Common Craft Blog

We're back with a new, free resource for anyone interested in creating simple animated videos. These videos are different because they do not have a voice-over. Readable Videos use animated words and symbols to tell a story or bring information to life.

The best part? The tools you need are free or built into your computer. You can start right now.

Quick Reminder: Common Craft's library of explainer videos is used by educators around the world. In addition to producing videos, we help educators and other professionals develop communication and media skills at the Explainer Academy. This new mini-course is part of that mission.

Free Mini-Course

We've created a free mini-course at the Explainer Academy called How to Create Readable Videos. This course walks you through the big idea and how to create your first readable video.

What you get:

• Clear video instruction from Lee LeFever, co-founder of Common Craft and Explainer Academy
• Free pack of 25 Common Craft Cut-outs
• Links to free resources for creating readable videos

Three Reasons Readable Videos Matter:

1️⃣ Traditional animated videos can be difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to create. Readable videos are simple and efficient to create using free and built-in tools.

2️⃣ Producing a video voice-over is a complex process that requires experience and skill. Readable videos use animations and words on the screen instead.

3️⃣ Accessibility and Ease matter. Readable videos work well for those with hearing impairments. Because there is no voice-over, they can be consumed anywhere without bothering others.

A Scenario

Imagine that you need to explain a new idea for your team, company, classroom, etc. A document might work, but visuals are essential to getting the idea. A presentation deck could be good, but it feels too clunky.

An animated video would be great, but you'd need software, equipment, and time to create and edit the voice-over and animations.

Then, you discover readable videos. Using presentation software and a screen recorder, you can create an animated video in an afternoon, right from your desk.

Example

The animated GIF below is an example of a readable video:

I hope you have a chance to check out this new mini-course. Readable videos could be a new, useful addition to your toolbox.

I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Matthew Pierce at Techsmith, makers of Camtasia, Snag-it, and other fine products.

Matt hosts The Visual Lounge, which is about the power of using visuals in videos and how to make them better. I was a recent guest and we discussed:

• Common Craft as Pioneers of Explainer Videos
• Our approach to creating and using visuals in our animated videos
• What's unique about Common Craft Cut-outs
• Dual coding theory
• Cognitive load, and a lot more...

You can watch the entire interview below or at this link:

This summer we've been experimenting and exploring new paths for Common Craft. One of our priorities is to be more authentic and personal in how we communicate. I say "we", but Sachi prefers to remain behind the scenes, so it's really just me. 

What does it mean to be more authentic and personal? For one, it means being more accessible online and publishing a variety of things. Like you, we are more than our work, and I'm hoping to be more open about our lives and who we are, outside of the videos and business.

Lately, I've been experimenting with live videos on the Common Craft Facebook page. I just turn on the camera and talk for a couple of minutes. I've come to enjoy it because I can talk to you more casually and I hope that you can feel more of a connection than you would otherwise. It's never perfect and that's part of the fun of live video. It's real. 

Yesterday's live video was about a weekly newsletter I've written for a few years called Ready for Rain, which is mostly stories and anecdotes from my personal life. The video mentions this week's issue (#115), called "The Westward Wind". The story is about solving a mystery regarding a cool wind that blows by our house each evening in the summer. I finally figured it out and this post is, at heart, an explanation. Here's the live video:

I've love to have you as a subscriber to Ready for Rain. You can read all back issues and subscribe here. 

Imagine a group of students working together on a project. Each team member must share their work and have the rest of the team provide feedback. How this feedback is delivered and perceived is critical and may decide the fate of the team. When feedback is constructive, the team can be successful. When it’s destructive, the team may fall apart. 

The question becomes: how do you teach constructive criticism and feedback? It’s a challenge because it’s not simply a set of skills, but a perspective. Once someone sees the big picture and how to be constructive, they can apply it in meaningful ways.

This is why we produced the video, “Constructive Criticism and Feedback Explained”. We believe that teamwork is both essential and difficult to explain. By playing this three-minute video for your audience, you can get everyone on the same page with the right perspective, and build a solid foundation for your teaching.  

Forever License

For a limited time, we are offering this video, “Constructive Criticism and Feedback” as a digital download with a Forever License. This means the video is yours to keep with unlimited views and no future obligations. We even get you started with a lesson plan! You can:

• Add it to presentations
• Upload it to Google Classroom or your class LMS
• Display it in classrooms and online meetings
• Use it anywhere you teach

There is no mystery. You can watch the entire video (with a watermark) before purchase. The download includes:

• Constructive Criticism and Feedback (.mp4)
• Constructive Criticism and Feedback, with captions in English (.mp4)
• Lesson Plan with quiz and discussion questions (.pdf)

Get the video now for $14.99

Or, get access to our entire library with membership

This video, our 115th title, is now available for embedding, downloading, or streaming in the Common Craft video library. It's just over three minutes and the third in a series that includes Working as a Team and Constructive Criticism / Feedback.

What it Teaches:

Critical thinking is a skill that can be learned and applied to almost any situation. This video tells the story of a team who uses critical thinking in a robot building competition. It teaches:

• The difference between an active and passive thinker
• Why critical thinking matters and how to apply it
• Why success depends on high quality information
• How to use critical thinking to identify the best information
• How a team can anticipate future issues

Note: Each Common Craft video comes with a lesson plan that makes teaching easier. Curious? Download the lesson plan for the video above (PDF).

Recent Common Craft Videos

We now have 115 explainer videos in our library. Each video is designed to explain a subject clearly in a few minutes. Common Craft videos can help save time in your classroom, course, training session or presentation. Here are the most recent additions:

• ​Constructive Feedback/Criticism​
• ​Working as a Team​
• ​Online Harassment​
• ​Clear Communication in Presentations​
• ​Disinformation

All Common Craft videos can now be watched in full, with a watermark. To use the videos in your teaching, consider membership or purchasing video packs.

This is going to be fun! I will be joining Grant and Paddy on a live show called The Visual Jam, on July 8th. Register for Free. 

More Info:

Have you ever had a great idea for a product or a service or maybe an improvement to your business, but people just don’t seem to get it? More often than not it is because your idea has an explanation problem.

Well, fear not because Lee LeFever, co-founder of Common Craft and author of The Art of Explanation, is going to join us for a fun, interactive session where he will give us a sneak peek into the process that Common Craft follow to produce their world famous explainer videos - from script to storyboard to final content and animation!

I hope to see you there!