Google's The Peanut Gallery - Voice Titles to Clips

If you have some free time on your hands this could be kinda fun. The Peanut Gallery is an experiment by Google for the Chrome browser; it is simple and you might find some amusement in trying it out.

Here is the deal. Select a video. Hook up your microphone and allow the browser access to record your voice. A bit of video will appear. and you get to speak the words to add to the inter-film title card like the use to do for silent movies.




This is the promotional video using a clip from a Dick Tracy movie Dick Tracy Meets Gruesome. Gruesome being performed by Mr. Boris Karloff. This happens to be one of the better efforts from the filmed Dick Tracy series. Way better than that cheesy cartoon series from the 1960.

Go forth and create.

Other Posts of Interest

• In Search of a Title Card
• Text Stoyboarding or Editing on Paper
• Audio Sound Effects - What is Royalty Free?

The Forge Video with Cliff Atkinson Interview

I'm getting ready to attend a workshop so posting might be a bit spotty for a few days. Tech Smith is the company that creates screencasting and recording software.

They do have a web series called The Forge on YouTube that talks about their various software products, best practices and creative ideas that can be used with their products.





I bring this up because in the above video is a talk with presentation guru Cliff Atkinson. If you are trying to explain or persuade an audience this is the guy to spend time with and get a grip on the techniques. He works primarily with PowerPoint but any form of presentation will benefit from his guidance.

There are also a talk about using tablets to record video via iOS and Android devices. It is just an overview but good info.

Gotta go.

Paolo Tosolini's Mobile Gear Tips Video

I truly believe in cross pollination. I'll peep over at the education communities, gaming video creators and ProAm videomakers.

I'm not picky.

Over in the corporate training communities there are folks that are finding ways to solve the problems of stabilization and quality recording.




This is a video by Paolo Tosolini, who helps organizations on creating content. He has a good mixture of affordable and functional ideas if you want to use a smartphone or mobile device for recording.

On his blog there is a good post on what you need to set up a mobile video kit.

Each one teach one.


Other Posts of Interest

• A Glance at Touch Edit Mobile Video App
• Think About In-Camera Editing for Mobile Devices
• YouTube Capture App

Quick Look At Muvee Turbo Video Stabilizer

When you create videos using handheld devices without support you are probably going to get the jiggles. The more important the video is to you the more likely you will see a whole lot of shaking going on.

Yes, we should have had support. Notice the past tense use in that prior sentence. Before you go buying or downloading anything please double check to see if your current video editing software has a stabilization feature.

In some versions of Windows Movie Maker it is present but in my current version it is not. iMovie folks have it and many of the consumer videos editing programs are adding stabilization support.

If you don't have that feature you might want to take a look at an affordable option. Muvee Turbo Video Stabilizer appears to be focused on the Action cam market. Those folks absolutely need a way to steady their shots.

The Windows OS product claims that it stabilizes videos not just horizontally and vertically but in six directions.

This is a video demo from the company:




They can do this for $19.99?

I haven't tested it out, lord knows I have shaky footage. The software analyzes the video and produces an acceptable version. According to the web site there are other features as well like video rotation and shutter roll control.

I was looking for a support or help page for the software and it seems that the Muvee Forums are where folks can go for help.

If you have a current computer system with enough CPU and RAM to handle the processing this might be a good option.

Hmm. It does have a free trial so this might be worth checking out. Muvee products are designed for novice, press and go users. They specific design their software for ease of use. Those that like to tinker may feel a little blocked or frustrated.

For $20 you are not going to get ProDAD Mercalli level controls. You might not need them. But if the first grandchild birthday videos are shaking like a martini then you might want to give this a try.

Other Posts of Interest

• Mercalli Easy for Shaky Videos
• Glossary Understanding Project Settings
• Tripod Alternatives for Your Videos

Tribeca Six Seconds Vine Video Contest

The app isn't even six months old and there is a competition for the best Vine videos? This is...gosh I don't know what is. I have seen good well thought out Vine videos. They do exist. The Tribeca Film Festival thinks so too because this is a contest to find the best fruit of the Vine. (Yes, I typed that sentence.)

Tribeca is a respected film festival so no quibble about their effort to outreach to creative users. It is just that it seems kinda soon for a Vine competition. Before you get busy with your video creation read the rules of the contest/competition so that you know what do and not do.

