1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
Your investigation has real findings. Today you turn one of them into a short piece people can actually consume: a vertical explainer video or a short audio clip. Same skill creators use for Reels, Shorts, and podcast trailers, and the same skill that makes an investigation land with an audience who will not read a full report.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Produce a 30-90 second audio or vertical video summary of one finding
- Apply hook-first structure and captions for sound-off viewing
- Save a publishable-quality .mp3 or .mp4 without requiring public posting
Warm-up: one finding, one sentence
Before any app opens, write (or say to your teacher) one finding from your investigation in a single sentence. Think of the last short video or audio clip that made you stop scrolling. What happened in the first three seconds? You will build that kind of opening for your sentence.
If you cannot name a finding yet, use the sample barista finding from the next section today. That path is practice only: save as {{code:sm4_capcut_practice.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_audio_practice.mp3}}. Do not use the final KA filename until your piece is built from your own investigation finding. Flag your real finding for a later class.
2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins
Short-form work is not a cut-down long report. It is a different structure with its own rules. Read the three ideas below, pick your lane (video or audio), then study the worked example so you know what “done” looks like before you open any app.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hook-first structure — the first 3 seconds state the finding or a sharp question before any background | Viewers and listeners decide almost immediately whether to stay; background first loses them | “Dublin weekend barista ads were listing €15.50–€17.00 — here is what that means for a side hustle.” |
| Captions for sound-off (video) — spoken words on screen so the piece still works muted; audio needs a clear first sentence instead | Many people watch without sound; without captions (or a strong spoken open) your finding never lands | Auto-captions edited so place names and euro amounts are spelled correctly |
| Publishable quality — clear audio, readable text, stable framing, finished export — without needing to post it live | KA evidence and VET support need a finished file; public posting is optional and teacher-approved only | Own finding: {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp3}} in {{code:sm4/}}. Sample practice only: {{code:sm4_capcut_practice.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_audio_practice.mp3}} — never the final KA name |
Pick your lane (one format today)
- Vertical short video — about 15–60 seconds, portrait 9:16, on-screen text, captions, clear close (Reels / Shorts style).
- Short audio explainer — 30–90 seconds of clear speech: hook, one finding, one takeaway, close. Works when the audience is walking or cannot watch a screen.
Pick video or audio — not both today.
Worked example (sample finding)
Sample finding (teacher-pre-verified for this lesson’s practice path only): “Several Dublin café ads listed €15.50–€17.00 per hour for weekend barista shifts, above the adult national minimum wage for this classroom example.” Treat this as fixed practice wording — do not leave the lesson page to look up wages during class.
Video path (about 45 seconds): Frame 1 hook on screen — “Weekend barista ads in Dublin were listing above minimum wage.” Frames 2–4 show the claim, one source type (job ads checked against a second source), and the euro range as large on-screen text. Frame 5 close — “So what? If you price a side hustle, check live ads, not last year’s rumour.” Captions on throughout.
Audio alternative (about 60 seconds): Spoken hook in the first sentence, one verified finding, one caution about checking dates on ads, one clear close. No music under the voice. Export as .mp3.
Your piece uses your investigation finding the same way. If you stay on the sample today, that export is practice only and keeps a practice filename.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~15 mins
Part A — Teacher demo (watch first): Your teacher builds one short vertical explainer on the classroom screen using the sample barista finding. Watch for hook text in the first 3 seconds, captions, and export. Do not start your own project until they say go.
Part B — Guided practice (sample only): Follow the CapCut steps below with the sample finding (not your full investigation yet). Goal: a tight practice export with hook, captions, and a file in {{code:sm4/}}. Practice exports stay {{code:sm4_capcut_practice.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_audio_practice.mp3}} — never rename a sample piece to a finished-piece filename. If you already know you will make an audio piece later in the lesson, still watch the CapCut demo so you see hook-first timing; then complete the Audio path below instead of a full CapCut export if time is tight.
