How to Record a Hype Video for Your Upcoming Event

Summary:

• Plan a concise 60-90-second video with a clear key message, engaging hook, and strong call to action.
• Feature students in the video to build enthusiasm and engagement and capture authentic, energetic moments.
• Choose appropriate locations and time for filming, use a tripod for steady shots, and ensure that you have clear audio.
• Edit your video with upbeat music, quick transitions, and simple graphics. Add fun elements without distracting from the message.
• Share the video across social media, emails, school events, and embed it on your fundraiser’s page to maximize visibility.

The key to successful fundraising for K-12 school groups is engaging students. Students who are excited about a fun run or Spell-A-Thon are more likely to register and collect pledges, and parents who see their students turning out to participate enthusiastically are more likely to volunteer or lend financial support.

But building anticipation around a fundraiser can be tough. Families with school-aged children lead busy lives, and attention spans are short. That’s why you should consider creating a hype video to capture the school community’s attention. 

Hype videos are fun to make, don’t require any new technology (if you’ve got a phone, you’re good to go), and work for almost every school fundraiser type you can think of!

Recently, we published a case study about a high school football team raising more than $17,000 with a lift-a-thon, and they used a hype video (and some enthusiastic athletes spreading the word) to help them get there! 

And below, we’re going to show you how.

Step 1: Write Your Script

The goal here is to create a concise and exciting video that grabs attention quickly. You don’t have to write out a teleplay for an entire Hollywood feature here—but it does help to outline what your video will be about.

What to Do

• Plan your length: Aim for 60–90 seconds. Write down a list of key points—what’s the main message you want viewers to remember?
• Hook them early: Begin with an attention-grabbing moment—this could be a brief clip of kids participating in the event, exciting music, or a fun fact about what the fundraiser will support.
• Stick to one key message: Decide on one central idea for the video (e.g., “Join us for the most exciting Fun Run of the year!”) and build around it.
• End with a call to action: Wrap up the video by clearly telling viewers what you want them to do next—register, donate, or share with friends.

Step 2: Get Students Involved

You can engage the community more effectively by featuring students in your video. When parents see that their children are invested in the fundraiser before it’s even started, it sets you up for success as soon as the campaign launches.

What to Do

• Choose your participants: Identify a group of students who are excited about the event. It could be a class, club, or team. Get permission from parents if needed.
• Assign roles: Have students act as spokespeople or participants in the event. Some could explain what the event is, while others demonstrate activities (e.g., running, spelling, etc.).
• Film candid moments: Capture natural, candid shots of students participating in activities. Action shots help generate excitement and authenticity. Just make sure you get permission from students to use this footage before publishing the final cut!
• Encourage enthusiasm: Remind students to be energetic and positive during filming. Their excitement should feel contagious to viewers.

Step 3: Shoot Your Video

Once you have a rough plan and some participating students on board, it’s time to capture the footage for your hype video. Here’s how to ensure you get the best shots to highlight your event.

What to Do

• Pick your locations: Choose spots that are relevant to your event and provide good visuals. For a Fun Run, shoot on the school track or playground. If it’s an academic event, film in the classroom or library.
• Choose the right time of day: Aim to film when lighting is at its best—morning or late afternoon for outdoor shoots, or well-lit indoor spaces for indoor events.
• Keep it steady: Use a tripod or hold the camera as still as possible to avoid shaky footage. Many smartphones come with stabilization features, but a tripod is still the safest bet.
• Get a variety of angles: Capture wide shots of group activities, close-ups of students’ faces, and action shots of students participating. Mixing up angles makes your video more visually engaging.
• Record clear audio: If there’s dialogue, ensure the area is quiet or use an external mic. You can add background music later, but clear audio for key moments like student speeches or announcements is important.
• Film multiple takes: Don’t hesitate to capture the same scene a few times. This gives you more options when editing and ensures you get the best footage possible.

Step 4: Get Creative with Editing

Once you’ve shot your raw footage, you can make your video stand out through creative editing techniques and a few post-production effects. Remember, less is more with these—go overboard with cuts or gimmicks and you could distract viewers from the core message.

What to Do

• Choose upbeat music: Pick music that matches the tone of your event—something energetic and fun that keeps the pace of the video high.
• Use quick transitions: Edit your video with quick cuts between shots to maintain excitement. Avoid long, slow scenes that might lose attention.
• Add fun graphics: Include one or two animated text or icons that pop on the screen to highlight key moments, such as countdowns or event names. You don’t need to be a whiz with After Effects, either—iMovie should work just fine.
• Experiment with humor: Include fun bloopers or silly moments with students (if appropriate for your school community) to add personality.

Step 5: Share It Everywhere

Once your video is ready, maximize its visibility by sharing it everywhere you can.

What to Do

• Post on social media: Share your video on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. If your school has an official hashtag, include it in the post.
• Email it to parents: Send the video in an email to parents with a message encouraging them to watch and share it with friends. FutureFund’s built-in messaging system makes this easy!
• Show during school events: Play the video at school assemblies or during morning announcements to get students excited in person.
• Embed on the school website: Place the video on your school website or FutureFund fundraising page so visitors can easily find it and learn about the event.
• Boost visibility: Consider boosting your video post on social media (using a small budget) to reach more parents and community members. But be careful with this—you don’t want to spend so much on paid ads that you eat into your fundraiser’s expected returns!

Build Hype for Your Next Fundraiser with FutureFund

With the tips above, creating a video that captures attention and promotes fundraiser engagement should be a snap. And FutureFund can keep helping even after people see it! Once you use our free fundraising platform to send the video out, you can also use it to:

• Register student participants for A-Thon style fundraiser events
• Sign-up and organize parent volunteers
• Collect and track donations or pledges
• Generate the cleanest financial reports you’ve ever seen in just a few clicks

Ready to begin? Get started with FutureFund here, then grab your camera (or phone) and get to work on your fundraising magnum opus.