 This is my quick read of the rules and my interpretation.

You have to:

• be a US resident
• be 18 years or older
• have a Twitter account
• have and use the Vine App on your iOS device
• follow the entry and submission rules to the letter
• not use or have appear any copyrighted material appear in your Vine

In any case, you don't have a lot of time to enter because all submissions are due on April 7, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Don't know if that is east coast time or across the time zones so you better be safe and get upload before the deadline.


Other Posts of Interest

• WeVideo Android Editing App in Beta
• Think About In-Camera Editing
• YouTube Capture App

Quick Review of dSLR Movie Shooting Guide

I haven't written about book resources for a while. There aren't many new consumer level books about creating videos anymore. Last week I went to an actual bookstore and I made a trip over to where I thought they would be; jammed into the digital photography section.

There are outdated books on how to do web video; I saw plenty from 2006.  There are Pro-Am and professional books but they are more in-depth "read this and you will know everything" guides.

They are expensive.

There is a shift by publishers to focus on the digital SLR (single lens reflex) cameras that can record video. David Busch's dSLR Movie Shooting Compact Field Guide is the kind of book you want with you to help you along the way.

It helps if you have some form of actual photography or video experience; it is designed for photographers who need to make the transition into shooting video.  In that sense, it is not an entry level book.

However it is a beginner book on what to be aware of when you record video. It is a transitional skills guide. A good, inexpensive no B/S book that gets you the info you need to get it done.

It is a good primer on what you need to know to get started. The writing is tight and there is no fluffery. If you need to know about video resolution you will have a good understanding in about a page's worth of reading.

There are sections of the book that are dSLR specific but that doesn't mean that camcorder folks can't learn a thing or two. The section on stabilizing the camera applies to all users: "move your camera deliberately" is dang good advice.

This isn't just about the gear. There is also topics about how to construct a video story, the types of stories your can record, composition advice and shooting tips.

This is a slim book at 124 pages but it is full of solid info. I got a paper version for $14 retail but the book it is on  iTunes and Amazon.

This is a definite keeper for me. If you see it in a retail bookstore snag it. Those of you on-line read a sample chapter (you know where) before downloading to be sure it is a good fit for your needs.


Other Posts of Interest:

• Book Review on How to Shoot Video That Doesn't Suck
• Bad Books About Creating Video
• Basics of Video Editing Series at Lifehacker

Are You Going to VloggerFair 2013?

Just found out about this in my Twitter stream. Chris Pirillo is a tech writer and vlogger. I was reading Lockergnome before there was YouTube.

http://www.vloggerfair.com

Chris is having a meet-up in June for those that create videos and who watch web based videos.  The list of topics is very interesting.

If you are in the Pacific Northwest area of the United States or want to visit that part of the country you might want to slide on over to the VloggerFair website. There will be workshops, meetings, and yakking it up with fellow creators and viewers.

At $29 for the introductory price of admission this is one of the more affordable conference/meet-ups you are gonna find. The price will change.

Other Posts of Interest

• Do It Now - VidCon 2013 Early Registration
• Think Before You Click That YouTube Link
• Checking Out EZVid Movie Editing Software Part 1

Wrapping Up Creating Simple Channel Art Banners

I was motivated to do create this mini-series of tutorials because a few years ago the video web hosting service that I belonged to wanted its members to set up what was called a poster page. The site did give the dimensions and basics instructions on what they wanted.

The service did not explain how to go about doing it. Not really their responsibility.

I just knew the bare basics of Photoshop and even having Corel Paint Shop Pro I couldn’t figure out how to do it. So I never did.

YouTube kinda did this the same thing on the Channel Art detail page; they gave much better information about why this is necessary and how to upload and add the new channel banners. But not how to do it.

To recap:

Before You Start Creating Simple Channel Art Banners gives the general information of what YouTube requires in a banner that can accommodate all types of viewing devices. It also talks about the possible places you can obtain images.

Backgrounds for Creating Simple Channel Art Banners is about the safe places where you can obtain a background image or wallpaper. Many of the so-called free sites have un-authorized copyrighted images or they are a shady front for ad infested or malware content. Be careful where you get your stuff.

One of the options you have is using presentation software to create a background or wallpaper and export it as a jpg or png file. There are on-line free services like Google Presentation or you could use open source software like Apache Open Office or Libre Office Impress.

