Video & Green Screen with WeVideo

While you can export your storyboards as a GIF, sometimes you want to make a video. A video adds an important element for many different subjects: Narration. Having an easy way to add context and narration to their storyboards makes it easy for students to create final projects, practice speaking a new language, or give a presentation without needing to stand up in front of their peers—something that's perfect for online classes. We also thought it would be really cool for students to create research projects with storyboards and make a short video lesson to teach their classmates about the subject of their project.

WeVideo has a ton of options for students who want to incorporate video into their project. It's easy to take advantage of their video library to supplement the great storyboards that each student created, making it another perfect opportunity for app smashing fun. Also, have you ever wanted to put yourself in your own storyboards? Spoiler alert: you can!

So, what can you do with your storyboards?

Getting Started

Create a Storyboard

The first step is to create a storyboard. There are many characters, scenes, objects, and more to choose from to create something awesome!

Download Storyboard

Depending on the type of project, students will probably want to use our image pack download option, which downloads a .zip folder where each cell of the storyboard is a separate image file. If the student is opting for a green screen style project, the larger poster-sized layouts will work wonderfully, and those can be downloaded as high resolution images once they're completed.

Moving to WeVideo

If you want students to work collaboratively on a video, sort them into groups in your account and then create a collaborative project that is assigned to that group. There's also the option to create the project as 'shared', which will let students view each other's work, and makes it easy for you to see all the projects at once when they're done. Otherwise, the students will be working on their own videos and you can view them by user.

Simply click "New Edit" (and a template if you'd like) and get started! You're immediately in the video editor, and while there's a few fun things you can do, we're going to start with uploading media—our storyboard—to the project.

We're going to do an informational video on mummification in Ancient Egypt, so any storyboards we create or images we download from Photos from Class can be uploaded very quickly. This is also where you'll want to upload any audio or video that's been pre-recorded, including those fun green screen clips!

Adding Content

WeVideo functions similarly to the Storyboard Creator in that the content is drag and drop. Students can add stock video, uploaded content, titles, music, transitions, frames, and backgrounds. This is where things can get even more fun!

Titles

Titles are important, and students can choose to make the title card as one of their cells on Storyboard That or use one of the dynamic titles on WeVideo. They're customizable, from the font to the color, so no need to worry about finding the perfect fit just based on previews alone.

Add Media (Your Storyboard!)

When adding storyboards and other media to the video itself, the video editor helps guide the placement of the file. This way, students can line up the beginning of songs or filters with images or video without having to fiddle too much with placement. When it comes to their storyboard images, they can adjust how long each of those images stays on screen, which is especially great if they have narration or dialogue! Images can even be resized if students want to zoom in or out of the image.

Adding Audio

Adding your own audio is done in the same tab that you add your storyboards, and it will be recorded ahead of time. Depending on the type of project, audio can be handled in two different ways. Because there's a way to adjust the volume of a track, students can adjust any background music so it doesn't overpower their voices.

1. Students can pre-record audio of their information, like factoids or other short paragraphs, and add those into the video wherever they seem most appropriate.
2. Students can create the video first, and then create a single file of narration that mirrors a voice over of a story or a regular presentation. When they upload the audio file to the project, it'll match up perfectly with what is seen on screen!

Effects

A really cool feature of WeVideo is the extra graphics, like backgrounds, overlays, and frames. We found these could add some extra pop to clips with a storyboard cell. In order to achieve this effect, the backgrounds must be in the Video 1 slot, while the storyboard will be in the Video 2 slot. It's layered, so what's on top will be what's seen.

What About Green Screening?

Students can combine larger format storyboards or their regular traditional or 16:9 cells with video to put themselves into the worlds and stories they created. For this project, you'll need to set up a space in your classroom where you can hang a bright green curtain or sheet. Students can record each other with phones, tablets, or digital cameras, and that video can be uploaded to WeVideo. Using the technique noted earlier about layering video, students can put themselves over their video storyboard!

By double clicking the video of them in front of a green screen, they'll have the option to "key" or "mask" out the bright green with easy-to-adjust sliders.

Ideas for Green Screen Projects:

• Have students become a character in their own story or in the novel you read in class by making storyboards they can insert themselves into. Students can record audio with silly voices for other characters ahead of time, and then practice their acting skills in front of the camera!
• Use Photos for Class, diagrams, and storyboards created on Storyboard That as a backdrop for a tour of a historical period or places like Yosemite, the African Savanna, or Mount Everest. What do they find in those places? Are they suddenly cold because an image of snow appeared?

Finishing the Project

Once done, click "Finish Project" and give it a title. Students will be given the opportunity to rename their project, pick a thumbnail, choose which resolution to export in, and can save the video to their Google Drive!

Even after they've "finished" a project, students can go back and edit in case they got feedback from a classmate or came across some new information they wanted to share.

Videos can be presented right from the dashboard. And you can view their process and completed videos from either your admin settings or through the project.

App smashing with video is a great way to incorporate visual learning and presentations with modern media. Since storyboarding is often the start of great movies and television shows, make it a part of a larger project in your classroom! Students will have a lot of fun creating the beginning of their stories and projects with Storyboard That and taking it to another level with WeVideo.

Curious about other ways you can use Storyboard That as part of your app smashing? Check out our app smashing overview article for more ideas!

Frequently Asked Questions about Video & Green Screen with WeVideo

How can I create a storyboard with WeVideo?

Creating a storyboard with WeVideo is the first step in the video creation process. You can choose from a variety of characters, scenes, objects, and more to create your storyboard. This visual plan will help you outline your video and organize your ideas.

Can I download my storyboard from WeVideo?

Yes, WeVideo offers the option to download your storyboard. If you're working on a green screen-style project, you can use the larger poster-sized layouts and download them as high-resolution images once they're completed. WeVideo also provides an image pack download option, which downloads a .zip folder where each cell of the storyboard is a separate image file.

How can I add content to my video project in WeVideo?

WeVideo provides a drag and drop interface for adding content to your video. You can add stock video, uploaded content, titles, music, transitions, frames, and backgrounds. This allows you to enhance your video and make it more engaging and visually appealing.

Can I use my storyboard images in WeVideo?

Absolutely! In WeVideo, you can upload your storyboard images and other media directly into the video editor. The editor helps guide the placement of the files, allowing you to align images or videos with specific moments in your project. You can adjust the duration each image stays on screen, which is especially useful if you have narration or dialogue. Additionally, you have the flexibility to resize images and add any necessary details.