How to Collect Messages for Birthday Video

In this post, we’re going to cover exactly how to collect messages for a birthday video. You’ve had the brilliant idea to gift a loved one with a birthday message montage but now comes the hard part – how do you get everyone involved? How do you make sure friends + family members send in their videos + how do you even collect them all in one place?

Thanks so much to subscriber Samantha for asking this question + inspiring this video on how to properly ask people to send in a video! Here are the steps to collect messages for birthday video montages.

1. How to ask
   1. Think of including family, friends, + colleagues of the birthday person.
   2. Send an email BBCing everyone. This is easier than texting + keeps everyone’s contact info private.
   3. Include a clear deadline, but don’t push it too far out otherwise people will put it off. Also, give yourself some buffer to collect stragglers.
   4. Include filming guidance. See the video above for an example of the email I would send!
2. What Filming guidance to include in your email:
   1. Horizontal not vertical!
   2. Film in HD
   3. Sit by a window + if possible use a tripod or rest your phone on a stack of books
   4. Send them the link to this blog post on setting up your camera for a birthday message!
3. Collecting files
   1. I like using Dropbox file request since nobody else needs an account + you can use it from your phone or computer. You can also set a deadline! You’ll need enough space in your account for everyone’s files
   2. Can also use Google Drive or WeTransfer
   3. I do NOT recommend getting files via a messaging app because it will compress the video file, making it blurry and pixelated when you try to use it in your montage
   4. Send a reminder leading up to the deadline reminding everyone (+ refresh the filming advice too if you’d like)

Next Steps after Collecting Video Messages:

Head to this blog post on how to create a birthday message montage – it’s full of ideas if you’re not sure what to say in your happy birthday message or you want to know how to actually put a montage together!