ZeFrank Funded New Project in Hours

Just a follow up to yesterday's post. ZeFrank met his goal to fund his new show in hours, not days. The goal was to raise $50,000 in ten days for the new project.

His former viewers and assorted racers kicked the goal to the curb in hours. As of this writing, Ze is heading toward $100,000. For those that don't know, ZeFrank's show was a daily series for one year in 2006-2007.

That was five years ago and people not only remembered him but ponied up cash money for him to do another project.

My understanding is that the money will be used for the production of the new series/project and to hire an editor to take some of the load off creating the videos.

In the old series Ze produced a video a day each week for a year.

• writing
• performing
• recording
• editing
• distribution
• seeking sponsorship

Then repeat. Can you say burn-out?

Another interesting aspect is that Ze is asking backers about ideas, concepts and what would we like to see in the next project. From what I can tell there is a lot of desire for doing good, making music and general whimsy.

This is social media, social fundraising and hopefully another branch of participatory media will spork off into new directions.

The Return of ZeFrank - Make this Happen!

Long before Jon Stewart and Colbert there was ZeFrank. This is one of your Internet video grand-daddies. The Show with ZeFrank was required viewing by all the cool kids and even some of the dunderheads like it too.

This is an example from May 2006

Ze wants to do it again but different but he needs a little help from his friends and former fans. If you are in the groove with some extra smooth consider tossing a coin to the duck father.

Loosely translated: Ze has a Kickstarter campaign and he needs to raise up some funds for the new show. He is half way to the goal but with the election season coming up why have this man on the outside looking in.

The dude is smart, funny and even got some meat on his bones, you know if you are into that kind of thing.

A Look A Project Settings

Many video editing programs have a feature called project settings to help you set up the video for editing. Some editing programs make it kinda hard to find but they are present in one form or another. I want to show you an example of a project settings.

I have four video editing programs and Serif MoviePlus 5 had the most accessible project setting at 4 a.m. so I'm going with that as the illustration.

A project setting is a template that can be set to match the video from your device. In the above example, you can select the PAL settings if you are in Europe, Africa or under the PAL broadcasting standard then you will want to click the PAL menu.

Those of us in Canada, U.S. Mexico, Japan and Korea will want to use the NTSC section.The first level is standard definition. If your camcorder, smartphone or tablet records in standard def then this is where you select the correct project setting that matches what your recording.

Settings

The video dimensions of your recording. This is why you need to know the specs of your recording device. Some of the common but not exclusive standard definition dimensions are:

320 x 240
640 x 480
720 x 480

If you are recording with a smartphone/table don't assume that you are recording in high definition. Check the specs of your device to make sure.

The next level down is NTSC high definition:

A lot more choices. Don't let it scare you. Just select the menu items that most matches your recording format. For folks recording with a digital HD device you will choose either 720p or 1080p as your recording template.

The project settings lets you pick the best editing template that matches your video. In user friendly video editing programs you might not need to worry about it; many programs will select the right format when you add a video to edit. Others might ask "do you want to change the project settings based on this video?"

No worries. If the settings don't work match what you need you can always go back and make changes. If you video format is different most editing software programs will let you customize the settings. 


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The Battery Lingo - Where's the Juice?

People get tripped up by battery lingo all of the time. Frugalistas especially when they are in the 99 Cent Only or Dollar Stores. If you need AAA or AA batteries for your camera or camcorder you need to know the power requirements.

It depends on your device. Knowing the battery lingo as it relates to buying batteries for your camera or camcorder can keep you from freaking out when you are forced into shut-off mode.

Heavy Duty

You are in the 99 Cent Only or Dollar Store. You see them, 20 for $1. What is a frugalista to do but scoop them up?

Heavy duty batteries are for slow drain devices, that is why when you look at the package they will have little icons showing the remote, the transistor radio or a clock. They are best for items that sip their power, not gulp it down like digital cameras and camcorders.

Now, yes there are some inexpensive digital cameras and camcorders that can work with this type of battery. The really cheap ones with questionable video quality. The truth is even they don't really like the dollar level batteries.

