Video Editing Software Basics: Watch this Free Tutorial

Video editing software has a fairly high learning curve, but if you master one program, you will probably find others easier to learn since most edit programs have similar layouts.

Just like cars all have the same basic features: a steering wheel, brakes and an accelerator; video editing programs also have similar features and layouts.

In this free video editing tutorial, I demonstrate the similarities between three programs: Sony Vegas, Camtasia Studio, and Windows Movie Maker.  Although turned around a bit, all three programs have essentially the same basic user interface.

The user interface with any video editing program consists of multiple windows that all function independently yet work together. No other genre of software has so much going on in so many windows at once.   That confuses a lot of people.

Why are there so many windows?

One way you can think of it is to remember that before computers, it took at least five to fifteen different components to edit video.  Once computers came along, all those different machines were duplicated inside the editing software, but each one required its own window.  This photo of WMM below shows four separate windows open.

Once you learn what all the windows do, how they function apart yet together, video editing will make a lot more sense. If you do not understand this basic concept, then video editing will befuddle you to no end.

No matter what video editing software you wish to use, this free editing tutorial from Video Production Tips will help you learn how to use the program.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts.

As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139–143

That’s the way Shakespeare described life and I absolutely concur.

Whether or not we ever appear on stage, we all play multiple roles in daily life.  Parent, worker, friend.   Add those basics to a few others out of a infinite number:  (athlete, politico, adventurer, gardener, hunter, church-goer, bargain hunter, football fan, etc., etc.,)  and that combines into one unique individual, called YOU.  (Or ME.)

Most of you reading this blog want to appear in our own videos. Whether the video you make features you acting as a fictional character or presents you realistically as the best choice in local attorneys in the Boston market,  going on camera (and doing it well) requires you to hone the skill of presenting yourself so a short video conveys exactly what you want it to.

I know just the guy who can help you do that!  He has helped me a lot.

If you are looking for coaching to improve your on-camera persona, my buddy Thom McFadden is someone you should meet.  He is a lifelong Hollywood actor who now helps folks wishing to develop on-camera skills, from “real” acting to professional image development.  He has helped me tremendously and I feel very fortunate to have his advice.

As an example of my stellar on-camera ability,   here is the testimonial I taped for his soon-to-be-released online acting course.

Thom’s new course will be incredible.  In addition to learning all about creating “characters” with speech, body language and mannerisms, you just might get a total Hollywood video production package!  A few lucky folks will get to go out to Hollywood to have his one-on-one professional help.  PLUS, his sons, who own a very successful production facility specializing in high-end online video content, will shoot and edit your video!

A professionally produced Hollywood video.  How fun and exciting is THAT?!

Sounds like an awesome opportunity.

Even if you do not need to go so far as a professionally produced Hollywood quality video, Thom’s course and advice can still greatly help you.  I promise you will get much better at presenting yourself on camera and also discover a few tricks for any role you play in life.   Then, I am here to teach you simple video production techniques so you can set up your own Hollywood production studio in your basement!

Here is a link to sign up for his FREE online acting classes, which will get you started and he will let you know when the full fledged course is ready.

My character’s role in this particular sage is to help you with do-it-yourself aspects of making video that complement what you will learn from Thom.

To that end, here are some links to some blog posts here at Video Production Tips that will help you learn all the basic of video making.  From lighting to cameras and file formats, you can discover the DIY joys on online video production!

LEARN TO MAKE YOUR OWN ONLINE VIDEO!

Here is a post that covers a lot of basic video production techniques. Discover easy tips for getting good lighting and sound while you learn to produce a talking head video, one of the most common shots in all of video production.   This post is like a mini home study all by itself.

Here is one of my most popular posts describing all the possible video equipment you need to set up a fully functioning TV studio.

Here is an article to help you decide what’s best to wear for digital video.

Here is a post on how you can enhance your video with online interactivity. Video interactivity is the latest and greatest way to boost your video’s effectiveness to the next level.

This post that explains how video interactivity turns your video into what amounts to a traveling website.

