FAQ

Below we’ve answered common questions.  Please contact us if you need more.  

The Basics

Common Craft Videos

Common Craft Cut-outs

Explainer Academy

Purchasing, Policy and Accounts

Answers to all questions are below

What is Common Craft?
Common Craft is a producer of ready-made videos and visuals used by educators and communicators. We are a membership service that provides access to our libraries of original videos and visuals. Common Craft also offers online courses at the Explainer Academy.
Can I hire you to create a custom video for my project?
We’d love to hear about any project you have in mind. Please Contact us.
What are Common Craft videos?
Common Craft videos are short, animated videos designed to explain an emerging or complicated subject in about three minutes. The videos are used in classrooms, presentations, LMSs, and more.
What are Common Craft Cut-outs?
Cut-outs are downloadable images available in three formats: PNG, EPS, and SVG. The Cut-outs are high resolution, have transparent backgrounds, and share a consistent look and feel that's called Common Craft Style. Cut-outs are used in presentations, documents, training materials, animated videos, and more.
What is the Explainer Academy
Explainer Academy is an online school that teaches explanation and animated video production skills. The online courses are self-paced, meaning you can take them on your own time. Find course discounts.
Who uses Common Craft?
Common Craft is used by educators and communicators in over fifty countries, from school districts to Fortune 500 companies.
What are Video Packs?
Video packs make it easier to use the videos in our library. Instead of navigating from video to video in the library, the packs bring related videos together and display them on a single page.
How is the Streaming plan different from the Full Access plan?
The Full Access plan is for organizations or individuals who need to download the video files or embed the videos on websites. The Streaming plan is designed for individuals and perfect for educators or learners who want to use our website to view or display the videos. Subscriptions are monthly. Compare plans.
Do you offer software or tools for creating or editing videos?
No. We do not provide software or tools. We do provide libraries of videos and Cut-outs. Our Cut-outs are designed to be used across video creation and editing products and platforms.
How do members use Common Craft videos?
Common Craft videos are used for personal learning and to teach in classrooms, on websites, and in learning management systems. Many members use the videos to introduce and explain a new subject so that their students get on the same page quickly.
How much does it cost to use Common Craft videos?
 See plans and pricing.
What subjects do you cover?
We cover subjects related to technology and the internet along with categories like money and study skills. Common Craft members help us choose what videos to make.
How many videos are in the video library?
We currently offer 120
videos.
Are Common Craft videos available with captions?
Yes. Videos in the library come with a version with open captions in English.
Are Common Craft videos available in other languages?
Many of our videos are available in other languages. You can find more information about each language using these links.
 
Can I recommend a video title?
Yes. Feel free to contact us with any ideas you have. Note that we provide a feature that encourages Common Craft members to suggest and vote on video titles. Many videos in our library have come from member suggestions.
What videos formats do you offer for download?
Video files are available for download in MOV or MP4 formats.
Do you provide transcripts for the videos?
Yes. Under the “More Info + Transcript” heading on each video page, you'll find the full transcript, major points covered in the video and other information.
What are Lesson Plans?
Lesson Plans are downloadable documents designed to help teachers use our videos in the classroom. Each lesson plan includes learning objectives, discussion questions, Q and A and further reading. Most Common Craft videos include a Lesson Plan. Learn more about Lesson Plans.
Do your videos contain Common Craft logos or advertisements?
No. Our goal is for our members to be the stars. The videos do not contain Common Craft logos or advertisements. Please note that a small copyright notice appears near the end of each video.
Can I make changes to a Common Craft video I download?
Yes, but only with our Editor Plan. This plan provides access to our entire library and a special license for editing the video files. Members with our Editor Plan license can add or remove scenes, change the voice-over and more in their own software. We do not provide editing software.
Why do your videos have a “For Evaluation Only” watermark?
The watermark is displayed so you can preview the videos before purchasing a membership.
Can I upload Common Craft videos to YouTube or other public video sharing services?
No. While Common Craft members can download Common Craft video files to a computer, these files cannot be uploaded to public video sharing sites like YouTube or Vimeo. We take this very seriously.
Members can display videos on their public-facing websites, as long as they are only displayed, and not offered for download or embed.
Please note these downloadable files can be placed on internal or password-protected sites like intranets as long as access is limited to the licensed number of employees. See our License Agreement and Policies.
How do members use Common Craft Cut-outs?
Cut-outs can be used anywhere digital visuals are needed. Most often, they are used in presentations, training materials, websites, and animated videos.
How much does it cost to use Common Craft Cut-outs?
Access to only Cut-outs is available as a "DIY" membership option in our Full Access plans. See plans and pricing.
How many Cut-outs are in the library?
We currently have 3,388 Cut-outs available for download. We also offer packs of related images for download.
What image formats do you offer for download?
We offer Cut-outs in three formats: PNG, EPS and SVG. The PNG format is appropriate for most uses.
Can you create Cut-outs for my project?
We don’t currently offer custom Cut-outs as a service. However, we’d love to hear any suggestions you have. Contact us.
Can I sell things I make with Common Craft Cut-outs? What about using them to explain my business?
No, you cannot sell materials that you created using Common Craft Cut-outs with this license. If this is something you’d like to do, please contact us. You can, however, use the Cut-outs to create materials for your own commercial purposes. This means using them to create a presentation or video that explains your product or service, for example.
Can I create Common Craft Style Video with the Cut-outs?
Yes. We love to see people inspired by our work. In fact, the DIY Media Maker course at the Explain Academy will show you exactly how to do it. If you do create a video, please call it “Common Craft Style video” and not “Common Craft video” as Common Craft is a trademark.
What courses do you offer at the Explainer Academy?
We currently offer two courses:
  • Explanation Master Course - A comprehensive look at the skills and practices that produce clear, effective explanations in any situation. Cost: $349.
  • How to Make Animated Videos Course - Learn the six skills of animated video production and how to make Common Craft Style videos using affordable, easy to use tools. Cost: $299.
  • These courses are also available as a bundle which includes a 15% discount.
  • Find all course discounts
Who takes the courses?
Our courses are often taken by professionals who depend on clear communication. This includes instructors, technical writers, attorneys, engineers, designers, and more.
Who teaches the courses?
The courses are taught by Common Craft Founder Lee LeFever. The courses include over 60 videos created by Common Craft.
Do you offer certification or continuing education credits?
We offer a printable certificate at the end of each course. Further, we are currently working on nationally recognized accreditation.
Can I purchase Explainer Academy courses with my Common Craft membership?
No. The Explainer Academy is a separate website with a separate payment system. If you are a Common Craft member that is interested in taking the courses, we can offer you a member discount. Contact us.
Do you accept purchase orders?
Yes, you can find information here.
Do you offer a non-profit discount?
Yes. Simply indicate your non-profit status on our sign-up page and a discount will be provided.
How long do I have to pay for membership?
Your membership provides a license for using the videos or Cut-outs. As long as the resources are being used, you’ll need to keep your membership active. If your membership expires, you’ll need to stop using and delete the resources. If your account expires, you can always login to commoncraft.com to renew it.
If more than one person needs access to the account in my organization, how does that work?
At this time, only one email address can be used for each Common Craft account. Many organizations designate a Video Manager who is responsible for sharing the video files, embed codes, and cut-outs with colleagues. Others create a shared account with a common email address and password. We are happy to work with you on whatever solution works best.
Can I turn off auto-renewal?
Yes. You can turn off auto-renewal in your Account Settings.
Can I resell Common Craft videos or Cut-outs?
No, not without our permission. If you are a salesperson or distributor who is interested in selling Common Craft products, we’d love to talk.

Have more questions?  Contact us.