WeVideo

WeVideo is a browser-based collaborative video editing platform. With WeVideo, you can import and edit your own media, but you’ll also have access to a large library of stock sound, video, and still image assets, enabling you to easily create professional videographic essays.

There is a bit of a learning curve with WeVideo, but the drag and drop features of the editing interface make this tool quite simple to get the hang of.

WeVideo allows you to create a free account, but with that free account you’ll have access to limited features. DH@CC will maintain a Schools Plan through at least October 2020, so if you sign up with an account through us, you’ll have access to advanced editing features that aren’t otherwise available. Contact DigitalScholarship@claremont.edu for more information about registering for an account through our Schools Plan.

• Dashboard – Your homebase; a landing page where you can access all the edits you’re working on.
• Edit – An instance or version of a project.
• Project – A collection of related edits.
• Media – Assets that you can add to your edit, including video, image, audio assets, etc. These can be uploaded (by you or a member of your group) or pulled from the WeVideo Essentials Library.
• Storyboard Mode – A great setting for beginners or individuals who want to create a video in just a few minutes. You’ll have one track to arrange clips in any order, trim each clip, add text (title, captions and tags or lower-thirds), and add a soundtrack. Note that features are limited, and it will be difficult to go from Timeline Mode into Storyboard Mode.
• Timeline mode – Setting that provides more options and more control to your editing experience, these include: custom text layouts and font styles; multi-track video to overlay text or do picture-in-picture; and control of track volume; multi-select; etc.
• WeVideo Essentials Library – A content library with licensed and professional video, images, and audio assets.
• Templates – Provides scaffolding for an edit so you don’t have to start from scratch.
• Video – Finished, exported project.

You can accomplish three main tasks from the My Media tab of your dashboard.

1. Import – Allows you to upload media to WeVideo for you to incorporate into your projects.
2. Record – Allows you to create a video asset using your computer’s webcam, create a screencast video asset, or switch between the two options.
3. Narrate – Allows you to create an audio asset using your computer’s microphone.

• SHIFT + enter = play from beginning
• space = play/pause
• delete OR backspace = deletes the selected clip from timeline
• CTRL/CMD + z = undo
• CTRL/CMD + y = redo
• CTRL/CMD + s = save
• SHIFT + left = go to previous clip
• SHIFT + right = go to next clip
• left = go to previous keyframe
• right = go to next keyframe
• down = go to start of current clip
• up = go to end of current clip
• e = edit clip
• s = split clip at point
• i = trim clip before point
• o = trim clip after point

The dropdown menu at the top left of your dashboard offers three options for saving your work.

1. Save – Overwrites the Edit that you are working on with the current Edit.
2. Save As – Creates a new Edit for your Project.
3. Version History – Allows you to access a list of previous versions of the current Edit.

The Finish button at the top right of your dashboard allows you to publish and share your work through WeVideo or another linked platform.

• If publishing through WeVideo, be sure to mark your video as Public so that you can share the link with individuals outside your working group.

Scripting & Storyboarding

A script is a document that describes the video, including notes about the various shots included and any dialogue or voiceovers. A storyboard is a sequence of drawings that represent the shots planned for a video. Both scripting and storyboarding are important parts of the pre-production process because they enable you to thoughtfully plan your work while they clearly convey to others how your story will flow. Spending time creating both of these documents will save you time and energy when you begin recording, assembling footage, and editing your project. 

Creating & Collecting Media

• When recording your own audio or video media, consider borrowing equipment from The Claremont Colleges Library’s Tech Lending Program.
• If you are planning to use media that you have not yourself created, remember to consider any copyright related issues that might be relevant for the material you plan to use.
• Be sure to take advantage of the WeVideo Essentials Library.

Organizing Your Tracks

When working in Timeline Mode, you’ll be able to add as many tracks as you want to an edit. Be sure to name and layer your tracks in a way that will help you keep the edit organized and easy to understand.

The Educator’s Guide to WeVideo: A manual created and maintained by the WeVideo Team that focuses on teaching video production with WeVideo and lesson design.

The WeVideo Academy: Short video tutorials produced by the WeVideo Team.

Copyright & Fair Use: The Claremont Colleges Library has curated a list of useful resources pertaining to copyright and fair use. Please consult these when collecting assembling media files for your project.

Worksheets for Storyboarding: Blank storyboarding worksheets for you to copy or print. Completing a series of these will help you plan out your video project.

Quick Guide to WeVideo: A Google Docs copy of the Quick Guide provided on this page.

Quick Guide to Podcasting: A tutorial for podcasting created by the DH@CC Team.