Here is one that describe online video distribution, using Traffic Geyser, a paid service that zaps your video out once to about 70 sites.

Here is an article covering basic video editing on Windows Movie Maker, one of the most common free editing programs around.

Here is a article on the technical aspect of digital video file conversion.

In addition to all the above articles and tutorials, you might also want to sign up for my free home study video production course. It has well over an hours worth of video tutorials.  The home study course will give you a good broad overview on all aspects of video making, from the technical end to storytelling.  It’s free!

Whew!  That’s a lot for you to study.  Together, all those links will give you a first rate education in the art and science of video production.  For free!

Now, I end this post with another videos I did for Thom.  This one is designed to go on his website and introduce me to his web visitors.   This video is a simple talking head that uses interactivity to increase the amount of info I can squeeze into one simple video.

Look closely and notice how this video has a blurry background and the testimonial video has an in-focus background.  The two videos were shot at the exact same time in the exact same way, so how did I do that?  That’s a digital editing effect you can learn by reading that article.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

Here is an example of an interactive video I did recently as a promotion for this blog.

Interactivity is really catching on and lots of people are talking about it. My favorite SEO expert, Nick Stamoulis, had an article on his blog today wondering whether links inside video will create more spam.  Interesting question.  As someone who has used a lot of interactivity in my videos, I told him I had not noticed any increase in spam at all.

Now I know they can get pretty sophisticated with this stuff, but the email address is actually buried fairly deep inside the interactivity so it might be difficult for spammers to extract.  When I add my email address inside of a video, it is only one of about six different bits of info inside the single interactive spot.

Even if links inside video does result in a bit more spam, the benefits derived in terms of increased sales and conversions makes it worth it.  Research shows that on average, interactive spots inside of a video result in a 24% click through rate.  That’s the average.   One guy got an unbelievable 63%.

The service I use for interactivity and online video management is Veeple.  They offer not only the best and most comprehensive video interactivity, but somehow they manage to do it for a smaller fee than any other online video management system.

Veeple is constantly improving their service.  Today they are doing a major upgrade and adding all these features.

• Veeple’s interPlay API – Now get all of Veeple’s interactivity an analytic capabilities in your own player or content management system.
• 3rd- Party CDN Hosting – Use any Content Deliver Network with Veeple by simply pointing to where the video content is already stored on your CDN. No re-uploading to your CDN.
• Interactive Spot Scaling – You now can edit your spots once and deploy your video at any size and the interactive spots will automatically re-size. Great for editing and embedding.
• Upgraded Veeple Media Bin – We have improved the look of our icons, added new ones, and made them all vector-based so they will scale to any size without any loss of quality – Beautiful!
• Native Customer Image Upload – All uploaded customer images now come in at their native size with no loss of quality. You can also upload any image without limitation on size – Great for full screen slates and post-video call-to actions.
• Unlimited Information Panel Text – Enter as much text as you wish into the Interactive Information Panels and extend your messaging as deeply as you wish. Prefect for sharing additional information with your viewers without having to send them to another website link or download additional information, it’s all in the panel.

Every single one of these new features is a fantastic addition, but probably the best is the first one listed, the interPlay API.  This allows you to use Veeple’s interactivity even if you do not use the rest of their video management system.  The best part is they are giving interPlay away for FREE.  Now there is absolutely no reason to not add interactivity to all your online videos.  Ain’t life grand?

If you would like to watch a video giving some real world examples of how to use video interactivity, check out this interview I did with Scott Broomfield, the company CEO.

Thanks for reading video Production Tips.

Lorraine Grula

Making video is not only fun, but can be profitable too.  Here at Video Production Tips, we have all the information you need.  For FREE.   There is no need for you to spend a lot of money learning how to make your own videos.   This website has hundreds of free tutorials and information tips.  Whether you need information on video cameras and other equipment, video editing or storytelling techniques, you can find it here.

