Video Standards

As you produce your videos, keep in mind one thing: Every media resource that comes from Church headquarters, whether created by the Church or submitted by members, will be viewed as an expression of Church standards. Look at your videos from that perspective before you submit anything. Everything should meet Church standards.

Not all videos will be accepted for use by the Church or be included as part of the LDS library of Video, Audio, and Images. Look carefully at the standards outlined below to understand what types of videos will be accepted.

If possible, submit your video in one of these formats:

FormatsCodecsResolutionMinMax
MP4H.2641920 x 108030 sec10 mins
MOVH.264, DV
WMVWMV9
AVIDV

If you cannot submit your video in the above formats, submit what your camera is capable of recording.

 

Music Standards

If you are creating a video with a music underscore, please follow the Music Standard for the Call for Music and create an arrangement from music that is in the public domain, or your original composition.

If your video has music that you have performed, you only need to sign one online Content Submission Agreement, and have any other co-authors, composers, arrangers, lyricists, or others who have rights in your music sign a printed version of the Content Submission Agreement. You will need to scan or take a picture of all of the required participant and location release.

If you have a question about who needs to sign the release, please see the FAQ’s about releases.


Audio Standards

Audio is an important part of each of the videos. The natural sound of the video helps tell the story. Sounds of the wind, birds, kids playing in the park, or the opening song of a family home evening help tell the story in the video.

Preferred audio quality:

  • Stereo audio must be fully mono compatible.
  • Sampling rates should be 48kHz (16bit).
  • Audio levels should be between -12 decibels and -18 decibels.

Make sure that the audio is in sync with the video.

If you have questions about video basics or copyright issues, take a look at the four videos created by the Church's Public Affairs Department on lighting, photography, videography, and copyright and trademark issues.

Acceptable  

Not Acceptable

Video 
  • Zoom—smooth 
  • Transitions smooth 
  • Leading your subject 
  • Smooth, steady footage—use tripod
  • Zoom—often and quick 
  • Transitions—often and quick 
  • Subject walking into the side of the frame 
  • Jerky footage from handheld
Audio 
  • Audio and video in sync with each other
  • Audio levels not too soft or too loud
  • Clear, crisp, high-quality audio of just sounds that are part of the action in the video
  • Natural sound of what you are seeing in the video—for example, a shot of a young man mowing the lawn with the natural sound from the lawn mower
  • Audio and video not in sync with each other—for example, you don’t see a person’s lips moving, but you hear someone talking in the background
  • Audio levels too soft or too loud or poor quality
  • Ambient noise from objects, such as computers, vacuums, trucks outside
  • Sounds can be heard that are not a part of the video—for example, seeing a family walking in the park and hearing a lawn mower

Please Do Not Submit

Video or audio that:

  • Is inappropriate for Church use.
  • Contains credit lines.
  • Has logos, trademarks, or brand names (cars, clothes, smart phones, computers, and so on).
  • Has embedded copyright notices or watermarks.
  • Contains other videos, photos, advertisements, paintings, sculptures, or any object in a museum or art gallery.
  • Includes people who do not represent the teachings of the Church (in their dress, grooming, vocabulary, gestures, and so on).
  • Contains copyrighted music.
  • Contains very poor quality or distorted audio.