For easy photo editing for novice users there is an online service called PhotoCat, In my post, I show you an example of how easy it is to place a frame around an image. This service also have a collage feature that allows you to combine photos.

For intermediate and advanced users Pixlr has a bunch of features that allow for more creativity options. In the collage feature there a lot of frames that could be adapted for banner use. Not as much hand holding but plenty to work with.

If you haven’t read the YouTube Creator’s Playbook you should.  Even if you have no intention of creating a YouTube channel.

The Channel Art posts seem like a lot of information. What I hope to do is provide you with functional options should you decide to make a simple YouTube Channel Art page that conforms to the guidelines and best showcase the kind of videos that are on your channel.

Other Posts of Interest

• Using Irfanview to Work with Images
• In Search of a Look for Title Card
• Placing A Copyright Notice in Your Video Part 2

Pixlr for Creating Simple Channel Art Part 3c

Almost finished with this series of looking at simple resources for creating a YouTube Channel Art image that can function across all devices.

Pixlr from Autodesk gives you multiple levels of photo editing goodness, depending on your skill level and your creativity

And for those on the mobile platform it is equally accessible to you are well. The entry level and express modes may be all you need.

I dipped into Pixlr Express and selected Collage:

You can find the grid patter you like, add photos, re-size and bada bing you got something going on that looks kinda okay for something I conjured up in 10 minutes:

Anyway, you get the drift, you can use existing photos or extract images from your videos put them together in a format that best represents your channel page.

If you want to go deeper you can use the advanced mode similar to most photo editing applications. If you want to make a collage but you need more assistance I'd look at the one at PhotoCat, you do the same things but there is a bit more structure and assistance.


One more post to summarize and then back to video.


Other Posts of Interest

• Before You Start Creating Simple Channel Art Part 2
• Researching Free Video Editors 2013 Viable Software
• More Creativity Posts

PhotoCat for Creating Simple Channel Art - Part 3b

You have an image for your YouTube Channel Art but it just needs a little tweaking, a bit of spice or a touch of bling. You don't have a desktop photo editing software and you wouldn't know how to use it if you had one.

Not to worry. There are dozens of online photo editing applications where you can upload a photo or image file, spice it up and download a finished channel banner or poster.

For total newbies, I would recommend PhotoCat which you can access via the web or with an iPhone device.

You can upload an image and then customize it like add a border:

You can re-size an image:

If you can use a mouse and can upload and download an image file that is about as much as skill as you need to known to use this service.

Hmm, too simple? You need to combine photos?

Don't touch that dial.

Other Posts of Interest

• Working Through A Project - Animation Test
• Demo of Windows Movie Maker Pan and Zoom Effects
• More Software Posts

Backgrounds for Creating Simple Channel Art Part 3a

Another option that you have for making your Youtube Channel banner or poster is to do it yourself.

If you have access to any kind of presentation software you can create a slide with the background you want and then export it out as a jpg or png image file.

Let me show you what I am talking about; I have a version of Corel Show to use as a demonstration but really, any modern slide software can be used to create a computer image from a presentation slide.

I'm changing the background color of the slide but there is no shame in drawing a large square and formatting the object.

This is really simple but if you have never used presentation software then this can take longer than you anticipated.

Clicking on the images in this post will make them larger for those that want to see details.

This is a solid background.

Background selected as solid color

 This is a photo inserted into a slide.

Inserting a photo into a slide

You can also select a pattern with your own color choices...

Applying a pattern to the background

or as a gradient fill...

A two color gradient fill

or a repeating texture.

Repeating textures from the application but you can add your own.

The next step is to export the slide as a jpg or png file. Depending on your software this command might be in the Save As area or in another command called Export.

You may or may not have the option to set the final image size; it depends on the program.

If you can select the image size and you are going to upload to your channel with no further tinkering then set the image size for 2120 x 1192 (I made a boo-boo in the example) and then save the image.

Again, this is a generic example of how to do this. Your software might be different. If you have a very old version of PowerPoint you will only be able to export to a wmf image file. You would need to convert the image to jpg or png. 

Concerns to Be Aware Of

Older versions of presentation software were set up for square or the 4:3 aspect ratio. You might have to crop the image later. If you have the option to select widescreen as an option or you find a widescreen image that can be a work around.

Text is problematic. It can look great in the program but crappy when exported. You'll have to test that out for yourself.