Browse through the site and you’ll discover everything you need to know.  The video on this page gives an overview on the information here and introduces you to Lorraine Grula, longtime video pro.   As you watch the video, look out for the interactive icons that you can click on to visit other relevant websites.

As much FREE information as we have here, there is often no substitute for personalized help.  So we also offer one-on-one personal consulting.  Video production is definitely not a cookie-cutter affair.  Every video is unique, involving different circumstances.  It can help whole lot to speak directly with someone who can answer your specific questions.    So don’t waste any more time, contact us for personalized, direct help.

Thanks for visiting Video Production Tips.

Lorraine Grula

Internet Video Gal

There’s no doubt that interesting visuals make for an interesting final video.  Unique and unusual camera angles are a large part of that.

A reader asked me the other day how one comes up with great angles and here is what I said.

First, unless you are doing something off-the-wall, remember that most of your video will actually be comprised of standard angles.  Standard height, normal perspective.  The unusual angles should be like spices in a stew, used for a dash of flavor not an overload.

When I shoot video, I concentrate on the standard stuff first.  Wide shots, medium shots and close ups from logical and natural looking angles. THEN, I go for some unusual angles.  Sit on the floor and shoot from there.   Get up on a table and shoot from there.  Looking up at somebody makes them look huge and powerful and looking down on someone makes them look small and weak.  How extreme of an angle you choose depends on how much you want this affect.  Just a touch of a high angle will make someone look thinner, but taping them from twenty feet above their head can make them look utterly powerless.

Some of the most interesting camera angles come when you tuck the camera inside some place a person could never go.  Is your character checking the mail?  Stick the camera inside the mailbox.  A character opening up the fridge?  Stick the camera in the middle of a pile of leftovers.  Got a kid reaching into his backpack?  Put the camera in the backpack.

Look around for cool-looking things to place in the foreground of your shot.  Try to find something that adds meaning.  Can you put some pretty flowers in the foreground of your wide side shot of the lady gardening?  That will help emphasize what she is doing.

Unusual camera angles are a lot of fun.  Study award winning still pictures to get a good sense of what makes an interesting shot.   Studying great still photography is sometimes the best way to learn this aspect of video production because a still picture is just that…still.  That makes it easier to evaluate.

I hope this helps you.  If you have any questions, please leave a comment or send me an email and I will do my best to answer.

Lorraine Grula

Creative Uses for Video Interactivity

Choose a Different Ending is a popular video on You Tube that uses interactivity as an integral element.  The interactivity gives the viewer the ability to control the plot and create whatever story they want to see.

If you watch the video, you’ll see that at critical points in the story, the viewer gets to choose what the main character does.  Does he take the knife or not? Does he join the argument or not? To control the story, the viewer clicks one of several interactive links sitting on top of the video, hypervideo links if you will.

Depending on what the viewer chooses, the story jumps to another page and another video on You Tube that continues along that plot line.  Each segment ends with interactive links coming up that give the viewer a choice.  Clicking the link immediately takes you to that segment on You Tube.  I didn’t want to take the time to count every one, but there were probably about twenty-five segments total.  The video makers created a scenario for each possible viewer selection and hyperlinked them with clickable links right inside the video.

The video was done in a point-of-view (POV) shot with the camera operator actually being the main character.  The POV shot is a technique commonly used to make the viewer feel like he is inside the movie.  The POV shot and the interactivity work well together.

I went through the entire story line twice, once choosing the most aggressive action and the second time choosing the tamest action.  I indeed got very different endings.  The first story had me doomed to a life in prison; the second time I was left happy and free.

What’s the Point?

It might seem like this was all done for fun and games to give an online video viewer something new to play with.  Now that’s not a bad idea, but in this particular case, the video producers were trying to simulate an experience in conflict escalation and how personal choice can lead to either getting in trouble or staying clean.

Chose a Different Ending was produced by the Metropolitan Police Service in London and advertised on their companion website, Drop the Weapons.  The storyline of a young teenager getting involved in a knife fight is their way of reaching out to an at-risk population who might very well face the exact same circumstances as the POV character in the video.

