We live in a video generation. In fact, some experts have called our culture’s engagement with movies and videos and the stories they tell as a move towards a secondary orality instead of maintaining literacy. What does that mean? In brief, it means that people are much more likely to internalize and learn from a movie, the story it tells, and the values it portrays than they are from an impersonal, objective, and dare we admit boring lecture on those same topics. Some speakers have embraced this trend, some have probably resisted, and many don’t have any clue how to start incorporating an inspiring video into their group presentations. Those in the final group will find helpful advice and many how-to’s in this article to help them begin incorporating these videos.
Inspirational Videos YouTube
There are many sources online for you to find inspirational videos, but one of the best that all would agree to is YouTube. After looking at the site, here are some of the best inpirational videos YouTube for you to view (just click on the links):
- The Don’t Quit Poem
- Turning Disappointment to Joy
- The Law of Attraction
- Increasing Your Confidence
- Last Lecture of Terminal 47-Year-Old Professor
Other Categories of Inspirational Videos
Many videos and movie clips that can be used as motivational or inspirational videos that it would be impossible to list them all here. Instead, we will look at several different overarching categories. The first category is movie scenes from popular movies. These are movies from the movie theatre and DVD that are well known enough that your audience is likely to be familiar with them. Don’t limit yourself to only “appropriate” movies either. The bridge scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail can be just as good an illustration for the dangers and effects of fear (and the advantages of quick thinking) as a more serious clip. Another category would be good inspirational music videos. Good ones would be those that depict a story or have some easily understood symbolism, not those that show lots of footage of the artist making music. This category could also include images or text set to music. Another category uses athletes to make an inspirational sports video. Whether it’s one team, one sport, or just a series of interviews with many different sports stars, people are often more engaged by hearing the life stories of sports stars and other famous people.
Getting the Videos
There are many free videos available on You Tube and other Internet sites, but many of them can only be played when your computer is connected to the Internet. This makes it difficult to smoothly transition into a video during your presentation, play videos without being connected to the internet, or put the videos on DVD so you have a back-up if you have technical troubles. The good news is that there are several websites and free downloadable software that will let you download these video files permanently. You can find online converters at www.clipnabber.com, www.zamzar.com, and www.keepvid.com. Available downloading software includes the Orbit downloader that you can get at www.orbitdownloader.com, and Ares Tube that is available at www.benjaminstrahs.com. Of course making and selling DVDs of inspirational Christian videos is becoming a big business and you can buy these from several different organizations.
Using Video Well
Whether you choose to use an inspirational Christian video, an inspirational football video, or other inspirational videos for students, you will want to frame it well and provide an opportunity for feedback and further discussion. No matter how great of a video it may be, it isn’t going to do much for you or your audience if they don’t have a chance to think about it and talk about it or if they just don’t like it. As you welcome honest feedback and encourage discussion by using videos they can relate to, you will see them come to understand the message you are trying to teach them. Sometimes there won’t be enough time for a video, but you can always use wise quotes to send people away thinking. Wise quotes such as, “To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it,” can generate just as much discussion as a good video. Sometimes inspiration isn’t enough either and people need help to follow through on the changes they want to make. Knowing about the local rehab centers and treatment options can put you in the position to help them follow through on their desire to transform their lives.