AUDIO VIDEO MATTER

How to Make Sure You Get a Quality Wedding Video Production - 5 Things to Look For

2008-12-30T20:08:00.000-08:00

Compared to photography, wedding video production is a relatively young industry. You probably remember when you were a kid looking at your mom & dad's wedding album and imagining what it would be like to be a bride someday. Now that your wedding day is here, you want to have pictures like your parents did. You already have in your mind what you're looking for from a wedding photographer because you've seen what wedding pictures can be. However, there's a pretty good chance your parent's didn't have a wedding video and if they did, it's probably on 8mm film and you have to drag out your projector to watch it. Everything is out of focus and there's no sound except for the clicking of the projector -- not a really enjoyable experience.

However, wedding videography today has come a long way and many wedding videos that are being produced today can rival the quality and emotional essence of a major Hollywood motion picture. A true professional wedding videographer knows how to capture your wedding day and turn it into a Hollywood quality movie that you'll want to watch over and over again for years to come. Then, when your children grow up, they will want to watch it with you.

So how do you make sure you find a good wedding videographer? In this article, I'll give you 5 quick and easy things to look for to make sure you get the best possible video for your money.

Personality - When you're interviewing potential videographers, try to listen to the enthusiasm in their voice. If they get excited talking to you about your wedding, they're probably passionate about their job and will do good work for you. As your talking, see if you get excited right back. A good rapport with your wedding videographer will make for a better wedding video.
Quality of their work - Make sure you get a demo of their work. The demo should show off a variety of venues, shooting styles and lighting conditions. A quick tip: watch the video twice. The first time you watch it, turn the sound down so that you can look at the technical aspects of the video. You want to look for what a video will look like outside (if you're having an outdoor wedding) or during the dancing when the lights are turned down real low. If you see a lot of shaky camera work or zooms in and out then that's the sign of an amateur videographer. Look for any cheesy transitions between scenes or title work. There's a reason you never see a page turn transition or a star wipe transition in a Hollywood movie. Once you've evaluated the video for technical merit, turn the sound back up and watch it again for emotional impact. You want to listen to the music and make sure the video is timed well with the music and that the music draws you into the moment emotionally.
Equipment - A professional will never come to a wedding with only one camera. Find out how many cameras are used throughout the day (both during the ceremony and the reception) and how many they take with them. it's not uncommon to take more cameras than are used. Also ask about audio equipment and how they plan to capture the vows, readings, toasts, etc. Video is more than just a visual presentation -- a quality wedding video will also capture quality audio as well.
Staff - Find out how many people will be attending your wedding. A professional videographer can do the job solo but it's very difficult. If the videographer says that he works solo then pay particular attention to the quality of the demo and ask how certain shots were done if he was the only videographer there.
Cost - A quality wedding video produced by a professional videographer can be expensive. Make sure that you find the best quality of video that you can afford on your budget. Selecting your photographer and videographer early on can be a huge advantage because you know that whatever you spend on other things will be captured forever. Sometimes you have to ask yourself, what's more important, remembering every detail of my wedding 20 years from now or chair covers?

Steve Bailey is a professional wedding videographer with almost ten years experience and is the owner of Memories Forever Video Productions based out of Delaware. If you're interested in finding out more about wedding video production check out their blog at http://blog.memoriesforevervideo.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_L_Bailey

Corporate Video Production - Corporate Videos High Impact on Business Audience

2008-12-29T20:06:00.000-08:00

Any business worth its salt is looking towards enhanced productivity that is effective from the word go-and in changing times with marketing banking on the reach of the Internet and company e-mailing methods more and more companies are looking for answers in corporate video production. The whole business of corporate video production has arisen from the new-age companies realizing the effectiveness of a well designed and compellingly conceptualized corporate video production for various industry segments, be it training, initiation to a company process, upgrading knowledge base of junior or senior level employees or simply motivational messages. Companies doing business online have also realized that successful corporate video production is part of efficient and well-researched marketing as well and therefore, choosing the right video production and marketing agency is crucial to a company’s ethos and profitability from the venture.

The right corporate video production company would be one that allows the client to sort and manage all of its images and artwork from a central location, reach out the best possible content presentation to the appropriate target audience with the right subject portrayed in the right light. Any company that uses innovative use of the cutting edge technology available today for the maximum benefit of the company while also meeting budget and timeline criteria and allows the client to search across multiple stock image libraries and various industry verticals is the right one. While the handling of corporate video production is a specialized field and requires experienced players who are more than a dab hand at developing and strategizing corporate videos as compared to school or training videos, entrusting these to an accredited agency with a proven track record is advisable.

Asking for samples of other corporate video production that the company has done and testimonials from previous clients is one way of resolving any doubts as to the delivery status of the company and a sneak preview offer of the entire project initially is an ideal one to take up. This prepares you with a clear mental picture of what is to come and what the company can deliver. So, whether you are looking to document a management lesson in your corporate video production or condensing the chairman’s speech or company message into a five-minute teaser, by engaging the right video production company you can manage it effectively and innovatively by great visuals and supportive audio that is consistently high quality.

While corporate video productions require a high level of quality and formal creative content management, a experienced video production company can help create training videos that are invaluable in lesson plans and limit it to teaching of specific skills in a specialized manner. These corporate video production programs can be utilized anywhere a business finds tasks, processes or skills that need teaching and wants to teach them best to the audience by creating a how-to video. Creative corporate video production can thus, lead to real lead generation for any market-savvy business. Corporate video production can involve communication about a new product and channel training, demonstration, sales or presentation, compliance/regulatory/HR or even Live training or new course creation.

Shakir A. is independent writer on Internet marketing, PPC, SEO, SEM, Online Marketing, Video Production and other related topics. Video Production Orange County - Video Production Services in California http://www.internetmarketingcalifornia.com/ & http://www.videoproductionorangecounty.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shakir_A.

How to Get Your Video Production Right the FIRST Time

2008-12-27T20:04:00.000-08:00

I’ll cut to the chase. To make your video look right, you have to wear makeup. Sorry guys, be macho if you want, but when you have a five o’clock shadow after you just shaved, don’t say I didn’t warn you. The harsh lights used in studios penetrate several layers of skin that would appear a lot healthier if you had just put on some powder. It gets worse… baldness seems to be highlighted by cameras for some reason, get over it and put on some makeup. Don’t forget your nose and forehead, and always reapply during a break; you’ll thank me later.

While we’re on the vanity of things; clothes. Don’t wear gaudy prints, black, red or white. When you review your video, you want to see yourself rather than your outfit.

OK, now that that is out of the way, onto cameras. You’ll want preferably three cameras to ensure you have captured your speech and your audience from all angles. In order for your video to be of the best possible quality you’ll want to use Beta Cam, mini DV, or at the absolute worst, SVHS or HI8. Also, to have your video look great you should use professional operators and a director if they are using multi-cameras and a control room.

Lighting is the most important element when planning a video production. I have videos that were shot on poor quality cameras, but look great thanks to the right lighting.

If the organization is doing the editing, be right there in the suite as they do it. Ultimately, no matter what you have bartered, this is your finished copy and you should have a say in what is cut and what is not.

Lastly, scatter microphones throughout the audience. This will allow you to hear real reactions without the filters of lapel microphones.

Tom Antion provides entertaining speeches and educational seminars. He is the ultimate entrepreneur, having owned many businesses BEFORE graduating college. Tom is the author of the best selling presentation skills book "Wake 'Em Up Business Presentations" and "Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing." It is important to Tom that his knowledge be not only absorbed, but enjoyed. This is why he delivers his speeches laced with great humor and hysterical jokes. Tom has addressed more than 87 different industries and is thoroughly committed to his client's needs.

http://www.antion.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Antion

Becoming a videographer

2008-12-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

The steps needed to become a videographer are going to vary based on the type of videography services that you plan on delivering. If you plan on offering very basic video services like filming weddings and special events, then chances are you can get by with little formal training. However, if you plan on offering extensive editing and professional video production services, then it is in your best interest to take formal courses in videography, editing and business management.

The first step in becoming a videographer is to determine what type of videographer you plan on becoming. There are a lot of video specialties that you can focus your business on. There are wedding videographers, independent film producers, studio film producers, documentary videographers and legal videographers, just to name a few.

The next step in becoming a videographer is to uncover what education and training you will need to run your video business. People interested in offering wedding filming services will most likely only need basic instructions on how to use a video camera, how to use editing software and how to compose and mix soundtracks for video productions. On the other hand, if you plan on offering more complex video production services then you may want to complete a more comprehensive itinerary of courses. An example of the type of curriculum you may want to cover in your video education include: film producing, film editing, film aesthetics, screenwriting, music composition and editing, after effects, audio mixing, DVD compression, web compression and courses in the use of common filmmaking software programs like DVD Studio Pro and Final Cut Pro.

The third step in becoming a videographer is to acquire the equipment that you will need for your business. To get all of the equipment that you need you will need to have some money set aside to invest. Some of the equipment that you will need include: a computer with multi-media components, digital storage devices and hardware, camera equipment, editing equipment, sound equipment and lighting equipment.

Once you have your video production studio set up, your next step will be to design and implement an advertising campaign. This campaign needs to focus on getting the word out about your services. The marketing devices that you will want to design include: brochures, business cards, price lists and flyers. Finally you may want to put together a demo reel to show potential customers what you can do.

A legal videographer is a video production specialist who is skilled at producing video evidence for legal cases. The services offered by this type of video specialist is in high demand and it pays a very generous salary. Being a professional digital videographer takes more than just knowledge of how to use a digital camcorder. It takes expertise in a variety of business, creative and technical subjects. There are a lot of videography equipment that videographers need including: cameras, tripods, editing software, video monitors, cases, lenses and mixing devices.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Freeland

How to Make the Best Training Video For Your Company

2008-12-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

Training Videos have been around for decades.

At some stage, we’ve all been made to watch one with a poorly written script, bad acting, overly dramatised narration and of course, bad music (and hair, you can’t forget the hair). And if you’re like me, you probably had lots of fun laughing at them and not learning.

But forget any bad experience you’ve had with a 70’s style training video. Educational videos really do work and they have come a long way.

The reason they have lasted such a long time is that they can quickly and effortlessly get across important training messages. Complex information can easily be understood.

Other benefits include faster staff training, a more productive and efficient workforce and reduced training consultant fees.

Best of all, educational videos will always deliver a consistent message and never have a bad (hair!) day. Important messages can be watched over and over again.

Tailor made productions are an indispensable training tool for companies with a large workforce that have important processes and procedures that need to be undertaken safely and correctly. New inductees can easily be trained to your specific company needs.

So if bad music and poor narration doesn’t work, what does?

1. Keep your Script Simple, Stupid

To get your training video going, it all starts with a KYSSS. Better wise known as Keep your Script Simple, Stupid.

Too often companies will write their own script based on their big (boring) training manuals. This is great if you want people to refresh themselves with a nap during their training session. Not great if you want to grab their attention and teach them something.

The beauty with video is that both pictures and sound tell your story. So you don’t need lots of talking to explain things, as you can show people what you mean.

After all, research has found that people remember about 80% of what they see, not what they hear.

Our advice is to spend a lot of time getting your script right, as it really does drive the quality of the production. Use lots of short sentences and avoid overly technical jargon.

If you can, get the video production house to write the script for you. Often getting a trained script writer to write your script means that it will be written in simple English that is not overly technical (ie: not a yawn creator).

2. Leave your Director Dreams at Home, Buddy

Often we’ve been called in to re-do a training video that was made in-house. An aspiring staff member with (dodgy) dreams of Hollywood believes they can have a crack at the company training video.

By the end of it, their pesky dreams are no longer. Long hours of frustrating editing has seen to that (which is a relief to their manager).

Despite their Scorsese intentions, the end result is often an out of focus, badly narrated production with jarring music. Usually pretty reminiscent of training videos of old or like something your mum would make.

As a training tool, it has little impact because people are too busy trying to work out what the camera is trying to focus on or trying to hear what the narrator is actually saying (which is usually them talking while filming).

Our recommendation is to use a professional video production house with lots of training video experience.

When choosing a video production company, take a look at their videos to make sure that the script is sensible, the narration is clear, the camera work is smooth and at the same quality as what you’d expect on television.

Stay away from production houses with no training video experience or who themselves aspire to be film directors (which seems to be about 95% of them). Too often, they have no business acumen and forget to focus on how to get messages across and improve learner message retention.

3. Reiterate, reiterate, reiterate

Using titles to reiterate your important training messages is incredibly effective. They need to be used generously in a production, as they really do increase your message retention rates.

4. Change what’s on screen……now

Expert training video producers have lots of tricks up their sleeves to grab audience attention and concentration.

One of them is changing what’s on screen every few seconds. The change doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can be as simple as a close up shot, a new title, or even a shot from a different angle.

By constantly changing the on-screen vision, people are more likely to keep watching with interest.

Another important point is to avoid getting your video done through your training consultant. In our experience, they tend to look at the size of their commission cheque (particularly sales trainers) and do not care about the end result. Most training consultants have no video experience which means they do not know the best way to present information in a video format.

Remember, if you need to get a training video produced, focus on the quality of the script and ensure that you choose a video production house that wants to improve learner message retention rather than just provide pretty pictures on the television. And for good measure, take a look at their hair!

