Publish

The Video Journal of Biomedicine welcomes proposals for all types of videos. The journal publishes the following types of video ensuring comprehensive coverage of the latest developments across all fields. 

 

Publication Perspective 

Interview-style videos with authors discussing a peer-reviewed paper they have published in any journal from any publisher. These videos follow a set questionandanswer-style structure enabling viewers to gain a personal understanding of the publication and research being presented

 

Expert Perspective 

Provide a platform for experts to provide their thoughts and opinion on key topics in their field, whether it is discussing a new avenue of research, looking back on a field or providing a personal perspective on an emerging issue. 

 

Animated Videos

Comprise ~90 second overview of a research paper where the article is converted into a bespoke animation with an engaging voiceover script.

 

If you are interested in discussing a video for publication in the Video Journal of Biomedicine please contact the Sam Cavana 

 

Video Process

All videos are discussed in advance with the Publisher, who will help advise on the scope and suitability of your video. Our broad focus means that a video discussing any article from any medical and scientific journal will be considered.

Publication Perspective and Expert Perspective videos

Typically, all videos are professionally filmed by our videographers at a time and location of your choice. We can feature videos that are filmed and produced by yourself or third parties, however these must be to our same standard and quality. Details of how to publish a video is available in our How to Publish Guide and more information is described below. 

We can also publish videos filmed via web recording platforms, such as Zoom. Specific guidelines on recording via Zoom are available upon request from the Publisher.

Preparing the Script

Once a filming time and location has been agreed, you will be required to develop a script to inform us of the content of the videoWe are also able to offer a complete script writing service and this is available for an additional charge.

Ideally, we are looking to publish short 810minute videos. In general we recommend ~160 words per minute so this should be taken into account when developing the script. 

For Publication Perspective videos, the script should be similar in content to your published article. Any additional unsubstantiated claims may mean your video does not pass editorial review and will need modification before filming, potentially leading to a delay in filming. 

All videos have an interview-style format where the content is sectioned by questions followed by answers. Therefore it is advisable to follow a questionandanswer-style format to develop the script, for instance: 

  • What was the purpose of this study? 
  • How was the study undertaken?
  • What were the results?
  • What is/are the significance of these findings?

If you would like to include any figures or other visuals in the video these should be included within the script. We can provide a template storyboard to help guide the script and indicate where any figures or other visuals should be appear. Where figures or tables are used from the original publication, appropriate permissions must be in place and the video will include acknowledgements to the original source of publication as stipulated by the original publisher. 

We can provide a range of support services to assist with the development of any new images for use in your video (subject to fees).  

Videos can also feature animation, for instance an animated schematic or process. There would be additional fees for the addition of any animated element in your video and this would be priced according to the complexity of the animation required. 

Editorial Review 

The script should be submitted to the Publisher prior to the filming date (ideally at least 2 weeks in advance of filming). The script will be peer-reviewed to ensure it accurately represents the research being presented. If necessary, the Publisher will seek further opinion from the Editorial Advisory Panel. Any changes requested by the Publisher will be returned for incorporation into the script. 

We recognise that writing a script is very different from writing a paper and are able to provide a script writing service available for an additional fee upon request. We can also offer a script ‘polishing’ service, free of charge, to ensure the script is engaging and flows well in the video. Script ‘polishing’ will be undertaken as the Editorial Review stage.

Filming 

Our What to Expect when Filming a Video guidelines outlines all the information required before, during and after filming. We also have separate guidelines clarifying What to Expect when Recording via Webcam.

The shoot can take place at a location of your choice. This must be a quiet location without any background noise. If permission is required to film in a certain location, such as at a conference, please ensure this is in place prior to filming; we can assist with this process if required. 

We recommend that rather than following the script wordforword, this is modified to bullet form with pointers for you to follow. This will help ensure the video flows naturally and also helps reduce filming time.  

Our aim is to make the filming process as easy and natural for you as possible. We recommend the following to help prepare you for the day. 

  • Be comfortable – wear clothes that make you feel confident but avoid white, bright red or all black outfits. Avoid overly patterned outfits as these can ‘flash’ and distract. 
  • Pressure mistakes are natural so don’t feel you need to say every word 100% perfectly. We take as much time as you need to capture the footage required. 
  • Practice – identify a keyword for each sentence, then build up and learn the order of the keywords. We can always hold these up as memory joggers or you can check your notes at any time. 
  • Pace – remember that on video you may need to speak a little slower than you would if you were having a normal conversation. Take time to highlight words with your tone and to pause.  
  • Pretend – take inspiration from your favorite presenter. Watch a few videos of them online and think of what it is that you like about the way they present, e.g., their body language.  
  • Personalize – add your own spin and personality to the video. Modify the script if needed so it feels natural for the way you speak.  
  • Be clear keep your language simple and include any keywords or phrases associated with your work. 

Post-filming Production  

The footage will be edited to make a short video of under 10 minutes in length with chapters and graphics (where required). Following filming all videos are produced and edited in-house to the highest standards, with the goal of producing the first proofs of the video within 34 weeks after filming has taken place. All authors will receive a minimum of two video proofs to ensure the video meets your expectations. The first round of proofs should capture all changes you require, and the second round should be used only for any consistency or additional minor edits needed. Further changes or late requests (after timelines are agreed) may incur additional fees. 

