Michael I love that you are Canadian like me and I love you! You are such an inspiration to me. I actually did an introduction video yesterday after watching your video, fingers crossed! I can not tell you how much you are helping me as a teacher. ♥
I absolutely love his videos! He is so energetic, well-spoken, great communication skills, very motivating and non-threatening! Thank you Teacher Michael for your amazing support to VIP Kid teachers and applicants everywhere!
Hey just wanted to say that this video is incredible. I have literally been nervous about this process for months and just the minute or so you spent telling viewers not to worry about the awkwardness or be too hard on themselves really helped me get into the zone to create my intro video. I really appreciate you.
Thank you Michael! I actually shot a video of myself and it was very awkward! After watching your video, I will go back and revamp as I just sent mine in for review!!!! Thank you!!
Yes, this is much better to just get something done. A person can always do a more elaborate video later. I just want to get my application finished for now. Thanks.
This is so helpful!! I’d love to show you the personalized script I came up with based on your suggestions. I haven’t watched all your videos but a topic I would love to see you cover is “How I bring my classroom with me when I travel.” About maintaining quality of teaching presentation even when you are not in your home virtual classroom where most of your material is. Thanks again for making great content!
This was super helpful. Making a video is very intimidating to me. I DO NOT know anything about editing or anything. I just want to get started but needed this advice! THANK YOU!
Teacher Michael, you are so awesome! Thank you for your videos! I just created a RU-vid channel and you are helping me feel more confident in what I'm doing. Also, as a fellow Office fanatic......I find this video AMAZING! :D
This was incredibly helpful! Thank you! I was feeling like a technical loser when all I really want to do is the stuff I really am good at doing...entertaining/engaging children!! So thank you for showing me how to do that!
I love your sense of humor and active engagement with the child. You taught me a lot of practical and timely information. Thank you, Teacher Michael!! What are your requirements to critique and redo my profile video? I need help with it. Do you have an email address so that I can communicate with you? Thank you.
Thank you!!! I've been with VIPKId for about 4 months and bookings are okay but my goal is to have 100 a month. I've been planning to update my video when I'm ready (no time). Your video was really helpful. Saves me time in making a new video with the resources I currently have. :-) THANKS!
I'm on my third contract and looking for ways to improve and mix things up. I can't say enough about how you engaged the student with your puppet! After watching your ambassador video, I had to branch out and get one with a mouth and how to actually USE one! It was also awesome to see the realness of doing a video in only one take, without cool background music. Very authentic! Thanks!
Thank you. I am updating my teacher profile and this was very helpful. My last video took forever with the editing (I'm not very good at it). I like that this was simple but still entertaining.
Love your videos. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and I'm extremely critical of myself, I want everything to be perfect before I even apply (even I have 7 years teaching experience...lol)! I love your puppet and your video is cute and full of energy. I think I can interact better with a puppet (the kids can have something else to look at besides my ugly face). Keep up the good work!
There’s no such thing as perfect! Just be yourself, have fun, & you’ll be fine!! If you would like some help throughout the hiring process please consider applying using my referral link in the description of this video. I’d be happy to help you along the way! Good luck 🙂
This is great. I am interested in editing, but right now I just want to get my VIPKid video up so I can start teaching. I will contact you later for editing info. Thanks for all of your videos.
Fellow performer and VIPKid teacher here. I'm a professional violinist who teaches on VIPKid for some extra money as well! Thank you so much for uploading this! What's your favorite musical or opera or play?
This topic was VERY helpful. I am struggling with editing software ( I don't have a good one!) and needed to get some ideas. Thanks!! I just passed my mock class....Woohoo!! Thanks for your video on that, by the way!! Now I will record my intro. I love your energy and sense of humor Teacher Michael!
Thank you for uploading these videos! As a VIPKID teacher and artist who travels, it's so nice to see! I have a question about what camera you do use to make your videos, when not using your iPhone? And also what video editing app you use? Thanks again for all the info! Best, Teacher Elissa :)
Thank you for this video! This is the common question I get from referrals, asking how to do a professional video without editing capabilities. Perfect. Keep the videos coming! Maybe one about incidental language? That's another concern for applicants. How to cut out the extra words.
