Video Submissions
Submitting Videos to be Included in the History In Your Own Backyard International Database
Hi Everybody! Satolli here with History In Your Own Backyard International.
As of June, 2024 I have produced over 685 documentary history videos on everything from one room school houses to cathedrals. And every day of the week, someone from somewhere on the planet will contact me by phone, email, letter, text or Facebook Messenger to tell me about their little corner of the world and why I should visit that location to do a video about their town, church, home, bridge or whatever. Sometimes I will get up to 10 or more suggestions in a day and not just here in the United States but from around the world!
As much as I’d love to visit all of these places, meet these people face to face and produce a documentary on their historic building or town, it’s physically impossible.
So I have decided to expand the History In Your Own Backyard video project by creating a new YouTube Channel to include video submissions from people like you. The new Channel will be called History In Your Own Backyard International and will be exclusively dedicated to videos submitted from 3rd parties around the globe.
At the same time I will continue to produce videos on my own and through clients that have hired me to document their sites for my original channel.
Beginning on August 1, 2024, History In your Own Backyard International will accept videos from third parties to be included in our international database of history videos.
We are interested in acquiring videos on any of the following historic buildings or sites in your area:
- Asylums
- Automobile Dealerships
- Banks
- Blacksmith Shops
- Bowling Allies
- Breweries
- Canals
- Carriage Houses
- Cemeteries
- Chapels
- Churches
- City Hall Buildings
- Civil War Sites
- Colleges
- Convents
- Courthouses
- Covered Bridges
- Creameries
- Drovers Inns
- Feed Mills
- Fire Houses
- Foot Bridges
- Former Hotels
- Former Military Installations
- Former Roads
- Forts
- Fountains
- General Stores
- Ghost Roads
- Ghost Towns
- Grist Mills
- Gymnasiums
- Historic Homes
- Historic Sites
- Historical Markers
- Inns
- Jails
- Knights of Pythias Buildings
- Libraries
- Locks & Dams
- Log Cabins
- Mansions
- Manufacturing Buildings
- Masonic Lodges
- Monasteries
- Movie Theaters
- Museums
- Observatories
- Odd Fellow Halls
- Old Gas Stations
- One Room School Houses
- Opera Houses
- Police Stations
- Railroad Trestles
- Railroad Underpasses
- Rectories
- Red Man Lodges
- River Ferries
- Road Side Parks
- Round Barns
- Schools
- Sears & Roebuck Houses
- Small Town Oddities
- Stables
- State Champion Trees
- Steel Truss Bridges
- Stone Bridge Abutments
- Stone Culverts
- Stone Houses
- Stream Fords
- Taverns
- Toll Houses
- Town Halls
- Train Depots
- Tunnels
- Underground Railroad Buildings
- Unique Barns
- Unique Post Offices
- Universities
- VFW Tanks & Cannons
- Wineries
- YMCA Buildings
Other areas of historic interest may be welcome also.
What to include in a video for History In Your Own Backyard International
When submitting videos they must be historic in nature. Promotional videos or advertising will not be accepted.
We want the following information in your video:
- When the structure was built, when the site was established or what particular year(s) are associated with this site.
- Give detailed information about the building such as the style of architecture, information about the staircase, windows, trim, the specific style of the bridge…pony truss or through truss, the type of engine in the automobile, the wingspan of the plane, when the person was born, etc.
- What is the history of the building or site? What has it been used for originally, what was it used for in the past and how is it currently used? If it’s no longer in use such as a bridge, when was it closed? What is important about this site that generations 100 years from now will want to know about?
- Include interesting stories in the video such as that famous person who visited the site, something that was invented in that building, a famous crime associated with the site or the Civil War general who slept in the upstairs master bedroom.
- What does the future hold for this site? Is it scheduled to be demolished? Is it in danger of being lost due to climate change? Is it in the middle of being restored or repurposed for other uses?
When making your video put yourself in the place of the viewer. If you lived one hundred miles from this location, what would you want to see in the video that would make you want to jump in the car and go see this site?