You can add photos but depending on the version of software you have editing them might be a challenged or not possible inside of the program.

You can do export slides to photos with most current versions of presentation software.

This includes:

Mac Os

• Apple Keynote
• Microsoft PowerPoint

Windows

• Corel Show and Corel Presentations
• Microsoft PowerPoint

Open Source – Yes, it is intentionally free software.

• Apache Open Office Impress
• LibreFree Office Impress

Web Presentation Software

• Google Presentation
• Microsoft 365
• Zoho Docs Presentation

and I'm sure a there are a few tablet office apps that can do the same thing.

But I hear a small wee voice saying "I have photos I want to combine and I don't want to use or install presentation software. What else you got?"


Other Posts of Interest

• Creating Simple Channel Art Part 1 
• When You Just Need a Trimmed Video
• Other How To Posts

Backgrounds for Creating Simple Channel Art Part 3

One of the first things your will need is a background image.of 2120 x 1193. I’m thinking that a widescreen wallpaper type image would be a quick start to building your channel art.

There are safe and legal places to find background art but it is a pickle to find those places. A sour pickle. Many of the so-called free background and wallpaper sites state that they have free content but I saw a lot of copyright images that I am sure that the original owner does not know about.

There are predator freebie sites. There was one site that when I clicked on a button to change the size of the image took me to another screen and tried to get me to click a dodgy button to fix my Flash settings.

Ah, no. Not going to happen. Below are some of the places you can visit to find the foundation or background image for your channel. These are idea generator type sites to consider.

Photo © European Space Agency - Hubble Telescope

European Space Agency – Hubble Telescope
There are over a thousand space images that are free for personal or commercial use. All they ask is that you have a clear copyright attribution either on the image or some place prominent for others to see where the image came from.

After you locate an image you click the image to go to the information page. In the lower right corner are the various formats and sizes you can download; for newbies I would suggest downloading the as close as you can get to 2120 x 1193 wallpaper sized image. You can crop or re-size the image later.

Freepixels.com Backgrounds
There are plenty of them, abstracts, texture and geometrics. Most are in the 4:3 aspect ratio and the pixel sizes varies from image to image. You are free to use the image but you can’t re-purpose it for profit, i.e. make logos, bags or buttons for sale nor can you use the images for salacious content.

I would suggest that you avoid using images with identifiable people or any trademark imagies that might appear in an image. In other words Freepixel places you on the hook for responsible usage.

Morgue File
This site has a mixture of people, landscapes and artistic imagery. For the free images stick with the Morgue file tab. Content is free to use for personal and commercial use however the original creator still owns the copyright of the image. Attribution is encourage.

The images may or not be in the widescreen 16:9 format, you might have to crop or adjust the images.

UnProfound.com
Pick a color, any color and that will lead you to the photos that match that color. It is a small collection compared to the others but you can do what you like with the photos and images according to the FAQ

Like I said, these are idea generators. The backgrounds I selected might be too intense or not appropriate. You like a section of one image but not the whole thing. Then again, maybe you have found the one photo that represents your channel.

 But what if none of the above floats your boat?

Don’t touch that dial, we’ll be right back…

Other Posts of Interest

• Audio and Music Post of Interest
• Researching Free Video Editing Software Part 2 – The Departed
• Creating Simple Channel Art Part 1

Before You Start Creating Simple Channel Art Part 2

At the risk of cementing my too long, didn’t read it reputation in real life as well as online let me just say that my intent is to present a few ways to make a simple banner or poster; for YouTube in particular but hopefully this can be applied to other social media sites as well.

The goal is to quickly create a photo illustration that conveys the spirit of your videos and your channel. If you have a lick of graphic design skills what I’m about to show might make you cringe. I understand.

I know some of my art teachers would be laughing themselves sick if you told them I’m making suggestions about this topic. Hey, I did learn not to use yellow type on a white background. That should count for something.

I also know that many people without graphic design skills would like a path to help them to create their work.

Simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy. There are some expectations:

1. You know how to download and upload a file.
2. You know how to find that file that you downloaded.
3. You have secured your system with spyware and maleware protection.
4. You have a basic understanding of Copyright, Creative Commons and Fair Use issues. In other words, don’t steal other people’s work.

There are going to be web sites where you can push a few buttons and get what you want. And that is okay, that is what they are there for; well that and have you glance at an ad or two.
You still have to put some effort into getting it exactly the way you want.

