Welcome to Spark!

WELCOME TO

Thanks

WHAT IS SPARK?

It is UCB’s brand new bible-based app for kids produced in partnership with the team at OneHope/Kids Bible Experience. Spark is a video based devotional and is designed to be short, snappy and fun, with a video each day with ‘follow on screens’.

WHY SPARK?

The name Spark comes from the simple idea that we want to spark o a love for God’s Word in the next generation. We know that kids are constantly surrounded by so many messages in their daily lives, at school, at home, on social media. We want to bring something positive and at the same time, give them the tools they need to find the answers in God’s Word. 02

WHO ARE WE SPEAKING TO?

Our target audience is 10-13 year old kids both male and female in the United Kingdom. 03 WHEN WILL

MY CONTENT BE LIVE?

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The videos you make will be scheduled according to our content planner. Once the video has been posted, it will be filed into a category library which will be available for as long as we have it hosted. After six months of your video being live on Spark, you are free to use the video on your own social media platforms and hold the ownership rights to the content. 04 02 03 04 05 06

During our research, we asked a group of kids what want from Spark. We asked what they content they like, what apps they use, how they interact with the Bible and what makes them ‘tick’.

We summarised the results in the six following areas:

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MEET THE KIDS

FOCUS GROUP RESEARCH

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FAITH

100% said they read the Bible

37.5 % said they read it every day

37.5% said they read it ‘once or twice a week’

18.75% said they read it ‘occasionally’

DEVICES

81% of respondents had their own mobile device

19% said they had access to one (used a parent’s device)

SOCIAL MEDIA

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50% said they used social media and 50% said they didn’t. Most social media platforms have a minimum age of 13 to join so this result is expected as two of the groups were under the age of 13.

CONTENT

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They liked watching short form videos on TikTok and YouTube shorts. Generally speaking they liked topic led content but also random videos that covered: dogs, cake decorating, drawing, family vlogs, challenges, ‘Mr Beast’, Minecraft, gaming and Christian podcasts.

ACCESSIBILITY

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One of the children was deaf and raised a critically important point emphasising the need for captions.

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TOPICS

They want to see Spark videos based on the following topics: Jesus, angels, promises of God, creation, Old Testament, New Testament, spiritual beings, friends, relationships, bullying, school, exams, stress, family, hard friendships, building good friendships, death and afterlife, Heaven. books of the Bible, anxiety, overcoming fear, growing your relationship with God, dealing with your anger, stories from the Bible, showing how stories in the Bible connect with each other.

HOOK THEM IN

You have less than 8 seconds to keep them from disengaging. Grab their attention with a visual and audible “hook” that is authentic and compelling.

BOOK

GET INTO GOD’S WORD

Share biblical truths that will help the viewer better understand what Scripture is teaching. This isn’t just a segment, but should be intertwined throughout the video.

LOOK AT THE CONTEXT

Provide clear context to the viewer by stating aloud what you will be talking about. Help them understand how this biblical truth should impact their lives.

TOOK

HOW CAN THEY APPLY IT

Provide a call to action to help pre-teens understand how they can live out this biblical principle in their daily lives.

SPARK CHEAT SHEET

STYLE

FORMAT

THINGS TO DO

ORIENTATION – The videos must be vertical/portrait, not horizontal/landscape.

VIDEO LENGTH – The optimum length for high performing videos is 60-90 seconds. If the video is longer, it needs to be really energetic to keep their attention.

THINK ‘ACCESSABILITY’ – Be selective about the e ects you use to make sure they are suitable for all audiences. For example, don’t use flashy GIFs, clashing colours. Make sure the kids can clearly see your face for those who are hard of hearing.

CAPTIONS AND TEXT – Captions are critical for Spark videos, meaning that readability is also really important. Please stick to ‘sans serif’ fonts and avoid ‘script’ or ’handwriting’ fonts, italics, with a font size at 10pt or over, centred at the top or bottom of the video and not on the edges of the screen.Try to use white text on a dark coloured background fill.

MUSIC/SOUND EFFECTS – This is crucial to framing your whole video and bringing it together. If the video is ‘low energy’ then use upbeat music to bring a new dimension. You also don’t need to use just one song, you can change it up and pick a di erent tempo when/if the script changes course. Also, using sound e ects to emphasise your points is an easy win!

THINGS TO AVOID

Long ‘talking head’ slow paced narration

Flashy GIFs, video e ects and transitions

Small, unreadable, clashing text on coloured backgrounds. No background music

THINGS TO DO

ANIMATED – No, you don’t have to be an animator (although go for it if you are!) Break your video up with GIFs, stickers, transitions, sound e ects and special e ects.

ARTISTIC – Get crafty! Kids love watching artsy videos online, so get creative! What about animation, art, doodles, condensed object lessons, personal examples, how-to videos, storytelling, and more!