Marie-Claire Ross is a Producer at Digicast Productions. A video production house that specialises in corporate training and marketing videos. You can check her out (and her hair) at http://www.digicast.com.au or phone (03) 9696-4400.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marie-Claire_Ross

Green Screen Technique For Video Production

2008-12-21T19:55:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick response to a question a reader asked the other day about how to green screen. He wondered how far the on-camera person should be from the green background. He said he was very frustrated because he had searched for an answer and everyone said something different. There was no consensus so he was confused. I explained that the reason no one seemed to agree is because the proper distance between the background and the on-camera talent is entirely dependent on the particular situation under which you are videotaping.

When you're making a video using green screen technique, how far away from the green background should your on-camera person be? A reader asked this the other day and said he was very frustrated because he had searched for an answer and everyone said something different. There was no consensus so he was confused.

I explained that the reason no one seemed to agree is because the proper distance between the background and the on-camera talent is entirely dependent on the particular situation under which you are videotaping.

On a technical level, the distance is totally irrelevant. What matters is that the green background is an even color. No variations. Shadows are one of the chief problems that cause variations in color. The darker color of the shadow will cause the green screen effect to be uneven.

If the on-camera person is standing very close to the background, chances are her shadow will fall on the background. But if the on-camera person were twenty feet from the background, the same shadow would fall harmlessly on the floor, which is cropped out of the picture.

Problem is, most people do not have the luxury of that much room.

In an ideal situation, most professional videographers would place the on-camera talent at least five or ten feet from the background. This gives the talent a little breathing room and helps ensure an even background.

However, when I took a tour of ABC news studios, I saw them videotape a news update and the anchor person was smashed up against the wall. They shot the news update from her office, which was tiny. It looked great on the air. I could barely tell it was a green screen. It looked real!

The lighting in her office was extremely diffused so there were no shadows. The green behind her was homogenous in color which gave a beautiful green screen effect.

So if you have some room to play with, go for a distance of about ten feet. If you don't have the room, do not worry about it. Just make sure your lighting is diffused so the shadows will be minimal or non existent.

If you have a video production question you'd like answered, drop me a line a videoproductiontips@gmail.com I'd love to hear from you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

Video Production - Part II - The Production Stage

2008-12-19T19:57:00.000-08:00

OK. You've written your script, got everything approved, organized everything and everyone, and now you're ready to shoot your video. Here are the major considerations for the video production stage.

Safety

Above all else, practice extreme safety measures such as making sure that wires are taped down, that lights have sandbags on them to prevent them from tipping over and other potential accidents are avoided.

Set-up and breakdown

If you're in an unsecured, public area, do what you have to do to secure your equipment when you bring it to the set and when you're done shooting. If it requires two or more trips to your auto so load or unload the equipment, get someone to help you or at least watch over the equipment until you are around to secure all of it.

Make sure you allot time to set up, test and break down the equipment on the set. Unless you need the talent or actors on the set early for some reason, and especially if you're paying them for their time, you can tell your actors to show up later, so they don't get in the way or become impatient while everything is being readied for the shoot.

The set up period is when you are testing equipment, setting up your lights, doing audio checks, setting up props and signage, taping down cables so that no one trips over them, and performing other activities necessary for the production process to take place.

Conversely, allot plenty of time to break down the equipment and load it into the automobile(s), using the security precautions identified earlier.

Lighting

Obviously, you didn't bring your lights to the set when you did your initial site inspection. So here's where the tire hits the road. It's time to light the set. If you want to create professional lighting, you'll need to take time to light the foreground, background and of course the subject. It's not as easy as you would think, as shadows seem to appear from nowhere. So bring more lights than you think you'll need and allot plenty of extra time for this important task. Lights can be rented from video rental companies.

Director

As the name implies, the director directs the production. Generally, the technical people know what to do and won't need hands-on direction, unless there's a problem. But the director will direct the actors and orchestrate the production stage, as he or she is responsible for success or failure at this crucial phase of the project.

Remember, there should only be one director. It's a bad scene (no pun intended) when the director gets into an argument with someone on the set who decides to challenge their authority. So unless it's pre-arranged for this to be a collaborative effort, just give one person the final decision making power on the set. Otherwise, chaos will reign. The time for collaboration is during the pre-production phase. During this action phase, it's time to execute the plan, not rethink it. Of course last minute ideas and other matters happen, but

Don't let them get in the way of sticking to your basic plan and timetable.

Audio

As I mentioned in the pre-production article, try to get redundant audio in case a microphone cuts out or otherwise malfunctions and prepare for a plan B if your initial audio equipment doesn't work for some reason. For instance, if you're shooting in an urban area with lots of skyscrapers and you're using a wireless microphone, you may get interference. When you're trying to shoot an industrial video is no time to be picking up the baseball game on your wireless mic channel! So if you have your wired microphone, you can replace the wireless one and save the day.

Above all else, test the audio level of the presenter before the program begins and have someone monitor the audio with headphones and some sort of meter on the camera or a mixer. Ideally you want the audio to go through an audio mixer so the levels can be monitored and adjusted by a person whose sole task is to do this.

Make Up

If you have the budget to hire one, a make up person is indispensable. It is their sole job to see if the talent is 'shining' and requires make-up due to sweat, oily skin or the way the light is hitting them. They are also responsible for hair and the general appearance of the actors. When you're on the set, it's no time for a bad hair day! The make up artist can also be responsible for wardrobe and making sure all of the little details of the talent's grooming are tended to. Just make sure he or she understands their responsibilities before the shoot. Of course that goes for everyone on the set.

Camera person

It goes without saying that the camera person needs to know what they're doing. They need to know about white balancing, making sure the video is focused, knows the type of camera moves the director wants, has a good fluid head tripod for smooth camera moves, can troubleshoot possible problems, and can otherwise help make the shot look good.

Unless you can re-shoot a scene or a day's worth of production, you only get one chance to get it right. So having a great production team is crucial. This means that everyone is competent, helps out, leaves any personal problems at the door, and has a helpful approach to the day's work.

Sometimes a client will hire my company to do the production phase after they have written the script and done much of the pre-production work. And if the production is done properly, the client may even try their hand at editing the production. There's no problem with this because unless they somehow ruin the original footage, it's impossible to permanently goof up the edit. But the production phase is another story. You generally only get one chance at it - especially if it's a live event.

Often, when we're hired for the production phase, we suggest that the client pay us for a few hours to review their script to make sure that the pre-production phase has been properly executed. If we have to scramble to cover up flaws that haven't been considered earlier, it just makes things more difficult, and the results can suffer. So especially for the first time out, when it really counts, just make sure that you hire professionals to do the work that you aren't trained to perform. Just take good notes and perhaps you can produce your next video yourself. Or at least handle some of the responsibilities.

Best of luck with your production. With proper planning and a competent team you'll achieve your goals. Now read on to the article entitled "Video Production - Part III - Post Production or Editing".

For more related articles go to http://www.video1pro.com
For assistance with your next project, contact us through our website at http://www.video1pro.com or call us at 773 252-3352.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Irwin_Myers

Script Writing For Video Production

2008-12-17T19:53:00.000-08:00

The script is the heart of your video production. So what makes a good video script?

Concise, conversational and easy-to-read.

Video script writing is the exact opposite from technical writing or academic writing. Those forms of writing use complex sentences, ten-dollar words and are usually very wordy. That is NOT what you want with a video script.

First, keep in mind that a video script is to be read aloud. Viewers will HEAR it rather than READ it. Therein lies the major difference. It's called writing for the ear instead of writing for the eye.

On a practical level, it is also writing for your narrator. No narrator, not even the really good ones, sound good stumbling through endless tongue twisters. Convoluted, run-on sentences are not only a nightmare to read; they are also hard for the audience to understand.

So forget everything you learned from those stodgy English teachers. (My best friend is an English teacher; that is not a criticism.) It's ok for video scripts to be full of sentence fragments because that is how people actually talk. If it makes sense when heard, then that is what you want.

The single best way to evaluate a video script is to read it aloud. Have someone listen to you if possible and see how well they understand what you are saying. Do not worry about using short, choppy sentences if that is what SOUNDS good. Inflection, tone of voice and pacing will have a lot to do with how well the script is understood and those things do not come through on paper.

Back when I taught TV production, I told my high school students to pretend they were speaking to a friend. If you wanted to tell a friend this story, what would you say? Write that down. Then, go back and modify it. Cut out the fat. Make sure the meat is prominent. Make sure the words you have chosen are descriptive, colorful, yet easily pronounced and understood.

Video script writing is a style unto itself. Remember too that whatever video you use also conveys meaning. Ideally, the video and the spoken narration work together in order to communicate. So if your narrator says, "Political leaders spoke to the public," and you show a hot air balloon deflating, then you have added considerable meaning without relying on words. That little trick is one of the things that makes video production so much fun!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

Video Production - Storytelling

2008-12-15T19:51:00.000-08:00

The best videos tell a story. People love stories and it is the story that draws them in emotionally.

Now, I can just hear people saying, "But I'm trying to sell lawnmowers. That's not exactly a subject that lends itself to storytelling. Storytelling is just for fictionalized video productions."

OK, I understand where you are coming from, but hang with me here.

A story can be woven into ANY subject matter. The lawnmower example? Find a customer who won a landscaping award based in part on their beautiful lawn. Or, find a physically handicapped customer whose life was made easier when they gave up the clunky push mower for one of your fantastic riding lawnmowers.

STORIES ARE BASED ON CHARACTERS

Any decent novelist will tell you that characters are the heart of their story. Most novelists come up with the characters before they dream up the plot. Often, they will say the story writes itself once they know their characters well. What would this person do in this situation? There's your story.

Next time you watch TV, pay close attention to the commercials. Most TV commercials do a fantastic job of developing characters in just 30 seconds.

My favorite example is the series of Apple Computer commercials featuring the Mac and PC characters. Both characters are the personification of the image Apple wants to give to each product. Mac is hip and cool; PC is a nerd. Any viewer sees that immediately.

Exploiting clichés is usually necessary when you are trying to tell a story with delineated characters in a brief period of time. The P.C. police will get mad at me for that but tough beans. It is true.

A one-minute video production is not a novel. To get your point across quickly, you have to rely on pre-conceived notions. You CAN do that without being offensive.

Since video production is a visual medium, visual clichés rule. When they cast the Apple commercials, I'm sure all the fat, ugly actors were considered for the PC role only. Wardrobe probably wanted to add a bow tie and high-waisted pants.

The easiest way to add a story to your video production is to find a person (or make one up) that personifies the idea you are trying to get across. Are you wanting to produce a video on the dry subject of economics? Find a family that is struggling economically and tell their story. Take lots of heart-warming close-ups of their adorable baby.

EMOTIONALISM is the meat of any story, so don't be afraid to go for the jugular.

Even if your video production is just going to be a talking-head explaining how to assemble a bookshelf, you can add emotionalism. You do this by making sure your on-camera host displays personality. Then you add some catchy music and flashy graphics. Those techniques alone will go a long way to adding emotionalism, and a story, to your video production.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

Video Production Lighting Basics By Lorraine Grula Platinum Quality Author

2008-12-13T03:51:00.000-08:00

For many novice video producers, lighting causes lots of worry and seems very complicated. Lighting for video production CAN be complicated, but it certainly doesn't HAVE to be.

I specialize in making video as easy as possible while still maintaining a professional look. I can sum up everything you need to know about lighting in just three bullet points:

1. Direct Light = Harsh
2. Diffused Light = Soft
3. What DIRECTION is the light coming from?

If you learn the meaning of these three concepts, I promise your lighting efforts will improve tremendously.

We'll start with the first two points. They are related.
Light comes in two forms, direct and diffused. Direct light is harsh and scary looking while diffused light is soft and flattering to the face.

If you remember elementary school physics, light rays always travel in a straight line. Imagine yourself outside at night with a flashlight. You can see the entire beam of light and it is straight. If you want to illuminate an object, you have to shine the flashlight directly on it. This is an example of direct light It travels in one direction, straight as an arrow.

Diffused light is when the straight light beams hit something reflective and then bounce off it. They bounce in straight lines but usually there are so many straight lines bouncing around that the effect is to have light rays bouncing around every-which-way.

A standard, incandescent light bulb is painted white on the inside in order to diffuse the light The light beams hit the white paint and bounce.

Another prime example of direct and diffused light is to think about being outside on a cloudy day or a sunny day. On a bright, sunny day you have direct light There are lots of deep shadows and the shadows have distinct edges.

On a cloudy day, the clouds diffuse the light If it's cloudy enough, there will not be any shadows at all. Since the light is bouncing around every-which-way, any potential shadow is filled in by the bouncing light and eliminated.

Generally speaking, you want DIFFUSED light in video production. Unless you are doing a monster movie, diffused light will look best.

Most of the gadgets that come in a professional light kit exist for the sole purpose of diffusing the light If you do not have a professional lighting kit, you can achieved a diffused effect by pointing your light toward the ceiling or wall and bouncing it. Do not point it at the on-camera talent. They will thank you for it. Not only will it make them look better, but it will keep them from squinting and being dreadfully uncomfortable.

Now let's talk about the third bullet point. What DIRECTION is the light coming from?

Is the source of light in front of your on-camera person? Behind them? To the side? Behind? What direction the light is coming from will have a huge impact on how it looks.

Generally speaking, you want the light source to be in front of, or to the side, of your on-camera talent. You do NOT want it behind them unless you are trying to hide their identity. Light coming from behind will create a silhouette. Video producers usually reserve that technique for sleazebags who want to remain anonymous.

This is a mistake I see frequently. People will stand right in front of the window thinking that the light coming from the window will add enough light to make their shot look good. It probably would, IF the on-camera person stands so the light falls on their face and not on their back.