Super Heavy Duty

Again check the package. There may or may not be an icon for a camera. These have a bit more juice for toys, flashlights or home gadgets. Again, there will be some cameras and camcorders that will function just fine with SHD but not really want you want to take a chance on if you are taking that once in a lifetime recording.

Lithium and Photo Lithium

This is power most folks will need to safely power recording devices. It is made for high drain users. This kinda power doesn't come cheap, you will pay for the ability to record for a least an hour or more.Currently lithium and photo lithium batteries can cost from $5 to $10 depending on where you shop.

Don't buy cheap only to pay for it later. Look at the specification sheet that came with your device. The better cameras and camcorders manufacturers will tell you the power requirements for your snapper.

Buy and power accordingly.


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Quick Look at Avid Studio for iPad

Easy and affordable are two words I generally don't associate with Avid but this is worth a look.  Avid Studio for iPad seems to be a full featured video editor for iPad tablets.

It looks tasty. According to the specs, you can use the software with version 1 and 2 iOS tablets running iOS 5. The software can record, edit, create animations, insert audio and upload from inside the application. 

It seems to be a full editing suite. No compromises on editing? At $4.99 I would want to test it out but it really does look like some of the behaviors of what I want in a tablet editor. It is new software so before you hit buy you might want to check out the software forum.

If you are a total video editing newbie you might want to stay with iMovie but if you have experience with video editing concepts this could rock you boat.

Kodak Ending Still and Video Camera Business

A few posts ago I wrote abut the Kodak Playful Zi12 Dual Camera. Never for one moment I could imagine that Kodak would close their signature and iconic business. 

Since 1888 Kodak made cameras for consumers, families, hobbyists and those of us that could not spend $$$$ but wanted to document our lives. It was the social media of its time.

Sigh. You know, I get that this and other companies want to focus on consumables. Like HP, Kodak will put attention to their printer business meaning selling ink, papers and print hardware. Maybe that was the problem. When corporations focus too much on what they want to sell as opposed to what consumers need or want to buy there is going to be a disconnect.

There was no reason that Kodak couldn’t have partnered with a computer/tablet company to improve the optics in mobile devices. Maybe they did. Never heard anything about them reaching out to expand their brand.

There was opportunities for Kodak to introduce their Zi6, Zi8 and Zi12 video cameras to journalists and other people that have a need for portable quality audio/video recording. Niche markets have money too.

I have questions. Like are they prepared to print with Android, iPad and Windows tablets?  Not even sure they have thought that far. A thought for another place and time.

Anyway, Kodak will honor all warranties with their camera products. I would expect the fire sale to commence in the next few weeks or so. 

Mac users might want to stock up because Kodak was one of the few camera manufactures that consistently used the MOV video format. I know how some of you hate with a passion AVCHD so, yeah if you want to go for it keep a look out for the Zi12.

They have to finish current production with manufactures so this is going to take time.
 
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Quick Look At Galaxy Note for Video Recording

There is an old song with the lyric "is you is or is you ain't my baby?" The Samsung Galaxy Note makes you want to participate in "the is it a phone or tablet" discussion. I am more interested in the video capabilities but there is something about the Note that pings to my inner geekness.

I like the size. I prefer at least 7' tablet. Still, a 5.3 screen on a phone with tablet capabilities I think is doable. But we are not here to gaze at the Super AMOLED display.

What can the device do video wise?

Samsung Galaxy Note Video Specs

The Note is running on Android 2.3 aka Gingerbread with a dual core processor. The display is 1280 x 800. The Note has 16GB internal memory and that can be bumped up by using the SD external storage with a 32GB card.

The device a front facing 2 megapixel camera and an 8 rear megapixel camera that records video at 1080p at 24 or 30 frames per second.

Playback is at 30fps and it can pony up MP4, H.264, H.263, WMV and DivX videos.

On the audio side it can kick out MP3, AAC, WAV FLAC and OGG. In other words, you will want for nothing.

The Verge has a full review of the Samsung Galaxy Note which you should check out but they also have a test video:




So Who Is It For?

Well, at 6.8 ounces I'm seeing a device that can go anywhere.  It is a phone. Really.

