JoVE’s Author Submitted Video

Here are our guidelines for Author Submitted Videos (ASVs). JoVE’s video professionals will not be performing ANY video production tasks on these submissions, so the authors bear full responsibility for their video production. JoVE's production staff will review your video and, if necessary, send you notes that you will need to address before the video is accepted. You video will need to adhere to the guidelines below.

Video Formatting

1. Each video should have a title card at the beginning that includes the title of the article, the authors, and their affiliations.
2. The video must have Introduction, Protocol, Representative Results, and Conclusion sections. The protocol should be the majority of the video.
3. Each section or chapter should have a chapter title card clearly separating the video sections.

Video Content Recording and Editing Standards

1. The visual component of the video should include motion pictures (live-action video, animation, or software usage) that show the demonstration of the protocol.
2. YouTube-style “jump cuts” are not permitted.
3. Adding fast motion to the protocol steps is not permitted.
4. Do not include routine steps in the procedure that could be considered prerequisites for your protocol.
5. The audience should be able to comprehend what they’re seeing without excessive pausing and replaying of sections.

Narration

1. The video should have a human voice describing the on-screen visuals. This narration track should not be a computer-generated voice.
2. The narration track should be high-quality, free of reverb, echoes, or other background noise.
3. The narration track should be well edited and tightly trimmed, editing out periods of recorded silence, and should be synchronized with the visuals on screen.
4. Volume levels for the narration track should remain constant, clear and understandable throughout.
5. Subtitles cannot replace the narration requirement.

Text and Graphics

1. Graphics and text sharpness should match the resolution of the video.
2. All text on-screen should be legible and appear long enough to be read by the audience.
3. All text with scientific units should be accurate and appropriately formatted.
4. All stock and third-party media should be licensed appropriately by the authors and be free from watermarks. JoVE is not responsible for securing or defending the rights to third-party media in your video.

Use of Animal & Human Subjects

1. All protocols involving vertebrate animals (including humans) must include a title card demonstrating approval from your institution’s animal or human use ethics committee.
2. You must shoot any procedures involving animals with ethical and sensitivity concerns. Do not show the animal’s face or any visible animal discomfort.
3. Visual depictions of euthanasia or anesthesia are not allowed.

Non-Commercialization

1. Laboratory research practices rely on instruments, reagents, and equipment produced by various companies. Commercial names and logos are often imprinted on research tools and therefore may incidentally appear in the videos. However, the videos should avoid any display or narration of the commercial items that would amount to promotion or advertisement of companies or their products. For example, an extensive display of the commercial instrument names in the video should be avoided.

Technical Specifications

Media File Format	Self-contained MP4, AVI, MOV, MPG, or MKV
Media Codecs	Video: h264, Apple ProRes, or Avid DNxHD Audio: AAC or uncompressed
Video Stream Format	Minimum resolution height: 720 pixels, progressive scan 16:9 or 4:3 frame aspect ratio (no letter- or pillar-boxing) 23.976, 24, 25, 29.97, or 30 frames per second For h264 codecs: 5 Mbps or higher data rate
Audio Stream Format	44.1 kHz or higher sample rate Audio peaks average between -12 and -6 dB For AAC codecs: 128 kbps or higher
Total Running Time	15 minutes or less