There you have it, the basics of lighting for video production.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

Digital Video Production

2008-12-11T06:50:00.000-08:00

Inspiration comes in many creative forms. Thanks to the new updates on digital video making, even amateurs are their own videos. There are home videos like bachelor parties, birthdays, marriages, special events, pool events, memorable occasions etc. Digital video production is a hobby for many people and is very creative too. One can subscribe to many magazines, online portals, and join classes to learn how to use them judiciously.

Digital video productions are being used in many classrooms also. They are included in the curriculum of many projects. The audio-visual medium is rich and students can understand better with it. The equipment is also affordable and can be used easily with the help of manuals. But classrooms can teach better use of these products.

Digital video software is available everywhere. If one can use it with the help of the computer, it can be a good a start for even a beginner. Even the kids can use it independently and make their own pictures. Digital video productions should be taken seriously if one has opted for the equipment. First of all find a suitable project that you like and also if someone else has not taken it up already. A little bit of prior planning can help to make really good movies.

One can plan well and take up a simple project. To shoot, edit and cut, it should take about a week. Make a proper script, choose friends and allocate departments well in advance, so there is no confusion.

TR Productions is New England's digital video production and multimedia leader! Whether you need a fully scripted presentation, a quick video interview shot for a meeting or an entire website, we add communications value on projects large or small. Contact us now at (800) 472-7449.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amit_Salkar

Get Rolling with Digital Video Production

2008-12-09T03:47:00.000-08:00

The muse can come from many different places and in different shapes. Now days in the world of digital video creation everyone can be a creative pro with their own gear. Some of the kinds of videos one can produce are bachelor parties, birthday events, weddings, special events, anniversaries and so on. There are so many wonderful and creative things you can do now days with digital video production. There are a ton of great ways to learn more on using the tools needed for creating fun and interesting digital video. You can find lessons, tips, classes and magazines which will show you the ins and outs.

The education environment is not utilizing digital video production in many ways as well. Students create them in classes, teachers use them in their curriculum, giving the students a full and rich learning environment. Students can learn faster and relate quicker to this audio-visual medium. Today's digital video equipment and tools are easy to afford and students can be guided using quality manuals and guides.

The advent of non linear editing software, powerful and yet common computers and you have the easy set up for digital video editing using software that is readily available. Both Windows and Mac computers come equipped with digital video editing software out of the box these days. You can add in the more complex and fancy packages to create fancier productions without having to go to graduate school to learn the system. The key to a good video production using digital equipment is to plan. Just like writing a paper for a class it makes sense to lay out your idea for a video production and plan it well in advance. That way you can create a work flow that makes it a snap to get from a to z in your production in no time.

Outline your idea, write a basic script, take notes while shooting, input your material in an organized fashion and then editing is a snap. If you skimp on these areas then you will spend more time scratching your head than you will laying out your fun project. It is simple if you plan.

One thing to always do in digital video production is have fun. The tools are so affordable and easy to learn that it makes sense to create and make fun video productions.

Kevin Rockwell has worked in TV production for over 25 years and now revels in the use of digital video and digital editing tools for his video production company. Stay on top of the world of digital video at Digital Video Centre. Sign up to get free digital video tips sent your box.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Rockwell

High Definition Video Production

2008-12-07T03:48:00.000-08:00

The advent of High Definition Video Production has proved to be a boon for television producers. It is inexpensive and cuts down on expenses without compromising on quality. The two companies that have been responsible for making HDV are JVC and Sony. Multimedia has made inroads in offices and homes too. The High Definition Video Production has opened up many vistas for professionals and amateurs. News channels rely on them for making stories and putting news as it happens across the world.

Home makers use the video footage to make memorable movies. They can be related to candid camera moments or a properly scripted one. Seasons are the time of fun and shooting videos. With high definition cameras, one can make as good pictures that appear on the screen. If one has the HDV equipment, one can select the number of events to be shot. This way the device is used sensibly. Proper planning is the key to have better movies. With a script as a guideline one can make sensitive pictures.

Making pictures is not the only thing one becomes skilled at. Understand how to take care of the equipment. The production can be only done if the camera is charged properly before the event. The person shooting it should be focused and not socialize. Many great moments are missed when the cameraman is busy eating or not focusing on the event. Make sure it is a day or night event and carry lights if required for the shooting.

TR Productions is New England's high definition video production and multimedia leader! Whether you need a fully scripted presentation, a quick video interview shot for a meeting or an entire website, we add communications value on projects large or small. Contact us now at (800) 472-7449.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amit_Salkar

Music Video Production For Musicians - 7 Steps to Your Making Your Own Video - Part 1

2008-12-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

Before we begin, I would advice you to use a professional music video production company. There are many services that would give you the quality you need at low price. Some might actually save you time and money.

Shooting yourself, however, may actually be quite fun and an exciting experience. Let's get to the good stuff then!

1) Preparation is King!

In all film and video production planning is what saves you time and money. How much you prepare can make the difference between success and failure.

One of the first things we were taught in film school was Murphy's law - "Everything that can go wrong, will go wrong!"

Just make sure you go down this list and make sure you plan ahead of time.

2) Your concept and script

You need to first know what you are going to shoot. Brainstorm ideas and see what you want to go with.

This is going to form the basics of your planning. You may choose to ignore this step, at your peril.

3) Choose your director and crew

Somebody must take the responsibility for the production. As much as everybody would like to have a go, it's not really a good approach. Let one person take charge.

A full crew listing is beyond the scope of this article but for a basic production have at least one person on the camera. I wouldn't advice you to rent professional lights if you are inexperienced get one person to be in charge of that.

If you have someone who is good with design and make up, that's great a s well

A runner is someone who basically does everything else as required at a given time.

In Part 2 we will go into some of the stuff that goes into the actual shooting.

John Essiam is a music video director and an industry professional based in the UK. You can get a free download of his eBook "How To Get A Record Deal From The Comfort Of Your Bedroom" at GuaranteedVideos.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Essiam

Video Production and Short Films

2008-12-03T03:43:00.000-08:00

The art of taking videos that do justice to the purpose is what gives a good reputation to the video production company. Videography as it is alternatively referred to is the industry where qualified film makers and advertisement related professionals produce videos for their clients. The main aim of videos is to give a real life feel to the occasion or business being carried out, so the viewers get involved in what they are seeing and take back a piece of the same with them.

These also come in handy when a company wants to make a pitch for a new project or as proof of activities being carried out in an organization. When we watch wedding videos or videos of award ceremonies, we get a sense of Deja vu, which transports us to the day when the event took place. This makes us relive the experience and this is a beautiful experience to go through.

Video production is carried out by media companies where the person working on the project is involved right from the inception stage to the releasing the output. He has a discussion with the company, or the corporate communications person about what is the purpose behind the video and the vision for the same. Based on this, and with other related data, he will then consult his team of creative people and videographer to come up with ideas and then go ahead in creating the final product.

The film is then shot, and it could either involve people working in the organization or have actors playing different roles depicting the message to be conveyed. There will be stages where he will have to make changes and fine tune the video to cater to the needs and preferences of the client before it gets released. Off late there has been a trend where videos are preferred over many pages of information because these are to the point, with audio visual inputs and have a better reach.

Corporate video production

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clyde_Lee_Dennis

Video Production Techniques

2008-12-01T03:40:00.000-08:00

I think the best way to understand video production is to think of it as a PROCESS.

The process is always the same, whether you are producing a simple video or a complex one.

Here is a description of the process, step-by-step. It can be broken down into three phases.

Pre-production
Production
Post-production

Pre-production is probably the most important and the easiest. Even if you want to outsource most of the work, you can (and should) do most of the pre-production yourself. Pre-production includes everything you do before you ever touch the camera. First, think about what you want your finished video to be. Ask yourself these questions.

Who is your audience?
What does your audience need or want to hear?
What does the audience already know?
What style of video would appeal to your target audience?
What is your budget?
What resources do you have readily available?

The answer to these questions will determine most everything else.

Next, think about what you should actually go and get on video tape. Do you need to interview experts? Do you need footage of specific things that represent your subject? Where and how will you video tape these things? Plan it all out. Make phones calls. Schedule crews, etc.

Write out a first draft of your script. Nothing needs to be carved in stone at this point, but a working script will help you collect all your thoughts.

A good script should be conversational. Pretend you are explaining the subject matter to a friend. What would you say to them? Write that down and then modify it by using more colorful words and better descriptions.

Video scripts are best if they use simple, short sentences. Avoid long, complex words that will be tongue twisters. Read it aloud to test it. Have someone else listen to you and get their reaction.

The production phase includes gathering all of your raw materials. All your raw video and audio. This phase probably takes the most work and know-how, especially if you are shooting everything from scratch.

Post-production is the phase where you take all your raw materials and assemble them into a finished video. Mostly, post-production means video editing. You add titles, music and other special effects during post-production.

There are many wonderful computer video editing programs that do a great job. Personally, I use Final Cut by Apple Computers. This is an advanced video editing program that allows you total control over every single aspect of your video. Most beginners would never want to fool with it. A beginner would be much better off with a simple program like Windows Movie maker or iMovie, which are both free. Those programs rely on pre-produced templates that make it much easier and less complex.

Sony Vegas Movie Studio is a popular program that is inexpensive and allows more control than the freebie programs but isn't nearly as complicated as Final Cut.

Video editing is also a step-by-step process and I have many free tutorials here on video production tips.com that will help you.

So there you have it, a brief description of the process of video production.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

How to Outsource Video Production By Lorraine Grula Platinum Quality Author

2008-11-29T06:42:00.000-08:00

Internet business owners are bombarded with advice to use video to promote their websites. Great advice. Video works.

How well does video work? Some split-testing research from Russell Brunson's website, Dot Com Secrets, shows an incredible 98.9% chance that video will outperform any other method, text, images, or audio.

With statistics like that, it's impossible for a website owner to ignore video.

Problem is, adding videos of any sophistication beyond a head shot is often more than a small business can handle. Learning video production can take a while and with everything else you need to concentrate on, outsourcing video production might be a good idea.

So here is some outsourcing advice.

First, consider yourself the Executive Producer on the project as you will direct each of the other crew members, any where from one to ten people depending on your project.

Think about the overall style of the video you want and ask yourself these questions.

Who is the audience for your video?
What do you want them to learn?
What do you want them to feel?
What do they already know?

The more you can answer these questions upfront, the easier it will be to create a good video.

Next, determine your budget. Budget determines everything else.

Video production is one of those things that's probably best done locally. There are lots of video production services over the internet but you will have better control with local people. Certainly if you want to be in your video it's best to have a crew come to you.

For lower budget services, call local television stations in your area and ask to speak with both the manager of the production department and the news photography department. Lots of TV station employees freelance on the side using company equipment. This way, you can get reasonably competent people and professional equipment.

Even if there are no weekend freelancers, TV stations often have remarkably low rates. They will do stuff for free if you buy enough advertising time. If you're not buying advertising, the rates are still low, especially PBS stations.

While you're calling around, ask if there are any active local chapters of organized video professionals. These groups exist so people can network and are often the best source to find quality professionals.

Local high schools and universities often have students (or teachers) for hire who will work for less.

Small government TV channels are another great source to find competent people who won't charge too much.

Local wedding photography companies also charge fairly low rates. Production houses who specialize in commercial will charge the highest rates.

Once you hire someone, talk to them about the three phases of production:

Pre-production: What video will you shoot? Where will you shoot it? Write a script but realize it is best at this point to be flexible with your script. Plan everything out as much as possible.
Production: This is where the cameras roll. Production is the most expensive phase by far so you want good pre-production planning in order to keep things as efficient as possible. Keep locations to a minimum to save time and money.
Post-production: Another word for editing. All the elements of the video are brought together and presented to the audience in a concise, entertaining way. Ideally, editing is planed out.

Quality video professionals will walk you through the entire process and make your life easier. Producing quality video is not as easy as it looks. It makes a lot of sense to outsource so you can get on with the business of running your business.

Lorraine Grula has been a well-respected award winning video professional for over twenty-five years. (Yeah, that makes her kind of old.) Lorraine has done virtually every kind of video production imaginable and now shares her expertise on the web. Her blog, http://www.VideoProductionTips.com is full of free information and video tutorials.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

How Long Should My Video Production Be

2008-11-27T06:36:00.000-08:00

Now, having said that, I'll also tell you that shorter is almost always better.

Video time and "real time" are entirely two different things. Ten minutes on video is an eternity, no matter the subject. Ten minutes in real life usually flashes by like a nano-second.

A good video is CONCISE, no doubt about it. You might THINK you have thirty minutes worth of information but chances are you really only have five minutes worth. In my experience, virtually everyone assumes their information is so compelling that the audience wants to hear every little detail. Highly unlikely.

About 99% of all the clients I worked with as a freelance video producer started out requesting a thirty minute video. That time frame is common for TV shows so they assumed that was a good length. We would usually end up with something six or seven minutes long and that was plenty. Thirty minutes would have been a total snoozer.

Video viewers have incredibly short attention spans. That means you should only put TRULY COMPELLING information in your video. Stay laser focused. Do not wander off on tangents.

If anything, leave the audience wanting more.

Fancy video production techniques can help your video avoid being labeled as boring. Music, great videography, fast-paced editing, all of these things can help your video production be watchable.

If I had to give a STANDARD LENGTH for your AVERAGE VIDEO PRODUCTION, I would say two or three minutes. That's all. That might seem short, but go to You Tube and check out lengths. Do you enjoy watching a ten minute video about knitting? Probably not, unless you are an avid knitter. But I bet you would enjoy a one-minute video on knitting, especially if it had awesome music and interesting shots editing together in a whiz-bang fashion.

