How To Make a Good Video Using the FOCA Framework
You need an action plan for making great videos consistently and quickly. Here's how to use the FOCA framework to make good videos.
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There’s a huge knowledge gap between those who create excellent training videos and… everyone else.
Why?
Because after watching 1000s of user-generated videos, we know who has thought through what they're designing their videos for versus those who haven't.
Video experts have a design process for consistently creating engaging, impactful videos.
Now you can have one too.
What is the FOCA Video Creation Framework?
The FOCA Framework is a 4-step design process for creating videos based on multimedia theories (e.g. Mayer multimedia theory, van der Meij’s rules for instructional videos) AND lessons learned from watching thousands of videos (AI-generated and human-created) to know what works.
This design framework leads you through an easy-to-follow process of audience analysis, creating an outline for video, choosing the right visual layouts, and driving viewer action at the end of your video.
Here's what the acronym stands for:
- F - Foundation – Who is your audience? What's useful for them?
- O - Organization – How do you structure information for video?
- C - Content – How do you script and visualize your idea in video?
- A - Action – How do you end your video and drive viewer's to take action?
Learn a bit more about how we use this framework to create and grade videos.
How do I learn the FOCA creation process?
Check out our FOCA Certification course. You'll dive deeper into each of the elements, learn some essential skills, and pick up some instructional design theory along the way.
This is a crucial step, so try not to skip it.
Why?
We see videos spark and fizzle because the creator didn't prepare their idea for video before hitting record or jumping into the editing booth.
When you do the thinking up front, your video will be faster to create, easier to understand, and more valuable for the viewer.
Serious about making better videos?
Here are some next steps to take:
- Check out the best-in-class Synthesia videos on our Examples page,
- Learn more about the FOCA video framework from our webinars.
- Browse some of our tips, tutorials, and courses on Synthesia Academy.
About the author
Strategic Advisor
Kevin Alster
Kevin Alster heads up the learning team at Synthesia. He is focused on building Synthesia Academy and helping people figure out how to use generative AI videos in enterprise. His journey in the tech industry is driven by a decade-long experience in the education sector and various roles where he uses emerging technology to augment communication and creativity through video. He has been developing enterprise and branded learning solutions in organizations such as General Assembly, The School of The New York Times, and Sotheby's Institute of Art.
Go to author's profile
faq
Frequently asked questions
What does FOCA stand for in video creation?
FOCA stands for Foundation, Organization, Content, and Action — a 4-step video creation framework designed to help you create engaging, effective videos consistently. Foundation focuses on understanding your audience and what's useful for them, Organization structures your information for video format, Content covers scripting and visualizing your ideas, and Action drives viewers to take specific next steps after watching.
This framework transforms video creation from guesswork into a systematic process based on proven multimedia learning theories. By following FOCA, you can create videos that are faster to produce, easier to understand, and more valuable for viewers, whether you're making training videos, explainer content, or educational materials.
How does Synthesia support each step of the FOCA framework?
Synthesia's platform includes built-in features that directly support each FOCA element, making it easier to apply the framework effectively. For Foundation and Organization, tools like chapters and layout templates help you structure content logically from the start, while the platform's 250+ video templates provide proven structures for different video types and audiences.
For the Content phase, Synthesia offers emphasis animations, zoom effects, and visual layouts that help you signal important information and support your script visually rather than just decorating it. The Action step is supported through custom CTAs, interactive elements, and engagement features that turn passive viewers into active learners, helping you achieve specific outcomes like course completion or behavior change.
Is there a free FOCA certification course, and how long does it take?
Yes, Synthesia offers a free FOCA Certification course through Synthesia Academy that takes approximately 1.5 hours to complete. The course is structured as 20 micro-lessons of about 5 minutes each, allowing you to learn at your own pace with regular knowledge checks throughout and a final certification test.
By completing the certification, you'll gain deep expertise in audience analysis, video structuring techniques, scriptwriting best practices, and methods for driving viewer action. The course combines instructional design theory with practical application, ensuring you can immediately apply what you learn to create better videos that engage viewers and achieve measurable results.
How can I measure whether my FOCA-based videos are working?
You can measure video effectiveness using FOCA's built-in scoring rubric, where each of the four elements (Foundation, Organization, Content, and Action) is rated on a 1-5 scale. A score of 80% or higher indicates a strong instructional video, and teams who consistently hit this benchmark report tangible results like faster content updates, higher viewer completion rates, and stronger knowledge retention.
The FOCA score gives you a data-driven way to prove your videos' impact rather than just assuming it works. This systematic approach to measurement helps you identify which elements need improvement and ensures your videos consistently achieve their learning objectives, whether that's teaching a skill, explaining a concept, or driving specific behaviors.
Can I use the FOCA framework to review and improve existing videos?
Yes, the FOCA framework works equally well as a review and grading tool for existing videos, not just for creating new ones. You can evaluate each video against the four FOCA elements to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement, using the same 1-5 scoring system to assess whether your current content effectively addresses audience needs, maintains clear organization, uses visuals purposefully, and drives action.
This review process eliminates guesswork about why certain videos perform better than others and provides a clear roadmap for updates. By applying FOCA retrospectively, you can systematically improve your video library, ensuring all content meets the same high standards for engagement and effectiveness, ultimately saving time on future revisions while improving learning outcomes.
