The Flipgrid Shorts Camera is packed with possibilities. Check out some of the new features and get started creating!
Mike Mohammad has been a secondary science teacher for 20 years. He is currently teaching High School science at Brookfield Central High School in Brookfield, Wisconsin. You can follow him on Twitter @mo_physics and check out his blog mophysicsmoproblems.blogspot.com.
In August of 2019, Flipgrid added some amazing new functionality to their camera recording system. These updates included filters, text boxes, emojis, image and video uploads, drawing, and whiteboards. Then in early 2020, they also added the ability to screen record.
But they didn't stop there.
Last summer, Flipggrid released a host of major changes to their platform and these include MAJOR upgrades to the camera. And they did it AGAIN this year! Below I’ll walk you through some of the new features offered so you can see how easy it is for you and your students to create and share.
And of course, it’s completely free.
Want and idea of just some of the things you can do with the new Shorts Camera? Check out this post 20+ ways to use 10 BIG Flipgrid updates.
An introduction to the NEW Flipgrid Shorts Camera
Click on any button below to be taken direction to that section.
Record View
The Record Step is the landing spot once Record A Response has been clicked. From here, users can start recording, upload a video or image, and set up their canvas in preparation of a live recording with text, drawings, and stickers. When you decide to record live video, you’ll be taken into Record View. This is where you will be recording live video. While recording live, you can still draw, type, and move objects on your canvas. New to Flipgrid is the ability to add a backdrop to your camera.
Sticky Notes
When creating a Topic, a Prompt is added to drive the response. By selecting Topic Notes, the Prompt is brought up on the screen. Using Sticky Notes users can add their own notes to guide their response while recording without the notes appearing in the finished video.
Options Menu
The Options Menu opens a set of tools that include uploading video, adjusting microphone settings, starting a screen recording, and mirroring a video segment.
Effects Menu
When looking to go beyond simply capturing a live event or address to camera, access the Effects Menu. From here, users are able to not simply augment what is captured by their camera with Filters and Frames. They can create from scratch using Boards, Drawing, and uploading Photos.
Camera Filters
In the camera filters menu, different filters can be applied to the device’s web camera for several different purposes. They can be changed on fly during recording as well.
Frames
Frames add an extra element of style and even context to a video. The can determine a setting or set the mood. Frames lay on top of any video captured by the camera.
Stickers
From the stickers menu, icons can be added. Once in the library, choose one of the categories at the bottom or search the emoji library to help filter your options.
GIFs
From the stickers menu, icons can be added. Once in the library, choose one of the categories at the bottom or search the emoji library to help filter your options.
While a GIF will be in the shape of a rectangle, a GIF Stickers come in a variety of shapes in accordance to what is being shown and are great for overlaying.
GIFs are a great way to add another form of motion to videos, but too much motion can be distracting to the viewer. So, be sure GIFs are adding to the intended message rather than taking away from it.
GIFs don’t simply have to be for flair. They can be great to showcase and example of a vocabulary term or historical event.
Text Boxes
To add text, simply choose a font to create a text box and start typing. From there, you’ll have color and alignment options for your text.
Boards
Boards allow students to create on a truly blank canvas. Boards are wonderful for drawing on but also a great place to drop images on to reduce visual distractions. There are a wide variety of boards to meet the creation needs. For students who are not comfortable showing their faces, boards are a great option to hide faces while still presenting audio narration along with visuals.
Even without audio, students can use boards as a blank canvas to create a video without the spoken word using stickers, uploading images, and drawings. When your board is full, just hit the Clear button to start with a fresh board.
Boards are a great place for students to work through their thinking of calculations by providing audio commentary while they either draw or type out their solution. This is a way for students to demonstrate understanding and a way to create a student generated key to a problem set.
Boards are a wonderful space for students to create concept maps, diagrams, models or prototypes. Before recording, students can take the time to draw it out. Then, record an audio explanation walking the audience through their creation.
Backdrops
Backdrops add green screen functionality to help users set the scene for their video. Users can utilize one of the preloaded backdrops from the gallery, upload their own image to use as a backdrop, or even use their live computer desktop as a backdrop.
Review Step
Every time you add a new segment, even if it is your first, you’ll be taken to the Review Step. From this view, you can see all the segments in order and watch your entire video before finalizing it. If you don’t like what you see, you can drag to rearrange segments, click the "Add More" button to go back to the Record Step, or click on a segment to trim down or delete. From this step you can also add background music.
Music
In the Review Step Users can add background music to a video clip from a library of music options. Music is organized by mood so it is easy to find what you need. Before adding a clip, music can be previewed.
Shorts for Teachers
The Flipgrid camera features are not just for posting to a Topic in Flipgrid. Teachers can access Shorts, the application that has all the features of the new Flipgrid camera, to create unique videos to share in Flipgrid and beyond. Shorts can be accessed from the Flipgrid Educator Administration page by clicking on the Shorts tab. This Shorts page is where created Shorts can be accessed. To create a new Short, click on Record a Short button.
Sharing Shorts
The beauty of Educators using the Shorts Camera in the Educators Admin panel to create videos is how easy it is to share the creations you make. Once a video is in your Shorts library, Just click on it. Then you’ll get the share window. The video can be shared as a link, embedded, converted to a QR code. In addition, the video can be shared via Teams, Remind, or Google Classroom.
All of these tools mentioned above are available in topic responses and in the Shorts Camera. The Shorts Camera is a place for educators to create stand alone videos outside of topics that can be shared out in a variety of different ways.
If you are looking for more information about all the features in the camera, check out the full guide to the Flipgrid Camera here.
Free Flipgrid Shorts ebook
This guide will assume you have the basics of Flipgrid down from creating a Grid to viewing student Responses to a Topic. The focus of this guide is the working of the new Flipgrid Camera and Shorts. On each page, you will find information and screenshots of the new camera and bonus information throughout the guide.
Author's Note: This is guide is simply focused on the functionality of the Flipgrid Camera. It in no way discusses the amazing features in Flipgrid to create Topics, Groups, and all the amazing ways to bring it into your classroom to amplify student voice. If you are new to Flipgrid, please head to https://blog.flipgrid.com/gettingstarted to get started with Flipgrid.
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Some students say (in the app’s reviews) that they are uncomfortable making videos. No student should be required to do it. Videos should only be an option.
Hello
I enjoyed reading your information about FlipGrid. I had a question about sending your FlipGrid to others. My question is when the people see the video how can you make the video not cut you in half so they only see a small portion of you? In otherwords the video only shows a small part of me when I send it. When i review the video it shows me completely as if I recorded it. Might you know how to fix this?
[…] Students pick a person and print a picture of that person. They write out several facts. Then, they record a Flipgrid video with the pixelization filter on. They read the facts, encouraging the viewer to guess their identity before turning off the filter. Click here to learn how! […]