Science videos, especially those created by scientists, often suffer from what I call “Too Many Ideas”.  Come to think of it, many proposals I get to review also suffer from this malady.  The problem is that the videographer or scientist doesn’t identify or focus on a central question or core idea. Instead, they ramble all over the place, introducing several competing ideas within a broad topic (and usually don’t address any of them very well).

It’s much better to select a primary question that can be clearly answered. Secondary information can be introduced, but it should relate to the core idea of your project. Let’s take a specific example. Perhaps you are a scientist and would like to create a short video about your research on coral bleaching.  Your body of work perhaps entails several lines of inquiry, including spatial and temporal patterns of bleaching in relation to ocean warming, coral species susceptibility, anthropogenic factors, effects on reef-dependent fishes, and other topics.  What is the core question that the average person is most likely to want answered?  They most likely want to know what coral bleaching is and what causes it.  A good video for a broad audience would focus on this main question and clearly answer it. Here is one that does just that and additionally includes suggestions as to how the viewer might help prevent coral bleaching.

Or perhaps you conduct research on leaf pigments such as chlorophyll, anthocyanins, or carotenoids.What might be a good core idea or question that would appeal to a diverse audience?  How about: Why do leaves change color in the fall?  Here’s an excellent educational video that answers this question:

So, the first tip for making a science video appeal to a diverse audience is to focus on a core idea or key question and express it simply.