Case Study: Creating Engaging Online Content About Diverse Histories

What is this case study about?

This case study was produced on behalf of Historic England by Holly Cruise of Hollyzone History.

Holly is a performance historian who puts on history talks, runs history tours, and makes online videos. She covers various topics, often including aspects of LGBTQ+ history. You can find out more on the Hollyzone History website.

This case study looks at a series of Instagram reels for social media for Historic England about LGBTQ+ history in various places across England. Holly's content focused on details of social history, covering specific places and people that many might not have heard of before.

What are the key learnings?

What should we consider when making short social media videos about history?

Increasingly, organisations and individuals are engaging audiences with diverse histories through short-form video content, such as TikTok videos and Instagram Reels. These formats allow us to creatively present information in engaging and accessible ways.

I will outline some lessons learned from my experience of making LGBTQ+ heritage videos for Historic England. I will not delve too much into the technical side of video making, as the equipment and editing software available will vary considerably between video makers.

However, even the best equipment will not rescue a poorly made video. A well-thought-out video can shine even if recorded on a simple smartphone.

• Decide on the length of your video and write the script to meet that length. This may limit what you can include in the video, so identify the main messages you want to put across in the video and prioritise those
• Record the voiceover for your video before you film. Even if you eventually use audio recorded on-location, having a voiceover will help you to understand how the video will come across to audiences. You can test it by playing it to someone from your target audience to get their feedback.
  
  It helps with spotting problems such as:
  • The script is too wordy (where the voiceover is too fast to comfortably follow)
  • The script does not sound as good spoken aloud (always test this: some things work better on the page)
  • The script does not make sense or requires context you haven't included

• Scout out your location. This can be done in person, or by using Google Street View or other online tools. You will save time by having an advance plan about what shots you want to use. On the day, take the time to look around the area before you start filming. You might find a feature or a location you were not aware of which you want to include. Plan, but always be flexible
• Be prepared for people in your location. It's always a good idea to avoid filming people in a way which makes them uncomfortable. You will need permission to film people if they are identifiable. Generally, the best plan is to only film people from behind or in a way where they are not easy to identify, such as at a distance or out of focus. Do not film children unless you have parental permission, which may mean that you are better off filming early in the morning when there are fewer people around
• Beware the weather. You don't have to wait for a perfectly sunny day to film, but the weather can affect filming in outdoor locations. Rain on the camera lens can make visuals difficult to see. High wind can distort sound recording and make any audio unusable. Many cameras do not cope well with sudden changes in light, such as when the sun moves behind clouds and out again.
  
  None of these are insurmountable problems, but plan contingencies, such as:
  
  • Changing your day of filming, if possible
  • Having backup plans for your locations or angles in case your first choices will not work
  • You can always fall back on using the pre-recorded voiceover if the audio does not work

• Record more footage than you think you need. If you think you want 3 seconds of footage of a castle tower, film 20 seconds instead. You never know what might ruin a shot, and it might only be obvious later when you watch the footage back. The more you film, the more time you have for happy accidents. For instance, when I was filming for Historic England, we accidentally captured a lovely shot of some pigeons taking off because we were recording a long take at the time
• Learn the script before you go on camera. It might seem obvious advice but do not fear making mistakes on camera. If you mess up a line, you can always film it again (making sure to give yourself a couple of seconds of quiet before and after speaking so that it is easier to edit later). If you know your stuff, then after a few attempts, the lines will come more naturally. Take as many takes as you need to be satisfied. And remember, when you look back at the footage later, the best take might not be the one you expected at time of recording
• Remember to make videos accessible. Include subtitles, and do not let background sounds (whether on-location or music added in the edit) overwhelm spoken words and make them hard to hear. Also, avoid camera techniques or editing that might cause a viewer to feel motion sick or miss things