Site Visits: Produce Your Videos
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Produce Your Videos
As part of the NSF site visit, you’ll need to develop two complementary videos to communicate both the leadership vision and the research ecosystem supporting this work. Together, these videos will provide NSF reviewers with a cohesive, evidence-based understanding of how the center is structured, how it operates, and why it is positioned for long-term success.
Objectives:
- Demonstrate multi-institution collaboration
- Showcase leadership alignment and research infrastructure
Dean’s Council Video (up to 20 minutes)
This video will highlight leadership alignment across partner institutions, featuring the Deans from the participating institutions. A conversational, structured script will guide each Dean (approximately 3-5 minutes each) to articulate:
- their role in the initiative
- institutional strengths and contributions
- distinct points of differentiation
Flow: Opening with shared vision → Institutional alignment → Addressing national gaps → Closing with unified commitment
Approach: Direct-to-camera, Deans filmed center frame; consistent framing across institutions; minimal lower-thirds; clean, consistent branding; light, unobtrusive music.
Infrastructure Video (15-20 minutes)
This video showcases the center as a coordinated ecosystem integrating all components of the proposal.
Using a professional voiceover artist, the narrative will be brought to life through:
- Key labs and research environments
- Principal Investigators, researchers, and students in action
- Aerial footage of campuses and facilities
- B-roll, still imagery, and minimal graphics
The video will illustrate how research progresses, emphasizing collaboration across institutions and translational pathways.
Flow: Problem framing → Research thrusts → EWD
Approach: Visual storytelling drives narrative; walkthrough of labs, tools, and infrastructure; evidence-based storytelling; blend of voiceover, b-roll, and research visuals; light, unobtrusive music
Sample videos from THREADS
2026 THREADS-NSF videos for Reference
Password for each video: Threads
- Element
- Primary Content Sections
- Description
- Content organized by research thrust
- Element
- Execution Approach & Structure
- Description
- Content structure and flow of videos
- Element
- Moodboard
- Description
- Visual direction of videos
- Element
- Graphics & Text Style
- Description
- Graphics that support understanding, maintain consistent branding without competing with visuals
- Element
- Dean's Script
- Description
- Must be approved prior to filming
- Element
- Facilities Script
- Description
- Includes visuals and audio
- Element
- Asset Plan
- Description
- Tracks assets provided by each participating institution
- Element
- Production Plan & Technical Specs
- Description
- Details what needs to be captured, including specific guidelines and technical specs
- Element
- Review & Approval Process
- Description
- How each element is reviewed and approved
- Element
- Points of Contact
- Description
- People involved in coordinating or creating the videos
- Start early. Allow at least 8 weeks, but the more time the better.
- Budget. Make sure you have the budget. A fairly straightforward video could cost about $1500/minute minimum, but it is easy to get up to $30-50k without blinking, so make sure you discuss what various options cost and expend time early to determine exactly what you want to accomplish.
- Executive producer. Appoint an “executive producer” or contract out the production to an external project manager who can drive the various aspects of the video’s creation: lead discussions on the goals and direction, oversee the videography team, coordinate interviews and b-roll, acquire the necessary video clips/assets, share updates and incorporate feedback, and keep the project on track. (Hint: If you are managing the rest of the project, you will not have time to manage the video.)
- Team Ownership. Assign a clear owner on the SEAS team to guide narrative decisions and serve as the primary point of contact for the production.
- Creative Concept. Develop a clear idea about what you want the video to achieve and a realistic budget. Be sure to align on a single, cohesive storytelling approach before production. Engage the PI and leadership team in that discussion to help define its direction and secure buy-in. Articulate the concept on paper so you have a basic framework to share and work from even if you end up modifying it. See guidelines on Creative Brief below.
- Videographer. Select a videographer that can realize the vision and partner in its evolution. You can use an internal videographer from either Central Communications or some schools such as SEAS have very talented videographers. External videographers are another option.
- Script writer/producer. Consider engaging a video script writer or producer to help translate technical content into compelling visual storytelling.
- Voices. Decide which voices you want represented in the video and aim for a good mix of backgrounds, disciplines, and CU and non-CU participants (if there are external partners). You may choose to have a single narrator or multiple voices on screen. A variety of voices may add more texture and points of view and help create a compelling narrative.
- Shot List. Prepare a shot list prior to every shoot to ensure efficiency. This should be a list of requested shots and recordings.
- Feedback and iteration. Share initial versions with the team and invite feedback so that you don’t get too far along with a concept that people don’t like or doesn’t feel workable. Be willing to “kill your darlings” if there is a piece of footage you love but just isn’t right or proves to be a stumbling block. Shoot more footage than you need so that if you win the grant you can go back and recut the video for different audiences and purposes such as your Center website.