So keep it short, that's the best generalized advice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

Video Production Equipment: The Director's Cut

2008-11-25T02:52:00.000-08:00

The Video Craze – Affordable Video Production Equipment

New technologies in video production equipment combined with the emergence of video—particularly digital video—as an acceptable medium for film has made it possible for almost anyone to become a film director virtually overnight. While the cost of film and film equipment is financially prohibitive, video production equipment is relatively inexpensive and can be mastered quite quickly. While there is a great deal more to the art of film that just having the right equipment, the accessibility of video production equipment has encouraged many amateur filmmakers to give it their best shot. Understanding the basics of video production equipment is the first step to becoming the next Steven Spielberg.

Filming Video Production Equipment

As you prepare to make a video film, it’s a good idea to take stock of your video production equipment required for filming to make sure you have everything that you need. Some common video production equipment products needed for creating a professional looking film include:

* Professional video cameras – From ENG cameras that are slightly larger than your average camcorder to Studio cameras that are connected via cable to dock recorders that do that actual taping, there are many levels of professional grade digital video cameras.

* Stabilization Equipment – Including simple tripods, shoulder mounts, camera dollies and high tech camera cranes, stabilization equipment ensures that the video production is smooth and not shaky. Additionally, stabilization video production equipment can help determine the type of camera shot that is available for a production.

* Film Quality Lighting – Beyond just lights, film quality lighting banks include grip lighting, reflectors, crate grids for lighting effects and scrims to control different aspects of light diffusion.

* Microphone/Audio System – While many video cameras contain a microphone to capture sounds, creating a professional quality video requires separate audio equipment including shotgun mics, audio mixers and pole audio devices.

Editing Video Production Equipment

Once you have your film on video, additional video production equipment is required for editing and finalizing a video into a complete entity. Using professional quality editing equipment can give your video the polished quality that separates it from home video or amateur productions. Typical video editing tools include:

* Video Editing Software – Unlike film, which much be edited manually, video can be edited right on your computer. Using professional video editing software, you can add transitions, trim scenes and put the whole project together seamlessly. Selecting the right video production equipment for editing is critical to the final quality of your video.

* Sound Mixing Equipment – A professional video will use sound mixing equipment to balance volume levels, add ambient noise and include a soundtrack to the video. Additionally, sound mixing can transform the standard video mono-audio into a heightened stereo experience.

* Video Duplication Equipment – Once you film is complete, video duplication equipment will be required for copying and distributing your film. Professional video production equipment will enable copies that maintain the sound and video quality of your master video.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paolo_Basauri

Video Production Explained

2008-11-23T00:19:00.000-08:00

Video is a powerful marketing medium with the ability to communicate concise, precise and controlled information with a positive effect. A well-constructed video fires the imagination, increases the energy level and ensure that all feel part of your event. It will engage the emotions, focus the attention and enable each individual to visualise his/her role as part of the team.

Videos strength lies in its simple ability to transport people to locations, illustrate concepts and convey far more than mere words, spoken or printed, ever can. Video is an effective and memorable way of communicating. Core messages and themes are reinforced using other forms of communication. Video footage has a long shelf life when used imaginatively in multimedia CD-ROMs, Websites, DVD and CD-Brochure formats.

Video has been revolutionised by the onset of digital shooting and editing. Shooting in broadcast quality used to involve cumbersome and expensive camera equipment, combined with analogue editing which required the copying of sections and consequent loss of quality with each successive generation. The process was time consuming, complicated and linear. Modern digital cameras are capable of shooting in broadcast quality. Editing is now carried out in a non-linear way on desktop computers; changes may be made at will, stored and reviewed at any time and in any order. The advantages are similar to those gained by using a computer word processor over that of a mechanical typewriter and carbon copy paper for duplicates. Not only is digital editing highly flexible, but the medium enables an ever-expanding range of graphical effects to be applied – without loss of quality or corruption of the original footage. In consequence, the costs associated with making and producing a video have dropped dramatically. What was once the preserve of the large, rich and expansive corporation is now available and affordable to a much wider market – with the consequent advantages that this provides to internal company communications and team building along with external advantages in the selling of products or services to your market place.

The stages required to produce a video vary depending on the style and content; generally:
PRE-PRODUCTION involves briefing, research, location finding, administration, booking of facilities and writing a treatment outline (video content, description and approach to be adopted). After approval a shooting script including both narration and camera shots will be written.

SHOOTING follows the approved script and involves a camera crew and a director going to location/s to interview participants and shoot footage to illustrate, illuminate and reinforce the script. If required studio shoots are undertaken where controlled lighting and effects are employed - a product demonstration, for example is typically shot in this way.

POST-PRODUCTION includes recording of guide narration (using an edited script, which may change from the shooting script because of interviewee’s comments etc.). Footage is edited to the guide narration, graphic and video effects generated and music and titles added. The resulting edit master is then client approved and amended as necessary. A final “voice over” is then effected incorporating final changes. The final master tape is complete and ready for duplication.

DUPLICATION is the transfer of masters onto the final format – which can be all or any of VHS, Betacam, Laserdisk, Digibeta, DVD, Mpeg, Avi and more. The final product is then packaged and presented in an appropriate way with print material for labels, inserts and sleeves.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Hunter

Music Video Production Companies

2008-11-21T00:16:00.000-08:00

Music video production companies are production companies that produce music videos. A music video is a video clip or a short film that gives a visual presentation of a song. Though music videos made specifically for television first appeared in the 1950s, the strong association between music and the video presentation of it started in the 1980s, with the launch of cable channels like MTV.

Apart from producing the video for music, music video production companies specialize in the writing of treatments for music videos, coverage of live shows, video editing, and developing video for the Internet. Music video production is a labor-intensive industry. As for any project, production of music videos begins with proper planning and design. Since there are many types of music videos, a decision has to be made regarding the type that suits the particular project. Based on the type of music video being developed, music video production companies decide on the film and video equipment that are needed for shooting the video.

The music video production association (MVPA) is the umbrella organization that brings together companies that are in the business of music video production. Together with providing a platform to share ideas and to educate its members on the latest happenings in the music video industry, MVPA tries to ensure that the member companies adhere to the highest professional production standards. The MVPA also facilitates discussion of matters of mutual concern among production companies, crews, suppliers, record companies, and any other party related to the music video industry. The MVPA Annual Awards are presented as a form of recognition to the technical and creative artists in the music video production industry.

Since 2000, the music video industry has been experiencing sinking levels of activity. With record labels experiencing declining profits, their investments into making music videos have also taken a hit. While a $500,000 music video for a band of average recognition was the norm earlier, currently such videos are budgeted at $200,000. This has adversely affected the music video production industry and the companies operating in this industry. Free online swapping of music and lax enforcement of intellectual property rights in developing countries have lately dulled the revenues for this industry.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole

2008-11-19T00:14:00.000-08:00

Film and video production is the process of creating a motion picture film. This process consists of the activities from the initial development to the final distribution stage. While the process differs from one production company to another, there are certain stages through which film and video production goes.

Typically, there are the pre-production, production, and the post-production stages. Though the production stage is the occasion when the actual filming takes place, the other stages, particularly the pre-production stage, significantly influence the entire process of film and video production.

The pre-production stage is concerned with the development and revising of the script. Budgeting and financing decisions are made at this stage. More time spent on planning and designing the process helps with keeping costs low during the entire course of the process. Scheduling, casting, and set construction are completed during this stage.

The production stage is when the equipment needed for filming is set up and appropriate lighting and audio devices are put in place. This is the phase of principal photography, when the actual filming takes place with the director of the film overseeing the operations. This is arguably the most critical and expensive phase of the production stage. Generally, the start of the phase of principal photography signals that the production of the film would, in all probability, be completed.

During the post-production stage, those sequences or scenes that were missed during the phase of principal photography are shot. Film editing and the addition of visual effects are done during this stage. Also, sound editing, musical scoring, and enhancing with sound effects are completed during this stage. The culmination of the entire film and video production process is when the film is distributed for marketing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole

Video and Light

2008-11-17T06:51:00.000-08:00

The biggest difference between amateur and professional video is often the lighting. Today's digital cameras do a great job in low light, and that gives you lots of room to play. But for truly professional results, you need to light your scene but it does not have to be hard.

Using natural light from incoming windows is a great strategy for home movies, quick-down-and-dirty shoots and large locations that are impossible to light without a crew of twelve. Using natural light can save you time, money, and hassle.
But often, your video will look best if you use supplemental lights.

Technically, a picture is nothing BUT light. This is true for video pictures too. The quality of light is the single biggest determinant of the quality of your video. Ideally, you should not only have adequate light, you should also have mood-appropriate lighting. Amazing affects can be achieved if you know how.

Light fixtures used for professional video production can either be portable or stationary. If you have a studio, you will probably have a grid on the ceiling to hang lights and would buy stationary light fixtures. Short of that, you can use portables on collapsible stands in a studio or out in the field.

An ideal portable light kit for a small professional video crew would contain at least four lights, each with its own stand and accessories. Out of the four lights, ideally you would have: One 1,000 watt with a soft box. One 750 with a soft box. One 500 watt with soft box One 250 watt with barn doors

Each light should also come with: A dimmer capable of handling that wattage A barn door Gel frames A full color spectrum pack of color gels Variety of diffusion gels and cloths Clips Sand bag weights to hold down your stands if out side Miles of tape

OK, now pack all that up in a metal case and lug it around.
Convincing beginners to use lights is not easy because it can be a lot of backbreaking manual labor. But please believe me, A FEW LIGHTS CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. If you don't have to march to Timbuktu dragging it all with you, it is definitely worth the effort to achieve professional results.

Here is what all those accessories listed above do:
Barn doors: Barn doors usually automatically come with a professional light fixture the same way a car comes with a steering wheel.

Barn doors are a metal accessory you attach to the front of your light. Each of the four black, adjustable doors can be folded over the light to block the light path. Barn doors are used to direct the light to where you want it to go. Barn doors are an essential tool.

Soft boxes: Soft boxes are the most glorious thing in the photographer's lighting kit if you are going to shoot lots of faces. A soft box gives you soft, diffused light directed right where you need it. A soft box is made of special cloth that both directs and diffuses the light. The sides of the box are heavy black cloth on the outside, and reflective white (or silver) on inside. This directs all the light to the front of the soft box where it passes through the thick white diffusion cloth. Soft boxes provide absolutely exquisite diffused light. However, you loose a lot of intensity in the diffusion process so a 1,000 watt lamp with a soft box is perfect for your key light.

Photographic umbrellas are another way to provide diffusion for your hot, tungsten light fixtures. Umbrellas are great if you need to provide overall, bright, diffused illumination. The hot, direct light is pointed back toward the reflective surface of the umbrella, not at the subject. The light bounces off the umbrella and gives a diffused bath of light.

The diffusion umbrellas provide is not as nice for faces as that of soft boxes. Also, soft boxes have the advantage of directing the light whereas umbrellas just bounce it everywhere. However, umbrellas can be just what you need.

Color gels: Color gels come in every hue imaginable and are a cheap, easy way for your video production lighting to take a giant leap into the professional. Color gels are flame retardant plastic sheets you place in front of your light. Lights will usually come with a collapsible metal gel holder. When lighting interviews, pale orange gels are often used on faces to give a "warm glow." Color gels are good for lighting the background and providing mood. The Halloween video is much scarier if you soak some of your lights in deep red color gels! The flowers look greener if you shine a strong, green, directional light on the leaves among all the diffused white light. Color gels are fun to play with.

Dimmers: A small dimmer capable of handling the high wattage of for each light can help you avoid hot spots in your shot. Really large crews carry an entire lighting board with multiple inputs to have individual dimming control over each light. But short of that, a few dimmers will serve you well.

Snoot: Great name for a great doo-dad. A snoot is a metal lighting accessory that directs the light to a pinprick. Snoots are PERFECT for halo backlighting. They keep the light on the hair with no unsightly spill onto the face.

Clips: Portable light kits are a wonderful exercise in setting things up and then tearing them down. To shoot a video, you often have to take over a location and pin things up here, there, and everywhere. I always found it handy to throw some cheapie wooden clothes pins in my light kit.
Adapters/Extension cords: The more portable you are, the more you have to think of all contingencies. Pack lots of doo-dads and gizmos. Two prong/three prong adapters. Miles of cables and cords. Tape. Retractable knife. Ties. Aspirin.

Natural and artificial light can be enhanced using reflectors. Anything that reflects light will work. A simple sheet of white poster board can be placed opposite of your light source to reflect back onto your subject's face and soften distracting shadows. In fact, often a fill light is nothing more than a reflector.

Even lights you buy at home improvement stores like Lowes and Home Depot can be used effectively. Point them toward the ceiling, this bounces the light, softening it, which produces a more flattering effect on the face. Plus it eliminates eye squints and grumpy on-camera people! Pointing your lights and bouncing them off the wall is the low budget method of achieving what umbrellas and soft boxes can do for you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lorraine_Grula

Basic Video Production

2008-11-15T00:03:00.000-08:00

Every time there is an occasion or party happening in our homes or offices, there will be that one person in charge of taking pictures and videos. This is because we enjoy looking back at the pictures and reliving those moments of joy that happened in our lives. Photography is the art of taking still pictures and freezing the moment whereas videography or video production is all about shooting a series of events as they happen, in continuum taking the help of a team of people. There are some who take up video production as a hobby and others who make a living of it. They basically cater to the needs of their customer and provide them with a final output that satisfies their needs.