Author-produced Videos 

We work with a network of videographers worldwide who can come to most locations to film your video. However, if you fall outside of this network or have the facilities to professionally film yourself, we can accept Author-produced Videos. These must be filmed to the same high standards as if we had filmed the video ourselves.  

Author-produced Videos will follow the same process as detailed above in the Video Process section and filming must only take place once the content and style of the video has been approved. We require a high-resolution version of the video and our video editors will undertake Post-filming Production (described above) to ensure the video meets our house style. 

Animated Videos 

All animated videos published in the Video Journal of Biomedicine are produced in collaboration with Sci Ani, a scientific communication agency who develop engaging and accessible animations based on specific researcher’s work. Animated videos follow the same the editorial process as above, where the scope and content of the video are discussed in advance with the Publisher. Once a project has been agreed, our How to Publish an Animated Video guide outlines the next steps. As outlined in this guide, our animation colleagues can prepare the voiceover script. However, if you prefer to prepare the script yourself, the How to Write your Script guidelines, which are also described below, should be followed.

Preparing the Script

Before you start, it is helpful to consider the answer to some very basic questions: Who? What? How? Why?

Who?  Who do you want to watch your video? Your target audience will dictate how you write your script so get this clear before starting.  If the purpose of your video is to explain a complicated concept to a general audience, it’s important to use accessible language to avoid alienating viewers. However, if your target audience is made up of fellow researchers, scientists, or academics, you can use technical terminology to keep things concise.

What?  For a 90-second video, your word count will be 120-150 words with 150 as the absolute maximum. So, you can’t afford to waste words – you need to get stuck straight into the important information. When structuring your script, it can help to mirror the structure of your research paper:

  • Start with an introduction to your research – what problem does it solve?
  • Discuss the research – how was your research conducted and why?
  • Findings – what did you achieve/discover with your research?
  • Conclusion – what implications do your findings have and how will your research continue?

How? To ensure that the narration sounds natural and interesting, keep points concise, vary sentence structures, and avoid repetition.

Regarding tone, conversational is key. Remember, you are aiming to draw your audience in. Think of your research as a story and each scene is a chapter; a successful script will immerse a viewer so that they are compelled to reach the final chapter of the video.

For every sentence, ask yourself – Is there a more efficient way to say this? And Is there a more effective way to say this? If in doubt, read the script aloud. And consider how numbers, initials, brackets etc., will sound when spoken aloud – will they make sense?

Why? Now that you’ve drafted your script, read it back over. Does it do what you originally set out to do? As a viewer, do you understand why this information has been shared? One question that can be helpful to at this point is, So what? This might help you decide whether you’ve narrowed things down to your essential key point.

Editorial Review 

As explained above, all video scripts will be reviewed by our Editorial team alongside independent reviewers. Once finalised, the script should be submitted to the Publisher for review. Any changes requested by the Publisher will be discussed with you and the animation team for incorporation into the script. 

Voiceover

If you are recording your narration yourself, then there are a few things to consider. A well-paced delivery keeps audiences engaged and increases comprehension. So, you need time to breathe to keep the flow natural, and your audience needs time to absorb what they’re saying.

Read your script aloud several times, perhaps marking the natural pauses or points of emphasis. Even if you aren’t going to do the recording yourself, this is a good way of knowing whether you’ve paced your script appropriately. If you find it hard to read, the voiceover artist will too. Adjust the sentence structure and punctuation until you can read the script comfortably.

Imagery

Remember that for each sentence in the script, a visual scene will be created. It helps to think about this from the start as there might be a visual metaphor or analogy that could bring your script to life but that will need to be mentioned in the voiceover.

We will create image descriptions for each scene of your animation, but if you have any specific ideas or requirements it would be great to see them. Please feel free to send screenshots and links for any imagery you would like to include in your video.

Publication 

Once approved, all videos are published on our dedicated, purpose-built platform www.biomedicine.video. All videos include a link to the source publication, where applicable (either published by the Future Science Group or by another publisher) as well as a transcript of the video. There is also the option to add others assets (such as supplementary tables or figures) should this be relevant. Videos will be fully navigable, allowing viewers to move easily between sections of the video. The video will also include a doi, ensuring it is fully citeable.

Videos are published under a CC-BY NC license and are free to access allowing anyone to view the video without access restrictions. By using the Cadmore Media platform, descriptive content such as metadata, captions, transcripts, translations, segments, thumbnails and related assets can be added to all videos resulting in increased functionality and usability for the author and viewer. 

Post-publication 

Upon publication, all authors are provided with an embeddable link enabling you to share the video as well as host this on any website, such as your own personal or institutional website. 

The Video Journal of Biomedicine will undertake a number of activities to help drive viewers and readers to your video. This includes: 

  • Sharing the video on all our relevant social media channels 
  • Featuring the video on the Video Journal of Biomedicine YouTube channel
  • Hosting and sharing the video on a relevant FSG specialist website 
  • If the video discusses a publication from an FSG journal, we will also embed the video next to the original publication on the journal page
  • Contextual advertising on the FSG journal website for 1-month, displaying a banner advert to the video next to publication abstracts or full text articles that have significant contextual overlap with your video