As a phone it might be a scotch too big. But ignoring the phone aspect for just a second,  it might be good mini tablet for business users that need to document what they see, like appraisers or real estate people.

I also think that for those into all forms of journalism this could be a back-up camera/recorder. You could upload raw video an a jiff with the 4G connection. If the right Android video editing program comes along you could record, edit and upload before you got home.

Creatives could be all over this thing if the stabilization and lack of optical zoom can be worked around. And it can, people. It can.

I want to love it but something is holding me back. Part of that is the unknown price. And the fact that AT&T is the carrier. Depending on where you live in the U.S. and AT&T's service history in your area this could be a deal breaker.

The Note will be available in the U.S. on February 19, 2012.

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Quick Look At Lenovo - IdeaPad A1 for Video Recording

I’m going frugal this time. The Lenovo Ideapad A1 tablet caught my attention and my fingers tapping in curiosity at the $199 price. Now if you go to the web page linked above the vendor states the price at $249 but I have seen it retail for $199.

This is a video from Laptop Magazine with a representative from Lenovo stating the price as $199.



Apparently Lenovo has periodic sales of tablet at the $199 price on their web site. But Best Buy has it listed at $199.

Lenovo has a good reputation with their desktop and business laptops so I have to wonder why I didn’t hear anything about their tablets? One answer if that it was released in September 2011, that was during the time of Kindle Fire fever.  Oh well, such is life.

Could it work in a pinch as a decent video recorder? Let’s find out.

Lenovo Ideapad A1 Video Specs
 
The Ideapad A1 is running on Android 2.3 aka Gingerbread. If you can hang with Android 2.3 continue reading.

It has a front facing .3MP webcam in the front. At best it will be adequate for web chats but wear a bright shirt or something.

There is a 3.0MP rear camera that should be able to handle outdoor or bright light recording situations. The rear camera records in 480p. As in standard definition 640x480p?

Probably. I reviewed the spec sheet and there was nothing else to indicate high definition video recording. The User Guide does mention that it has a YouTube High 10m recording but nothing that states if it is high or standard definition.


The Good Stuff

• 16GB of SSD internal storage
• microSD slot
• Stereo microphone jack
• Audio file formats .mp3, .wav and .ogg
• Video file formats .avi, .3gp, .mp4 and RVMB

The Not So Good Stuff

• TI® 3622 (Cortex-A8) 1GHz single-core processor. You will have to keep that in mind when you want to do more than one task.  It will slug up on you.
• 512MB of internal memory. Understandable at this price point but you will long for more.
• 5 hour battery life and it seems it takes that long to recharge.
• Forget about Skype for Android for now. There is Google Talk and other third party apps.

Buying Musings

For the frugalistas who want a video recording tablet and understand the limitations of a single processor I think this could work.

If you have to record in high definition, this isn’t going to work.

If you are not comfortable on how to transfer files from the tablet to the computer then leave this one alone.

The suggested retail market price is $199 before taxes and shipping.  Beware of vendors who crank up the price to over $260 on other sites.

P.S. I searched the Lenovo web site; there is a code you can use to purchase at $199 but it isn’t always there.

P.S.S. Lenovo is making me crazy. There is a page that explains that the Black IdeaPad A1 Tablet - 22282MU goes on sale for $199 and the Blue version for $209. I still think that the $199 price is about right for this product.

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Quick Look at Toshiba Thrive Video Capture

I can't turn my head and not see someone tooting up that a tablet has a feature to beat the band. I can fight it no longer.

There are people using the video camera features on Tablets for practical and, I hope, impractical purposes. This is first of a few posts about the video recording features of some of the tablets available for purchase.

My reasons for doing this is that there are people that want to make use of the video recording features. Some of them are educators. Some of them are in business. Some are just curious.

The other reason is that many people are watching videos on those devices. We should know what those devices can do and how to incorporate them into recording sessions.

Now let me be honest. I do not have a tablet. I'm working on it but the realities of life prevent me from purchasing as much as my hearts desires. My Sugar Daddy has yet to stroll by and say howdy. The only thing I can do is look a the specs and start to build a profile of what the tablets can and can't do.

