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California State University, Chico

Video

Video is an impactful medium for marketing, sometimes telling stories that cannot be told with words. The Creative Media and Technology department’s video team uses state-of-the-art equipment paired with decades of experience to produce any type of video from vlogs and reels to commencement ceremony live feeds.

Video Policies

Videos on the Chico State website, social media sites, and those otherwise provided by University Communications or Creative Media and Technology are copyrighted by California State University, Chico.

  • Chico State videos are for uses related to Chico State only and not to be used for commercial reproduction. Videos may not be used in any way other than in their intended context and for the promotion of Chico State.
  • Videos that are copyrighted by the University and published in off-campus media or public relations pieces must include a credit. Acceptable credit can be “Video courtesy of California State University, Chico” or “Video courtesy of Chico State.”
  • GenAI Guidelines for Chico State contains information on AI usage.

Videography on Campus

Chico State allows people to take videos on campus as long as it does not disrupt the academic environment. Any individual or organization other than the working news media that plans to take pictures for broadcast or public use must contact University Communications.

Any person wishing to take videos of the campus with the purpose of using them in any form for commercial gain should first contact University Communications or the Office of the President at presidentoffice@csuchico.edu.

Social Media Videos

When representing the University through videos on social media, please observe the following:

  • For the sake of professionalism, avoid music that includes profanity or lyrics that could be considered offensive (e.g., racial slurs, references to violence, etc.).
  • Use music that is licensed for use on the platform. When possible, select tracks from the platform’s built-in music library or use royalty-free audio to avoid copyright issues.
  • Include captions on all videos to improve accessibility and engagement. Many users watch videos without sound, and captions ensure content is accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
  • When using features like stitching, remixing, or duets, be mindful of the original content and creator. Avoid associating University channels with controversial creators or content that includes inappropriate language, violence, or other conduct that does not align with University standards.

Audio/Visual Release Forms

View the Chico State audio/visual release form (PDF).

Videos taken of individuals participating in University related events are encouraged to sign audio/visual release forms for University use. Exceptions to the Audio/Visual Release Form requirement are for general campus videos or videos taken at public events. This may include videos where people are not easily identifiable, crowd shots, or there are reasonable expectations that attendees could appear in video taken at a public event.

Videography of individuals in classrooms, buildings, or within any expectation of privacy should have the written approval of the individual for use of the video. If the subject is a minor under the age of 18, a parent or guardian is required to sign the form.

Submit a Video Request

Submit a video request by emailing gsolson@csuchico.edu.

Video Captioning

All videos posted to the web or social media must be captioned—it is essential for accessibility policy and it makes your content more user-friendly. Most videos on social media are now watched without sound, so having captions allows more users to experience your content.

Keep captions in mind when you are filming and editing your video and place on-screen graphics or key visuals (such as a person's name or title) where they won't be covered by captioning.

There are two types of video captioning: closed and open. We recommend using closed captioning where available.

Closed Captioning— Toggles on and off

Most people are familiar with closed captions on TV where you use menu selections to turn them on and off. Hosting platforms like YouTube and Facebook also allow you to add closed captions that can be toggled on and off. Essentially, you upload or edit a special text file that is timed to the video playback.

YouTube and Facebook can also generate auto captions for you, but they are machine-generated and only about 70% accurate. You will need to edit and cleanup any autogenerated captions—they are not accessible (and are sometimes embarrassing) when they are full of errors.

Open Captioning— Always on

Open captioning is when the video's text version is written on screen and part of the original video file. They cannot be "turned off." This is a great solution for when closed captioning is not available or when the video will most likely be viewed without sound.

Tip: Make sure your open captions have adequate color contrast (e.g. white writing on a black background) so they are accessible.

Help With Video Captions

Need help setting up or editing your video captions? Request Captioning Support Service to receive help from the Center for Technology Equity.