- Keep it Short – Just like videos you see on social media, this 3-minute-or-less pitch video should be short, to the point, and visually compelling. It’s also an opportunity to distill the details of your application into the most important points you want to highlight.
- Start Strong – Use the first few seconds of your video to grab our attention with a unique visual, compelling fact, or relevant statistic about the issue you are working to address.
- Show Instead of Tell – Your application will tell us about your application, but the pitch video should show us. Use photos and videos to help us visualize how your innovative solution will be implemented. If you need more visuals, search free photo sites like unsplash.com or free video sites like pexels.com. Make sure any third-party content you add is copy-right free.
- Use Graphics or Animation – Another great way to show how your innovation will work is through graphics or animation. Free animation sites like moovly.com and vecteezy.com for map graphics are good places to start. Make sure any third-party content you add is copy-right free.
- Speak in Headlines – Just like the headlines you read in the news, keep the descriptions of your project in your pitch video short and to the point so they are quickly understandable.
- Use Analogies & Metaphors – Innovative solutions can be simplified through analogies and metaphors. Some examples could include comparing the earth’s layers to an onion, or carbon dioxide to a heat-trapping blanket.
- Be Creative – Your pitch video should be as innovative as your proposal. Shoot a video on your smartphone with interesting camera techniques, or build a model of your proposed innovation with everyday objects—have fun with it!
- Put Yourself on Camera – Including yourself in your pitch video personalizes your application and is an opportunity to show your passion and enthusiasm for your project.
- Pay Attention to Audio & Music – Make sure to capture clear audio of anyone speaking on your video. If including music, make sure the volume is low enough to hear people talking. Make sure any third-party audio you add is copyright-free.
- Paint the Picture of Success – Help the judging panel imagine the outcome of your project, who will benefit, and why. Point to the opportunity that your proposal holds to make an impact and get us inspired!
← Return to the Youth Innovation Challenge landing page.
The Youth Innovation Challenge is a program of the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) in partnership with the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA). GEEP is a partnership between the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Taiwan Ministry of Environment, and the North American Association for Environmental Education.