Specs can give you a lot of information but it is not the same as holding that wedge of glass/plastic in your hand. I know that but you gotta start somewhere.

Toshiba Thrive 10" 16GB Android Tablet Video Specs

The Thrive is running on Android 3.1 aks Honeycomb.

It has a front facing 2.0MP web cam on the front that can be used for video chats and traditional web cam activities. There seems to issues with Skype so I wouldn't count on accessing that program anytime soon on the tablet. You would have access to a number of video chat app from the Android store.

The 5.0MP camera on the back of the device.records in 720p high definition video. You will have the Camera App that you will use for recording. You get auto focus but no optical zoom.

This is a test video from JoeRnCT using the 5.0 camera:



No stabilization other than your own two hands to hold it steady. The Thrive is a hefty bit of kit so this really might be an issue if you are going to use this to record a lot of video.

Being hefty is not a bad thing. Because of its size it does can have a full SD slot; that will make it so much easier to transfer videos from the device to your computer.

It also has full size USB and HDMI ports so that you can use what you have to transfer data from the computer or to your HD television set.

You Don't Have to Pay Retail

I am seeing the early versions of the 16GB Thrive on Amazon and some of the legitimate shopping sites selling at around the $280 level. If I had disposable income I'd give it serious consideration.

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I Got The Data Plan Letter and Encoding Videos

I was feeling a bit smug telling folks that I had unlimited data for $25 a month. I've had it for years and in that regard I was a happy camper. Nope, I could see all the AT&T, Sprint and other users gnash in pain as the balanced what they could do in a day or month.

And then I got the letter. Actually an e-mail. My phone carrier is going to place a 2.5GB cap on what I can access via my phone.

I do watch videos over the phone but I mainly use it for a podcasting back-up. I can, if I want upload videos but I haven't found a video editing/trimmer that I like on the Android side of the fence.

Let this be a lesson to you, don't be so smug. Another implications is that we may have to go back to a time when we consider the bandwidth issues of our viewers.

Back in the day, you did need to make sure that your video was viewable for viewers who had 56k modems. That is one of the reasons vidoebloggers made videos at 320x240.

This is an old video of mine from 2006. In addition to bandwidth issues you had to be aware of what your video host ISP could do to your video as well; such as additional compression.

My Point?

You might not want to just slap anything up and hope that your viewers can see it. In this time of high definition videos and reduction of unlimited date plans for mobile devices you might have to consider making a mobile friendly version of your work.

It is a balance between quality and accessibility.

For some of you that decision means that you want to produce videos that look good across devices and can't and will not sacrifice video quality. Those that can will and those that can't will wish you the best but moving on.

For others you want the widest audience possible and your are willing to take the time to edit, apply the proper compression and upload in a video format that is compatible with your web host.

That would be mp4. Blip.tv, Vimeo and YouTube all have pages that tell you the specifications of that export format.

So until we Americans actually have a full nation data network without the threat of a lock down on usage we'll need to adjust.

Think positive.

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Quick Look at Kodak PlayFull Dual Zi12 Camera

Ever since I’ve been on the planet there has been Kodak. Brownies, Instamatics, 110s, you name it and I’ve had my hands on it. It took them a while to dip into digital and when they finally got in the game with the DC 290 it like to drove me crazy not to have access to one.

That was a long time ago. Sigh, I wish Kodak luck because bankruptcy is not a good thing. So let’s see if we can make a love match between a person who is Flipped out and a camcorder needing a good home. 

This is a quick look at the Kodak PlayFull Dual Zi12 Camera.

David Snooks is an employee at Kodak so I'm thinking he has an interest in sharing the word about the Zi12. So this is some shots of the Zi12 doing that Slo-Mo thing.