If CapCut will not open: use the school-approved editor your teacher names on the board (for example Clipchamp, WeVideo, or a phone editor) and keep the same rules: vertical 9:16, hook text, captions, .mp4 export. Or switch to the Audio path.
Audio path (device recorder)
Use this path if you are practising audio now, or if video tools are blocked on your device.
- First, open Voice Recorder (Windows), Voice Memos / QuickTime (Mac), the Chromebook recorder, or the school-approved audio app your teacher names.
- Then write one line on paper or in a note: hook → finding → takeaway → close (sample barista finding is fine for this practice block).
- Next, record 30–90 seconds in a quiet spot. No music under the voice.
- Play it back once. If the first 3 seconds are a greeting or dead air, re-record with the finding or a sharp question first.
- Then export or share as .mp3 (or the format your teacher accepts).
- Finally, move the file into {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm4/}} as {{code:sm4_audio_practice.mp3}}. Do not use {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp3}} for sample practice.
4 - Common Issues ~4 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| My video is landscape and looks tiny on a phone | Start a new CapCut project and choose vertical (9:16) before you build. Re-export after the canvas is correct. |
| The first three seconds are just me saying hello | Cut the greeting. Put the finding or a sharp question on screen and in speech immediately, then add context. |
| Captions say the wrong words (names, euro amounts, Irish terms) | Edit captions manually after auto-generate. Check every number and proper noun once with sound off. Garbling is normal; fix the key words and move on. |
| My audio clip is full of background noise or long pauses | Re-record in a quieter spot. Aim for one clean take of 30–90 seconds rather than patching five weak takes. |
| I cannot find the exported file | Check CapCut’s or the recorder’s export/download folder, then move the file into {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm4/}} straight away. Own investigation final piece: {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp3}}. Sample practice only: {{code:sm4_capcut_practice.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_audio_practice.mp3}}. |
| The piece is longer than 90 seconds | Keep one finding only. Cut background, second examples, and soft endings until you are inside 30–90 seconds. |
| CapCut looks different or will not open on my Chromebook | Use the school-approved fallback editor on the board, or switch to the Audio path. Same rules: hook first, one finding, clear export into {{code:sm4/}}. |
| I only have a sample/practice file and wonder if that finishes the KA | No. Sample work must stay on a practice filename. The final KA names {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp4}} / {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp3}} are only for a piece built from your own investigation finding. Plan a retake when that finding is ready. |
5 - Portfolio Build ~20 mins
Portfolio Build (class practical)
Two paths — pick one:
A — Own investigation finding (final piece): Open materials in {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm4/}}. Build either a vertical short video (hook in the first 3 seconds, on-screen text, captions if time, clear close) or a 30–90 second audio explainer on your device recorder (hook, finding, takeaway, close). Export as {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp3}} and save it inside {{code:sm4/}}. You are not required to post it publicly. If the clock is tight, get the hook, one finding, a close and an export done first, and add or tidy captions only if time remains. A rough first export is normal: improving it is a re-export, not a rebuild of the whole piece.
B — Sample barista finding only (practice path, not the final piece): If you cannot name your own finding yet, use the sample barista finding. Export and file as {{code:sm4_capcut_practice.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_audio_practice.mp3}} only. Do not rename a sample piece to {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp3}}. Tell your teacher you need a retake for your real finding. Practice work is useful, but it does not replace the piece built from your own finding.
- The piece runs between 30 and 90 seconds and covers one finding only
- The opening states the finding or a sharp question within the first few seconds (hook-first)
- Video includes readable captions suitable for sound-off viewing when time allows; audio is clear enough to understand on first play
- Your own-finding piece is complete only when the file is named {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_short_form_finding.mp3}}, lives in {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm4/}}, plays through to the end without export errors, and the content is your investigation finding — not the sample barista script
- Sample/practice path: file must remain {{code:sm4_capcut_practice.mp4}} or {{code:sm4_audio_practice.mp3}}; a practice file on its own does not finish the real piece
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