Open Planet Youth Educator Guide
Open Planet
How to use the Open Planet library — A guide for students and young people
About Open Planet
Open Planet is unlocking the power of storytelling by enabling everyone, everywhere access to world-class footage for use in creative visual content, such as short films, educational resources and digital content.
Discover more about Open Planet at: http://www.openplanet.org
Getting started (summary)
You'll need a laptop or desktop device with an internet connection to use the Open Planet library.
Open Planet lets you use your own footage as well as footage from the library. You can tell stories about actions your community (school, university, etc.) is taking to restore nature and wildlife. Think about the shots you might want in your film and other key elements such as scripts or music.
If you are an educator, see the educator section later in this document.
Sign up (new user)
If you are new to Open Planet, click "Sign up" on the site and complete the short sign-up form with your details.
Please note: If you are under the age required by the site, check with your teacher, parent, or guardian before signing up. You may need their permission; you will be asked to confirm this as part of the sign up process.
You may be asked to verify your account by email. Click the verification button in the email to confirm your registration.
After verifying your email, you will be a registered user of Open Planet and will have full access to the library.
Explore
Discover featured content collections which focus on different themes and stories about our planet and include selections of footage from across the library.
You can search by:
Theme or issue (e.g. "Climate", "Weather", "flooding")
Country or area (e.g. "India", "Brazil", "the Amazon")
Habitat (e.g. "forests", "oceans")
Use the search bar and the filter menu (which appears in the bottom centre of the screen) to further refine your search. Hover over a piece of footage to preview it. Each clip is organized in tabs to help you find what you need.
Looking for inspiration? Explore examples showing how Open Planet footage has been used in films and other content.
Downloads
You can download single clips or full collections of footage.
For collections: view and download your collections via your account. Choose the collection and click "Download this collection".
For single clips: hover over an asset while browsing and click the downward arrow button to download.
After clicking to download, an "Order Summary" page will appear. Select the format you would like for each piece of footage and your intended use. You can apply the same format and intended use to all clips using the dropdowns at the top of the page.
You will need to accept the terms of use for Open Planet on the next page. Once confirmed, you will reach a "Success" page and be able to download your files through your account.
You are now ready to start creating your film! The Open Planet team would love to hear how you are using the library — please get in touch at [email protected].
Creating your film
With your footage ready and your storyboard prepared, it's time to start creating your film.
Check with your teacher or youth leader before starting. Keep saving your work — some software autosaves, others do not.
Your film checklist
Below are practical considerations to guide your editing and finishing process.
Decide on the order of your footage. This can change as you edit, but it's helpful to start with a plan.
Edit your footage. You may want to shorten clips or combine them to help the story come to life — decisions can be refined during editing.
Add audio. You might already have audio files (voiceover, ambient sound, music). Decide if you will record voiceover or use music.
Add subtitles or text. If you want to add subtitles or on-screen text, use the options in your editing software.
Credits. Add a credits section at the end to list names and contributors.
You should credit Open Planet and the author(s) of the footage you use in your film. At minimum, reference OpenPlanet.org as a source and include author information where provided under the asset's "Information" section.
Share your film
If you are a student at a school or university, consider organising a screening or movie night to show your film. If your group has a YouTube, Instagram, or website, you may want to share your film there.
Please get in touch with the Open Planet team at [email protected] to let them know how you used the library.
Storyboard worksheet — Create your own storyboard
A worksheet for students and young people to plan a film. Use it to explore how you want to tell your story. Your final film may be different — that's fine.
(Images included from the original resource) 
Table: Directions / Visuals / Text (Script)
Starting your film — How do you want to start? You might want a powerful opening shot, or text-on-screen.
Describe or sketch footage you would like to use.
Draft any script or voiceover for this part.
Set the scene — Provide key information to introduce your community or topic.
Describe or sketch footage.
Write the supporting narration or text.
Dive deeper — Share details, impacts, stories (e.g. how climate change affects your community).
Describe or sketch footage.
Write the supporting narration or text.
Ending your film — Choose a closing shot or add credits for those involved.
Describe or sketch footage.
Add credits text or closing voiceover.
Guide for educators and facilitators
How to use the Open Planet library — A guide for educators and facilitators
About Open Planet (educator context)
Open Planet provides stories and footage that can raise awareness of major challenges and solutions, and can help inspire action among young people.
If you need support or technical help related to Open Planet at any stage, contact [email protected].
Looking for inspiration? Visit the Inspiration page on the Open Planet website.
Suggested activities
Activity 1: Storyboarding
Introduce the idea of planning a film and allow time for reflection on the story learners want to tell. Students can discuss ideas and work through the storyboard together in groups of 2–4.
Activity 2: How to use the Open Planet library
Follow the step-by-step process in the youth guide for using Open Planet. To start, visit: http://www.openplanet.org
Activity 3: Creating your film
Collect footage and guide learners through editing. You may consider creating one account for the whole group or institution to use. Make sure to cover dos and don'ts for using the library.
Activity 4: Sharing your film
Have learners present their films and encourage group discussion. If the school or institution has a website or social media channels (YouTube, Instagram), films can be shared there. Consider hosting a screening event to engage the wider community.
Reminder: Do not accept donations or charge entry for any event where Open Planet footage is shown without checking the terms of use.
These guides, checklist, and storyboard worksheet can be used as templates or starting points for classroom activities.
If you need help, contact [email protected].
Thank you for using Open Planet and helping the next generation to share stories about our changing planet. We'd love to hear how you are using Open Planet — get in touch at [email protected].