Mercy. Let’s look at the specs:

Sensor type	1 / 2.33-type, 12 MP CMOS
Lens	4.7 mm F2.6 AF lens
Video and Still Wide Angle	Lens 31 mm (4:3), 35 mm equivalent 31 mm @ 1080p with Digital Image Stabilization (DIS)	31 mm @ 720p with DIS 31 mm
	WVGA with DIS 26 mm @ still capture.
Zoom	Optical None	Zoom 4X digital
Storage	20MB internal	SD/SDHC memory cards up to 32GB
Video formats	MPEG-4, AAC LC
Editing	In Camera Trim
Capture modes	1080p (1920 x; 1080, 30 fps)
	720p /60 fps (1280 x; 720, 60 fps)
	720p (1280 x; 720, 30 fps)
	WVGA (848 x; 480, 30 fps)
Microphone	Monaural w. level controls	External Mic Jack
Speaker	Monaural	Headphone jack
Film effects	EktaChrome,	KodaChrome,
	T-Max,TRI-X,	Sepia

All this for $199? I could be persuaded.

So Who is the Camcorder For?

Broke folk filmmakers. Artists. Reporters and Journalists. Serious hobby folk. Videoblogers. Coaches. Performers. I could go on.  Food bloggers, travel bloggers, tech-a-holics of all persuasions.

For Mac users wanting nothing to do with AVCHD this could be of interest.

If you care about video quality and you have limited cash funds I can see going with this. If you had a deep love of the Zi6 or Zi8 and you are ready to step up this is for you.

If you are a beginner I think you would be fine. It does have simple controls but the juice seems to be in the menu. It has more features than a standard point and share camcorder.

On the surface it looks like a keeper but the device will not be released for sale until April 2012. CamcorderInfo.com has a review of the Zi12.

It is has got my attention but until I can lay hands on it in a retail store this is just a dream.

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Tripod Alternatives for Your Videos

It doesn't matter what you are using to record video, there are times when you need to be still. As in motionless. This is going to be harder for table users and those recording on other devices but it can be done.

The old school ways of holding a camera or camcorder without a tripod still apply. I recommend checking out the post at Digital Photography School about how to avoid camera shakes.

Another way is to find a tool or resource that can help you out. This one is so simple it is brilliant. The Not A Pod anchors two cords to belt loops. The tension holds the camera or camcorder steady. And bone cheap too. If I wore pants that had loops I'd be all over this.

Alas, stretch tights only have loops at the feet and those didn't work out so well either.

Another options is the SteadePod which is also a simple device. You screw one end into the camera/camcorder and there is a cord that can be dropped down to your feet. You adjust the tension and bada bing, you have a form of stability. You can find the SteadePod at Adorama, Amazon, B and H Photo and other photography retailers.

The DIY folks want it to be known that this has been around forever in various forms. A screw, washer and a taunt string are apparently all you need. If you have those things around the house more power to you.

If I'm fishing around in my purse I think I'd rather have something like the SteadePod.

So if you don't have a tripod when you need one consider one of these as back up stabilizer.

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Audio Sound Effects for Video - Free Sound Effects

There are times when you do need a knock at the door. A certain kind of knock. Like a fist on a wood door which is different from slapping your hand on a metal door. It matters and you can spend more time searching for the right sound than you ever thought you would.

You can make you own sound effects, if you have the time.  There are places to obtain sound effects. Some of them are free for use in any project if you meet certain conditions and understand about licensing.

Sound effects can be recorded in mp3, wav and other audio formats; these two are the most common but not the only file formats.

Mp3 audio will give you a smaller file size to download and almost all of the video editing programs accept this format. Wav audio will give you better quality but the file size will be larger.

Remember, Safety First

Before you get to downloading you do want to make sure that you are dealing with a reputable web site, that you anti-virus, malware and cootie detection software is at full power.  There are a lot of crummy web sites that are not safe to visit that offer free software.

You also want to print out the page of the place where you got the sound effects. The way things are going with the abundance of lawyers and congressional activities you might have to prove where you obtained the resources you used in your video.

A project binder or file folder is a mighty handy thing to have and to hold. 

Understand and Read The Fine Print

Before you download make sure you understand the web sites terms of use of the audio file. Just because you see the word free does not mean it is free for you to use any way you want to.

For example, you can’t go to any audio site, snag the content and try to sell it as your own.  That is stinky. It should be understood that you don’t do that.  Yet there are people who don’t gronk this concept.

