5 tips for video editing beginners

Video Editing tips for Entertaining segments.
by Ted Irving (www.tedtv.tv) tedirving@yahoo.com

Since the mid-1990's, video production and film making have undergone vast changes due to technological improvements in delivery mediums, quality and the size of cameras. Although video has been a very democratic process since the late 1970's and the VHS vs. Beta days, it is really something everyone can do with a cheap Flip camera or their cell phone. But just because all of us have a video camera does not mean we can professionally record events. It is not as easy as it looks and it is a craft that takes years to become proficient at. Especially video editing. Once you record that great video, how do you make it look good and entertaining. Here are a few tips:
1. Always use a tripod. Get off of the tripod when it makes sense to do so. The rave is YouTube like videos that trigger earthquake sensations, but do you really want your audience to vomit or do you want them to laugh, cry or simply enjoy what you have produced? A tripod is made for a reason...steady shots. Let the tripod do it's job. Lock your shot down, pan and tilt when necessary such as following a person. When video editing, this will help you make clean edits. It is hard to edit earthquake footage.

2. When editing, try to use instrumental music for most of the program. That way the lyrics or vocals from the performer don't clash with someone speaking on-camera or even signing. Use vocals for parts of your video where there is no dialogue. And try to edit to the beat of the music. By this I mean, change your shots on each beat or every other.

3. Always make sure you normalize your audio when editing. This means that all of your sound levels should peak in the middle of your audio meter bar. This bar is an area of your video editing software that quickly moves up and down when a video is playing. You don't want audio that is too low or too loud. We call loud audio, "hot."

4. Never, ever, use every single video effect that is provided with your editing software. This is a rookie move and I'm sure you don't want to look like a rookie. Find one or two good transitions and stick with them, but don't use them every second, such as having a page peel occur after all of your family interviews. Agghhh!! Also, use only one or two good filters, which are effects that make the entire screen change or look different, such as turning your video all black & white or sepia. A nice effect is to start your video black & white and let it gradually dissolve to color. If editing a music video, use a few more filters but have them change with the beat of the music.

5. Be patient. Use the manual and definitely use every video editing forum you can find. Forums are great and there are hundreds of people using the exact software you are using. They know the pros and cons of your software and any issues you are having, they have had. Some great forums for help with video editing as well as free, online lessons are; www.creativecown.net, www.lynda.com, www.videoguys.com.

Have fun editing!!

Solid State: Tape is dead

If your media program is still using videotape...then stop! Acquisition with SDHC, P2, SxS and Compact Flash is the latest delivery medium for digital story tellers. When your budget opens, don't look at more tape based cameras, but solid-state based video cameras, such as the Canon Vixia HF200 and others.

Poll: Are your K12 Media Students paid to work on internal & external productions?

Animal News: Animal Planet

Animal News: Animal Planet

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Equipment for K-12

Video Cameras
For schools with large budgets, go with one of the following digital HD formats :
1. JVC = Everio GZHD5, GZHD6
2. Sony = PMW-EX1, HVR-V1U, HVR-Z1U, HVR-Z7U

For schools with small budgets, consider one of the AVCHD or HDV models, but backup final projects to DVD, external hard drives or tape :
1. JVC = Everio GZHD5, GZHD6 $550-$700 (hard drive based)
2. Sony = HVR-A1U,

Video Camera Accessories
1.

Lighting Gear. Fluorescents are the "in" thing.
1.

NAB 2008 Summary by Ted Irving

NAB 2008 was awesome! That doesn't change most years. This year did not disappoint. But how can video instructors on the K-12 level benefit from an organization such as NAB? Were there any components of the conference beneficial to a high school student and their video teacher?

Despite a very large college student and professional job fair, not much would benefit our youth. Employers at the fair would not accept resumes except through email. Mother nature is happy. The exception, high tech gadgets, huge booths with massive flat screens and the sights and sounds of the Vegas strip. Every teenager would fall for those. Forgive my deceptive pessimism. I was excited. There are benefits for school districts seeking to build TV studios, teachers needing to replace old equipment and district network service departments needing to upgrade their infrastructure to laser fiber or wi-fi options. Oh...I can't forget digital signage.

NAB is the trip of a lifetime and most visitors enjoy the trade show. However, several days before the trade show is software training and workshops on the latest hardware and computer programs. They do cost, but they are well worth it. I can see students signing up for courses on After Effects, Photoshop, Maya and others. To get hands on training from industry professionals is worth it's wait in gold. But what of the future of K-12 broadcasting and how can Gods of NAB recognize this already massive media production and revenue generating market?

We need to continue networking through the National Student Television Network, Broadcast Educators Association, School Tube, Teacher Tube and other groups to get our voice heard. What I would like to see at NAB is more attention paid to a market that spends more money on media technology than most small to mid-sized television stations (my guess). I'm hanging on a long limb here, but it is my belief that every high school in America is involved in some type of video & audio production; podcasting, vidcasting, live newscasts, animation, etc. I have attended conferences where Avid, Apple, Grass Valley and other national media technology corporations courted teachers and school districts. It is still happening to this day. States such as Texas are creating mandates similar to www.achievetexas.org requiring all high school graduates to leave K-12 with not just a diploma, but a license or trade in a certification. Expenditures for broadcast technology by schools are in the thousands and some in the millions. National organizations have emerged from this new paradigm shift with visual education, such as, School Tube and Teacher Tube. Recently, the Wall Street Journal posted an article on these important groups.

Imagine this - a student missed the deadline to buy his/her schools new DVD Yearbook. Days later, the school announces it is selling scenes from the yearbook via cell phone. For just ten cents, you can view the homecoming you missed on your cell phone or download it to your ipod, take it home and ingest it into your DVR via bluetooth. Imagine districts streaming graduation to homes via wi-fi and fiber to those families that can't attend for a modest cost. Revenue streams in K-12 video production will and are becoming viable. School districts such as mine have invested in laser fiber as the core of their media infrastructure and broadcasting cable programming to computers and closed-circuit systems. We are adding to the fragmentation of television as we know it. Our industry can create many new and exciting fund raising revenue streams with this technology. We are also a revenue stream for vendors of NAB. The National Association of Broadcasters and others need to include workshops, seminars and training sessions for the K-12 level. Why? First and fore-most the industry desperately needs to foster, nurture and develop new talent behind the camera, especially in the area of engineering. Second, and I stress this...it is a revenue stream for the industry. Another client and partner. It just makes sense.

I can go on and on, but the turkey on rye bread sandwiches are ready...gotta go! Please post your thoughts and comments and tune in Thursday for my final post on equipment for middle and high school control rooms and studios.

LOST!! The Creators speak at NAB!!

Ok. I missed the whole lost series. However, most of you out there are Lost fans. We were treated by NAB to listen and ask questions of Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof, the creators behind the hit TV series. Their session was entitled, "Lost:Revealing the Secrets of its Success." One of the most interesting revelations was that each series costs somewhere around, over and above 3 Million dollars! But Wait! Let me warn you before you view the video below...no secret info was given, no new plot changes,nothing on the creatures living in the forests, NOTHING! So you have to wait like everyone else, episode by episode.