by Stephanie Cottrell Bryant
Give Your Blog a New Dimension with Video!
Get The Tools, Attract the Audience, and Join the Fun
 |
| Videoblogging For Dummies |
Stephanie Bryant is a technical writer from Santa Cruz, California. She’s been
writing professionally for ten years, and has written two books on Web design
and graphics. Her first video posted to the Internet was a 30-second clip of
finding her first book on HTML in a Parisian bookstore.
In May of 2005, Stephanie started a personal videoblog, after having been a
text blogger for three years. She now co-presents seminars on videoblogging
and the law, covering technological aspects to help those in the legal professions
to make informed arguments about the intellectual property and other
legal aspects of this emerging technology.
When she’s not writing, Stephanie writes! A four-year winner in National
Novel Writing Month, she’s written five novels, keeps several blogs and
videoblogs, and still maintains a healthy handwritten correspondence with a
few friends and family members. She is married and has one cat and several betta fish.
Author’s Acknowledgments
Most people look at a book and think the name on the cover is the only
person creating it. Well, that’s rarely the case, and this book is no exception.
It would simply not have come to pass without the wonderful help, support,
and encouragement of many, many people. Naturally, any mistakes or errors
in this book are my fault, not theirs—the buck stops somewhere on my very messy desk.
In particular, I’d like to help the friends and cheerleaders in my life, who have
really given me a lot of moral support and understanding friendship along
this path. Naturally, the first of these is my husband, John, who sacrifices
more for my books than anyone. Thanks also to my mother Bonnie Beck, and
friends Molly Landers, John Daniels, Brian Kolm, Patrick Reilly, John Simmons,
and Ben Rice. A special shout-out to Ben Carey and Henrik Delchag, whose
book This Book Will Change Your Life was the humorous inspiration for my earliest videoblogs.
Thanks also to the hardworking souls who labored on this project: Margot
Maley Hutchison, my agent; the folks at Wiley, including Steve Hayes, acquisitions
editor, Jean Rogers, project editor, Leah Cameron, editorial manager,
Barry Childs-Helton, copy editor, and the graphics and layout techs; and Sean Gilligan, technical editor.
I’ve had a lot of support and cheerleading from the videoblogging community,
and there’s no way I can thank each of the 2,000 or so people who vlog regularly
and inspire, communicate, and debate with me about videoblogging. So I’ll
have to settle for the short list; if you search for any of these folks, you’ll find
great vlogs and tools: Bill Streeter, Enric Teller, John Leeke, Paul Knight,
Amanda Congden, Andrew Michael Baron, Marcus Sandy, JD Lasica, Eric Rice,
Ryanne Hodson, Jay Dedman, Michael Verdi, Schlomo Rabinowitz, Heath
Parks, Steve Garfield, Zadi Diaz, Josh Leo, Justin Day, Kaveh Kardan, Sheldon
Pineo, Matt Savarino, Peter Doyle, Chad Aaron, Israel Hyman, Daniel Lyss,
Jerry and Orrin Zucker, Kent Nichols, Douglas Sarine, David Peck, Greg Smith,
August Trometer, Warren Murray, and Leanne White.
Introduction
Ever want to get away from the spoon-fed content on your television? Do
you wonder what life is like inside other people’s houses (or, for that
matter, heads)? Did you ever want to share some amusing observation about
your life with the world? Behold the videoblog: the emotional voyeur’s (and
exhibitionist’s) way of sharing with the world the most up-close and personal
views of a human life. It’s a step beyond what you may have heard about
blogs. In a text blog, you can capture and present such a moment in words,
but it has all the immediacy of a newspaper article. Add pictures, and it’s
visually interesting, but still kind of ho-hum.
But drop a video into that blog, and suddenly you have people riveted! Whether
your interest is just a personal video diary, an instructional video, a promotion,
or to tell the political story you feel hasn’t been told, videoblogs are a powerful
and immediate medium for telling your story.
About This Book
This book isn’t meant to be read from front to back. It’s more like a reference.
Each chapter is divided into sections, each of which has self-contained information
about a specific task in videoblogging.
You don’t have to remember anything in this book. Nothing is worth memorizing.
The information here is what you need to know to get by and nothing
more. And wherever I mention a new term — or am possessed by the need to
get geeky with the technical descriptions — I’ve been sure to let you know so
you can decide whether to read them or ignore them. (I am thoughtful, aren’t I? You’re welcome.)
Conventions Used in This Book
I know that doing something the same way over and over again can be boring
(the way Mr. Rogers always wore the same kind of sweater), but sometimes
consistency can be a good thing. For one thing, it makes stuff easier to understand.