Sad, really.

Free to Use in Personal and Commercial Video Productions

There are kind souls that will let you use the sound effects found on their web site for no charge. One of those places is SoundJay.com. You can use their audio with or without attribution but the folks wouldn’t mind a shout out on where you got the stuff. A donation wouldn’t hurt either but that is up to you.

Media College has a small but tasty group of sound effects. They have recordings that are in the public domain, recorded by staff members that are available for personal and commercial use. Double check the license and permission page to understand the usage rights.


Another place to find sound effects is good old FlashKit.com.

For some reason in Chrome and Firefox browsers you will have to move to the middle of the page to see the recordings.  It an old web site, it hasn’t been shown any love in years. Yet there is much goodness in that musty old house.

At FlashKit there are Freeware, Shareware and for purchase sound effects. You can test out a sound effect before you select it.  If you like the effect then and, you have made sure that it is freeware, then proceed to the download link and save it on your system.

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Audio Sound Effects - What Is Royalty Free?

A royalty free sound effect means that you pay for the right to use one specific audio file or a subset of similar files. The terms can vary from a yearly subscription or in perpetuity. It depends on how much you pay and the nature of use.

There are advantages in purchasing a royalty free sound effect for your video. For one thing, you could have a higher quality sound than what you find at the free sites. It depends on the vendor. The site might have various audio lengths that meet your needs or a wider selection of effects.

If your video is being used for commercial purposes it might be safer to use a royalty free service.


BeatSuite.com

BeatSuite.com does have a specific type of sound effects for sale. I'd describe them as futuristic, steampunky or functional. I could imagine that these effects could find their way into an audio drama or podcasts. The standard license covers use for Internet use, web videos and podcasts.

The quality is very good and the price of the tracks reflect the quality. Start at $50 and work your way up. You can sample the tracks before purchasing.  You might want to review their guide to royalty-free music so that you are clear on their approach and definitions.

Music Bakery

The Music Bakery has sound effects for sale starting a $1.98. I just tried out their squeaky door and it gave me the shivers. The audio files are available in mp3, wav and aiff use for you MacUsers.

Under their terms of use the sound effect can be used under a lifetime license for everything but theatrical movies or retail businesses. You would need another type of license for those activities. They are also asking for a title card in your video; in my opinion that is a bit much to ask.

It is your call if you want to do that kind of thing. The point of royalty free is to be able to use it they way you want without attribution.Be sure to read the web site's legal notice as well as the terms of service.

RoyaltyFreeMusic.com

RoyaltyFreeMusic.com has sound effect albums for purchase. They also have individual effect audio for sale but this is where it gets tricky.

You can buy an individual track for around $5 or get a whole album for about $100. Sounds about right.

For personal and non-profit use they are free with required attribution of where you got the sound. For commercial use you must purchase a license. The free sound effects are short and are in the mp3 audio format.

These web sites are easy to use, you can review the tracks before you purchase and they make clear what you need to understand before you buy.

I'm not a musician or sound effect expert. I do know with the growing evolution of media consumption that there are hybrid products like books that will have videos embedded in them or textbooks with practical exercises with beeps and clacks a plenty.

If you think that you might need a creaking door or a metallic zapper you might want to check out these or other vendors.

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Playing With Type - Research Is Scary

I have been dogging the kinetic typography sites and other resources to get a better handle on the process and structure on how to create these types of videos. It is the early stages but I'd have to say that most of them focus on the software and not the process of creating KT type videos.

The other thing I am learning is that I might have bitten off more than I can chew. I'm not a designer or motion graphics expert. But as I travel through some of the web sites it does seem more about how to move the word instead of being in best service of the text or audio source.




Like the above video from Chris - does the video work because of the association with the movie? Or does it work as it own creation? You could understand it even if you had never seen the movie.

I don't know.

Anyway, I have been finding a lot of good sites that have my brain on overload:

• Johnnie Lee
• Vimeo's Kinetic Typography Channel
  
• Angie Taylor

and a bunch more but I gotta go.