The Required Specs

YouTube Channel Art Sample Pixel Layout

If you haven’t already review the specifications for the YouTube Channel Art page. You need an image that measures 2120 x 1192 pixels; this will be the viewing area for those folks watching content on their televisions. Inside of that image you have to plan for the viewing dimensions for desktop, tablet and mobile users.

That image can come from:

• Exported stills from your high definition videos
• Still photos that you have taken.
• Background images from a clip art collection or a graphics program. (read the terms of use before uploading)
• Confirmed Public Domain photos such as the ones taken by NASA or by an agency of the U.S. Government (U.S. citizens have this right, not sure about out those of you outside of the U.S.)
• A royalty free service where you purchase the right to use an image from their database. Places like iStockphoto, Pond5 and Shutterstock and others can keep you out of trouble; particularly if you are using this for commercial or money making activities.

I’ve mentioned it before; you should have a resource binder so that you can prove where you obtained assets or images that you did not create yourself.
 
 Moving on...

Other Posts of Interest

• Understanding Old School Drive Letters
• Before You Upload to A Video Web Service
• Trimming Video with MPEG Streamclip

Lightworks for Linux Demo Video

Those who are on the Linux operating system have been waiting for a full feature video editor for a long, long time. It looks like the wait is just about over.




This is a demonstration video for Lightworks for Linux. It isn't in Beta just yet but if you heart is in Gnome or you crave the taste of Mint OS then your suffering is about to end.

Or ramp up to a new level. Because this is a professional level software. We are talking bins, assets and rooms. It isn't impossible to learn but you will spend time doing so.

Once they figure out the Linux version the next port will be for the Mac operating system.

Other Posts of Interest:

• Editing Posts of Interest
• Posterious Going Dark April 30 2013
• Making the Case for Intentional Vertical Videos

Creating Simple Channel Art Part 1

Many of the social media services would like their creators to present a distinctive and more polished look to their landing pages. It makes sense, I guess. Your channel or landing page could be the second thing a person sees after viewing a video.

It could help the person decide if they want to subscribe or check out what else you have.  It does dress up the joint.

YouTube, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites all seem to want me to add a little pizazz to a profile or home page. 

Yeah. Here is the thing. Not all of us are gifted with Photoshop or The Gimp skills. We want to look good, we do. I'm trying to absorbed as much as I can from various creative blogs and web sites.

In the case of YouTube, there are specific channel formatting issues that have to be considered.  There are more details on the Channel Art Detail page. You can click the photo below to get the exact pixel dimensions needed for an acceptable banner/poster.

Here is the crib note version; the image has to accommodate the various ways that users view content. Some people will be viewing video on desktop or laptop computers. Some will use smartphones or tablet devices. Others will hook up one of the afore mentioned devices to their digital television.

Your channel banner has to accommodate all of those viewing possibilities.  

This isn't impossible. It is a challenge but challenge is good. Stimulates the brain. Now if you have that one photo like the one above that expresses the tone and essence of your channel then upload and have a great day.

It is a little more complicated if you record video about diverse topics or you want to show something more personal.

In other words, how do we make a personalized banner or poster with limited resources and creative skills? I don't have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. I still haven't found my Corel Paint Shop Pro CD to re-install that software. I will say that I am now motivated to find it but that isn't the total answer.

Even if I had that software I'd need a boost or some structural help in making a personalized banner or poster. All is not lost. We might have what we need and not know it. It can be an inclusive answer that doesn't leave the Android or Linux folks out in the cold.

That is the topic for this week or how ever many posts it takes to find ways to make a simple personalized image banner or poster for social media sites. If you think this is straying too far from video, not to worry. There might be some alternative uses for that banner, i.e. animated use in a title or video.

Stay tuned.


Other Posts of Interest

• Revised YouTube Playbook
• Glossary - Camera Shots
• Creation Tools for Video Id Bugs/Watermarks

Still Time for DoGooder Video Awards Entries

Video can do a lot of good. When we take are attention from cat videos for just a moment there is a lot of interesting work in the non-profit and advocacy realm. If you have a video that you created to highlight a problem or propose a solution you might want to submit it to the DoGooder Video Awards.

This is a promotional video from the project page:




According to YouTube, you can be either an individual or a non-profit that can submit videos. You can get most of the details from the YouTube project web site.

