Film it
A phone on a stand, soft light, a clip-on microphone and one step per take. Best when the skill is in the hands and the viewer must recognise the real thing.
A free guide to how-to films
Make how-to films people can actually follow.
Planning, scripting, filming, animating and publishing instruction videos, explained step by step. Written by the makers of Manual to Video and nine.film.
Hi, I'm Kit. One task, one result, every step shown. That's a how-film.
The short version
What is a how-film?
A how-film is a short video that shows someone how to do one specific thing, step by step, so they can do it themselves while they watch. Assembling a shelf, descaling a machine, setting up an account, replacing a filter.
- One task, one result. Not "everything about our product". One job the viewer finishes.
- Every step shown. Viewers copy what they see, so each action is on screen, not only described.
- Paced for doing. The viewer's hands are busy. Steps are numbered, warnings come first, the result is shown.
Two ways to make one
Film it, or animate it
Animate it
Drawn from a manual, drawings or a website. Best when parts are small or hidden, when you sell in several languages, or when many products should look the same.
Which tool when
Start from what you already have
If you would rather have the film made than make it yourself, pick the tool that matches your starting point. If neither fits, the guides show you how to do it by hand.
You have a manual or a PDF
Manual to Video
Turns assembly and instruction manuals (PDF) into animated instruction films in your brand. Start with a free preview.
Best for: assembly, installation and setup instructions, product catalogues, anything that already exists as step-by-step pages.
Go to Manual to Video
You have a website
nine.film
Makes short animated brand and explainer films from your company's website. It reads your colours, type and tone.
Best for: a product demo, a brand or explainer film for your home page, a launch, a short lesson about what you do.
Go to nine.filmNeither? Teaching a craft, a recipe, a workout or software on screen is usually best filmed or screen-recorded yourself. Start with how to make a how-to video or the software tutorial guide.
Most read
Start with these guides
- How to make a how-to videoA practical 7-step method for making a how-to video: pick one task, plan the steps, script it, film or animate it, edit for pace, caption it and publish it.
- Instruction video script templateA free two-column script template for instruction and how-to videos, with a filled-in example, word counts per step and rules for writing lines people can follow.
- How to film a tutorialHow to film a tutorial with the phone you already have: where to put it, how to light a table or workbench, how to get clean sound and how to record in short takes.
- Animated vs filmed instructionsWhen to film real hands and when to animate: a plain comparison of animated and filmed instruction videos on clarity, languages, updates, effort and trust.
- How to turn a PDF into a videoFour ways to turn a PDF into a video: narrated slideshow, presenter video, rebuilt animation, or a service built for manuals. What each suits, with steps.
- A product demo video from your websiteYour website already holds the script, the claims and the brand for a product demo video. How to pull them out, shape a 60-second demo and keep it on brand.
About HowFilm
Is HowFilm a video maker?
No. HowFilm is a free guide about making how-to and instruction films. The films themselves are made with our two tools: Manual to Video for instruction films from manuals, and nine.film for brand and explainer films from a website.
Who writes HowFilm?
The team behind Manual to Video and nine.film, published by NorwAI AS in Oslo, Norway. We point to our own tools where they fit, and say so when they do not.
Do I need a tool at all to make a how-to video?
No. Many good how-to videos are filmed on a phone. Our guides cover filming, scripting and publishing whether or not you ever use one of our tools.