NanoFlick — Shot-by-Shot Video Guide
Birthday Dinner
Use this guide to quickly create a video for TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc.
🎂About This Video Story
A short, sharable and savable video of someone's special dinner. Use different angles and keep the camera moving for a more dynamic video.
How to Make a Great Video
Shoot each of the shots and keep the duration to the bare minimum. We've included instructions for each shot to create a short, fast-moving video your friends and followers will love. When you're finished shooting, just combine all the shots and you're done.
Find this template in the free NanoFlick app.
Video Shot List
ShotDescriptionLength
1
Exterior Setting
00:04Show the outside of the location where dinner is happening. Include any signs or identifying marks.
2
Preparation
00:04Show people arriving or preparing the meal.
3
Birthday Celebrant
00:08Introduce the person you're celebrating. Ask what they did today and what it means to be a year older.
4
Meal Serving
00:07Show the food being served and or any pre-meal ritual like saying grace.
5
Meal Conversation
00:08Show the general discussion. Encourage someone to share anecdotes or memories.
6
More Conversation
00:08Encourage a few more comments and stories. You can re-shoot or add shots until you get some good ones.
7
Dessert & Song
00:10Show the Happy Birthday song being sung.
8
Final Comments
00:08Ask for a comment from the birthday celebrant. Ask what are their wishes for the next year.
Top Video Tips
Keep it short...
...then cut it even shorter. Usually under 90 seconds for a serious video; under 30 for a fun one.
Keep it moving
Make sure each shot has a point...and get to it fast! No fluff or filler.
Tell a story
Stories need structure. Make sure you've got a beginning, middle and end.
Know the audience
Family will watch a 2:00 video. Everyone else gets bored after 45 seconds.
Focus on people
Go easy on transitions, filters, etc. The best content is people relating.
Time passages
Use transitions like Dissolve or Dip-to-Black to indicate passage of time
Multiple angles
Using multiple short shots with different angles is better than one longer shot.
Start wide...
...then move closer on subsequent shot for the scene.
Video Timeline
Timeline
This story template (and hundreds more) is built into the free NanoFlick iOS app. Download now for the fastest, easiest way to get this done. It'll coach you through every shot and automatically assemble your video for instant sharing — no editing required.