In this book, those consistent elements are conventions. In fact, one of
those is the italic typeface I use to identify and define new terms.
Whenever you have to type something, I put the stuff you need to type in
bold type so it is easy to see.
When URLs (Web addresses) appear within a paragraph, they look like this:
www.dummies.com. If I need to show you code (for example, a snippet of
HTML to embed a video in your blog), I use a code font like this:
<a href=”http://www.example.com/Video.mp4”
rel=”enclosure”>
<br />Click here for the movie! (MPEG-4 format)</a>
This book covers both Macintosh and Windows computers, but the emphasis
is on Macs running Mac OS X. When I mention Windows, I focus on Windows
XP, because it’s the first Windows platform to natively support editing
movies, with Windows Movie Maker.
What You Don’t Have to Read
You don’t need to read the sidebars if you don’t want to — they’re extra details,
notes, and information to help you figure things out, or cool little tidbits to make
your vlogging experience more fun.
Likewise, any paragraph next to a Technical Stuff icon beside it is similarly
optional reading, because those paragraphs are where I get a little more geeky than normal.
Foolish Assumptions
I have to make some assumptions about you, the reader. First, I have to
assume that you already have a computer and a video camera. Now, granted,
I do actually give a bit of advice on buying a computer or a camera if you
don’t already have one — but my basic assumption is that you do, in fact,
already have these basic pieces of equipment.
I also assume that you have a connection to the Internet. I also assume that
your Internet connection is not a slow dial-up connection. The fact is,
videoblogging is very difficult if you’re not on a high-speed connection. That
means satellite, DSL, cable modem, a T1, or (at the very least) an ISDN line.
Finally, I assume that you more or less know how to download and install a
software program, and that if I tell you to go to a Web site and follow the
directions there, you’re good to go. Why would I point you to a Web site
instead of telling you how to do this myself? Because some things change
quickly and will be obsolete after this book goes to print. I’d hate to meticulously
explain something, and then have you try it out and find out it didn’t work!
The Internet changes quickly. By the time this book gets into your hands, a
Web site I recommend might have changed. Please make good use of your
favorite search engine if you can’t find a Web page that I mention in this book.
How This Book Is Organized
I divided this book into parts, which I organized by topic. The parts point out
the most important aspects of videoblogging. If you’re looking for information
on a specific videoblogging topic, check the index or skim the headings in the
table of contents and flip to the indicated page.
By design, this book enables you to get as much (or as little) information as you
need at any particular moment. Need to know something fast to set up an RSS
feed? Read the section of Chapter 13 that applies. Videoblogging For Dummies is
intended as a reference that you can reach for again and again whenever some
new question about videoblogging comes up.
Part I: Zen and the Art of Videoblogs
This part gives an overview of videoblogging. It’s part introduction, and part
quick-and-dirty get-you-started fun. Here’s where you find information on
watching videoblogs, getting your computer set up for videoblogging, and
creating your first, basic videoblog post.
Part II: Step Away from the Camera
Okay, this part doesn’t really get away from the camera, but it does focus on
the parts of videoblogging where you don’t necessarily want the camera
present. For example, getting feedback on your videoblog, branding a look
and feel, overcoming stage fright, and planning a videoblog entry — as well
as scripting it — are all in this part.
Part III: Lights, Camera, Vlog!
This part talks about more advanced filmmaking techniques, including
composition, lighting, sound, and file formats and compression. If you’re an
experienced videographer, you’ll find the file formats section interesting, but if
you’re new to storytelling through a lens, then you’ll want to read Chapter 9
on composing shots and using the camerawork to tell your story.
Part IV: Going Public
In this part, you get the preflight briefing about putting your videoblog on the
Internet, publicizing it, managing the permissions, and keeping an eye on
your traffic and bandwidth expenses.
Part V: The Part of Tens
I’ve remained true to For Dummies style by including a Part of Tens. The
chapters in this part can help you quickly find ten or so vlogs to watch,
personal vlogging ideas, and business videoblogging ideas. The Part of Tens
is a resource you can turn to again and again.
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Product details
Price
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|---|---|
File Size
| 10,208 KB |
Pages
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411 p |
File Type
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PDF format |
ISBN-13
ISBN-10 | 978-0-471-97177-1 0-471-97177-4 |
Copyright
| 2006 by Wiley Publishing, Inc |
Contents at a Glance
Introduction
Part I: Zen and the Art of Videoblogs
Chapter 1: This Is Your Brain on Vlogs
Chapter 2: I Vant to Vatch Your Vlog
Chapter 3: Stocking Your Toolbox
Chapter 4: Recipe for a Vlog
Part II: Step Away from the Camera
Chapter 5: Finding Your Voice and Audience
Chapter 6: Deciding on a Look and Feel
Chapter 7: Putting Yourself in the Limelight
Chapter 8: Scripting the Show
Part III: Lights, Camera, Vlog!