YouTube Your Film Festival Call for Videos

People keep talking about the importance of story. Well, if you have a story that you have on video you might be interested in the YouTube Your Film Festival. You might be more interested in the prize money but first, a bit of inspiration:




Here is the short version. You have a narrative video that tells a story. The video needs to be under 15 minutes in length. It can be a web video, movie or whatever but it still has to tell a story.

You will be competing with YouTubers from around the world. Remember Life in A Day?  Yeah, that many.  You can submit your video starting in February 2nd and you have until March 31st, 2012 to upload it.

There is no entry fee. What else? You do have to be over 18 years of age to participate or whatever the age of adulthood/majority is in your country.

The Grand Prize is $500,000 U.S. and a trip to Venice. Not the California one, the one in Venice, Italy where the Venice Film Festival will be occurring at the same time.

Nice. If you want more info go check out the FAQ, and more importantly the official rules.

Playing With Type - First Steps

The cool kids are going to town with kinetic typography. Kinectic typography tells a story with words or can re-enforce the power of spoken words and music.  I feel like the unworthy when I view some of the animations being done with Adobe After Effects.

I'd love to give it a go but one thing is stopping me. $990.

I purchase software. I just do not purchase software that cost enough toward a down payment on a car.

The software is certainly worth it. Plus the add-ins and doodads. I'm misting up just thinking about it.  This is an example of kinetic typography using the famous speech from the movie Network. The video was created by Geek180.



Adobe After Effects make it easier to create motion graphics and kinetic typography. It isn't the only way. Okay, yes it is if you are a professional motion videographer or in the business.

But for the rest of us that want to experiment and push what we can afford a bit farther maybe there are other ways to create kinectic type videos.

Searching The Old Kit Bag

Off the top of my head I can think of a few software programs to play with as a starting point.

One of them is Swish Max2. This is (or was, they are up to version 4 by now) a program that makes it easy to create flash animations. Now I don't want to create flash animations but the program also exports animations out to an .avi file.


So that is what I'll be up to for the next couple of posts.

Now creating type videos might not be your thing. I understand. But the basic skills of working with type in video are the same for most other kinds of videos. 

In addition, a motion typography clip can work well as a transition or a bridge from one video to another.

It is all how you look at it.  In the meantime if you want to spark up some ideas on using type in movies and videos I have a possible starting point for your. Smashing Magazine has a good post on The Art of the Film Title Design Throughout Cinema History.

It is very visual and you can get a lot of good ideas just from observing how it was done in the past.

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Quick Look at Serif Movie Plus Starter Edition

There came a time when I could deal with Windows Movie Maker no longer. It was free but the crashes when I tried to do anything more complicated than a simple edit were too much to bear. There were tears involved.

True, this was in the past with an old computer and software. There will come a time when you will want to move on. If you mess around with web video and editing at some point you will want to know if there are alternatives. Serif MoviePlus Starter Edition might be what you are looking for in a simple video editing program.

There are people that keep asking if there is a free video editing software and the answer is yes. A qualified yes if you can live with the limitations.

Operating System:

Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 computers with a Dual Core or higher CPU

Computer Skill Level: 

Comfortable with using menus, file folders and Windows Explorer

I use the full version of Serif Movie Plus X5 and the prior version X3 so I'm really familiar with the program. For folks that might have had prior experience with a computer videos editing program this is a great alternative for the price; which is often at a discount for the full program.

The Starter Edition is free but I would only download it from the vendor web site for security reasons. Security means you don't want to download malware cooties.

This Starter Edition (SMPSE) is a limited edition of Serif Movie Plus X5. The software is free to download and use but there are limitations. You need to know about them ahead of time before you invest in using this program.

SMPSE imports and exports .avi, .wmv, .mov videos. If you camcorder records in H.264, mp4 or ACHVD then you might be out of luck. There are mp4 videos in the .mov format so that might work. Or not. .

For the record, there are almost no camcorders that record in .wmv. There are however smartphones and tablets that record in .avi or .mov, in which case you score and can give this program a bit more consideration.