The videos made could be of a family event or a corporate presentation. Sometimes it could be a sort of a documentary about safety precautions that can be shown to children on what to do in case of emergencies. Anything that will show the process or show in progress as it is is a video. Video Production Company is one who handles large scale video projects for various clients. They will have a discussion with their client to understand their requirement, then create a script, put together a production team and get the video rolled out. Each person in the team will have an assigned role and a part to play in making sure the output is perfect. Some of the other people who will be involved in this would be the cameraman, music composer or creator, and make up artists.

The video production team will create the video which will then get edited, and music will be added to the same to give it a feel or add to the message being shown. Off late plenty of corporates have begun using video production companies to create motion pictures and videos for training and teaching purposes in their campus. And incase the client is not happy, and then the video company will rework on the pitch. If it is wedding videos, then the team will be present at the venue through the event shooting videos which will be compiled and handed over in a couple of days. Video production is fast catching up and pretty soon there will be internet streaming videos available for users across the world.

Guerrilla video production Download Information
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clyde_Lee_Dennis

2008-11-13T00:01:00.000-08:00

Video production is the process of producing a video that usually has both audio and visual representations. While some videos are home videos produced for fun, most are videos that are produced for commercial purposes, like movies, advertisement videos, and music videos. Video production is also done for corporate purposes.

There are many things to consider in the production of a video. During the pre-production stage, the budget for the production of the video has to be determined, since the time spent on production can prove costly. Greater time spent on planning and organizing the project would help in keeping the costs low in the long run. One estimate of average production costs put a range of $1,500 to $5,000 per finished minute. The production cost depends on the location, time taken for completion, the equipment used, and the involvement of the production team in the making of the video. Plus, there are always the unanticipated expenses.

The production process starts with setting up the equipment needed for the shoot. Some of the necessary equipment includes a camera, tripod, teleprompter, monitors, power supplies, jib, dolly, and other essential accessories. The next stage consists of setting up the lighting. This is an important stage since lighting should reflect the mood intended for the scene. At this stage, the director gets involved to ensure that everything is in place to conduct a smooth filming. The audio stage is when the various pieces of audio equipment needed to capture and record audio are put in place. The final stage is when the actual filming and taping of the video takes place. This is the stage when all the visual and audio components are put together.

Even though video production is the actual stage of producing a video, the two other stages of pre-production and post-production are equally important. The pre-production stage involves conceptualizing, scripting, and scheduling. The post-production stage involves the off-line activities of editing and duplication.

Video Production provides detailed information on Video Production, Music Video Production Companies, Video Production Companies, Film and Video Production and more. Video Production is affiliated with Funny Video Clips.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alison_Cole

2008-11-11T23:57:00.000-08:00

It is always a good idea to make videos of special occasions as a way of watching them and reminiscing the good times. The videos also leave an impact and help us remember better than the photographs. The same rules apply when promoting a product or a service, or for that matter a company. The most effective way of promoting a company or a service is through the assistance of the media, and more than the audio the video format has more reach. This is probably why many corporations these days are creating videos with the help of media companies to promote their company. Videos are created keeping these things in mind, and the time frame matter a lot when trying to sell the company.

Corporate videos are all about giving the outside world a sneak peek into the company’s operations, what they believe in and what their specialty or focus. If they are able to convey this message to the viewers in an interesting way, they can be sure that new business will come from doing so. The aim of the video is to promote the positive points of the organization while trying to add a bit of life and excitement to the campaign. During the initial stages right after the company has been launched, they normally have a press release when they officially tell the world they have arrived. The videos can be used at this juncture or during meetings with prospective clients to show them what is in store for them if they sign a business deal with the company.

For a corporate video to be effective and have maximum reach, it is best to seek out a Public Relations Company or an Ad Agency. They will bring in their creative expertise, gather information from the company and create a video that will grab the attention of the viewer and help them take back a few words or images that caught their eye. This would be the first step to launching one's services and products. Video promotion is used largely by Non profit organizations to spread word about their organization and the purpose behind their existence to invite sponsors and others to support their services.
Video production in London

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Clyde_Lee_Dennis

Secrets to succesfull video

2008-11-09T11:50:00.000-08:00

Corporate video is a collective term that comprises all the differing video productions utilized in most medium-size to large-size organizations and corporations. Video productions should share common goals: to effectively deliver information, influence decisions by individuals or groups, meet the production schedule and stay within the budget. Speaking of decisions, this process is decision intensive.

Before the secrets of success are revealed, a few basic premises. Identify and plan for multiple target audiences. When program elements are utilized in additional programs or applications, the production effort is far more valuable to the company. Even before the scripting process begins, you should consider how to generate the material to be used by others in the company for other purposes. For example, programs developed by the sales and training departments could very well work for human resources as well.

A video production can only communicate a few messages. It should not be intended to present a multitude of ideas and concepts. Focus on three key points. Develop a clear set of objectives and how the program will address and achieve those objectives. You may find that the program can only effectively deliver a single primary message. Keep the program succinct and only long enough to deliver the message. A shorter program will be more widely accepted and will surely cost less. There is an old adage that applies here which is to tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them. The ability to measure the results of your efforts against the objectives is vital. Objectives should be realistic and achievable. An objective should not be stated as: to improve overall morale of hourly workers. But rather: increase attendance and voting in employee meetings by 10 per cent. Use benchmark surveys, evaluation forms, small group discussions, web site or email polling questions of usefulness, a game or quiz with reward on employee intranet, even a cell phone text message. In your survey ask about program length, relevance and worth.

One of the best decisions you should make is to carefully choose a turnkey video production company early in the process. A full service firm should be able to prove they can deliver top performance in all of the three phases of the production process: pre-production (scripting), production (shooting) and post-production (editing). Ask three firms for proposals and provide the same information to all three. Visit them. Watch their demos and listen to their explanations of how the productions were created. Good creative people are crucial. They should be happy and enthusiastic. Ask for case studies of successes, awards, and references. Make sure you understand the production process of each company, the approval points offered along with way and how their process will mesh with your requirements. Also ask where you can save money. Make your decision on all of these factors but not solely on price. Employing separate firms for the production phases requires a knowledgeable, experienced producer to maintain control and continuity.

Here are the six secrets:

1. Capture and maintain the attention of the audience. Audiences readily compare corporate video productions to network television. Grab their interest quickly and hold it in order to deliver your message. This is achieved through creative and entertaining scripting, high quality production techniques that compare to the professional look of broadcast television and the best voice or on-camera talent you can afford.

2. Use real people to tell the story. This is important because people like to see and hear real people, not actors.

3. Get an approved script before you shoot anything. You will save yourself time, money and hair.

4. Do the paper edit (offline edit) yourself. Ask for a time code window dub of the raw footage so you can pick the shots and the sound bites. A window dub provides a small window on the screen that displays a time code of each frame imbedded while recording. This provides precise edit points.

5. Plan for future revisions. Do not paint yourself in a corner. Plan so any element can be revised without having to recreate animations and re-edit difficult segments. Avoid information that may change after a year.

6. In order to get through the initial approval stage; edit only the first minute with all on-camera segments, special effects, music and voice tracks. Keep the approval team small and on schedule. Bonus secret: negotiate up front for a digital copy of the raw footage for your own library. If the raw footage is high definition, ask for a standard definition copy as well.

Ask your production company for an explanation of the various distribution channels available. Currently everything is headed for the web. Most offices and boardrooms have DVD players and certainly VHS players. Most computers are shipped with DVD players and CD-ROM. The company intranet can be your primary delivery system. Corporate television channels can be established and combined with digital signage in primary and remote locations. Mobile video, social networking platforms both internal and external, viral media, podcasts, the exploding blogosphere are all worth learning about and exploring.

Seemingly, video is everywhere: in stores, on gas pumps, on grocery carts, the backs of airplane seats, in the mini-van and even mounted on the fronts of Segways. Remember video never has a bad day. It is the same consistent message every time.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hal_McArthur

Corperate video

2008-11-08T00:05:00.000-08:00

When it comes to corporate video productions, getting the best is what makes the difference between mediocrity and excellence in the finished product delivery and reaching the right target audience in the right tone of messaging.

For your company’s corporate video productions need, choose an agency that promises and delivers what it claims to do and always double-check their reliability. For, a quality product delivered late is not beneficial to anyone and where corporate video productions are counted upon as reflecting the ethos and foundation of a company, any slackness will be equated with lack of professionalism. Thus, take an in-depth look at the entire set-up of the video production agency that offers to do your corporate video productions and check samples, customer feedback reports and any awards/accreditations that hold up the reputation it claims to have.

Corporate video productions are usually aimed at sending across company messages within the framework of its employees, but can be intended for purposes beyond simple information of policy matters and range from training videos to infomercials or motivational messages. Thus, getting the right agency for corporate video productions is a matter of not only getting an experienced hand at creative visual presentation accompanied by audio back-up and well-recognized, easy to relate to concepts. Corporate video productions and related services are specialized professional needs that need to be attended to with right research and marketability of the product/event/ message to have the right impact.

A company that can show you results and a proven track record of TV station-quality studio equipment and services to match the company message in the right tone and quality is the one to entrust your corporate video productions needs to as it can set a quality benchmark for the whole industry. Then be it high-profile clients or an entrepreneur seeking to increase industry presence, all clients should be given equal high and consistent level of services in this most powerful medium of video in today's world to inform, educate, train, persuade, entertain and captivate audiences effectively. Corporate video productions developed creatively and presented attractively are sure to appeal to a wide spectrum of companies young and old, big and small, traditional and entrepreneurial in a valuable and meaningful manner.

An advertisement agency that develops corporate video productions across industry verticals and gives you a balanced and varied choice of different video and computer equipment sales and support along with web design and hosting, is one of the most important ingredients when selecting the corporate video productions company of your choice. This includes also checking for deliverability of the corporate video productions company deal for specialty services extendable to other sectors such as an effective and efficient sales, training and corporate DVD and Videos, TV commercials, DVD and Video duplication and film to DVD and Video conversion.

An established agency dealing with fine tuning and not simply developing and marketing the corporate video productions for you will give adequate leverage to the high standards permeation to its full range of services; therefore, choose one committed to excellence.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shakir_A.

How Best To Go About Choosing Your Digital Video Camera Zoom Lens

2008-11-06T06:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, so you finally decided to get that digital video camera you’ve been saving for. You have enough money to buy a kick-butt video camera. But have you considered the most vital part for the camera? The part that comes into play with every video shot. The digital video camera zoom lens. Without a proper digital video camera zoom lens, your prized video camera isn’t all it could be. You would be much better off if you spent equal amounts on the camera and the digital video camera zoom lens. The lens is that important. Your choice of lenses can distinguish between a good camera and an outstanding camera.

Spend More On The Lens

The digital video camera zoom lens determines how well your videos turn out. It, more than anything else on or in the camera affects the end products. Think about it, every shot you take goes through that lens. Really the camera is just a case for the mechanisms inside. You could make a case for reversing the spending, more on the lens and less on the actual camera. Most digital video cameras don’t come with the ability to change lenses. This fact makes it more important to purchase the best digital video camera zoom lens possible. Another piece of advice regarding the lens is too not purchase the plastic lenses. The clarity is much better from glass digital video camera zoom lens.

If you do plan on purchasing a video camera where you can change the digital video camera zoom lens then compare the options of each lens to find the one that you want. Experts recommend that you purchase brand names such as Canon, Pentax or Nikon. Be sure to check if the lens will work for your camera. Digital video camera zoom lenses are not created equal and a lens from Nikon may or may not work with a digital video camera made by Canon.

If you are a professional photographer, then you should check out Leica, Carl Zeiss and Leupold. These are specialty lens manufacturers. The quality of the videos will show if you use one of their digital video camera zoom lens. If you are just a beginner then these lenses may not be the best place to start, because of the cost. But if you want extraordinary quality, these digital video camera zoom lenses are the way to go.

Options for digital video camera zoom lenses include normal, wide angle and telephoto. The focal length of the lens has a lot to do with the type of digital video camera zoom lens choice. The quality of the lens is also determined by lens speed, a significant factor in your shoot quality. You should think about focusing distance as well as advanced features such as vibration reduction, USM or ultrasonic motor and filter thread which should be present in any good digital video camera zoom lens.

Before you make that digital video camera zoom lens purchase you should research each feature that you want and choose the lens that fulfills those wishes the best. As a rule of thumb, the more expensive lenses are usually the better choice since more of the elements in the lens with be glass, although this does increase the camera weight. In the end if you do the research and take into consideration your shooting needs and budget, you will make the right choice

Ready, shoot, action

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Glauser

Make Your Video Look Like Film

2008-11-04T06:05:00.000-08:00

Everybody loves the look and aesthetics of film. Video is great for capturing the reality of the moment but what if we want to create a cinematic look. Over the years I explored different ways to make my videos look more like film - without a big budget. Alot of the wedding videographers in LA offer their clients the cinematic look. How do they do it? Here are some ideas to get your next project looking more like film.

THE CAMERA

Not all video camera are the same. HDV (High-Definition Video) is one of the best choices for creating video that looks like film on a budget. With a native 16×9 aspect ratio and 1920×1080P resolution, you will be able to frame your shots in a cinematic manner and with enchanced clarity. Not be to left out, it's very important that your camera shoots 24 progressive frames per second. Otherwise known as 14P. Why? Because motion picture records at 1/48 of a second, otherwise known as 24 frames per second. a 24P ready camera like the Sony Z1U will give your video the feel and motion of film. Perfect for shooting cinematic weddings or documentaries.

