More and more, various contests and competitions have been asking their applicants to make application videos. This is more personal than asking applicants to write essays or just answer questions, as it gives the applicants a chance to actually demonstrate skills. It also lets the contest holders actually see the applicant, which gives them a better idea of who the person is based on body language and facial expressions. However, making application videos is not something most people have a ton of experience with. As such, you will probably benefit from these tips.

1. Follow the rules.

It's easy to get carried away and decide you'll make an 8-minute video even though the application calls for 6 minutes — or to make a long introduction even though the contest rules request that you do not. Read the instructions carefully, and don't assume you are above them. Whatever reasons you might have for thwarting the rules, they are the rules, and your application video may immediately get tossed to the side if you have not followed the most basic guidelines.

2. Use good equipment.

Yes, you can make a video on most smartphones these days. However, the quality is still not what you will get with a legitimate recording camera. As such, you will either want to find a friend with a camera or rent one for the day when the time comes to make a video. You do not want to be the only applicant who sends in a cell phone video.

3. Edit the video.

You should not plan on getting a perfect video in one shot. Make sure you use editing software and edit together a better video for application purposes. You may want to cut out frames where you stutter or ramble on without a point for a minute. If your video is meant to demonstrate skills, you will want to edit in different clips that show you at your best. There are now plenty of editing software programs that are easy for an at-home user to figure out. You can even find free editing applications on the internet.

Keep in mind that if you are creating an application for a very high-stakes competition, then you might want to hire a video production company, such as Creative Soul Video, to record and edit the footage for you. The result will be polished and professional, and there will be a lot fewer headaches than if you were to try and figure out the process yourself.