Submitting a Video Clip

Video Clip submissions to a Group Video are made from its Record & Upload Page. Submissions can be made from almost any device (smartphone, tablet, laptop, computer) as long as it has a working camera and microphone. We also have an app that makes it easy to record, upload, and edit your Video Clips! 

Quick How-Tos:

Submit from a Phone

There are two ways you can use your smartphone to contribute to a Group Video!

Memento App (iOS):

Download the Memento App from the App Store!

1. Click on the Record & Upload Link; this will prompt your phone to open the link using the Memento App.
2. The app will automatically take you to the Record & Upload page, where you can either Join the Video immediately or set a Reminder for later.
3. Once you're ready to record, select Join the Video - you'll be prompted to either Record, Upload from your Photo Library, or Choose from your Files. Select the option that works for you!

To Record on the App:

1. Select Record Video - there's a 3-second timer before recording begins.
2. When you're finished recording, you can Retake or Trim the video.
3. Once you're happy with the recording, you can select Use Video.
4. Please wait for the video to finish uploading before closing the app.

Please also see: Submit a video clip with the Memento App

Mobile Browser:

To submit a video clip from any smartphone, visit the Record & Upload Page on your mobile device and scroll down to the Join The Group Video! section.

1. Press the Record or select a video file button.
2. Select Take Video (iPhone) or Camcorder (Android) to record a new video for submission. When you've finished recording, you'll be given an option to: 
   • Watch it again (Play)
   • Try another recording (Retake on iPhone, Cancel on Android)
   • Submit this video clip to the Group Video (Use Video on iPhone, OK on Android)
3. To upload a pre-recorded video clip, select Photo Library (iPhone) or Files (Android) and then navigate to and select the video of your choice. Do not leave the page before the upload completes, as your video clip will not be submitted successfully.
4. You'll be prompted to (optionally) submit your e-mail address with the video clip. You can enter your e-mail address, press Submit, or Skip. Leaving your e-mail address will let the Group Video organizer know whether you want to see the final montage.

Submit from a Computer

1. Visit the Record & Upload Page from a computer with a webcam (if you would like to record) or the computer with the video clip saved (if you’d like to upload a pre-recorded video)
2. The new submitter will create an account:

   

3. To record a video, select Record Video. Your browser may ask for your permission to access your webcam and microphone. Once the browser has access to your webcam, you should see a live video of yourself on the screen.
4. Check that your microphone is working - the colored bar next to the microphone icon in the bottom right of the video screen should light up when you speak.
5. When ready to record, select the red record button and record your video clip.
6. When you are finished recording, select the stop button.
7. You can review your recording by pressing the play button. If you wish to record again, press the record button. 
8. When you are ready to submit, select the blue save icon. Do not leave the page until the video clip has been uploaded successfully. 

Step by Step: 

Submit from a Phone

For step-by-step instructions on using our iOS Memento App, Please see: Submit a video clip with the Memento App.

Record a new video

Press the Record or select a video file button. The resulting menu will appear slightly different depending on your phone type (e.g., iPhone or Android). Either way, you'll be offered the choice to record a new video or upload one you've already recorded. 

iPhone:

Android:

When you've finished recording, you'll be given an option to: 

• Watch it again (Play)
• Try another recording (Retake on iPhone, Cancel on Android)
• Submit this video to the Group Video (Use Video on iPhone, OK on Android)

Submit an existing video clip

You also can submit an already-recorded video by selecting Photo Library (iPhone) or Files (Android) and then navigating to and selecting the video of your choice. This is an excellent option for recording your video earlier (especially if you feel you need multiple takes!) and then selecting the final version when you've finished.

After video selection

When you've either finished recording your video or selected your pre-recorded video, your submission will automatically begin uploading, and you'll be shown a percentage progress indicator. 

The time the upload takes to complete is dependent on several factors, including: 

• the upload bandwidth of your internet connection
• the size of the video file (determined primarily by its length and resolution)
• your geographic location relative to our US-based upload servers. 

In many cases, with a high-speed internet connection and a video that is less than a minute long, the upload should only take a few seconds. However, depending on the factors above, it may take longer, perhaps minutes. Please do not leave the page before the upload completes, as your video will not be submitted successfully.

You'll be prompted to optionally submit your e-mail address with the video clip when the upload is complete. You can either enter your e-mail address and press Submit or press Skip not to share your e-mail address. Adding your email lets the organizer know you would like to see the final Group Video. 

This is to enable the Group Video organizer to contact you, either with a special request or to let you know that the final surprise montage is ready to be viewed.

Upload from a Computer

Visiting the Record & Upload Page from a device with a webcam, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, or tablet, will give you the option to Record Video or Upload Video.

To upload, click Upload Video and then select your video. This will commence the upload process.

To ensure that the Video Clip is received, wait for the upload to succeed and watch for the signs that your Video Clip was successfully received.

If you want to record a video on the spot instead, press Record Video on the initial screen and follow these steps...

Submit with a Webcam

Visiting the Record & Upload Page from a device with a webcam, such as a desktop computer, laptop computer, or tablet, will show an on-screen recorder in the Join the Group Video! Section of the Record & Upload Page. Depending on your location and internet connection, the recorder may take a few seconds to load.

Your browser may ask for your permission to access your webcam and microphone. To proceed,  Allow access to the camera and mic. (For further assistance, see: Allowing your camera and microphone)

If the browser is granted access to your webcam, you should see a live view of yourself on the screen.

You should see that reflected in the microphone icon in the bottom right when you speak. If the microphone volume bar does not react to your voice, you may be speaking too quietly, too far away from the microphone, or your microphone may not be working. This may result in there being no sound in your video.

To get started, click the Record button (red circle) in the bottom left corner of the recorder. While recording, you will see the Record button turn into a red Stop button, which will pulsate while the timer counts down from 3:00 (see the image above). 3 minutes is the maximum for a webcam-based recording (uploads can be longer), but we recommend keeping your video between 10 and 60 seconds for good pacing of the final video montage.

During the review, you can watch and listen to what you recorded, while in the bottom-right corner, you will see a picture-in-picture live view of yourself. You can press Pause at any time to stop watching your recording. If you don't like the video and want to try again, press the Record button, and any unsaved video will be discarded.

When you are satisfied with your video and ready to submit it, press the Save button (floppy disk icon).  

When the upload completes, you will be prompted for your e-mail address, which you can optionally provide or skip.

This e-mail prompt is confirmation that your Video Clip submission was successfully received. Another confirmation is the changing of the answer to Has my video clip been received? Below the recorder from Not Yet to Yes!

That's it! Your video has successfully been submitted, and the Group Video organizer will be sent a notification.