This contest is only available to participants in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the U.S.

I want to call attention to this because on of the sponsors is See3 Communications. They make advocacy videos for a variety of people. I beg of you to read the contest rules before submitting your video.

The DoGooder Award FAQ page that might be of interest to those that want to make sure the video is seen in its best possible light.

As always read the terms of service and contest rules. The deadline for entries is March 22, 2013.

Other Posts of Interest:

• Video Advocacy Resources You Can Use Now  
• Everything Is A ReMix 
• Revised YouTube Creator Playbook

Researching Free Video Editors 2013 - Part 3 Viable Software

This is what made my admittedly short list of viable video editors that are free for desktop or online access. The program should be able to perform basic edits, effects, the ability to add music and export video.

Free software is one that works. You download it. You do stuff. That is it. You might have to register using a e-mail address. Nothing more should be required.

You should not have to purchase a software key or codec license. Seems obvious, but there vendors who perform bait and switch activities for profit. This would be one of the ways folks get suckered into a package.

Free does not mean you get everything you want. There could be a reduction of features. It could be prior version of a current commercial product. You could be limited on export options. Free doesn't necessarily mean easy.

Subtracting Windows Live Movie Maker and iMovie from the list and you have the following options.

Desktop Options

Blender  is a free 2D/3D modeling program. However, inside of Blender is a video editing module. You definitely want to view the tutorials at Blender VSE for assistance before you dive in. Blender ain’t easy and you will spend time trying to learn it but it is free.

EditShare Lightworks Free is not really a consumer level software, this program has powerful professional level tools but there is a free version with some limitations on export. There is a learning curve but once you get a handle on it you have access to an industry standard program.
There are limitations on export but you can export HD and SD video to the MOV format. There is a Windows and the Linux version is currently in Beta testing mode.

OpenShot Video Editor for Linux users is a functional alternative to the other Linux packages in the wild.

Serif MoviePlus Starter Edition is a basic version of their main software currently MoviePlus X6. If you are looking for an easier transition from Windows Live Movie Maker this could be the one. Limitations are that it cannot accept MP4 or AVCHD video. This could be a big limitation if that is your camcorder or recording devices video format. Windows OS only.

Online Web Applications

YouTube Video Editor – Upload your video, set it to private and you have access to a basic video editor. Here is the rub, it generally takes longer to upload than to download. Be aware that if you use that ads can appear in your video if you use certain features from the editing program. Check out the Editor Help article for more info.

VideoToolbox seems like the deal, you can edit, extract, convert and do a bunch of stuff. There are video tutorials but no FAQ page. I would say that if you are an intermediate computer users with good bandwidth this could be okay. I'd set up a free e-mail for this type of site, something about it has me on alert but I can't put my finger on it just yet.

WeVideo is a very user friendly editing service. There is a free version that does impose limits on the video resolution and how often you can export a file. There is a easy to use editor that provides music and other goodies. I beg of you to read the terms of service; this wouldn’t be appropriate if you think you want to use your video for commercial use.

Not Yet Ready for Prime Time

VideoLan Movie Creator – I keep checking the site but it isn’t in Beta at this time.

Novacut for Linux and possibly for Mac users is being constructed but no functional software at this time.

So after filtering out the gunk, deadwood and vaporware this is what is left. Again, you are responsible for making sure your computer can handle the software, that you have the time to learn and be willing to be your own tech support.

If I find safe and functional options I'll add them to the list. For now, this is a wrap.

Other Posts of Interest

• Researching Free Video Editors 2013 - Part 2 The Departed
• Researching Free Video Editors 2013 - Part 1
• When You Just Need To A Video Trimmed

Researching Free Video Editing Software 2013 - Part 2 The Departed

Part of the challenge of locating decent software is that there are a lot of old products and services that have crash and burned,changed focus or were purchased out of existence. Adding to the problem is that old reviews and blog pages are still active.

Software isn't an evergreen type of product or service. If the page you landed on recommends any of these applications then you know you landed on a old or historical page.

Another thing to be aware of is you might see a current link from what appears to be a software download place; be extremely careful about clicking that link. It can lead you to maleware or other ickies trying to introduce itself on your system.