This is an extremely creative use of video interactivity and no doubt the technique will become more common.  Videos games and other more-controlled video environments have also used interactivity to give the viewer more choice and control over the storyline.

Buy This Subservient Chicken Sandwich

One of the most commercially successful applications of interactive video online was Burger King and their “Subservient Chicken” video, which amounted to an advertisement but Burger King manage to make viewers feel like it was a fun game to share with friends.

Subservient chicken is really clever and this video became highly viral. The viewer could type in any activity and the chicken would do it.  No doubt the producers had tons of fun trying to anticipate what people would ask of the chicken.

Creative uses of video interactivity will continue to lead all video producers (and their viewers) down an exciting road of possibilities.  Incorporating interactivity opens up such a wide range of creative possibilities to engage viewers.  Think of how popular Jim Jab’s video are where viewers can submit their own still image and it automatically gets inserted into a video.  They even added interactivity to the extremely popular Evolution of Dance, which yours truly had some fun with.

For my own personal interactivity needs, I use the Veeple service.  They are more geared toward people like me, online business owners who want something affordable and easy to use.

I upload my finished videos to Veeple and add the interactive hot spots using their simple editor.  The video stays there, Veeple hosts it with full analytics on their Amazon S3 based servers.

If you are interested in having me help you create you own interactive video, please contact me for personal instruction and consulting.

If you want to read more on this subject, here is an article on future of interactive tv from the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips

Lorraine Grula

Internet Video Gal

This video is an example of what I have begun calling an “Enhanced Talking Head.” If you learn nothing else about video production, learn to make one of these. 

What is an Enhanced Talking Head?

It’s a one-shot video of someone speaking directly into the camera enhanced with interactive clickable links and embedded documents.

In the two years I’ve been operating this blog, I’ve come to believe the most practical way for Average Joe Business to take advantage of online video marketing is to produce an Enhanced Talking Head video of themselves.

That’s exactly why I made this particular video, which is now on the the sales page for Jim’s List, an extensive list of service providers for local real estate transactions.

See, I practice what I preach!

How Did I Make this Video?

I wrote up the script ahead of time and read it off a piece of paper scotch taped to the bottom of my camera.  We’ll call that my cheap and very portable teleprompter.

I set up very basic lighting using household fixtures.  You can read this post for detailed instructions on how to produce a professional-quality talking head video.  To sum it up, make sure the light is falling on your face, not behind you.  Make sure the room is as quiet as possible when you record the sound.

For the Jim’s List sales page video, I used the interactivity to introduce both this blog and my membership site to Jim’s customers.   I also gave them three interactive buttons for specific posts I knew would be beneficial for them.

In other words, I invited them inside my entire online world AND gave them a niche-specific product.  All in a two-minute video with seven interactive buttons. You could never pack that much into a standard video without interactivity. 

Honestly, I think an Enhanced Talking Head is the perfect marriage between video and online marketing for the highest number of people.

On a practical level, it’s basic and easy to do which means it is more likely to get done.

It is affordable.

Even better, this style of video has proven to be remarkably effective.    You can read this post about how one guy got a remarkable 63% CTR using an interactive video.  He is the highest I’ve heard to date.  The average CTR for interactive video is 24%,  significantly higher than pre-roll video which averages 2-4%.

I use Veeple for my interactive services.  It’s fairly easy and more affordable than a lot of online video management, even those without interactive feastures.  (Personally, I do not think I will ever do an online video again that doesn’t have at least SOME interactivity. )

To add the interactivity, I upload a finished video to my Veeple account.  It takes about thirty minutes to add all the hot spots.  It is a simple matter of knowing exactly what kind of spot I want to add and when and where I want to put it.

Veeple offers a free 30 day trial if you think online video interactivity is something you want to explore.

If you’d like you can get your own interactive talking head video like this with most of the work done for you, then check out my membership site, the Video Marketing Express.  All of the videos on Video Marketing Express feature interactivity.

Thanks for reading Video Production Tips