Chapter 9: Setting Up and Shooting Your Vlog
Chapter 10: Editing Your Content
Chapter 11: Adding a Soundtrack
Chapter 12: Saving Videos for the Internet
Part IV: Going Public
Chapter 13: Making a Home for Your Vlog
Chapter 14: Getting the Word Out
Chapter 15: Getting Help from Others
Chapter 16: Monitoring Traffic
Part V: The Part of Tens
Chapter 17: Ten Core Vlogs to Watch
Chapter 18: Ten Ideas for Personal Vlogs
Chapter 19: Ten Ideas for Business Vlogs
Index
Table of Contents
Introduction..........
About This Book.........
Conventions Used in This Book .......
What You Don’t Have to Read .....
Foolish Assumptions .........
How This Book Is Organized....
Part I: Zen and the Art of Videoblogs........
Part II: Step Away from the Camera ....
Part III: Lights, Camera, Vlog!.........
Part IV: Going Public ................
Part V: The Part of Tens......
Icons Used in This Book...........
Where to Go from Here...
Part I: Zen and the Art of Videoblogs ..............................7
Chapter 1: This Is Your Brain on Vlogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Checking Out the Vlogging World ..................................................................9
What a videoblog is................................................................................9
Who makes videoblogs........................................................................12
Why watch videoblogs ........................................................................12
Where to find out more about videoblogs ........................................13
Finding Reasons to Vlog................................................................................16
Personal reasons to vlog .....................................................................16
Professional reasons to vlog ...............................................................17
Citizen journalism and political reasons to vlog ..............................18
Art as the reason to vlog .....................................................................18
Knowing What You Need: The Basic Tools and Budget ............................19
Gathering your tools ............................................................................19
Budgeting your vlog money ................................................................20
Budgeting your time.............................................................................22
Planning the Content for Your Videoblog ...................................................23
Planned vlogs and “reality vlogs”.......................................................23
Low-tech tools for good videoblogs ..................................................25
Preparing and Presenting a Vlog..................................................................27
Videoblog creation and editing ..........................................................28
Videoblog files and compatibility.......................................................28
Chapter 2: I Vant to Vatch Your Vlog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Video File Players...........................................................................................30
QuickTime and MPEG-4 .......................................................................31
Windows Media Player ........................................................................34
Flash Player...........................................................................................35
Video-Enabled RSS Readers ..........................................................................36
FireANT..................................................................................................37
iTunes ....................................................................................................42
DTV.........................................................................................................48
Web Browser Aggregator: MeFeedia............................................................49
Subscribing to vlogs in MeFeedia.......................................................49
Viewing vlogs in MeFeedia ..................................................................50
Tagging videos and leaving feedback in MeFeedia ..........................52
Vlogging away from the Computer ..............................................................52
Going mobile with the iPod.................................................................53
Playing videoblogs on other mobile media players,
cellphones, and PDAs.......................................................................56
Chapter 3: Stocking Your Toolbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Picking Out Camera Equipment ...................................................................63
Digital camcorders ...............................................................................64
Digital cameras .....................................................................................65
Cellphones.............................................................................................66
Finding the Right Microphone......................................................................68
Directional microphones.....................................................................68
Built-in microphones............................................................................69
External mics ........................................................................................70
Computer microphones.......................................................................73
Getting Your Computer in Order..................................................................74
Hardware considerations ....................................................................74
Video digitizers.....................................................................................75
Getting the Right Software ............................................................................76
Apple’s iMovie ......................................................................................76
Apple’s Final Cut Pro............................................................................77
Apple QuickTime Pro...........................................................................78
Adobe Premiere ....................................................................................79
Macromedia Flash ................................................................................79
Windows Movie Maker ........................................................................81
Affording It All.................................................................................................82
Use what you have ...............................................................................82
A videoblog without video ..................................................................83
Funding for videoblogs........................................................................84
Chapter 4: Recipe for a Vlog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87
Unscripted, Unedited You.............................................................................87
Aw, SHOOT!............................................................................................88
“Reality TV” that’s real (what a concept)..........................................89
From Camera to Computer ...........................................................................90
Transferring movies from a digital camera.......................................90
Connecting your camcorder ...............................................................93
Cutting the Video ...........................................................................................98
Cutting in Macintosh’s iMovie ............................................................98
Cutting in Windows Movie Maker ....................................................100
Saving Your Movie for Videoblogging........................................................101
Saving your videoblog entry in iMovie............................................101
Saving your videoblog entry in Windows Movie Maker................103
Post It!............................................................................................................104
Get a free video-hosting account......................................................104
Upload your video..............................................................................105
Get a free blog account......................................................................108
Post the entry .....................................................................................109
Part II: Step Away from the Camera ...........................115
Chapter 5: Finding Your Voice and Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Identifying Your Audience...........................................................................117
Targeting Your Audience.............................................................................120
E-mailing the word out.......................................................................121
Listing your videoblog on the Web ..................................................122
Soliciting Feedback ......................................................................................122
Comments ...........................................................................................122
