Creating Instagram Stories with Video

Whilst you cannot currently edit video content directly within the Easil application, you can use the graphics to enhance your video content for use on Instagram Stories, and other platforms. The following solutions require you to have a 'Plus' or 'Edge' account with Easil.

Make your own Stickers for your Instagram Stories

Step up your branding by creating your own branded stickers to place on top of Instagram stories.

1. Create a design in any digital size - eg Instagram Square, or start with a template.
2. Ensure there is no background element. Try either text, or graphics, or a combination of both.
3. Set the background to transparent. The areas with the checkerboard pattern showing through are what will be transparent when downloaded.
4. Download the image as a png.
5. Send the image to your phone and save to your camera roll.
6. Create a new story in Instagram, and choose your video content.
7. Then, using the sticker option, select the image/camera roll option, and select the png graphic you have created. Add it to your story. You can rotate, enlarge or reduce the graphic as per any other Instagram Story sticker!
8. You can add several stickers to each part of your Story!

Pin your (PNG) Stickers to your Stories

Instagram has a cool features where you can 'pin' a graphic element to a part of your video in a story, and it will attach itself and follow that part of the video throughout. eg add sunnies or a hat as you move your head or dance, or make a cool badge element to stick to your shirt!

Once you have created a sticker and added to your Instagram Story per the above directions, simply click and hold the element. Use the slider at the bottom of the screen to scrub through the video and locate the position where you want it to attach. Then, resize and rotate your graphic in place, and then press 'Pin'.

The graphics are 2D so still appear as 'stickers', but are heaps of fun, nonetheless - sometimes even more-so when they are bloopers, not attaching perfectly!

Create a Frame Overlay to use in your Instagram Stories

Easil contains a range of overlays and frames that you can use for your stories that can be branded and customised. The basic idea of creating these is to include part of the design that can let the video show through, such as the following designs:

Once you have customised your design, ensure you have a transparent background selected (you'll be able to see the checkerboard effect to show which parts will be transparent - this is where your video will show through).

1. Download the file as a png, and send to your phone, saving to camera roll.
2. Start your Instagram Story by selecting your video content first.
3. Then, select the Stickers option, and camera roll, choosing your png overlay that was created in Easil.
4. Enlarge the frame to cover the design as you would like.
5. Add further Instagram Story stickers and GIFs as required, and then post!

Overlay an Easil design with Video Content

Alternatively, you can create a design in Easil, and import into Instagram Stories, and overlay your video:

1. Create an Instagram Story, focussing on designing the border edges, and the areas that will not be covered by the video (generally portrait or square) that you will place on top.
2. Send the image to your phone and save to Camera Roll.
3. Post your Instagram Story, selecting the Easil background graphic first.
4. Then, select your video content using the sticker option, and then camera roll, and place on top.
5. Position the video content in the blank space you created.
6. Repeat adding more photos or videos to the one story as required, and then post!

Turn a GIF into a video for use as an Instagram Story

Instagram does not currently support GIFs being posted directly to stories, however you can get around this by converting your Easil GIF to a video format:

1. Create your design for Instagram Stories (ensuring you have the correct size, and multiple pages).
2. Select MP4 from the Animated File Types download options, and choose your download speed.
3. Instagram will now allow upload of this file from your camera roll and you can post as is to your story, or add further stickers and enhancements.

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