Standards for Agency Video Products

IM 2016-073
Instruction Memorandum

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20240-0036
http://www.blm.gov
March 25, 2016

In Reply Refer To:

1820 (600) P

 

EMS TRANSMISSION 03/31/2016

Instruction Memorandum No. 2016-073

Permanent

 

To:                   All Washington Office and Field Office Officials

From:               Acting Assistant Director, Communications

Subject:           Standards for Agency Video Products

 

Program Area:  All Programs Areas, Communications

Purpose:  The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to provide guidance on the look and feel and design for all videos produced by Bureau of Land Management offices.  The goal is to ensure baseline consistency and uniform messaging of video products across the agency without limiting creativity.  BLM video products that are developed at the local, state, and national levels may employ individual production styles and distinctive character based on program, topic, or geographic region.  However, all video products will maintain a consistent design look and feel using the protocols established in this IM.  

Policy/Action:  The popularity of online video and its role as a powerful communication and marketing tool offers a strategic opportunity to tell the BLM story to diverse audiences.  Video products should be used to highlight America’s public lands in parallel with agency priorities, initiatives, and messaging.  Generally, video products should serve as visual narratives that inform and educate the public and our employees about BLM programs, policies, and accomplishments.  All BLM offices are encouraged to seek opportunities to use video to supplement existing internal and external outreach.

To ensure consistency among all BLM-produced videos, the following protocols are required for all video production, unless otherwise specified: 

  • The standard BLM bumper must be used as the introduction and the close for all video products; short video clips comprised of raw footage are exempt from this requirement. 
  • Titling and closing credits will appear immediately following and preceding the introductory and closing bumpers, respectively. Video producers are encouraged to incorporate the standard look and feel national design template into the titling and closing credits.  Closing credits will identify producer(s), home office, date of production and contributing videographer(s) or photographer(s).
  • Video producers are encouraged to incorporate the standard look and feel national design template for graphic overlays used as identification tags for filmed interviewees (i.e., “lower thirds”).  The BLM logo, as well as partner and/or stakeholder organization logos (when applicable), must accompany lower third graphics. 
  • To the degree practicable, specific public lands featured in a video must be identified by their proper name and location.  If only a single area or site is featured, identification can be executed in titling. Video producers are encouraged to incorporate the standard look and feel national design template.
  • Producers and/or videographers are required to film verbal permissions or obtain signed written releases from stakeholder interviewees prior to filming interviews.  Footage depicting minors under the age of 18 requires the signature of a parent or guardian.
  • To avoid copyright infringement, only royalty-free production music and animations can be used in BLM video products.  Producers may upload only approved and completed video products to their respective BLM YouTube accounts; for all uses on YouTube, closed-captioning is required.
  • Brevity is most palatable for online viewers.  Producers are encouraged to keep videos to a maximum of around 2-3 minutes in length.
  • Minimum standard of video quality for BLM video productions is 720p.

For further and details on the standard look and feel national design template, refer to IM 2015-031, Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Lands Visual System Guidelines.  Branding consistent with this IM is required for videos products that involve the National Conservation Lands.  

Videos must conform to the Department of the Interior’s Departmental Manual Part 375 Chapter 8 for implementing Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 508).  Specifically, any individual or originating office creating videos and multimedia products for dissemination internally or externally is responsible for ensuring that the products comply with the Section 508 Accessibility Standards.

A BLM Video Toolbox is available on the BLM intranet.  The toolbox contains the required design features discussed above, as well as the templates, forms, and external website resources for use in the production of BLM videos.  The use of Vimeo Pro will be piloted to enable producers to effectively and efficiently share video footage and other media internally.  Vimeo Pro can be accessed at the following link:  https://vimeo.com/mypubliclands/collections.

BLM videos may also be produced by approved BLM state social media leads for use on the BLM external or internal websites, official YouTube or official BLM social media sites.  Prior to publication, all videos and their intended use must be approved by state External Affairs Chiefs.  The publication of videos that specifically address national priorities, national issues or that bear high sensitivity must be approved by the BLM Division Chief for Public Affairs (WO-610) to ensure accurate messaging. 

Timeframe:  This IM is effective immediately.

Budget Impact:  The budget impact of this IM is expected to be minimal.

Background:  Video products are an effective means of telling the BLM story, fit seamlessly into the BLM’s current suite of communication tools, and are easily shared internally and externally.  While the expanded use of video has been effective in communicating agency programs, policies and accomplishments,  a lack of uniformity in branding and look and feel has resulted in confusion among employees and the public; in some cases, it is not evident that a BLM video product was in fact produced by a BLM office.  A standardized, uniform look and feel with approved messaging will contribute to the professionalism and effectiveness of BLM video products.  It will also afford credibility and provide assurance to the public that they are viewing an official product of the BLM that contains official BLM messaging. 

Coordination:  This IM was coordinated with all BLM Chiefs of External Affairs, the BLM National Operations Center, and the BLM Arizona State Office.

Contacts:  Please direct all inquiries regarding this policy to Craig Leff, Acting Assistant Director for Communications, (202) 208-6913, or Jeff Krauss, Division Chief for Public Affairs, (202) 912-7410.

For questions about general video production, contact: Jayson Barangan, Lead Public Affairs Specialist, (303) 239-3681; Chad Douglas, Public Affairs Specialist, (801) 539-4027; or Jeff Gray, Public Affairs Specialist, (208) 373-4014.

 

 

Signed by:                                                                   Authenticated by:

Craig S. Leff                                                               Robert M. Williams

Acting, Assistant Director                                          Division of IT Policy and Planning,WO-870

Communications

 

 

1 Attachment

1- BLM Video Toolbox

 

Fiscal Year

2016