Checking in with the vlogger community........................................123
Asking experts ....................................................................................124
Self-Discovery through Vlogs .....................................................................125
Expressing yourself............................................................................125
Learning from past vlogs...................................................................126
Questioning your expectations ........................................................127
Chapter 6: Deciding on a Look and Feel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .131
Branding with Music and Graphics............................................................131
Creating a graphic or video logo for your videoblog.....................132
Using music and sound......................................................................135
Creative branding for your videoblog .............................................136
Getting Repeatable Results with Templates.............................................136
Creating Recognizable Intros and Outros .................................................138
Making titles and credits ...................................................................139
Reusing opening titles and closing tags ..........................................142
Adding an opening or closing clip in iMovie...................................143
Keeping it short and sweet ...............................................................145
Chapter 7: Putting Yourself in the Limelight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147
Understanding Vid Fright............................................................................147
Where vid fright comes from ............................................................147
Determining your comfort level in front of the lens ......................148
Getting Comfortable On-Camera................................................................152
Having a script....................................................................................153
Practicing in front of the camera......................................................154
Physical preparation for going on-camera......................................155
Psyching yourself up..........................................................................158
How to Get Out of the Lens.........................................................................158
Filming events and activities ............................................................158
Providing voiceovers .........................................................................160
Going “gonzo” .....................................................................................162
Working with Other People in Your Vlog ..................................................162
Finding actors .....................................................................................162
Finding and working with experts....................................................163
Finding and working with enthusiasts and fans .............................164
Interviewing the person on the street .............................................165
Prepping your actors or interview subjects
before shooting ...............................................................................166
Chapter 8: Scripting the Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169
Establishing a Plot and Setting...................................................................169
Deciding on a story to tell .................................................................170
Structuring a plotline .........................................................................171
Storyboarding your plot....................................................................174
Writing the Script .........................................................................................176
Developing a scene outline ...............................................................176
Writing a line-by-line script ...............................................................177
Creating cue cards and cheat sheets ...............................................178
Creating a Setting .........................................................................................181
Selecting a setting and background .................................................181
Filming on location.............................................................................182
Getting creative with settings ...........................................................183
Using green-screen technology.........................................................185
Developing Characters and Dialog.............................................................188
Selecting speakers and topics that zing ..........................................188
Leaving the script behind .................................................................190
Capturing natural (-sounding) dialog ..............................................191
Filming a reality TV-style vlog...........................................................192
Focusing on Good Content..........................................................................193
Determining the goals of your vlog..................................................193
Limiting your scope to one idea per vlog entry .............................194
Editing to quicken the pace ..............................................................195
Part III: Lights, Camera, Vlog! ...................................197
Chapter 9: Setting Up and Shooting Your Vlog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .199
Composing a Shot ........................................................................................199
Emphasizing or de-emphasizing backgrounds ...............................199
Working with color .............................................................................201
Framing a shot ....................................................................................206
Moving Pictures: How to Move a Camera .................................................210
Reducing jostling while moving the camera ...................................210
Mounting a camera on your bike or car ..........................................212
The All-Important Element of Light ...........................................................213
Lighting with nature...........................................................................214
Using your own light ..........................................................................214
Working around backlighting............................................................215
Filming in low-light conditions .........................................................216
Filming at night ...................................................................................217
Chapter 10: Editing Your Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219
Editing with Your Camera ...........................................................................219
Importing Video into iMovie.......................................................................220
Importing clips from a camera .........................................................220
Importing from a file ..........................................................................222
Editing Your Video by Trimming the Excess ............................................224
Killing your darlings...........................................................................224
Length matters....................................................................................226
Adding Photos and Stills to Your Movie....................................................226
Adding a photo in iMovie ..................................................................226
Using photo effects ............................................................................227
Transitioning between Clips.......................................................................229
Applying Special Effects ..............................................................................231
Chapter 11: Adding a Soundtrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .237
Recording Superior Audio on Your Camera..............................................237
Positioning the camera for audio .....................................................238
Reducing ambient noise ....................................................................239
Using external recording equipment ...............................................240
Adding a Soundtrack Later .........................................................................243
Importing audio ..................................................................................244
Recording a voiceover .......................................................................244
Adding music to your videoblog ......................................................246
Editing the Soundtrack................................................................................247
Editing a sound clip............................................................................248
Adding sound-effect clips..................................................................249