Tips on making a video for History In Your Own Backyard International
Recommended recording devices
- HD Camcorders
- iPhone or similar up-to-date mobile device
- DSLR cameras with video functionality
Lighting
- Your set-up should be in a well-lit area with the light source somewhere behind the recording device. If the light source is behind you, it will cause a silhouette effect.
Environment
- Make sure to set your mobile device on something steady rather than completely going handheld (a gorilla pod or tripod adapter would be ideal).
- Shoot somewhere indoors, preferably in a private room without other conversations in the vicinity or background noise. A more interesting location is fine if it is quiet.
Recording
- All videos should be HD quality, with a resolution of at least 1920 x 1080. (16:9, minimum 1080p).
- Mobile device video must be shot horizontally, not vertically.
Audio
- If you are filming this on your own with a mobile device, and do not have access to a microphone set up, we recommend using Apple ear buds with mic/mouthpiece, or something very similar. If you have no choice but to use the internal mic of your phone or camera, it is OK. Just be sure to speak loud enough to pick up decent sound, and that the room or location you choose has little to no background noise, echo, or overwhelming HVAC sounds.
- Don’t worry about speaking too slowly or too fast. Instead, focus on being clear and concise.
Editing Your Own Videos
iMovie (for Mac users) and Movie Maker (for PC users) are the two most common free editing tools.
- iMovie tutorial: Apple iMovie Support Page and a Getting Started Guide
- Movie Maker: A useful video tutorial can be found here.
- For a list of editing software, with brief descriptions, see Alternative Free Editing Software
Time Limits
Videos on anything or anyone other than a town or city are limited to 15 minutes. Towns, villages, and cities will be limited to 30 minutes. If your video goes over this time limit it will be rejected.
Submission Form
On the submission form you will be required to state who produced the video, the date (day/month/year), where it was produced (country, state, county, town, neighborhood) and the GPS Location in either decimal or degree form. Addresses will not be accepted.
Anyone in the video must introduce themselves or have text stating their name.
Third-party material and copyright
It is very important that you have the rights to use all the material that is contained in your submission, including music, video, images, etc.
What will not be accepted
Inappropriate language
- Profanity in title or usage in content
Adult content
- Sexual behavior, language or expressions including both real and computer generated
Violence
- Showing hurt, damage or injury to property, animals or people
Shocking Content
- Situations that may upset, disgust or shock viewers
Harmful acts and unreliable claims
- Situations that may endanger participants
Recreational drug use
- Content related to recreational use of drugs or alcohol
Enabling dishonest behavior
- Content glorifying or promoting dishonest behavior
Hateful & derogatory content
- Hate, disparagement or harassment towards a group or individual
Firearms related content
- Showing or discussion of real or fake guns
Sensitive events
- Events dealing with war, death or tragedy
Controversial issues
- Sensitive and controversial topics that could be traumatic to viewers
Uploading Files and File Format
Submit videos via the link at the bottom of this page. The recommended file formats are H.264, .mov or .mp4 file.
Once you send us your video we will add an introduction and an ending statement from History In Your Own Backyard International to give it that polished look.
The video will be reviewed by a panel of experts for content.
If your video is accepted
- Your video will be placed in our new History In Your Own Backyard International YouTube Channel for the world to see.
- Your video will then be linked to our History In Your Own Backyard website where all videos are broken down by country, state, county, town and neighborhood.
- Your video will be placed on an interactive Google Maps page where anyone can click on any of the pinpoints to see a video in that exact location.
- The video link will be sent out to over 15,000 school superintendents, principals, history teachers, mayors, council members, tourism bureaus, chambers of commerce, historical societies and museums in 188 counties across 11 states in the Midwest so that they can share it with their fellow teachers, students, residents, visitors and members.
- Your video will be archived at the Internet Archive database for future generations to view.
Processing and distribution fee
There is quite a bit of work involved to upload, edit, process, distribute and maintain the current database of videos. Therefore I do charge fees for submitting these videos which are listed below.
