How to produce a video for The Come Up
A complete, step-by-step guide for student-athletes, student journalists, media and video programs, and aspiring creators. Plan it, record it, edit it, and submit it — with consent built in from the start.
Tell us what happened. Show us why it mattered. Give the next athlete something they can use.
How it works
Four steps from idea to submission. Do them in order.
Review the manual
Download the Video Production & Submission Manual and read the sections that match your submission.
Complete the consent form
Everyone on camera signs the Participant Media Consent & Release. Minors need a parent or guardian signature.
Produce your video
Tell an athlete story, produce a feature, or record an interview using the planning, filming, and editing standards.
Submit through NILvault
Upload your video, the story details, and the signed consent form on the submission page for editorial review.
Download everything you need
Completed consent forms contain private information and should never be posted publicly — keep them and submit them with your video.
Video Production & Submission Manual
The full 31-section contributor guide — planning, filming, audio, editing, checklists, and templates. PDF.
Download PDFConsent & Media Release — Fillable
Fill it in on any device. Required for everyone shown on camera. Minors need a parent or guardian signature. PDF.
Download fillable PDFConsent & Media Release — Editable
The same release in an editable document, handy for programs that print or adapt it for classroom use. DOCX.
Download documentFilming an athlete? Get consent in 2 minutes
Skip the printing and scanning. Have anyone on camera sign a media consent right from their phone — they pick the type, review the exact terms, and tap to sign. Under 18? A parent or guardian gets a secure link to co-sign. Everyone receives a downloadable copy, and it’s legally binding under the E-SIGN Act.
Prefer paper? The downloadable release above still works for offline shoots.
Scan to open the consent form on your athlete’s phone
Want to level up your skills first?
We’ve curated free tutorials from respected video creators — storytelling and interviews, shooting, editing, budget gear, and publishing — all organized by the skills you’ll use on your submission.
Choose your submission lane
Pick the format first — it sets the length, orientation, planning, and deliverables.
Tell Your Story
Student-athletes, high school & college athletes, and former athletes with one clear lesson to share.
- 30–90 seconds (2 min max)
- Vertical 9:16, direct-to-camera
- A strong phone recording is enough
Build Your Reel
Student journalists, film & broadcast students, communications programs, editors, videographers, and aspiring hosts.
- Vertical social story: 60–90 sec
- News package: 2–4 min · Profile: 3–6 min
- Mini-documentary: 5–10 min
The Interview
Conversations with athletes, founders, agents, attorneys, marketers, coaches, and NIL professionals.
- Social clip: 60–90 sec
- Focused interview: 8–15 min
- Podcast interview: 15–30 min
Eight tests every submission should pass
Athlete-first
Give the athlete a real voice — never reduce them to a deal or statistic.
Real
Specific and honest beats polished and generic.
Useful
Leave the audience with a lesson, warning, idea, or next move.
Accurate
Check names, schools, titles, dates, statistics, and claims.
Respectful
No baiting, ambushing, pressure, or exploitation.
Original
Submit work you created or have permission to use.
Clear
One strong idea beats five unfinished ones.
Student-powered
Credit everyone who reported, filmed, edited, and advised.
Where to start, by role
The manual works for everyone — here’s the fastest path for you.
Athletes
Focus on the story, consent, framing, audio, recording your story, and the athlete checklist.
Student producers
Use the full manual — planning, interviews, B-roll, permissions, editing, and file delivery.
Interviewers / hosts
Focus on planning, consent, audio, conducting the interview, and the interview checklist.
Faculty / programs
Use it as a classroom production standard and submission-readiness checklist.
The essentials, at a glance
The full manual goes deeper on every one of these. Here’s what matters most.
Equipment: start simple
- A stable phone and clean sound beat a fancy studio
- Record 1080p at 30fps, rear camera, filters off
- Priority: Story → Audio → Lighting → Stability → Framing
Camera & framing
- Camera at eye level, framed mid-chest up
- Look at the lens, not your own image
- Simple background — no IDs, mail, or schedules visible
Lighting
- Face a window; put the camera between you and the light
- Avoid bright windows behind the subject
- Skip harsh overhead and mixed-color lighting
Audio
- Bad audio makes great video unusable
- Silence fans, notifications, and background noise
- Record a 10-second test and listen with headphones
Privacy & rights
- Never show addresses, IDs, banking, or medical info
- Only use music and footage you own or have licensed
- Discuss deals in general terms — no confidential terms
Editing & responsible AI
- Make the story clearer — never change its meaning
- AI can help with captions, noise, and color only
- Disclose any AI-generated or AI-altered elements
Export & delivery
Export as MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio), 1080p at 30fps. The live submission page accepts MP4, MOV, MP3, and WAV files up to 200 MB — always check the form before delivery.
Name files clearly: LastName_FirstName_School_StoryType_Date. Watch the exported file end to end before you upload.
Before you upload
- Your video tells one clear story
- The audio is easy to understand
- No confidential contract or financial info shown
- No unlicensed music or footage
- Everyone shown agreed to participate; guardian approval where required
- Names, schools, sports, and titles are correct
Full athlete, producer, and interview checklists are in the manual (Sections 24–26).
Ready to submit?
Bring your finished video, story details, and the signed consent form. Our editorial team reviews every submission — the strongest become vertical shorts or full episodes, always with the athlete’s consent.
Consent, licensing, and usage rights are governed by the submission form and release in effect when content is submitted. Submission does not guarantee publication.