Research communication
How do I make a short video about my research for a conference, grant or website?
Updated by the Vidi team
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A short research video has one job. It tells people what you found and why it matters, in the time they will give you. For a conference, that often means fitting a set slot and file format. For a grant report or a lab website, think about who will watch: a funder checking progress, or a visitor from outside your field.
We looked at guides from publishers, conference organisers and science communicators. They give a lot of practical advice, and they disagree on some points, such as length, whether to edit and how polished to be. This page walks through the rules to check, a simple script structure, the main formats and tools, and the mistakes worth avoiding. It also says where the advice runs out, because we found no specific guidance for grant reports or lab websites.
How it works
How to make a research video with Vidi
Bring your abstract or paper
For a quick explainer, paste your abstract or key findings into Vidi and say how long you want the video to be. For a whole paper, use Research with Vidi. Upload a PDF of up to 50 MB and 300 pages, or add it by DOI or arXiv ID. Then choose a length from 30 seconds to 5 minutes, and 16:9 or 9:16.
Check every claim
Vidi drafts a plain-English script that you read and edit scene by scene before anything is animated. In Research with Vidi, each claim is labelled supported, simplified, interpretation or analogy, and it must quote the page it comes from. Vidi checks that the quote is really on that page. You check that the meaning is right.
Download and present
Download the video with subtitles and a transcript, or share an unlisted link that you can switch off at any time. Use 9:16 for social media and 16:9 for a talk or slides. Widescreen needs a Pro or higher plan. In explainer videos, you can fix one scene with a note instead of starting again.
Find the rules before you plan
If a conference or journal asked for the video, it may set the length and format, so read its instructions first. One conference asked for an MP4 file of strictly 15 minutes. Another warned that if your file runs too long, you will be required to redo it. A conference platform guide listed accepted formats such as MP4, MOV and WebM, asked for 25 frames per second and gave a file-naming pattern. One conference guide highly recommended a 16:9 format. For journals, a video abstract guide says to check the length limit, file size cap, accepted formats and content restrictions, such as no copyrighted music.
If nobody sets a limit, the advice varies. Taylor & Francis and Global Souths Hub both say 2 minutes 20 seconds or less is perfect. Cell Press, as quoted in another guide, says under five minutes. One commercial guide suggests 2 to 3 minutes. None of these figures comes with evidence behind it, so treat about 2 to 3 minutes as a sensible default, not a rule.
For grant reports and lab websites, we found no specific guidance. Ask your funder or your institution's web team what they accept before you start.
What to say, scene by scene
Taylor & Francis suggests answering three questions: what question you wanted to answer, how you went about it and what you concluded. Build your script around those, and say why it matters right at the beginning. One science publisher's blog says the public must be told why they should care at the start, and calls a good video a highlight reel. A JBI guide suggests opening by introducing yourself and stating the topic and its importance.
Keep the methods short. Global Souths Hub advises including the main results without focusing too much on methodology. Use plain language, because your viewers may include non-specialists and journalists. Fast Track Impact recommends a clear beginning, middle and end, plus something surprising or a visual metaphor.
Give each scene or slide one idea. For recorded talks, one platform guide suggests no more than two slides per minute. Finish with a call to action, such as where to read the paper. Write a script, but when you record yourself, use it as a reference rather than reading it word for word. Practise, but try not to over-rehearse.
Choose a format you can finish
Recorded slides are a simple route. You share your screen in a Zoom meeting and press record, or you use PowerPoint's own recording feature. One journal guide suggests recording a video abstract via Zoom. Check Zoom's layout settings first. One platform guide warns that a wrong setting harms the recording, and says not to minimise the shared screen while you record. Free OBS Studio records slides, webcam and a separate microphone into one file, which helps you avoid syncing problems.
Filming yourself feels personal. A smartphone will do in a pinch, but record in HD and still use a tripod. Mix in lab shots or diagrams so viewers are not watching a static talking head.
Animation gets people curious, but one researcher noted that making it is time-consuming. AI tools such as Vidi cut that work by drafting the script, narration and scenes for you, though you still need to check them. If you have a real budget and a policy audience, Fast Track Impact says a professional film company can be a powerful choice. Others, including science communicator David Ruck, argue that enthusiasm matters more than good video.
Recording, captions and sharing
Sound matters. Make sure your audio is clear, and do not sit so close to the microphone that you get popping and hissing. Face a window rather than sitting with your back to it, and avoid strong backlighting. Look at the lens. Do a short test recording before the real one.
