Codes and conventions of an instructional video

The codes and conventions of an instructional video include: 

    - Introduction - are used in instructional videos to explain to the viewer/audience what their video will be about, it is also used to give any information about the topic beforehand.

    - Visuals and demonstrations – visuals are important in instructional videos as they show the viewer exactly what’s going on and how to carry out the steps correctly.

    - Narration – narration Is used to help guide the viewer through the process of the instructions making It easier on the viewer to follow along, it is also used to explain steps in a process. 

    -    Pace – the pace of the video is important as if the video is too fast it could be hard to follow and confusing, if the video is too long it could make people reluctant to watch the video, instructional videos need to be short and informative to keep the viewers’ attention whilst giving the correct information 

    - Transitions – transitions are important to use as they can show when a step has changed or moved on, this can be helpful to show the viewer each step individually. 

    - Intros/outros – intros and outros are helpful as they can differentiate the start and end result of the video. 

    - Equipment list – a list of things that are required is informative for the viewer and important to include, it can be told and shown to the viewer using visuals and narration, however a better alternative could be using text onscreen.

    - Title sequence – a title sequence is used to show what the video is about, they’re often brief as they are usually contain a couple words or sentence. 

    - Montage – within the context of an instructional video a montage can be used to show the process of the instructions, or to give an overview of the instructions. 

    - Language and register – The language for the video doesn’t have to be professional but still needs to be clear and understandable. The language also needs to relate to the topic of the video to avoid confusion.

    - Effects – an instructional video doesn’t need to include a lot of visual effects however a lot of other instructional videos include text to add further information to the video.

    - Time lapse – a time lapse can be used to show the passage of time in the video if the instructions require it, it can also be used to show the process quickly as a kind of pre-view. 

    - Length – if the length of the video is important as it needs to keep the viewers’ attention whilst giving the correct information. Making an instructional video too long could mean that people are less-likely to watch or pay attention. Keeping the video short and informative is the best format.

    - Before and after – a before and after can be used in some tutorial videos to show the start and end result, it can help viewers to decide on an end result for themselves.

    - Sound/music – Most videos use background music to fill out the video, often videos will use both narration and music however rarely will sounds from footage be present, meaning most sound in the video be non-diegetic. 

This video is only 5 minutes long making it more appealing to viewers, when an instructional video is shorter its easier for the viewer to watch, making a long instructional video can put off viewers from watching as it would take too much time and become confusing to follow. This video is informative and tells the viewer exactly what to use and how to use it. Narration is used to explain the steps rather than using text onscreen, transitions are also used to show the difference between each step.

When making my own video I should be careful of how the long the video will be whilst making sure that it is informative and easy to follow, I also should include narration to explain the steps to the viewer, I could also include some other information on screen with text to show the important bits of each step.