A MODEL OUTLINE FOR YOUR PROJECT VIDEO:

  1. Title Slide: big image of the prototype (with people using it) and a big title.
  2. Briefly, a spoken introduction of the big idea with accompanying video footage, or a series of still photos, that give the best sense of the prototype in a few seconds..
  3. Briefly, photo(s) and/or diagram(s) for the motivation/need for this prototype, and what the prototype offers in response
  4. The scenario: tell the story of typical user(s) using the prototype. Video footage is cut to allow quick passage of time as the story is spoken as a narration.
  5. As appropriate, briefly, still images or drawings of the different possible configurations of the prototype: on/off, or configuration 1, 2, 3 … Name/number each of these images.
  6. Briefly, a description of the prototypes components – how they work individually/together – with still photo(s) labeled to identify key parts (motors, sensors, lights, switches, power-source, microcontroller…)
  7. Briefly, present an overview of any human-centered evaluations of the prototype. Here, you can show:
  1. a still image elaborating what studies you performed, with how many participants, and a sampling of questions you asked them.
  2. a still image with study results (bar graph) and findings (in words)
  3. a slide of alternative prototypes you tested and/or sketches/models/… (i.e. the process of designing the prototype)
  1. Briefly, closing with the “big idea” of what your prototype can do for the world, and what the future might bring, accompanied by brief video footage and/or series of still images.
  2. Closing title: big image of the prototype (with people using it) and a big title (as with opening title) and your names, Cornell logo, and a contact email address.

VIDEO requirements

The requirements of time limit, resolution, codec, and other details must follow the requirements for the CHI Video Showcase (deadline for submission is January). See, e.g., In summary, videos must be MP4, less then five minutes and 100 MB, and in 1920×1080 (1080p) resolution. Review the Technical Guidelines page as well as the Guide to a Successful Video Submission.

Example VIDEOs

See examples on the webpages for my two courses.

WARNING ABOUT USING MUSIC

If music is used in the video, it cannot be copyrighted music. This means make your own music, or locate music with no copyright, or don’t use music. For my ART video (30 seconds for CHI), I wrote/performed the music myself. For CyberPLAYce, I used music via “creative commons”: which offers a link, for instance, to A “Free Music Archive” where you can select music from categories (e.g. When introducing music into your video the key point is to select music that “fits” your project rather than only providing an ambient backdrop. A “techno groove” or “ambient electronic” track might be the wrong music to establish the emotional atmosphere for your project!

NATIVE FORMATS AND EDITING

You will likely need to reduce the file size and/ or change the codec (the file extension) of your raw video created in iMove, WMV, or other video making software. A free, downloadable app used widely for this purpose is HandBrake ( If you reduce the file size, you may want to leave the settings for the “Quality” (resolution) slide alone, and simply rename the file, select the codec as MP4 (if your video is not already MP4), and click the arrow to begin the conversion. Moving the slider for “Quality” to a lower resolution will result in poor image quality upon playback. A little experimenting (which requires some investment of a little of your time) may be required for best results.