Adobe Premier Express

Nope, this currently is not a direct to consumer application. This is a video editing application for businesses and corporations that want to allow their users to create content for a specific ad or campaign. Adobe does have a 30-day trial version of Premier Elements. There currently isn’t any place on the Adobe web site where you can perform free video editing.

Avid Free DV

Gone to the big digit in the sky. Avid discontinued this software in 2007. Any modern web site that claims to have it for download is one to stay away from unless you want to expose yourself to spyware, malware or other cyber cooties. Avid has sold their consumer video editing product lines to Corel.

Pinnacle Spin

The consumer line of Pinnacle was purchased by Avid who then sold it to Corel. The software still has the Pinnacle label but you will not find Pinnacle Spin on the web site. The prior link to VideoSpin will take you to the 30-day trial version of Pinnacle Studio.

JayCut

JayCut was an online video editing application that predates the tablet era. Research In Motion aka Blackberry purchased the site. That door is closed and not expected to be resurrected.

JumpCut

Another online editing service that was acquired by Yahoo in 2006. The service was discontinued in 2009.

Zwei-Stein ZS4

Wayyyy back in the day this was one of the few free editing programs. It was a geeker’s dream because it was so complicated to use. I mean no disrespect but it was never user friendly. The software hasn’t been updated since 2007. There is no support for modern codecs. The creators of the program are more focused on their music careers. I think one of their web sites has been hijacked. I’m not linking to it or going near it.

These are the departed editing software packages that you should not expend time trying to track down. I'm sure I missed a few. If you see these in your search, move on down the line.

Other Posts of Interests

• Researching Free Videos Editors Part 1
• Pinnacle Studio 2.0 iPad Editor
• Be Willing to Kill Bad Frames

Researching Free Video Editors 2013 - Part 1

The questions come from people that just want to do simple edits to others that need more power than what Windows Movie Maker and iMovie can provide but they don’t have the cash.

Not a day goes by without someone asking the great void about desktop free video editing software.
I have some ideas about how to go about it.

So I'm doing a series of posts on free desktop and web app videos editing software.

Limitations and Caveats:

You need to be honest about your skill level, your computer’s capabilities and how much of an investment in time and money you are willing to make. There is a cost beyond money. Your time has a value. Do you have time to learn and possibly troubleshoot new software? If the software messes up your computer can restore it back to the original state? Do not install software until you have a good answer to those questions.

My focus in the next couple of posts is on consumer level video editing software. There are applications that the old school computer techies love like Avidemux or VirtualDub that will do the job. If you are coming from Windows Movie Maker experience it might not be the easiest of transitions.

I’ve been broke so I know that for many people it is not a reluctance to pay for software but the reality is that you don’t have the money. My preference is to pay for software; this supports the vendor and helps pay for innovation. But a free option is always appreciated.

One more thing.

I don’t like spyware, malware or bait and switch software. There are some vendors that claim that they have a free version only to find out that the software is crippled or you need to purchase a module for the software to function. These programs can be worse than what Windows Movie Maker or iMovie has to offer.

I will not link to bottom feeders. I will also not link to affiliate software that often poisons questions and answer sites.

Legitimate companies will allow you to try the software for 10, 15 or 30 days. It is okay to have the purchase button visible on start up but I don’t want to see it flashing in my face every time I perform a task.

Shop at known vendor sites or marketplaces like Amazon.com or a strong national or regional chain store. If you prefer software downloads I would suggest going to the actual vendor’s website.

Enter Investigation Mode

One of the things you need to do is to go to the vendor’s website. Find out if there is help or support for your free software. There may be a web page. There might be video. There could be members helping members.

Or there could be nothing.

If the vendor doesn’t provide help and support is there an external support community? A sage or guru that has tutorials about the software? If there isn’t then you are on your own.

Observe the look of the software. The vendor website there should be screenshots of the program.

Yes, you will go to YouTube and watch tutorials on how the software performs. You want to see if it is as easy as it claims to be or can you catch a potential problem, such as only having a single video or audio track.

That would be a deal breaker for me but perhaps not for you.

What else? The usual, make sure you have a back up system in place. Have good maleware protection that you keep up to date. Don't steal commercial software. Stuff like that.

In the next couple of posts I will get specific on what is and isn’t a good investment when it comes to supposedly free video editing applications.

Other Posts of Interest

• When You Just Need A Video Trimmed
• Demo of Windows Pain and Zoom Effects
• Placing A Copyright Notice in Your Video - Part 1