Some of the advanced editing features MoviePlus X5 are disabled in this version of the program. Or if it the feature isn't disabled you might see something like this:

That is correct, you are seeing a logo for the product in the upper left corner. You can't remove it or prevent it. Consider it the cost of using the program. You can view the full test video by Taykslav so you can see the logo for yourself.

Checking the Serif forums it seems that the watermark logo can appear if you export the video so yes, you need to be aware that this can happen.

You also might see a nag screen to upgrade to the full program. 

Still With Me?

Ok, if you have a Dual Core computer and video that it will accept we can talk.

It is good program that makes it very easy to trim, edit, add audio and photos to get a good video. It exports the videos quickly and I haven't notice any artifacts or gunk mucking up the videos, even with my glasses on.

There is a good helper guide that you can use to learn the program as well as a tutorial section on the web site. In addition, the company does have YouTube videos that you can view for help. Keep in mind that they were designed for the full version of the program.

I do like that the render times are generally quick. There are some software that take forever and a day to export the video out in a particular video format.

Again, if you have an older computer this could take much longer than you find comfortable. 

I would recommend giving this try if you can live with the limitations.

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Quick and Easy Storyboard Part Two - A Little Structure

Still not gronking on the 3x5 cards? You say you need something a bit more structured? You are trying to demonstrate a concept or task? Let me see what I have in the old kit bag.

Ah yes, this will do it.


I create a simple template for myself so that I am clear on what I want to explain or show in a video. 
This is a reproduction of the storyboard that I used to make the PSA Fannie Lou Hamer PSA

Why Would I Want to Know This?

A restatement of the reason why other people would be interesting in the video. I know why I want to do it however the video will be watched by other viewers. What benefit will they get from the video?

My Storyboard

Item	Audio	Video
Title Card – Intro	Fannie Lou Hamer speaking before Congress	Comment About Black Women
Fade Into Comment Card		Ignorant Comment Card
Cut to Congress		Fannie – Congress
Transition Image 3		Fannie – Speaking
Transition Image 4		Fannie – Sad
Transition Image 5		Fannie – Older
Title Card – Fannie 1964		Fannie 1964
Title Card – Know Your History		Know Your History
Title Card – Stop the Verbal Violence Against Women		Stop the Verbal Violence Against Women
Closing Credit		PSA…

I made this in 2009. I should try again because I didn’t leave enough time for the reading of the card and I would like to have a better mix of text to images.

You do, you learn and then you do some more. But without this really simple outline I might not have gotten as far as I did.

This is my storyboard; it could be much better by adding start and stop times and making decisions about removing photos to strengthen the point.

In the other hand Mrs. Hamer was a very powerful speaker. Nothing I could do can draw attention away from her voice.  A great lady.

It doesn’t have to be complicated but if you want to get a message or idea across you might need to plan it out.

This is just my two cents on the matter.

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Quick and Easy Storyboard or Planning Is Good

Diving deeper into what makes a good video. I have the point and shoot aspect of it down pat. Maybe too down pat. I don't want to make boring videos. But to make better ones takes planing.

One of the oldest and cost effective ways of making a good video is by using 3x5 cards.

Paper cards. The kind that come 100 to a pack. You will also need a ink or pencil writing instrument.
An acceptable substitute is a post it note type paper. I don't know what the generic name of it called so the trademark enforcement might be after me.

Why should you invest in 3x5 cards?

1. They are portable.
2. They do not depend on an electrical source.
3. Allows for experimentation.
4. They are cheap.

You don't have to be a creative artist. You can do this anytime and just about anywhere. 

You say you don't do anything that complex Good,then you can think of this as coverage protection. For example, say you know that you are going to record an event.  People getting up to speak or show a skill.

Before the event you could plan on taking video of the location, the seating, the equipment. You could have a planned shot list of "stuff."

You want that stuff. Why?

Because aiming a camera at a speaker for long periods of time can be boring. Or you have a boring speaker and you have to give your viewers a visual break.

You might need a transition from one person to another. Storyboarding can help you set up the structure of your video so that you can allow for something new and interesting to be inserted. 

It helps to ensure that you record what you want or need to have in the video.


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