How to make a Mother’s Day video with Voice-over
Racking your brain for a one-of-kind Mother’s Day present? Give the mother figures in your life a special gift like the one below with a homemade Mother’s Day video featuring Voice-over.
In this post we’ll discuss:
- Why you should make a Mother’s Day video with Voice-over
- Drafting a script
- Tips for recording your voice-over
- How to add Voice-over
- Customizing your voice-over
- Templates that make it simple
Why add Voice-over to your Mother’s Day video
Your voice adds an element to your video that text or music alone can’t. Whether you’re creating a keepsake for grandma featuring all of the grandkids' voices or hoping to make mom cry happy tears, including your voice makes for an unforgettable gift.
Words are even more powerful when spoken
Reading the words “I love you” and hearing someone say them to you out loud are two totally different experiences. While they both give you a warm, fuzzy feeling, hearing those words in your loved one's voice is incomparable.
Creating a Voice-over video will allow mom, grandma, or any of the mother figures in your life to listen to your message year-round, on-demand.
It’s a uniquely personal gift
Homemade gifts typically tug at the heartstrings but narrating a video that accompanies thoughtfully chosen photos kicks the sentimental value up a notch.
No one can express how you feel about your mother figure quite like you can, making this gift inimitable and wholly unique to your special relationship.
It’s easy to make
Did we mention you can quickly and easily make a timeless keepsake within minutes? All you need is Animoto, some of your favorite photos and video clips, and a short script expressing how much mom means to you.
Ready to get started? Keep reading for details on how to create and record your voice-over video.
Drafting a Mother’s Day video script
First things first, you’ll want to draft a script so you know what you’re going to say and when you’re going to say it. Will a sibling, parent, or spouse be joining in? Make sure your script includes their dialogue as well. Watch your video as you're drafting your script to ensure that the length is appropriate and the dialogue corresponds with your photos and video clips.
And as always, speak from the heart.
A script for the kids
Let your kids be the star of the show by exclusively featuring their voices, video clips, and photos in your video. Create a script with the kids so they can share exactly what they want with their mother figure. Check out the brief outline we created below and use it to help your child knock their Mother’s Day message out of the park.
- Start by saying “Happy Mother’s Day!” and include the year
- Noting the year is great for when mom wants to look back at this keepsake in the coming years.
- Have your child list the things they love about mom
- Kids say the darndest things. Whether they love mom’s smile and big hugs or the way she microwaves tomato soup, the more honest their responses, the better.
- Include what they want to thank mom for
- Similar to what they love about their mother figure, an unfiltered answer is always the most memorable. Even if their response isn’t “perfect,” it will be to mom.
- End with an “I love you!”
- There’s no better way to wrap up their message than with a big “I love you!”
Tips for recording
Now that you know what you’re going to say, it’s time to start recording. Follow these tips for your best audio.
Use an external microphone
While the microphone built into your computer may be convenient, it might not produce the audio quality you’re looking for. You may run into lower volume, thinner sound, and an overabundance of background noise compared to an external microphone. It’s also in a fixed position, meaning the microphone isn’t always where it should be to create the best-sounding voice-over for yourself or your little ones.
We recommend utilizing a microphone that’s not built into your computer. If you have access to a high-quality standalone microphone that’s great, but the mic on your headphones will also give you richer, higher-quality audio.
Record in a space with good acoustics
Where you record matters just as much as what and how you record. Make sure to find a quiet spot with good acoustics to reduce other sounds around you as much as possible.
Follow the below tips for better acoustics in your recording space. They’re not always necessary, but if you’re noticing ambient noise in your videos, give them a try.
- Record in a small rectangular room
- Cover any windows in the room with thick curtains
- Put a thick piece of foam, a towel or blanket, or a mat at the bottom of the door to keep noise out
- Record in a closet – clothes help dampen noise around you
How to add Voice-over to your Mother’s Day video
There are two ways to add voice-over to your videos. You can record your track right from your video workspace, or if you already have a voice-over file, you can upload it directly.
Recording Voice-overs
If you’re creating a new video, you can begin by choosing a template or starting from scratch. If you’re adding Voice-over to a video you’ve already created, click on the “My Videos” tab, hover your mouse over the video you want to add a voice-over to, and click "Continue Editing."
When you record your first voice-over in Animoto, you’ll be asked to give microphone access permissions via a browser pop-up.
To record your voice-over:
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- Click on the “Audio” icon at the top of the page to open the audio menu.
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- Click the “Microphone” icon below your video preview.
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- Click “Record voice-over.” A red “Record” icon will appear to the left of the voice-over track.
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- Click the red icon. You’ll see a three-second countdown, after which your recording will begin. A preview of your video will play as you record, so you can line up your narration with the video itself.
Reposition your track by dragging it to the left or right, and trim it down with the bumpers on either end of the track.
Uploading voice-overs
There are two ways to upload your pre-recorded voice-over track to Animoto.
The first approach follows nearly the same process laid out above.
- Click on the “Audio” icon at the top of the page to open the audio menu.
- Click the “Microphone” icon below your video preview.
- Click “Upload voice-over” and select your track.
Make sure your voice-over is saved in one of the following audio formats: mp3, .m4a, .aac, or .wav.
You can also upload a voice-over track from the “Your Audio” section of the panel on the left side of your screen. Click the UPLOAD VOICE-OVER button to find your file.
Adjust your music volume to complement your voice-over track
The right song with the right words can make mom’s heart sing, but if she can’t hear your voice over the music, your best efforts quickly lose impact.
After adding your voice-over, click the play button to preview your video, noting how well you can hear your voice-over. If it’s just how you want it — great! If you can’t hear the voice-over as clearly as you’d like, you can adjust the volume of the music.
To adjust the volume of your background music, click the track and then the “Volume” icon. That will allow you to increase or decrease the volume of your song.
Customizing your voice-over
Once you've uploaded or recorded your voice-over, you may want to make adjustments to synchronize it with your video.
Using the bumpers on either side of your voice-over track, click and drag to adjust the start and end-points of your voice-over.
To reposition your track, click and drag it along the timeline at the bottom of the screen.
To listen to just your voice-over after editing it, click the track and then hit the small black play button. To preview the entire video with your voice-over track and any music you’ve applied, click the playhead, hold it down, and drag it to the beginning of the sound bar. Then press the larger blue “Play video” icon to the left of the timeline.
When you’re ready to share your video, click the “Export” icon in the top right-hand corner of your screen.
Mother’s Day video templates
Now that you know how to add Voice-over, it’s time to include it in your video. From thanking your mother figure for her constant love and support to creating a virtual trip down memory lane, creating a voice-over video is a meaningful way to give something back to the person who’s given you so much.
Need a little inspo? Check out these mom-approved templates and add Voice-over for a one-of-kind video.
Mother’s Day Card
Make mom feel the love with a sweet card narrated by the kids. Let them choose their favorite photos and video clips, then help them draft a script that will bring a tear to mom's eye.
Mother’s Day Greeting
Think about what you might write in a typical Mother’s Day message and elaborate with photos, video clips, and your voice.
Pull out the old photo album and look for photos of your mother figure teaching you how to ride a bike, reading to you before bed, or moving you into your first dorm room, and recount what each photo means to you. Use our Mother’s Day Greeting template to get started.
Mother’s Day Marketing
You can also use Voice-over for marketing your business this Mother’s Day. Whether you want to let customers know about your Mother's Day gift cards, promote your Mother's Day discounts, or recognize the moms who make your business thrive, Voice-over helps you create a meaningful connection with consumers.
Get started
Ready to create a video card mom will never forget? Check out all of our templates and get started today!