Announcement
The Straight from the Source component on Basic Pages will soon be replaced by Vertical Video Gallery. This update consolidates similar vertical video functionality into a single, more flexible component that better supports accessibility and evolving digital standards.
The Evolution of Vertical Video
With Straight from the Source, Brown was an early adopter of vertical video storytelling where students shared experiences in their own words. At the time, vertical video was still an emerging format.
Since then, vertical video has become a widely adopted way of creating and sharing content across digital platforms. To better support this evolution, we are replacing Straight from the Source with Vertical Video Gallery—a more flexible, accessible, and scalable approach to vertical video.
Transition to Vertical Video Gallery
Introduced earlier this spring, Vertical Video Gallery provides the same core functionality of embedding vertical video, while making it easier for web content editors to add and manage vertical video content directly. While Straight from the Source required OUC involvement to add and configure the component due to the complexity of its setup, Vertical Video Gallery can be added directly by web content editors. This transition provides editors with a simpler way to create, update, and maintain vertical video experiences across their Brown websites.
Additionally, Vertical Video Gallery updates the visual style to a more modern aesthetic. Unlike the previous Basic Page version, which displayed video thumbnails in a fixed layout and could leave unused space when fewer videos were added, Vertical Video Gallery adapts to the number of videos included.
Note: This update currently affects only the Straight from the Source component used on Basic Pages. Other implementations of Straight from the Source will remain unchanged at this time.
Transition Process
All Straight from the Source components currently in use on Basic Pages will need to be transitioned to Vertical Video Gallery or removed. The OUC Web & Digital team will coordinate this transition and work with editors as needed.
If your site uses Straight from the Source on a Basic Page, a member of the Web & Digital team will reach out in the coming days with additional details and next steps.
Usage Guide
The Vertical Video Usage Guide is available as a resource for editors preparing to use Vertical Video Gallery. The guide includes best practices for Vertical Video and Vertical Video Gallery.