DEPTH OF FIELD

One issue that plagues video is the greater-depth-of-field that keeps the foreground and background in focus. Clearly, this creates a very flat looking image unlike the prime lenses used in motion picture. The advantage of a shallow depth-of-field is you can seperate the foreground from the background and divert attention to what is most important in your composition. You can change the depth-of-field by changing the F-stop. The wider the appature, the shallower the depth-of-field. To compensate for opening up the iris, you will have to use a neutral density filter (ND) to cut down the increased amount of light now entering the camera.

LIGHTING

How you light your production and how you set your exposure is an important consideration. Its important to note that a video camera's CCD responds differently to light than film. The photochemistry of film has a higher dynamic range, typically about 12 to 14 f-stops compared to 6-8 stops for video. It's quite a difference. The limited dynamic range of video means you must be careful to not blow out your highlights otherwise you'll end up with a washed out images. As a rule of thumb, it is better to slightly underexpose your video than overexpose. The reason is that video is better able to preserve information in the blacks or dark areas as compared to the highlights. This is corrected in post by pushing the black levels up a stop or two.

So how do you go about seting the right exposure? Modern video cameras feature a zebra setting in the viewfinder at 70 - 100 IRE. What this means is you will see zebra lines over the part of the image that is either 70 or 100 % of the maximum brightness level allowed by video. In normal conditions you want skin tones to lay at about 70 IRE and your maximum white levels to peak at 100 IRE. If your shooting under bright conditions outdoors you wan always use a ND filter to bring it down a stop or two. This will let you preserve your F-stop and deth of field while trimming down the exposure. When assessing your image and exposure, you don't want large areas of pure black with no detail. Use fill light or a reflector to bring up some detail in the shadow areas. White poster board is often good enough if you can't afford a professional reflector. Things to consider are the intensity, direction, and hardness of the light. For interviews, I like to keep my lighting soft and diffused because it has a more soothing look on the skin and bring out detail and texture in the face.

Other Tips ...

Match Your Camera Settings -

Make sure your white balance settings are identical to prevent color mismatch. Keep your exposures manual for maximum control. Automatic exposure is not as accurate as you would think - often times the camera will overexpose the whites. A very ugly quality of video to avoid. I like to keep my focus manual too. If you have shallow depth of field you may find the cameras focus drifting if left automatic.

Shoot extra footage -

All too often videographers load their video project on to the computer only to find out that they don't have enough footage or they only took one take of what could be a great shot. I always shoot as much as possible, knowing that its much easier to cut out footage then it is to replace it.

Keep Your Movements Smooth -

Fast zooms and abrupt pans will give your audience motion sickness. Keep your movements deliberate and smooth

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Pommett

5 Tips to Improve the Quality of Your Audio Products

2008-11-02T08:03:00.000-08:00

It seems like every online marketer has suddenly recognized the power of audio. In fact marketer competition in audio product creation is really starting to heat up. If you are among those who are entering the arena, then you must do everything possible to create quality audio products that stand apart from the competition. The five tips that follow should really help move you forward in your audio product creation efforts.

Tip #1: Establish a recording studio. Your read it right; set up your own recording studio. It doesn't make sense for most online marketers to spend the money required to rent a professional studio. Likewise the professionalism of your product diminishes if there are all kinds of background noise when you record at home. That's where your own studio comes into play. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars developing a professional studio. Your home studio will be just fine if you simply soundproof a room in your house. Then add good-quality recording tools and equipment. Be sure your equipment includes a microphone, computer with sound card, a mixing board, and editing software to get started. As your product sales warrant, you can add more, but let sales pay for the additions.

Tip #2: Study and learn from the audio product creation experts. Learn who has already established themselves in this field. Listen to the products they have created. Learn from their tips and ideas. Use those tips and ideas to produce better, more appealing products for your customers. Remember that your goal isn't to become exactly like the experts you study. It is to learn that put your own spin on the ideas and tips they provide.

Tip #3: Work on your presentation skills. It is important that you practice. Become at ease with what you say and how you say it. You do not want recordings to sound scripted, and as if you are just reading it. That often makes them slow and boring to your listeners. One strategy is to use a script for the bulk of the recording, but to add appropriate adlibs as well. Don't talk in a mono-tone voice. Voice inflections can help to emphasize the key points, while your normal conversational tones and style will be best for the main points.

Tip #4: Slow as you go - Be sure to pace your presentation; not too fast and not too slow. Speaking too fast is often a problem. Yet the key messages are often lost to listeners who just can't keep up. Just as too fast of a pace will lose listeners, too slow of a pace becomes boring. The goal is to find a pace that is comfortable and that allows you to enunciate each word.

Tip #5: You must emit an air of confidence. Don't jeopardize listener trust and confidence by lacking confidence. You want your listeners to feel very confident about what you say. Don't allow your nerves to get the best of you. Don't sound nervous. Don't stutter. Don't leave big gaps that will create doubt in what you say. Leave every listener feeling you are confident, knowledgeable and intelligent.

Remember these tips to create quality audio products. They will impress your listeners. They will bring your listeners back to buy other products in future.

To your internet marketing success!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_B._Hamilton

How to Add Audio to Video

2008-10-31T07:54:00.000-07:00

Digital media is everywhere you look. Music and video production have made it to the grass roots level thanks to the affordability and widespread use of powerful computers.

Inexpensive digital video cameras are widely available, and older analog video cameras can be connected to a computer through a video card to download movies to the computer for editing, storage, and distribution to friends and relatives over the internet.

It has become fairly easy to edit your own videos, and there are many software packages available aimed at the amateur. The Windows operating system has its own video editing package called Windows Movie Maker that allows you to produce professional-looking videos.

As you explore this exciting new world, you will inevitably come up with the need to edit the audio portion of your video file. The sound quality of most video cameras is not great, so you may want to process the sound or replace it all together with music or voice-overs.

It is very easy to separate the audio from the video. Free software packages that do this task include Windows Media Encoder from Microsoft (if you are working with WMV video files) and VirtualDub (if you are working with AVI files). Either of these programs (and many others) allow you to save the audio portion of video file quickly and easily.
Once you have your audio file, you can process it for noise reduction, bring up the volume, add music or do any digital magic to it that you desire.

With many video editing packages, however, it isn’t necessary to split the audio to a separate file. Even simple packages like Windows Movie Maker have basic audio editing functions, and you can add separate music or voice tracks and mix all of them together.

If you have a particular audio file that you would like to use in your video (maybe a special effect or a voice over that you have recorded separately) simply add that file to the list of media to be included in the video. Other media formats can be separate video files, picture files or graphics.

The audio file can be placed anywhere on the time-line, and you can use the same file many times without requiring any extra storage space on your computer. For precise placement, zoom all the way into your timeline and place the audio exactly in sync with the video. That’s it! You are well on your way to making professional-looking videos!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_Dekker

Video production is easy??

2008-10-29T06:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a meeting with someone very important in certain faculty of our university. She is a woman with high ranking position in the faculty. She wanted us to produce a video production about 10 minutes of duration. She likes to use the video program in a book launching which take place in the university. She give us about below 10 days to complete the video from scripting, storyboading, editing, voice over, and so on. In the meeting someone said that how come to complete the video program within 10 days?. When she heard the replied, she start saying without thinking. She said, making a video program is very aesy, just take the video camera and start shooting whatever we like to shoot. Is it true?. Actually it is very untrue, uncorrect and many more.....

Sound Recording

2008-10-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

Everytime we press the record trigger of the camcorder, visual and sound will also recorded onto the video tape. If we do not bring or forget to bring extra microphone, come close to the subject that we want to record on the tape. If we do not do so, the sound of the subject will be not recorded because of the distance. Or the sound we were recorded will be not clear or could not be listern. The example is when we are interview someone very important.

Sound

2008-10-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

Sound is very important in video production. Can you imagine a visual without sound?. Sound is recorded onto a video tape in the same way it's recorded onto an audio cassette. Most camcorders are equipped with omni-directional mic. The microphone picks up sound from all direction. That's why it's called omni-directional. With this microphone, it will record all sound including the sound that we do not want to.

Filter again

2008-10-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

Filter is a piece of optical glass that is attached in front of the video camera's lens. Actually filter holder which can be screwed in front of the video camera's lens is easyly available in the market. Below are the use of certain colour filter in video camera shooting;

Orange filter: add warmth to light and to suppress blue casts or overcast days.
Blue filter: cold the scene, used to create an evening mood, create effect of pre-sunrise morning light and create the effect of monnlight if combine with underexposure.
Sepia filters: gives old-fashioned photographs.

Filters

2008-10-21T06:05:00.000-07:00

Lens filters can be used to change and improve the image that we are shooting. The ultraviolet or UV filter helps to reduce the blue haze on sunny days. Neutral Density filter is used to reduce the amount of light reaching the image sensor in the recorder. Polarizing filter increase the sharpness and suppress reflection from non-metallic surface such as mirrors.

Once more about white balance

2008-10-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

The camcorder that we are using should be adjusted or setting the 'white balance' properly before begin the shooting. Otherwise the colour of the scene that we are recording on the tape become unnatural.

But sometimes the camcorder is wrongly setting it's 'white balance' on purpose. This is in order to achieve certain 'effect'. For example if the camcorder is setting to daylight 'white balance', it will give a yellowish scene when shooting the scene lit by artificial light source.

National Career Carnival 2008

2008-10-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

Open ceremony of 'National Career Carnival 2008' by YB. Datuk Khalid Nordin, Minister of Higher Education on 17 Oktober 2008.

Multiple Camera Production intrument that are used during recording of the opening.

Listerning the information.

Booths in the Dewan Gemilang

17 Oktober 2007:

White balance again.

2008-10-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Our eyes can see white object under different colour of light source as 'white' object . However the video cameras cannot do that. We have to set the 'white balance' of the video camera. Most video camera has automatic white balance. What we should do is point the video camera at anything which is white in colour such as white cardboard. Then press auto white balance button until we can see 'WHITE BALANCE=O.K' in the viewfinder.

Color temperature again.

2008-10-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

The white light we see is a mixture of different colours of spectrum. When certain object is heated such as metal, it will glow red then turns orange, yellow, blue and violet. The color change as the temperature increase. The red colour is the lowest temperature. The colour temperature is measured in unit called Kelvin. Candle will give about 2000Kelvin, sunrise between 2000K - 3000K, moonlight i2 4000K and daylight in afternoon is between 5000 - 6000K.

The eyes and brain can 'read' white object under different colours of light but the video camera cannot. In other word, every time we move from one light source to another we have to set the 'white balance' setting of the camera. Otherwise the picture we are shooting will show unnatural colour.

Holding the camcorder

2008-10-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

We should always remember that the stability of the camcorder during shooting is very important. Use both hands, lean firmly against the wall, kneeling and sitting firmly will provide stability. Actually the professional news cameraman rarely use tripods because their camcorders are big, heavy and well balanced and easier to keep stady. They are also very experience in their job. To achieve steady shooting with hand held, the lens should be set to infinity and go nearest to the subjects.

As designed, the cameraman always hold the camcorder with the right hand. The style that we are holding the camcorder will ensure the stability of the subjects which we are shooting. Use the left hand to support and make the camcorder steady. The position of the left hand which will give the best support is under the lens barrel of the camcorder.

Small camcorder such as palmcorder, can be hold firmly with the grip strap over the right hand. Use both hands to make the palmcorder more steadily. Place the left hand beneath the palmcorder's body. With larger camcorder, use the right shoulder to support the camcorder. Press the camcorder against the cheek which give the extra steadiness.

Depth of Field

2008-10-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

What's depth of field?.
Depth of field is the distance between the nearest and the furthest points that will be in focus. In other words all the subjects between the points will be in focus during the shooting.

There are several principles of depth of field.

The greater the focal length, the narrower the depth
The greater the aperture, the narrower the depth
The nearer the subject to the lens, the narrower the depth

To achieve the greatest depth of field during shooting, the subject that we are shooting should be in bright light, clear days and set the lens to widest setting.

Manual focussing

2008-10-10T06:37:00.000-07:00

Some camcorders can use manual focussing. The cameraman should has certain skill to operate the camcorder with manual setting lens. During the shooting the cameraman has to rotate the focussing ring on the lens barrel until the image viewed through viewfinder becomes very sharp.

The cameraman also, should has the skill to focus moving subjects while panning, tilting and etc. The subjects should be focussed all the times. All these skill need practise and cannot be grapped within one or two days.

Focus

2008-10-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

All camcorders have auto focus system to ensure that the subjects that we are shooting are sharply focused. The systems use infra-red beams fired from beside the camcorder's lens to measure the camcorder's distance from the subjects. Some others camcorders use the method through the lens(TTL) where the image sensor detect the image sharpness.

AUTO FOCUS

The systems can interprete what the lens sees and keep the shot always in focus. An auto focus works firing infra-red beams to the subjects. The infra-red reflected back to the image sensor in the lens. The camcorder measure the time take by the infra-red beams to return back to the sensor. With the times, the system will calculate the distance. Then the focussing ring of the camcorder will adjusted by an electric motor.

However in certain situation, auto focus setting cannot be used, because the subject that we are shooting becomes inaccurate. In other words the subjects are not accurately focussed. To overcome this problem, we should use manual focussing.

