Make the most of your clips

Published: Monday, 17 December 2007, 10:28AM

Ever wondered how folk's footage finds its way onto the box? Follow our handy guide to shooting and formatting your video, then sit back and see whether your clips make the show...

What is the address for posting tapes and DVD's?

The address for posting tapes and DVD's to the programme is:

FREEPOST FUNNIEST THINGS

Unfortunately we are unable to return you tapes, so please send us a copy and not your cherished original!

Please ensure you enclose your name, address, telephone number and a note explaining how many clips you are sending, and where they can be found on the tape or DVD.

What Tape/DVD format is acceptable?

We prefer you to copy your tapes onto a VMS (the regular-size tapes that play in your video recorders at home) and send us the copy. We also accept clips on CD-R and DVD.

Top tips for great clips:

Film everything that moves
School plays, parties, weddings, holidays - nothing is sacred! The best clips happen completely by chance - if you planned to get them on camera, then they just wouldn't be as funny! Keep taping for long enough, and you're sure to have a few favourite funnies to send in...

Send us the whole thing
Don't just send us the moment of the funny bit - we need plenty of run-up to the action, and plenty of time after the action. For example - don't just send us a 3 seconds worth of your dad falling off a chair. We need to see him come into the room, pick a chair, sit down - then fall off - and then we want to see if he had anything funny to say afterwards!

Be patient
In fact once you've sent your footage in, do your best to forget all about it! It can take up to a year for HQ to get to the bottom of the pile (actually they never get to the bottom -it just keeps topping up!) so if you are sat at home twiddling your thumbs, you'll go a little potty. We let everyone who is going to have a clip on the show know 2 weeks before that show goes out - so you won't miss your moment on telly!

Please do not edit down your clips. We need lots of run-up to the funny bit, and we want to be able to see everyone's funny reactions afterwards, so leave it long! 

Clips can be sent all year round.

Do you accept videos filmed on a mobile phone?

Yes! Having filmed your funny video on your phone, you can use the email facility on your phone handset to send us your clip. (We unfortunately cannot accept clips via MMS -multimedia messages do not deliver videos to us in a quality clear enough for TV.)
Just open an email - and insert your video as an attachment. Don't forget to include your name and contact details in your email.

The address to email your video to is: funniestthings@itv.com  

Ideally you will have set your phone camera to record the video in HIGH QUALITY (You can do this in the Camera Settings on your handset) but if you forgot to do this before filming your clip, then send it anyway - the picture may still be clear enough for TV.

Can I email you clips from my computer?

Yes! Use your PC to email clips to funniestthings@itv.com  

Remember - do not edit down your clips or add graphics or slow-motion replays. This may prevent your clip from being useable.

You must include a contact number or address with your email - if your clip is selected for use, we will need to send you a form to be completed by the people featured in your video. Without completing this form you cannot receive payment.

When formatting your video, please send it as either a Windows Media file (WMV, MPG, AVI) or Quicktime (MOV) file. We currently cannot accept files in Real Media Player.

Remember - the bigger your file size the better. 360 x 288 is the ideal screen size to show your clip on TV. Any lower than 180x144 - and we may not be able to blow your video up to a TV size.

PAL format is preferred, but if you have to send it as NTSC please state in your email that it is an NTSC file.

What happens then?

Once on our files, your clip is then available for 'possible' use in one of our shows. We cannot give any guarantees, however, that a clip will be selected. As we only make one new series each year, clips can be on our files for some time, possibly several years. You are free to withdraw your clip for any reason at any time, at which point we will delete it from our files.

If your clip is selected for a show, we will contact you in writing letting you know the transmission date. We pay £250 per clip, and this is sent by cheque 2-3 weeks after the programme has aired. This is a one-off payment (i.e. no further payments are made for repeat showings).

How long does the viewing and selection process take?

A long time! We receive an incredible number of clips every year, so we need you to be patient with us.

How do I know if my clip is suitable for the show?

You'll never know if you don't send it in! Even if our team of viewers decide your clip might not be right for Kids/Animals Do The Funniest Things, the programme-makers at ITV Productions make other shows that need home video footage, and it might be suitable for one of those.

So come on - you've nothing to lose. Get filming and keep those videos flooding in!