For conference talks, one conference guide recommends recording in one go. If you slip, it says to apologise and move on rather than starting again. Another notes that most pre-recorded presentations are recorded in one take without editing. Then trim the start and end, for example in QuickTime.
Add captions or subtitles, and keep a written transcript, since at least one host requires one. Show your name and role on screen.
When you upload, the OpenAlex blog suggests a descriptive title, a 2 to 3 sentence description and a full citation with a link to a free copy of the paper. Ask a colleague to watch it before it goes live, and plan how people will find it. Keep your expectations modest: the evidence that videos raise downloads or citations is weak.
Four ways to make a short research video
| Recorded slides (Zoom, PowerPoint, OBS) | You on camera (phone or webcam) | AI animated explainer (Vidi) | Professional film company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good for | Conference talks, where the presenter's webcam is most commonly shown over the slides | A personal connection with viewers | Plain-English explainers for people outside your field, for talks or social media | Highly professional messages to policy audiences |
| Main drawback | Can look static, and Zoom layout settings affect the recording | Needs good light, clear sound and confident delivery | AI drafts can be wrong, and scenes are animated, so it will not replace a webcam box if the venue asks for one | Needs a sufficient budget |
| What you need | Your slides plus Zoom, PowerPoint or free OBS Studio | A smartphone recording in HD, a tripod and clear audio | Your abstract, findings or paper, and credits | Budget and a clear message to hand over |
| Cost | Free tools exist, such as OBS Studio | A smartphone will do in a pinch | One free 15-second vertical video; a Research with Vidi paper video costs 9 credits, and one credit is one US dollar | Depends on the company |
Limits worth knowing
- AI drafts can be wrong. A quote shows where a claim comes from, not that the reading of it is right, so you must check every scene against your paper before you share it.
- A free Vidi account makes one 15-second vertical video. Longer videos need a paid plan, widescreen 16:9 needs Pro or higher, and Free and Starter videos carry a small Vidi logo.
- Research with Vidi paper videos are narrated only in English or Vietnamese.
- We found no specific guidance for videos in grant reports or for hosting and accessibility rules on lab websites, and the evidence that videos increase reach is weak. Check with your funder and institution.
Sources
- Taylor & Francis: Creating a video abstract for your research
- Fast Track Impact: How to turn your research findings into a video
- Global Souths Hub: Make a video about your research
- David J Ruck: How to create a short video about your research in a day
- JBI: Guide for video abstracts
- Canadian Science Publishing: Using video to share your research
- Conference Alerts: How to create a video abstract
- IPC 2021: Tips for pre-recorded presentations
- ITI Forum Implantologicum: Prerecording virtual presentations
- EURODYN 2020: Guidelines and preparation of presentations
- Morressier: How to prepare your pre-recorded presentation
- OpenAlex blog: Impact challenge, video abstract
- Enago Academy: Top tips for a video abstract
- CASRAI: How to create a video abstract for a research paper
- Alexandrina Vanke: How to craft a video abstract
- Pubrica: How to create a video abstract
How long should a research video be?
Follow the venue's limit first; one conference set strictly 15 minutes. With no limit, video abstract guides suggest anything from 2 minutes 20 seconds to under 5 minutes. None of these numbers is backed by evidence, so about 2 to 3 minutes is a sensible starting point.
Do I need to appear on camera?
Not always. One conference asked for your webcam over your slides rather than a voice-over only, so check the rules for yours. For a lab website or social media, recorded slides with narration or an animated explainer can work well, especially if you are not comfortable on camera.
What software do I need?
For a conference talk, Zoom or PowerPoint's recording feature is enough. OBS Studio is free and records slides, webcam and microphone into one file. QuickTime can trim the start and end. DaVinci Resolve has a free version for fuller editing, and Canva helps with infographics.
Should I read from a script?
Write one, so you stay within time and keep the story tight. When you record yourself, guides suggest using it as a reference and sometimes improvising rather than reading it word for word. Practise, but try not to over-rehearse, so you still sound natural.
Can I record it in one take?
One conference guide recommends recording in one go and simply apologising if you slip, and another says edits in webcam footage are noticeable. For a video abstract you may still need to cut it: one author found her first version was twice the length the journal asked for.
Do I need captions or a transcript?
Add them. Guides recommend captions or subtitles to improve accessibility and reach, and at least one host requires a written transcript. Captions also let people watch with the sound off. Check your institution's accessibility rules if the video goes on a university website.
Will a video get my research more attention?
Maybe, but do not count on it. Journals report more page views, yet one guide notes it is hard to measure the effect because of too many other variables. A clear title, a short description, a full citation and a plan to promote it give the video its best chance.