Chancellor's Innovation Award Video Submission Guidelines

This video is critical to your application to the Chancellor's Innovation Awards and your first chance to make an impression with the reviewer panel.

Time Limit Maximum: 2 Minutes

The time limit is firm at two minutes; you are responsible for editing to that length. Videos longer than 2 minutes will be disqualified and not reviewed. Videos much shorter (e.g. < 45 seconds) are discouraged as you won’t have enough time to tell your story.

Equipment and Production Quality

We care about content, not polish. No professional gear needed. There’s no need for fancy editing, lighting, sets, or graphics. Use whatever you have (phone, laptop, Zoom, webcam, etc.). Avoid distracting effects (flashing text, loud transitions, etc.). Simplicity is all reviewers want to see. Good audio clarity matters; record in a quiet room to avoid background noise, so your message comes through loud and clear.

Purpose and Content

The goal is to persuasively communicate your innovation, impact, and vision. Your video should complement, NOT duplicate, the written application. Think of it as telling a short, compelling “elevator pitch and human story” that helps reviewers connect with your project.

Here’s a suggested structure you might follow (not mandatory, but helpful):

Segment	Approximate Duration	Focus / Tips
Introduction / Hook	15–20 sec	Capture attention immediately: “What is your innovation, and why does it matter?”
Problem / Need & Solution	30–40 sec	What challenge are you addressing? How does your idea or project solve it?
Impact / Evidence / Traction	30–40 sec	What’s been achieved so far? (pilots, results, metrics, partner users, testimonials)
Vision & Next Steps	20–30 sec	Where do you go from here? What’s your roadmap / scaling / future impact?
Closing / Ask / Call to Action	10–15 sec	Re-emphasize why this matters, your enthusiasm, and leave a memorable note

Tips for Making it Compelling

Start strong — your first 10 seconds matter.
Be human — speak with passion, clarity, energy.
Use concrete examples, stories, or metrics (e.g. “We piloted with X users and saw Y improvement,” “In community Z, this means X people’s lives improved”).
Be concise — avoid going off on tangents.
Look at the camera (if possible) — helps establish connection.
If multiple team members appear, coordinate transitions so it’s coherent and not disjointed.
You may show a simple prop, visual aid, sketch, or screen share (if relevant), but don’t spend too much time on it or distract from your voice.
Practice a few takes; knowing your key points ahead of time helps you stay within time.
At the end, a very brief “thank you / closing” is fine — don’t overextend.

Submission and Format

Submit your video to any major platform — for example, YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive — as long as the link is accessible without login.
Ensure that your video is unlisted (not public or private), so that anyone with the link can view it.
Make sure your link works before submitting; reviewers must be able to open and watch your video without requesting access.
Label the video clearly (e.g. “Lastname_InnovationAwardVideo2025.mp4”).
Check audio and video once uploaded to confirm nothing got corrupted.

Evaluation (given equal weight with application):

Reviewers will consider your video on:

Clarity and coherence — does the video clearly explain what you’re doing, why it matters, and how you plan to make an impact?
Compelling narrative / storytelling — does it engage, show passion, and give a sense of who you are?
Evidence & plausibility — do you present credible traction, data, or proof-of-concept?
Vision & ambition — is there a forward-looking plan or compelling next stage?