SHOW & TELL – How can you demonstrate what you are saying? For example a script about trusting God could be shown by following a recipie and baking a cake with just a narrative over the top of the video footage.

TIK-TOK/YOUTUBE SHORTS INSPIRED – Spend some time in ‘their zone’. What are kids watching, what is the content like?

CAMERA ANGLES – If your video is script heavy, film in lots of di erent places or/and at di erent angles. For example, walking, sitting down, and standing looking directly in the camera. Film from eye-level or slightly higher.

KEEP IT INTERESTING – Don’t use a plain white background, or don’t ‘over polish’ your setting. You aren’t creating a theatrical production, keep it simple and fun.

WARDROBE – If creating multiple videos in same day change your clothes, hairstyle, and background for variety. Make sure you are looking neat and tidy, brush your hair and check you haven’t spilt anything on your clothes!

THINGS TO AVOID

‘Talking head’ – shooting in one take from one angle

Being Sunday School teacher

Acting or performing

Plain white backgrounds

Messy backgrounds

Crinkley, dirty clothes and messy hair

TONE

THINGS TO DO

QUALITY– Please use a microphone when recording audio and avoid background noise.

AUTHENTICITY – this age demographic can sni out a fake! Be yourself, be real, transparent and honest.

BE CONVERSATIONAL – read the script out loud to yourself first and tweak it so it sounds natural to your personality.

PEER-TO-PEER TONE – 10-13 year olds think they are adults, so don’t speak to them like they are kids.

SPEAK TO THE INDIVIDUAL – present each video going after ‘the one’ rather than ‘the mass’.

BE PASSIONATE AND CONVINCING – if you don’t beleive in what you are saying, they won’t either –convince them!

SPEAK CLEARLY – do you have an accent or a tendency to speak fast? Take your time, pronounce your words, they need to understand you.

PUT YOURSELF IN THEIR SHOES – speak with an ‘I get it’ demeanour. They need to know they aren’t alone.

BE ENERGETIC – video content these days is high energy! If that isn’t you, edit it with gifs, sound e ects and special e ects to hold their attention.

THINGS TO AVOID

Kid voice or sunday school teacher vibes Slow paced/monotone talking

Trying to ‘be cool’

Reading the script on your phone/page while filming Christianese or religious jargon

EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE

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VIDEO

Spark videos can be recorded on any high quality video recording equipment such as iPhones, iPads, Android phones or anything that allows you to record in 4K Ultra HD. If you cannot record in 4K, HD is also acceptable.

Please make sure the aspect ratio is 16:9 and portrait orientation. Duration wise, videos should ideally be between 60-90 seconds with a maximum length of 2 minutes. Try not to read your lines, have someone read you a line and then repeat it, and cut out the dead space in editing, or alternatively use an autocue app (as below).

AUDIO

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We advise using a wireless clip on microphone that you can connect by bluetooth to your phone. Please do not rely on the built in microphone on your phone, it won’t be clear enough. There are lots of options online that are cheap and a ordable, ‘Qhot Wireless Microphones’ come highly reccommended online.

EDITING

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If you do not have a background in video editing, you might not be aware of the software available to you. There are varying software levels from paid professional programmes such as Adobe Premier Pro, After e ects and Adobe Rush, to free software online such as CapCut, InShot or Canva. Here are UCB we use CapCut because of the vast amount of options, special e ects and music library that is available to you. Please bear in mind the use of music requires permission. You are liable for using any music without permission.

GADGETS AND APPS

AVOID SHAKINESS: Try using a gimbal, like the Osmo Mobile devices

AUTO CUE: There are a number of apps available both free and paid for, Teleprompter or SpeakFlow

TRIPOD: You can get lots of di erent varieties with ring lights and selfie sticks on Amazon.

READY TO GO?

ARE YOU A... VIDEO EDITOR?

If you don’t ‘gel’ with the script, you can email us to request a new one. GET SCRIPT

To get your script, please email spark@UCB.CO.UK

We record videos on site at UCB every week. When you are ready to edit your next video project please email spark@UCB.CO.UK

Someone on the Spark Team will WeTransfer the files to you.

Grab your phone and get filming! Don’t forget to use a microphone and film in 4K in vertical mode. GET RECORDING

In the transferred files, you will also find the script and editing notes. Chop and edit the raw footage. EDIT THE VIDEOS

Once you have finished, send your video file (without captions) via WeTransfer to spark@UCB.CO.UK

A representative from Spark will communicate any changes to you through email, or video chat if requested. It is completely normal for there to be several rounds of changes so please don’t be disheartened.

When someone from Spark has signed o your content, please add captions and double check they are all accurate (automatically generated captionscan throw out a few curveballs). Send your video file (with captions) via WeTransfer to spark@UCB.CO.UK

We are aiming to launch Spark in September 2024. Once we have recieved your video, we will upload it to our private Vimeo account to schedule it in our content planner. Six months after your video has been released on Spark, you are free to use the video on your own personal social media. GO LIVE