The situation where auto focussing is not effective:

Shooting subjects through the bars or netting. Auto focus will focus the bars in the foreground not the subjects.

Subjects are under low light situation. The infra-red systems have difficulty to measure the distance of the subjects.

Subjects that are move very fast. The subjects will cause a temporary lost of focus.

Subjects that are placed at the edge of the frame.

White Balance

2008-10-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

What is white balance?. Besides manual white balance, most of the camcoders are equipped with automatic white balance facility. The automatic white balance register the color temperature of the source and makes the adjustments to ensure the correct reproduction of all colors.

What is the color temperature?. 'White' light is made up of all the colors of the spectrum and differant source of light of different colors temperature. The lowest temperatures are at the red end of the spectrum and the highest are at the blue end.

Some camcorders have PRE-SET white balance position to cope with the different lighting conditions. If we fail to set right setting of the white balance, the subjects that we recordered on the tape will have an unnatural color cast. Some camcorders have automatic white balance where we can set the button to indoor or outdoor shooting. The camcorder will automatically set the white balance according to the condition of the light source.

The camcorder feature

2008-10-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Lux;

Lux is the unit for measuring the amount of light illuminating the certain area. Since the camcorders are able to operate in low light, a subject lit by a candle can be seen in the shooting. But for the best result, we should shoot subject which is fully lit by bright light. Sharp, bright colors and natural looking image can be seen during the shooting.

Back light compensator;

One of auto-exposure problem is when we shooting subject with bright light coming from behind the subject. The iris closes down and the face of the subject can't be seen clearly or silhouette. The back light compensator(BLC) open up the iris to correct the exposure on the subject. However the background of the subject is looking bleach.

Camcorder features

2008-10-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

The 'iris diaphragm' is a form of exposure system in camcorder. It is located in the lens system. The iris is adjusts the aperture by electronic control. The adjustment of the aperture is to ensure that the image that recorded to the tape is faithful. Auto-exposure systems which is fully electronic control, enable the cameraman to concentrate on the other aspects of shooting. The aperture closes down automatically to its minimum size during shooting in bright sunlight. It will opens up to its maximum in poor light.
In manual iris, the cameraman are fully control over the exposure. He is able to adjust the aperture during the shooting by looking through the viewfinder.

Tripod/ stands

2008-10-05T18:01:00.000-07:00

chestpod

monopod

Tripods are very important in video shooting. Since camera steadiness is important, using support will improve our scenes that are recorded to the tape. Tripod is essential whwn we are using a telephoto converter and longer focal lengths. The tripod also important when we using macro shooting and shooting subject in long period. Fluid head tripod provide freedom of movement and the cameraman able to pan and tilt more smoother. The tripod can be adjusted to any height that we want to. If we want to use support lighter than tripod we may use monopod, shoulder holsters, chest pods or many others.

tripod

More about camcorder

2008-10-05T16:58:00.000-07:00

All camcorders more or less have the same function. They have viewfinder that acts as a monitor, able to playback the scenes that are recordered before. Besides with AC current the camcorder can be powered by rechargeable batteries. Camcorder also has zoom lens and built in microphones. The different are their format(tape size used), image resolution, sound system, shape, weight and etc.

Format;

In broadcasting the most common format camcorders used are Betacam, DVCam, MiniDV, DVC Pro and many more. The common home used camcorders are palmcorders. This palmcorders use mini DV tape, video disc or Hard Disc. Nowaday VHS camcorders with VHS tape are no longer used by videographers. That type of format are very seldom available in the market.

How to choose camcorder:

Besides the price, there are several features to consider before buying camcorders;

The camcorder should be light and portable if we plan to do a lot of travel videos
Picture quality should be hight to avoid picture drop quality during copying
The tape length is also very important.
The quality of sound.
The robustness of the camcorder is very important especially in broadcast.

Digital-Camcorder or Analogue – Is There Any Comparison? By John Gibb Platinum Quality Author

2008-10-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

People have been getting along just fine for years with old-fashioned analogue camcorders. Why are digital ones any better? There are lots and lots of reasons.

First of all, if you’ve ever seen a video made on an analogue camcorder, you’ll know just how low the quality is. It’s grainy, with nasty textual watermarks and bad sound. Digital camcorders, on the other hand, use digital recording techniques to give you higher resolution, which means higher picture quality – even the worst digital camcorder has picture quality dramatically better than a TV is even capable of displaying.

Digital camcorders are also easier to carry. The digital media they record onto is smaller, lighter and has a higher capacity, meaning that the unit doesn’t have to be designed around bulky tapes. Digital camcorders’ designs are much smaller and sleeker than anything that has gone before.

Some people think you have to have a computer to use a digital camcorder, but that’s not actually true. What is true, however, is that it’s so much easier to transfer any videos you make to your computer for further editing or posting on the web. All you need to do is plug in a cable, click a few buttons and you’re done – in fact, if your camcorder has a Bluetooth wireless connection, you don’t even need to plug in the cable!

The final factor in favour of digital camcorders is an interesting one, and one that many people don’t realise. It’s impossible to use an analogue camcorder as a normal stills camera, because of the completely different kinds of film. With a digital camcorder, however, it’s dead easy to also use it as a digital camera, and store stills and video right alongside each other. When you consider the amount of money you save by not having to buy both a camera and a camcorder, it makes digital camcorders look like an even better deal than ever.

John Gibb is the owner of digital camcorder sources . For more information on digital camcorders check out http://www.digital-camcorder-data2k.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb

How To Make A Time-Lapse Video With Your Digital Video Camera By Kevin Rockwell

2008-10-04T19:15:00.000-07:00

Getting the most out of your digital video camera can mean being able to create some really cool stuff. You just have to step outside the manual a bit and find the cool things you can do with your digital video camera and your editing software.

We have all seen them in a movie or a TV show, those very cool shots where they speed up time and capture a long segment of time and condense it into a very short amount of video. My very favorite example of this technique was an arty movie of many years ago that was called Koyaanisqatsi. (view trailer) In that movie they had some very interesting segments where they did time lapse effects to show driving on a bridge, flowers growing, clouds flying by and so on. Another example is many of the TV news stations nowadays have a camera that captures the day’s weather and then they process it down to a 20 second clip to show the clouds and weather racing by on screen.

Well this technique is not just a tool in the hands of the movie makers or the big TV stations. You can do this with your digital video camera gear too. I will go into two ways that you can accomplish this effect and get some cool results for your next video project. This one is worth playing around with in order to find the right settings to get the most dramatic effect.

Technique number one is to use the camera itself to do the time lapse recording for you. Almost all digital video cameras have the ability to do an interval recording. What this means in a nutshell is that you tell the camera how long you want to record for and how long in between recordings and it will go on autopilot for you for as long as the battery lasts or the tape runs out. This is what those cameras at the convenience store do, they record a few seconds of motion every 30-60 seconds giving the overall view of the traffic in the store over time.

Now if you want to capture some time lapse in your digital video camera you will need to get into your cameras menu and find Interval Recording (or in my case Int Rec, as I use a Sony PD 150 for my camera) When you select this option you will decide how long of an interval between shots you want and how long to record each time. If you are trying to capture something that takes a long time to occur and in which not much happens quickly you will want to set the interval at around a minute and the record time as short as possible on your camera. An example would be if you wanted to record a day in the life of a flower or the clouds rolling by in the sky. Suppose however that you want to capture an event that has lots of action and occurs over a much shorter time frame. Then you would want to shorten the interval between recordings and increase the time of each recording. So in this case you might record every 15-30 seconds and record up to 2-3 seconds of video each time.

I used this technique to capture an afternoon of work being done by a team of carpenters on my house remodeling project. The result was a flurry of activity as workers raced hither and yon nailing boards, carrying equipment and building walls. I have added it to my photo collection of the project. (Hey I had to live through the project so I might as well have a great record of it for posterity!)

Now suppose you have one of the great software video editing packages on your computer to work with your digital video camera. Now you can do it in post as they say in the business. You can record any length of video you want (subject to the limitations of your tape length) and then import it into your editing program.

Sidebar:

I use Adobe Premiere Pro for my editing jobs, but I have also used Avid DV Express, Final Cut Pro, and others in the non linear editing world. These are all great programs and are very powerful products that can create some very professional looking videos. You don’t have to have these products to create your own videos but if you are serious about digital video editing it might be a good idea to take a look at these options.

I digitize my raw video of the scene I am doing time lapse on into my computer (big hard drive, video eats up GB’s of space) and then import the clip into my time line. From th3e timeline you can then select the clip with a right click. From there you will be given a menu with options depending on the software you use. Select the option that says “duration”, “speed” or something similar. Change the speed of the clip so that time will speed up considerably. If you have an hour of video in the clip and want to shorten it to 2 -5 minutes then you need to increase the speed of the clip to 3 or 4 thousand percent of normal. This will require your software to render the clip at the higher speed and may take some time top process depending on the speed of your computer.

Once you have rendered the video clip at the new speed you will want to play it to see if the movie flows evenly or if you will want to readjust the speed setting to make it better. Sometimes you may want to shorten your raw video and adjust the speed down somewhat in order to get a smooth flow of action. Once you have rendered the clip at the new speed you can now cut and splice it as you see fit with the speeded up action intact. There are some things you will record that might only need a slight speed change, take for instance some digital video of your kids playing sports. Double or triple the speed of the clip and show it to them and you might have them rolling on the floor.

You can also use these techniques to capture the growth of a flower or plant over the course of days or weeks. Simply set you camera in exactly the same place at the same time each day and record an interval that works each day fro however long you want to document. May be you get the seedling just breaking soil and follow it all the way through turning into a full grown plant.

Another interesting idea is to capture the path of the moon across the night sky. Set up your camera on a tripod in a spot that can see the path of the moon for several hours. Set the camera to interval record and put the moon on one side of the frame so that it will pass across the frame as the night passes. This one may require some testing in order to get the exposure and framing right as well as the right interval to record at. Most likely you would want to set the interval as long as you can and the record time as short as you can but do a test run first to see what works.

I can’t stress enough that using your digital video camera can be great fun and you can achieve some cool results. Play around and test. You just might find yourself creating some very creative digital video to share with the rest of the world.

Kevin Rockwell worked as a network TV cameraman for 20 years shooting news and sports. Now a devoted fan of digital photography and video he works to gather information, tips and news for digital camera users. Oh and he loves to shoot pictures of cool and interesting things all the time. http://www.great-digital-cameras.com/gdcj.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Rockwell

Sony DCR HC 38E Camcorder By Monty Alexander

2008-10-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Sony DCR HC38E camcorder comes with powerful zoom lenses. It has the optical zoom of 40 x and digital zoom of 80/2000 x. It sports Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens with the filter diameter of 30 mm. Optical zoom is a feature that alters a camcorders focal length, filling more of the frame within the subject. An optical zoom lens actually moves in and out of the camcorder. Unlike a digital zoom, an optical zoom will not reduce the resolution of your video; moreover it helps you to concentrate on the subject of the video to be shot. This camcorder also brings a faraway object nearer and hence is useful in shooting videos of flora and fauna or anything that is moving. Whereas a digital zoom is software inside the camcorder that enlarges subject in the video to be shot. Digital zoom enlarges the subject of the video to be shot, while reducing the resolution of the video.

Sony DCR HC38E: Inside Out

Sony DCR HC38E camcorder has 2.5" screen which is a wide 4:3 LCD Screen with Touch Panel. It has various features like: video playback controls, Program AE, effects mode, search and title entry by a simple touch on the generously sized LCD screen. The touch panel is treated in such a manner that it gets protected against dirt and fingerprints.

For those who have a shaky hand, Sony DCR-HC38E camcorder comes with the option of Super SteadyShot System. With this you can get rid of those unwanted blurs which at times hamper clearly enjoying the video.

Uniqueness

One of the unique features of Sony DCR HC38E camcorder is the presence of Super NightShot. With this feature you get a built-in infrared system that allows you to capture video in monochrome recording from up to 10 feet away even in total darkness. It also helps in increasing the brightness, contrast and quality of the picture with its Slow Shutter speeds.

Another feature that will impress you is the option of video talk. With this feature you can talk live to you callers and even playback any video to them. Another interesting feature is the Video Streaming mode. With this you can do live recording on your PC, you won't need to use the i-LINK terminal.

Conclusion

For those who have a knack for photography, this Sony DCR HC38E camcorder is the best buy.

Monty Alexander has a good name as an author; his articles cover many topics including Sony camcorders, digital camera, camcorders and camera.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Monty_Alexander

Using Your Micro Video Camera For Recreational Purposes By Nahshon Roberts Platinum Quality Author

2008-10-02T19:10:00.000-07:00

Your micro video camera can be used for recreational purposes, too! Just because it is used for monitoring nannies and employees, cheating husbands and erring children, cops and robbers, does not necessarily mean that it cannot be used for good, clean fun, too! Here is how.

Remote Controlled Toys

If you attach a micro video camera to a remote controlled toy, you will get a feeling akin to playing a racing video game. The only visible difference is that instead of virtual landscapes, you will be navigating real terrain.

You can attach a micro video camera to the nose of your toy helicopter or plane and watch your neighborhood park and your yard from a totally different perspective! You can control the toy to zoom around the neighborhood just so you can get to know the layout more. Just be very careful that you do not exceed the limits on objective expectation of privacy and other laws lest you find yourself in a totally different neighborhood, otherwise known as the jailhouse.

As to your toy car, you can also attach the micro video camera inside it. Watch how grass looks from an ant's point of view, almost like being in the "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" movie! You never know when you can use the footage for your very own "shrinking" home movie, right?