Wow! Your videos are so amazing and helpful! One of the best I've seen!!! (I've search tons haha) - those 8 people who gave this video a thumbs down. Curse you! How dare you :) you need to get your brain fixed
As a juggler and puppeteer, maybe you can share some of your puppet or juggling uses that have great impacts in the classroom. Or simply how to incorporate them in general. Thanks for your awesome videos.
Hey! I uploaded my video and noticed that it isn’t very clear even though it’s clear before I upload it to the portal. I used my DSLR and it’s shot in 1080p HD. I changed my export settings but it still isn’t as smooth as the original. What export settings would you suggest? (I use Premiere pro to edit)
These are all good tips. I think that now that I have a handle on things (you know, at the end of my second contract) it might be time to update my intro video. I like how you incorporated TPR. In retrospect, that's a really good idea. In my video, I added English subtitles so that parents with limited English ability could follow along. Do you know a good place to find background music? I can do a little bit of video editing. Thanks!
Thanks Richard! You can find background music by searching RU-vid and copying the link and pasting it youtubetomp3.com (or something similar) - good luck making your new video!
4:30 - This is always something that I have been confused and not understood when it comes to filming .... If I look at the lens of the camera on my laptop camera or external webcam, how can I ever see the person that I am talking to (his or her face is located on the screen, not on the camera. I think it would be cool if someone and I developed a camera where the lens is inside the screen so when you are looking at someone on a Zoom call or whatever platform you are using, you are also simultaneously looking into the camera lens! ☺
Hi! Thanks for a one take video, because I am absolutely not techy at all. I ended up starting a new job at the very same time I was hired for VIPKID 4 weeks ago, so I'm opening up slots for the first time now. I hear that means I've been pushed down to the bottom of the list of new teachers! Eek! So, I guess my video intro has to be amazing!!! 2 questions. This video is over 40 seconds long. So, is the 15 second limit I read about just a suggestion and not a requirement? Also, did you do this in front of a green wall because you're going to edit in a different background?
That’s great, congrats on being hired! To answer your questions: yes the 15sec video thing is only a suggestion. Your video can be any length as long as it’s doesn’t exceed 100mb. No, I don’t plan on changing the background in this video. That’s just the only blank wall I have and I used it to create contrast with my shirt and props. Good luck with your bookings!
Thank you Michael!! I’m hoping to tackle my intro video.. no I still haven’t redone it yet.. ☹️ BUT.. this video really helps.. one thing you didn’t mention was not getting anxious and stressed out about it.. I did and I think that’s why I have been avoiding it.. plus I spent HOURS recording and recording the 1st time.. ☹️😡 hopefully when I DO re-record I won’t stress so much about it.. Do you know if there is a way to use my Logitech C920 w my iPad?
Happy to hear you found something helpful here! Not sure about the Logitech C920, generally speaking if I don’t own it, I don’t know how it works haha 🤷🏻♂️
Have you done any review on EF -- would like your thoughts. After a year and a half and over 4000 classes taught they are not renewing me. Basically a company that chews you up and spits you back out. Maybe another company have watched some of your videos. Thank you.
I have just been hired by VIPKID and am trying to make my profile video. VIPKID told me it can only be 20 MG (even though the profile page says 100), and I am seeing much longer ones, including yours. How do you upload a larger video? It is blocking me from doing so.
This video is so very helpful! I appreciate that you address the awkwardness of the task at hand. Most importantly, I appreciate the clips from The Office that kept me engaged:) I love your background! I'm totally copying the shelf idea. I have one sitting in my garage that will be perfect! If you don't already have a video about the featured photo and about me sections, can you please cover that next? Thank you for your excellent quality resources and for the encouragement to be myself!
Thank you so much for all the kind words! I definitely have videos about the photo and bio. Just poke around my channel and you’ll find them :) Thanks for watching!!
I'm just getting involved and haven't signed with anyone yet. Watching you put together your video and the preparation you do, it looks like a lot of work for the money. What am I missing?
No. When I was classroom teaching, I always put in more hours in preparation than I did in the classroom. It looks like you do the same. Do you put in this kind of preparation before every class? If so, you're not being paid very much for that kind of time and effort. Yes?
