In short
- Decide first what the video is for: thanking alumni, inviting donors, or recording the evening.
- Pick two or three alumni stories and agree in advance who tells them and who approves the words.
- Give guests a simple way to say they would rather not appear.
- Keep a private full recording separate from the public edit.
The best alumni video answers one question first: who is going to watch it, and what should they feel afterwards? Once that is clear, the moments to film, the people to feature and the videos to deliver follow quite naturally.
Who is the video for?
A reunion or fundraising evening usually has three audiences. They want different things from the same night.
| Audience | What they want to see | Typical video |
|---|---|---|
| Donors and supporters | The cause, the people it helps, a clear sense that giving matters | A short film with one or two stories and a closing thank-you |
| Returning alumni | Familiar faces, old friends meeting, the campus they remember | A warm highlight of the evening, plus short clips to share |
| The institution | A record of the event and its speeches | A full recording of the main programme |
You do not have to serve all three equally. Decide which comes first, then let the others be shorter or optional. Our event videography page explains how outputs are agreed, and the event video chooser helps you shortlist them.
Which alumni stories are worth filming?
Choose stories because they show what the institution stands for, not because someone senior is in the room. Two or three well-told stories are stronger than ten greetings.
Good candidates are often:
- An alumnus or alumna whose career or community work began on your campus.
- A scholarship recipient and the person whose gift made it possible, if both agree.
- A long-serving lecturer meeting former students.
- A class of a particular year coming back together.
Agree before the day who will be asked, who will introduce them, and where a quiet corner is for a short interview. Our guide to interviews and publication consent explains what to confirm with each person.
How should donors and fundraising moments be handled?
Treat each donor as a person with a choice. Some are happy to be recognised on screen; others give quietly and would be uncomfortable seeing themselves in a public video.
Before the event, decide which moments may be filmed: a cheque presentation, a pledge announcement, a table of donors, a thank-you speech. Then ask the people involved. If a donor says no, the crew can keep them out of frame, or the moment can stay in the private recording only.
Any figure mentioned on stage, such as a target or a total raised, should be checked by your office before it appears in an edited film. The videographer films what is said, but your team owns the facts.
How do we respect guests who prefer not to appear?
Alumni attend a reunion to relax, and not everyone wants to be on camera. Tell guests on the invitation and at registration that filming will happen and how the footage may be used. Offer an easy way to opt out, and brief the crew on what that looks like. Our guide to guests who do not want to appear has practical ideas.
What do we agree with you before the day?
- Messaging: who writes and approves the key lines, and whether any wording must stay unchanged.
- Moments that matter most: use the must-capture moments checklist to rank them.
- Public and private versions: a full recording for the archive, and a shorter edit for sharing. The private and public video version planner helps you set this out.
- Speeches: which ones are recorded in full, and where they will be stored.
- Review: who sees the draft, how comments reach us, and who gives the final yes.
Several cameras or a live feed to a second room are available on request, confirmed for each event.
Where we can help
We can film alumni evenings, reunions and fundraising dinners. If you already have a programme and a guest list, we can turn it into a clear filming plan. The wider universities guide shows how this fits with other campus events.
If you can tell us the date, the venue, the main programme items and who signs off the final messaging, we can suggest what to film and which videos to prepare. Send those details by WhatsApp and we confirm the crew and travel.
WhatsApp us