You should look for a camera that can be plugged into the receiver as power source or a camera that can be used with a Y splitter. The idea is that your tiny camera will operate on the same battery as that of the toy vehicle.

Practical Jokes

If you are a fan of gag shows like "Candid Camera", a micro video camera is the right tool to get you started on a career as a practical joker. Just remember that your practical jokes must never endanger the lives of the targets; go easy on scare jokes for old people, weights falling down on heads, and other potentially fatal pranks.

You can position the hidden camera in a strategic place - opposite the doorway when the joke involves door pranks like stacking up books to block the entryway, up above the ceiling for better coverage, inside the bathroom for monsters-popping-up-on-the-toilet-seat pranks, and other places you deem good for capturing the action. Again, be mindful of privacy issues.

Voyeuristic Tendencies

This is an extreme in recreational purposes for a micro video camera. You are endangering your freedom in exchange for satisfying your sexual kicks. Then again, America has always been about "each to his own", right?

There a few things you need to remember on voyeurism. You are invading the privacy of the individuals you are videotaping without their consent. As such, you can be prosecuted and jailed for violating the laws. You might be able to hide pinhole cameras to become a high-tech peeping Tom but only under the cloud of a felony (and more than 12 years of prison time for some crimes) hanging over your head.

Is it not better to play with toys and jokes than with privacy issues? The next time you think of using your pinhole cameras for recreation, try to stay within the confines of decency and of the law.

Who says your pinhole nanny camera, especially the wireless nanny camera, can only be used for altruistic purposes? Use your micro video camera to have fun, too, and visit Video-Surveillance-Guide.com today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nahshon_Roberts

How to take care of your video camera

2008-10-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

How to take care of your video camera

When it comes to special occasions that need recording, a video camera will surely be one of the few items present inside the bag. In addition to the camera, a video camera is one of the mainstays of every special event in the family and with the Christmas season and Thanksgiving a few days away, video cameras of all shapes and sizes are being charged inside the homes or being bought off the shelf.

Unlike photographic cameras, which capture one-time images into still shots, video cameras can capture everything, every detail every second and every minute of the day. This is what makes video cameras so popular. It can get every scene in a flash. Nothing is missed!

If you already have your own video camera, it is important that you take care of it. Video cameras like photography cameras have very sensitive parts that you can easily damage when you are not careful. Below are some of the things that you should really watch out for.

Protecting the lens

This is the single most important part in a video camera and it is also the most expensive. If this is damaged, you will have to spend so much, sometimes even enough to buy a new video camera. It is therefore important that you always protect this part.

When storing the camera, make sure that there are no pointed objects that can scratch the lens. Most video cameras that are being sold nowadays have a special compartment for the lens. Old models have lens covers that will protect it from scratches.

When holding the camera, it is important that you loop the strap in your hands or around your neck. This is a safety precaution just in case you accidentally drop the camera. At least, it will not fall on the floor! Dropping the camera is a major no-no because the lens can easily break.

Taking care of the memory card

Although most video cameras have internal memory, which you can use, new models have expandable options. Now, users can add on to the internal memory by using memory cards. In fact, some do not even use the internal memory anymore as this can only slow down the processes of the camera.

To take care of the memory cards, it is important that you place them in a special case, which will protect them from sharp objects or hard ones that can damage its delicate parts.

Lengthening the life of the battery

Although most are probably not charging their batteries according to what the manual says, it is still important that you try to follow the manual every now and then. The general rule is to actually drain the battery first before fully charging it. Fully charging it means that you should not pull the plug until the battery is charged completely. Not charging it fully and not draining the battery before charging can actually cut short or lessen the battery life.

The initial charging of the battery is another area that you should take special attention of. Depending on what the manual says, the battery is often charged for more than 12 hours, sometimes even the whole day. It is vital that the instructions for the initial charging are followed as this can affect the performance of the battery.

Bob is the owner of Electronics DVD VCR Stereo which is an up-to-date electronics information website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Janeway

Equipment

2008-09-30T16:59:00.000-07:00

There is a range of accessories which can improve our job in shooting video. Camera stability is a hight priority because it will effect all of our shooting. Tripods are the ideal solution. Without the tripods our shooting will not stable such as we shooting during earthquake. This is not a joke. Tripod offer essential support to take steady pictures. A fluid head ensures smoother camera moves and level the shots. Monopods are not stable but save on weight.
Sound is also very important in shooting video. Video without sound is useless. The buit in microphones of the video camera have limited capabilities. Most video cameras have extra microphones sockets on its body. So please use extra microphone during shooting to obtain hight quality sound.
Headphones are essential to confirm what we are recording on the sound track, filters, lights, and etc are also very important during video shooting.

Function

2008-09-29T16:47:00.000-07:00

Pause mode, when we press the pause button the tape or the recording will halt. In this condition although the recording halts the drum is still rotate.

The review facility is use to search visual and it allows tape to playback and view in the viewfinder. Some cameras allows us to check the last few seconds of a recording by pressing the button.

The shutter speeds is an electronic device that enable us to record subjects that are moving faster.

Function

2008-09-28T16:33:00.000-07:00

The white balance control will make sure that the colours of the scene are reproduced faithfully whether lit by daylight or artificial light. The white balance can be set autimatically or manually.

The auto focus system uses infra-red beam to adjust focus automatically during the shooting. Focus tends to be set on the nearest object. The cameraman can focus manually as well by turning the ring on the barrel of the lens and judging the focus by looking through the viewfinder of the camera.

In the record mode, the is roll around the recorder drum and start to register the recording. The counter keeps a tally of the amount of tape shot.

Smile, You Are on Promotional Video - Promote Your Network Marketing Business With Video By Erik Gifford

2008-09-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

No doubt you've encountered some of the millions of short video clips that are floating around the Internet, either in your email inbox or on a video sharing site such as YouTube. Some, if not most, of these videos are posted purely for entertainment value. Video is also an invaluable resource for those who want to promote their business. If you have a network marketing business, you shouldn't overlook this method of promotion. Posting a video about your business really drives traffic to your site if it is done effectively.

Like article marketing, video marketing can be a very effective, cost-efficient way to drive traffic to your site. Many video sharing sites will even let you publish your clips at no cost. Because of that, this mode of promoting your network marketing business should not be overlooked. Take the time to learn how to fully capitalize on this opportunity, and you could soon see quality traffic flocking to your site in droves. Here are a few tips on how to use video clips to promote your network marketing business.

*Keep it short

The Internet is a wellspring of information, and most users want their information fast and in small, manageable bites. Rarely will a user take the time to read (or watch) all of the information available a topic of interest. Instead, he will scan the options and choose the one or two that are most likely to yield the information he wants. Make sure your clip is chosen by getting to the point fast. The entire clip should be no more than 2 to 3 minutes.

*Make it pretty

Aesthetics matter. Your choice of color scheme, background, motion graphics and even font can work either for or against you in terms of driving traffic to your site. Make sure your clip projects the kind of image you want for your company. Most likely these elements will also appeal to your target audience.

*Buy the sounds of it

If people are going to buy what you are selling, it's important, even critical, to ensure that your clip looks good and sounds great. Include sound, via narrator, to emphasize your chosen keywords, and you will greatly increase your chances of successful marketing message delivery. Successful narration will help keep peoples' interest long enough to hear what you have to say.

*Be friendly to your user

The Internet offers virtually endless choices for people looking for information. If your clip takes forever to load, chances are an Internet user will move on quickly. Be sure to use a format that has a small, quick-loading size, such as Flash.

*Set Your Videos Free

If your network marketing business is new or otherwise has low public recognition, it's not likely you'll get much traffic from search engines. Consequently, if your web video is only found on your website, it won't effectively drive traffic to your site. You need to attract the most watchers to your video as possible, and one of the best ways to do this is to submit them to as many video-sharing sites as possible. There is a domino effect in doing this: blogs, other websites, and publishers download your video clips and republish them. When that happens, your network marketing business's exposure increases exponentially.

Video marketing is one way to spread the word about your network marketing business. It often yields impressive results. Learn all you can about how to take full advantage of this technology, and your customers will thank you.

Video marketing is a very cost effective way of bringing prospects to you.Erik Gifford is a network marketing attraction marketing coach.

Call 0047225202139 for a free consultation and visit Network Marketing Guidance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erik_Gifford

Function

2008-09-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

Before shooting the cameraman should know his or her equipment. Theory only is not enough for video makers. Knows all about our equipment will make us very confident in our job. Fluent in our control of the camcorder leaves us free to concentrate on the creative aspects of video making. Think deeply before you start shooting.

The iris controls the amount of light passing through the lens to the image censor. It's usually under electronic control and can be operated manually or automatically.

The backlight compensator is used to set the iris when shooting into the light. The iris adjusts to give correct exposure for the subject. The background gets bleached out.

The low light control is used in poor light condition. By pressing it, will boosting the video signal or brighter the subject that we are shooting. But it will increase the picture 'noise'. It's means that the picture is 'grainy'.

Will be continued later.....

Understand

2008-09-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

The main item of the video makers are 'camcorder'. Camcorder is the combination of video camera and video recorder to make a compact portable machine. There are many different models of camcorder available in the market.

Most camcorders have a zoom lens which allows to vary the size of shots during recording or shooting. This means that the subject appears larger or smaller as the shot proceeds. The camcorder also has a macro setting for shooting close up of small scale subjects such as ant and etc.

Camcorders also have built-in microphone to record the sound at the same time as the images. The sound level can be adjusted automatically and can be monitored during recording.

The electronic viewfinder can be adjusted with the eye of the cameraman. The image seen in the viewfinder is the same as the image seen by the camera's lens.

The other function of the camera will be detail later such as the function of iris, backlight compensator, low-light control, white balance control, auto focus system and etc.

Video Camera

2008-09-25T03:38:00.000-07:00

The video camera is made up of two elements, the optics and the electronics. The optics section collects the light from the scene being photographed and focus it into a clear image. The electronics turn that image into electrical signals which can be recorded onto magnetic tape, disc, etc. The camera use a lens to focus the light, and virtually all video cameras use a zoom lens. This enable the camera to record many shots from a wide panoramic view to a tight close up without changing the lens. The light passes through an iris, a hole that automatically alters in size to ensure that the brightness of the image is correct. It's mean teh picture is not over or under exposed. Some cameras have a manual iris which can be adjusted. Bringing the picture into sharp focus, can be done manually or automatically. The final image is projected onto the camera pick up image called CCD or Charge Couple Device. This is the section where the electronic start. The CCD turns the image into electrical signals. The video camera also has a viewfinder. This viewfinder allows the cameraman to see what the camera lens is seeing. Video camera is also fitted with a microphone to record the sound.

How it works?

2008-09-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Visual images are converted into electrical signals, and then turned into radio waves before transmited over the air. The radio waves are picked up by TV receiver and reconverted into electrical signals which are then displayed as images by the tv picture tube. The sound of the visual or images is processed in the similar way.

In broadcasting a video cameras in studio picked up the image which focussed on it's pick up tube. The surface of picked up tube is very sensitive to light. In latest camera video the picked up tube was replaced by device called CCD or Charge Couple Device. The image turned into electrical signal and then converted to radio waves which are then transmitted over the air.

The television aerial picks up the broadcast signal and feeds into tv set. In tv set the sound is processed and send as output to the loudspeaker. While the video information is used to drive cathode ray picture tube in tv set.

Development of audio video

2008-09-22T18:09:00.000-07:00

TV Broadcasting started in USA in 1939. After war work was pushing ahead to develop a colour tv system. The USA started the first regular colour service in 1951. Regular colour broadcasts started in UK in 1967. After war the development of satellites for long distance transmission took place.

Video recorders are also another invation. Until the early 60s all television programmes were live or made on film. In the 1950s both Ampex in USA and UK were keen to develop video recorder. The first video recorder was demonstrated by Ampex in 1956 and the machine became a broadcast standard. Philips launched the first domestic video recorder in 1971. Japan took over the market with the Beta format, launched in 1974 and later the VHS format, launched in 1976. Video discs followed in the early 80s.

History of Television

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No one knows who actually invented television. But it probably started in 1873 when Louis May and Willoughby Smith, discovered the photoelectric effect. It is the ability of certain materials to convert light energy to electrical energy.

In 1880 Englishmen, Ayrton dan Perry, built a system called electric vision. With this system an image could be focused on an array of photocells which would each produced an electrical signal. The strength of the signal depending on the strength of the light falling on the photocell. Each of these photocells would be individually connected to a lamp in a similar array which would then glow with a brightness corresponding to the strength of the electrical current produced by its corresponding photocell. The system didn't work because the photocells could't produced enought power to light the lamps.

In 1884 Paul Nipkow from German, built a technic called scanning which allowed to send all the information required to build up a picture down just one pair of wires. In Nipkow's system the image was focused onto a revolving perforated disc. The holes were arranged so that each one passed across the image a little lower than the previous one. The effect was to allow the light from the object to pass through to the photocell as a series of strips across the object. In this way a signal, came out of the photocell. At the other end, a lamp was connected to the output of the photocell, and this was viewed through a similar spinning disc. Because the two discs were identical, and were spinning at identical speeds, an image of the original object could be built up. As both discs were spinning very fast, the eyes appeared to see the whole picture, and not just a series of lines. In the end Nipkow's system didn't work for the same reason as Ayrton and Perry's electric vision.

Early 20th century invention of amplifying valves and the ingenuity of John Logie Baird, make Nipkow;s mechanical ideas work in practice.