Monday, December 17, 2012

There Is No Secret to Making A Video

I just came away from a bad blog trying to game the system by having people pay for crappy private label regurgitated fecal matter. I have ranted about this irritation in previous posts. It isn't going away but I'll fight it with all that I have to give. You don't have to pay for bad information.

There are so many resources that really try to give you the straight scoop. Part of my mission is to get you what you need to make videos or to point the way to others that communicate the concept better.

There are creators that come at video education from a sales and marking background. There isn't a thing wrong if the person actually has a grip. There are the technoids, the Pro-Am circuit and everything else in-between.

You know what? You have what you need and the rest can be acquired when you are ready. So here is the short version:

Record/Capture


You can record with a:
  • WebCam
  • Smartphone
  • Media player like iTouch, 5 Generation Nano or any multifunction MP3 player
  • Tablet
  • Still Photo Cameras with video functions
  • Camcorders
  • Screen Recorders 
  • Game Engine Recorders
You have to work hard not to have some kind of recording device these days. Not all of the the above devices will be the best quality but you have what you need to get started.

Edit

 

You don't have to edit. You probably should but you don't have to. If your video is longer than a minute, yeah you need to edit.




On the Mac OS you have iMovie. On the PC side you have various incarnations of Windows Movie Maker. Those are the known quality freebies that will work with your system.

I hear tell that Lightwork for Linux is just about to come out of Beta. Long have the Linux crowd has suffered so this is welcome news.

For under $100 you can find excellent user friendly video editing software. You can even find good stuff for under $60.  Paying for quality video editing software can make the process at a lot easier.

Export/Upload


If you choose to edit you can export the video to a desired format, DVD for those relatives that do not do the Internet. MP4 for uploads to video distribution services like Vimeo and YouTube or your social media pipeline.

If you don't choose to edit then you can use the service of your choice to transfer a copy of the video from your device to a distribution service or social media account.

That is what you need to know. Now it isn't everything that you need to know. This is the foundation or your starting point.

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2 comments:

  1. I am just wondering what software you suggest for under $60... I get so frustrated with Windows Movie Maker...
    Thank you,
    Nickie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I truly understand, the early versions of Movie Maker use to bring me to tears.

      Most of the decent consumer video editing packages start at around the $70-ish mark to about $200. However, there are introductory offers, or if you are switching from one software to another some times you can get a deal.

      That said, the entry level version of Sony Vegas Movie Studio 11 is a nickle shy of $50. Little bit of a learning curve but there is a lot of support material to help you ramp up to speed. A lot of power for the money.

      Another option is to go one version back on a popular software link Corel VideoStudio X4; this will give you the option to upgrade when you are ready.

      This gives me an idea for a frugalista post on good affordable options. Stay tuned!

      Delete

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