap the screen portion where closed captions appear.
Typography must be legible.
Text must appear on the screen long enough to be read. Read the text out loud two times, and leave it on the screen for that long.
If the video is playing at an event, it should have captions that are “burnt in” or open captions that are visible.

Closed Captions for Videos on YouTube

YouTube can also auto-generate closed captions. Be sure to review and edit these for accuracy as needed.

Branding and Visual Style

Videos must follow ACC brand standards for college colors, logos, and typography:

ACC Primary Logos

ACC Official Colors

ACC Typography

Graphics & Cards

Any graphic or graphic element must be crisp, clear, and high resolution. If you need a custom graphic, contact OCRM.
Consider using an opening card with text that sets up the video. This helps orient the viewer on context and who they are hearing from. For example: “Meet ACC Dual Credit Students” (followed by testimonials)
If the video is used as a promotional tool, consider including a “call to action” on a closing card that directs people to more information. This can be URL and/or QR code. For example: Learn More | austincc.edu/SL. You may opt to request a simple “vanity” URL from OCRM’s web team for frequently used sites that are promoted in this way.

Close the video with the official ACC logo or the official/approved departmental logo.

Writing Style

Proofread all video titles and text for accuracy, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Keep sentences or bullet points simple and high-level—less is more when highlighting a message.
Identify the subject in a video on the lower third of the screen.
Place the name first, identifier last
Don’t abbreviate and avoid acronyms that may not be known outside ACC.
Avoid “Marketing, ACC Associate Professor” which is hard to read quickly in video formats. Examples:
- Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart
  ACC Chancellor
- Dr. Nina Almasy
  ACC Health Sciences Dean
- Sebastian Lopez
  ACC Radio-Television-Film Student

Typography

Avoid decorative fonts and don’t use more than two fonts.

Copyrights and Permissions

Confirm that ACC holds all rights to the video and to all included content, such as talent, music and pictures.
Some material used in an educational setting may not be copyright-free in a marketing setting; confirm you are adhering to all terms of the content’s license.
Any permissions or licenses received need to be documented. This is the responsibility of the department producing the video, not OCRM.

Music

Note: YouTube blocks videos that are uploaded with copyrighted music used without permission. If a video will be on platforms like ACCTV, make sure you have broadcast rights to the song.
Use online sources for music tracks, use an online subscription service, or purchase music a la carte if necessary. A few music providers are Premium Beat, Artlist, and Soundstripe.
You can seek legal, documented permission from an individual artist.
Consider the music library available through Adobe Creative Cloud. ACC’s Teaching & Learning Excellence Division (TLED) manages the college’s Creative Cloud educational license.
Keep all documentation for music licensing and usage.

Photo/Video Consent Forms

Individuals who are filmed who are not ACC faculty or staff must sign an online release form. There are no exceptions.
- Access the online photo consent form.
- Download and print a Spanish version of the consent form.
Individuals under 18 years old also must have a parent/guardian sign the release form. (Often applicable for dual credit or Early College High School students and prospective students.)
Online release forms are automatically emailed to OCRM/ACCTV, who maintain the forms. You may choose to keep a hard copy of a release form in your department’s records.
If you are filming a live or live streamed event, post the Notice of Filming and Photography statement at the event entrance. You can post the notice on the door, or enlarge and place it on a display board and easel.
Remember, ACCTV considers re-airing live events on the broadcast channel. Contact ACCTV at [email protected] if you have programs that might be suitable for rebroadcast.

Technical Production and Quality Standards

Video Quality

Videos must be shot with equipment capable of recording at a minimum of full HD 1920 x 1080, 24 or 30 frames per second (fps) resolution. If you are using a camera or phone, film at the highest resolution possible.
Video output should be an .mp4 or .mov.
Video from webcams, such as Zoom meetings, video shot on older cell phones, or video that is a screen-captured recording of people likely will not meet minimum quality standards.
Video must be in-focus, steady, well-framed, and with proper exposure and lighting.

Audio Quality

Audio must be crisp and clear.
Use an external microphone, such as a lavalier mic or cardioid mic.
Ensure foreground and background noises are well-balanced and minimal.

Export Specs

Make sure your video is rendered correctly. YouTube encoding settings are a good baseline.

Resolution:1920×1080,
Format: mp4 h.264,
10-15 video bitrate
128 kbps audio
Frame rate: 29.97

View YouTube’s recommended encoding settings.

If exporting a file for broadcast on ACCTV, or as a departmental piece of content that ACCTV will edit and repackage for the channel, view ACCTV Encoder Specs. Send files to [email protected].

Taped and Live Streamed Events

The “Notice of Filming and Photography” statement should be posted at events that are live streamed, or that are filmed for ACC purposes and could be repurposed for ACCTV. You can post the notice on the door, or enlarge and place on a display board and easel.

Social Media Video Best Practices

In addition to the video guidelines above, review these considerations for social media video content.

Front-load footage and copy: Capturing attention immediately matters.
Don’t rely on the audio: On many social media channels, the content plays with the sound off. Use on-screen captions and visuals to tell your story. If audio is necessary to understand the content, consider notifying viewers with a small graphic.
“Socialize” text (especially at the beginning): Convey the benefits and connect to the viewers—why should they care? Use an active tense and direct, engaging language.
Keep captions short: Convey only one thought per frame.