Ahh I understand. No I don’t put this much time & prep into each class. But it’s worth putting in the extra effort on you intro video as that is your main marketing tool. Once you get comfortable teaching these type of classes and develop your own style the prep time is actually very short, at least it has been for me :)
Hi, thank you this video was very helpful. I shot my video from my iPhone X, but when I emailed it to myself and uploaded it, some of the quality was lost. What’s the best way to keep it high quality when transferring from iPhone to computer?
Hey! Thanks for watching. I try to export and transfer max resolution/file size. Sometimes quality loss is unavoidable. I’m not super tech savvy when it comes to file transfers and stuff. Sorry I can’t be more helpful 🙂
Yeah I transferred at max resolution and it still lost quality so I plugged in my phone and uploaded from there. Just waiting for it to get approved so hopefully that works. If not I'll just do a new video recorded from my laptop. Thanks for your help.
Thanks for sharing. Now, it'd be helpful to learn how to make an impressive intro video that is under 20 MB so you can upload it to the applicant portal. In my experience, they want it to be 20 MB or smaller or it won't upload. When I was filming, my 13 second video was 19 MB. Thoughts, please. Thank you!
I hear ya! If you create it in iMovie you can select the size of the file when you export it, that might help get the file size down. Alternatively, you could search RU-vid for tutorials on “how to compress video files” and I’m sure something helpful will pop up. Good luck!!
Good morning!! Ok Michael.. I had a no show trial.. AND.. I think I might just tackle my intro video this morning! 😳😳😳 Soo.. where did you get your music? I like it and would like to borrow it.. is that the music you used in your actual intro?? ANNNDDDD .. can I send it to you for your stamp of approval or for any tips? 😊😊
You can search for free music by typing “RU-vid audio library” into google. That’s where I got mine :) Feel free to email me once you’ve finished it. Good luck!
Michael Venn thanks! I noticed In one of your other videos you put the links to your music.. not sure which one it was.. I randomly clicked.. found it on sound cloud.. DJ Quad.. I’m looking for something upbeat.. help me out bro.. lol..
Michael Venn cool! See.. this is why you are so awesome! I had no idea how to even do that!! 😊😊 btw.. I wasn’t intending any disrespect when I said “help me out bro”.. I was joking/playing around.. 😊 I think I may have an alright video.. 🤞🤞 now I just want music..
Should have just told them... "If you want to work from your laptop and live stream video... You need to learn how to throw together a simple video in iMovie."
Skip the preamble. Very few of us have 8 mins to give you (sorry, nothing personal) I almost gave up on you, but your example is good, and the encouragement to non-techies is important. Show the example first, within 20 seconds of the start of your video, then walk us through, then explain everything that you wanted to say in the preamble. You can explain everything with less words, start and leave with less words...your audience is smarter than you think, but also needs quick content. I'm subscribing, because your interesting to watch and you get it. Just be more succinct. All these youtube VIPKID teachers could say everything they need to say under 5 minutes. Produce a video like those Tasty Videos: only shows valuable content, assumes the audience doesn't need to watch long explanations. Okay, now I'm over-explaining. See how tempting it is!?
Other than the iPhone, what kind of camera was the one you were using in this tutorial? Also, what video editing tools/apps do you use? I was watching a couple of your other videos (like the ABC song video) and you added letters and other cool effects.
Thanks! I’m considering doing this (I just found out about VIP Kids today). Your videos are great. So do people use their phones or laptops when they interact with students? I promise...that’s my last question! :)
No worries - it’s all good. Teachers mostly use their laptops (or tablets). If you have more questions feel free to email me at email.teacher.michael@gmail.com and if you apply I would appreciate it greatly if you used my referral link (in the description of this video) ✌️
That was our attempt at making the process less intimidating?! You are "kind of a big deal." New teachers: I will suggest you can make an interesting video without being a serious performer and juggler. I did like the energy, prop, and preparation. I also think you should be yourself, just be your entertaining self.
I 100% agree - you don’t have to be a serious performer or juggler to make a great video! If it still came across as an intimidating process then I must have missed the mark and will keep that in mind for future videos. Thanks for the feedback 🙌