Using iMovie’s Audio FX ....................................................................250
Chapter 12: Saving Videos for the Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .253
Understanding Video-File Formats ............................................................253
Proprietary and open-source video .................................................254
Reaching across the platforms .........................................................254
Creating vlogs in multiple file formats.............................................256
Compressing Videos ....................................................................................258
Understanding video codecs ............................................................258
Compressing video for a vlog ...........................................................259
Using compression utilities and tools .............................................266
Part IV: Going Public.................................................269
Chapter 13: Making a Home for Your Vlog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .271
Hosting Your Video Files .............................................................................271
Finding free hosting services............................................................272
Using the hosting service you already have...................................274
Paying for hosting service.................................................................275
Syndicating Your Videoblog........................................................................277
Setting up your RSS feed ...................................................................278
Enclosing files in your feed ...............................................................281
Posting to Your Blog ....................................................................................282
Uploading your files ...........................................................................282
Writing your vlog entry text and markup........................................288
Using Peer-to-Peer Services to Share Your Vlogs.....................................296
Downloading a Torrent ......................................................................297
Uploading a Torrent ...........................................................................298
Syndicating a Torrent with RSS ........................................................299
Chapter 14: Getting the Word Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301
Getting Exposure on the Web and in the Media.......................................301
Listing your videoblog in directories...............................................302
Getting your name in the press ........................................................307
Becoming a featured site or podcast ...............................................308
Indulging in shameless self-promotion............................................310
Joining the Vlogging Community ...............................................................311
Getting to know other vloggers ........................................................312
Generating goodwill ...........................................................................312
Cross-linking........................................................................................313
Chapter 15: Getting Help from Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .315
Filming on Location .....................................................................................316
Videoblogging Other People.......................................................................317
Collaborating with Others and Making Derivative Works ......................319
Collaborating with other vloggers ...................................................319
Remixing video ...................................................................................321
Knowing When You Need Permission to Use Others’ Works .................322
Getting Permission to Film People.............................................................323
The elevator permissions speech ....................................................324
Sample permissions form..................................................................325
What to do when they say no ...........................................................325
Crediting Your Sources................................................................................326
Introducing interview subjects.........................................................326
Including end-reel credits..................................................................327
Chapter 16: Monitoring Traffic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329
Gathering Traffic Data about Your Vlog ....................................................329
Reading a server log...........................................................................330
Reading server stats charts ..............................................................332
Installing a remote-stats system.......................................................333
Installing a stats system on your own server.................................337
Tracking RSS Subscriptions ........................................................................338
Reading RSS stats ...............................................................................340
Controlling subscription downloads ...............................................341
Improving performance.....................................................................343
Part V: The Part of Tens .............................................345
Chapter 17: Ten Core Vlogs to Watch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .347
Ask A Ninja....................................................................................................347
Chasing Windmills........................................................................................348
Crash Test Kitchen.......................................................................................348
Freevlog .........................................................................................................348
It’s Jerry Time...............................................................................................349
Izzy Video ......................................................................................................349
Pouringdown.................................................................................................349
Rocketboom..................................................................................................350
Steve Garfield................................................................................................350
The Videoblogging For Dummies Book Vlog ............................................351
Chapter 18: Ten Ideas for Personal Vlogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .353
Family Share Time........................................................................................353
History and Documentary ..........................................................................354
Humor............................................................................................................354
Interests and Hobbies..................................................................................355
Love Vlogs.....................................................................................................356
Personal Diaries ...........................................................................................356
Rants..............................................................................................................357
Reviews of Cool Stuff ...................................................................................358
Storytelling....................................................................................................359
Travel Vlogs ..................................................................................................360
Chapter 19: Ten Ideas for Business Vlogs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .361
Activism.........................................................................................................361
Advertising....................................................................................................362
Announcements ...........................................................................................362
Behind the Scenes........................................................................................363
Disclaimers and Disclosures.......................................................................363
Educational ...................................................................................................364
Games and Contests ....................................................................................364
Media Delivery..............................................................................................365
Other Promotions ........................................................................................366
Sneak Preview...............................................................................................366
Index........................................................................367
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