We highly recommend adding a Video Introduction to your Forte teacher profile. An engaging Video Introduction can showcase the essence of your Forte studio, welcome potential learners, and help them connect with you on a personal level.
It’s often easier for students to become excited about taking lessons with you after seeing and hearing you in a video. Your Brief and Full Introductions should be well written and captivating, and your profile picture should be a great attention-grabber, but a video may be just the thing needed to tip the scales toward students choosing your teacher profile.
Read on for instructions about crafting a great Video Introduction:
You Must: Requirements
- Share only your first name, not your last name (surname), and do not share external websites.
- Keep your video to under two minutes.
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- Videos longer than two minutes will not be posted.
- Shoot your video in landscape mode (horizontal, instead of vertical).
- Be professional! Present yourself in a respectable, professional manner.
- Pay attention to how you look, what you're wearing, what you say, and what you do, plus what’s in the background of your video.
- Ensure that your video is focused, steady, and well lit.
- Be sure you are fully in the frame and completely in focus throughout your video.
- Set up your camera on a tripod or any steady surface to avoid a shaky video.
- Check your lighting before filming.
- Upload your video in MP4, MOV, or WMV file format.
You Should: Tips
- Plan out what you want to say and show before you start recording.
- Be as efficient and concise as possible.
- Allow your personality to shine through! Let students get to know the real you.
- Don’t spend lots of time on the details that are already in the Brief/Full Introductions in your teacher Profile.
- Mention interests outside of music that may help students connect with you.
- Accurately represent how an online lesson with you on Forte will look and feel.
- Consider shooting your video in the same spot you teach your lessons, using the same devices you use in your lessons.
- If shooting with a phone, use the back camera (not the selfie camera) for better quality footage.
- Edit your video before submitting!
- Cut out any awkward silence at the beginning or end, adjust the brightness, and add titles/captions as needed.
- No need to record all in one take; feel free to edit together multiple videos.
You Can: If You Want
- Demonstrate: Play your instrument/sing to show off your skills and give students an idea of what studying with you could lead to.
- Use a script to keep your thoughts organized.
- Talk about why you love teaching, what students can expect in lessons with you, and why you’re the best at what you do.
- Sell yourself!
- This is not the place to be modest; talk about your successes and how you’ve led your students to success.
- Highlight your online teaching experience and your ability to lead students to success through online lessons.
- Be creative with editing and content. This is your chance to go big and show students exactly who you are!