Demo Videos for Instagram Effects

If you're uploading an effect to Instagram, you'll need to upload a demo video with it. Demo videos show a preview of an effect to someone, giving them a flavor of what it will look like before they open it in the camera. They appear alongside your effect in Effect Gallery and in the effects tab on your Instagram profile.

This guide covers:

• Demo video requirements - you'll need to follow these for your effect to be accepted during the approval process.
• Demo video recommendations - to help you make the best video possible.
• How to capture your video.
• How to upload your video.

Demo Video Requirements

Your demo video must meet the Spark AR terms and review policies and accurately represent your effect as it's being used in the Instagram camera. Remember the demo video is public and used to promote your effect, so it should be suitable for consumption by the Instagram general user base (ages thirteen and above).

It should also be:

1. Captured in the Instagram camera.
2. Unedited (no Boomerang videos, no text overlays).
3. Recorded in portrait (vertical) orientation.
4. A maximum of 15 seconds long.
5. A maximum of 32MB in size.
6. Uploaded as a MOV or MP4 file.

Our team will review your video to make sure that it meets these requirements. When you publish a new effect, your demo video will be reviewed at the same time as your effect. Demo videos added to existing effects will be reviewed when submitted.

Demo Video Recommendations

Your demo video is a great opportunity to showcase your effect and encourage people to open it in the camera.

Follow these recommendations to make the best video possible:

1. Keep your video short and to the point.
2. Focus on showcasing the capabilities and elements featured in your effect.
3. Shoot your video in a brightly lit environment.
4. Avoid shooting your video on a busy or detailed background.
5. If you include audio in your recording, remember people will be able to hear this if they have the sound on.

Example

Here's an example of a demo video that follows our recommendations and requirements:

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How to Capture your Video

You'll need to record the video in the Instagram camera. You can see your effect in the Instagram camera, and capture your video, when you're publishing an effect. You can also do this from the effect's test page.

When you're publishing a new effect, on the Camera Preview page, either:

• Select Show in Instagram - to preview the effect on your phone.
• Select Copy Link - to get a link to a preview of your effect.

To capture the video:

1. Hold the capture button - this will record your video.
2. If you want to disable sound, tap the sound icon after you've finished recording your video.
3. Tap the download icon - the clip will be saved to your device.

Before submitting the video, you can crop the length if you need to. Otherwise, it shouldn't be edited.

How to Upload your Video

To add a video to a new effect:

If you're publishing a new effect, you'll be asked to upload your video file when you're uploading your effect in Spark Hub. You'll see this option in the Discovery section.

To add a video to an existing effect:

1. Go to Spark AR Hub.
2. Click on the effect.
3. Click Effect Details.
4. Upload the video.

Once the video has been uploaded, you'll be able to see and play it.

You can also replace demo videos for effects that have already been published. Any new videos will be reviewed. The old video will be shown until the new video has been approved.

Choosing a video thumbnail image

Once you've uploaded your video, you'll need to select a thumbnail image. This image represents the video, before someone plays it.

You'll see a selection of thumbnails, taken from your video automatically. Select the one you like best.