How to learn to make videos

[JohannaB]

Hi,

some of you have these great video blogs about your journey. I take videos all the time but I don't know how to cut them together and add music and so on... Which programs do you use and how do I start teaching myself?

Thanks in advance,
Johanna

[Panope]

Johanna, I use Windows Movie Maker (it's free). I learned by opening the software and pushing every button to see what happens. I KNOW that better software exists but for the basic stuff, it is fine.

Steve

[DDabs]

iMovie on Apple products is another great easy program for beginners.

[dwedeking2]

I've found Lynda.com has some good tutorials. I've mostly used it for photography, photoshop and programming but the range from newbie to expert is very good. It's a pay-for-site but the quality for the low cost I thought was very good. One nice thing was that you also had access to the files to work along with the tutorials.

[RedHerring]

I wouldnt say I know how to make great videos, but reading a book about it helped. The
title was something like Making video that dont suck. Seriously.

[Reefmagnet]

Surprisingly enough, a YouTube searches produces lots of relevant tutorials on all aspects of film making. As for programs, I use Linux for editing and use a reasonably decent open source (free) app called "kdenlive" for video editing and "audacity" for sound editing (the latter also has a windows version). If you're a maschocist for learning complex software then do a google search for "blender", another open source application that goes above and beyond simple editing but it is interesting to play with if that's your thing.

Sent from my SGP521 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by Reefmagnet

Surprisingly enough, a YouTube searches produces lots of relevant tutorials on all aspects of film making. As for programs, I use Linux for editing and use a reasonably decent open source (free) app called "kdenlive" for video editing and "audacity" for sound editing (the latter also has a windows version). If you're a maschocist for learning complex software then do a google search for "blender", another open source application that goes above and beyond simple editing but it is interesting to play with if that's your thing.

Sent from my SGP521 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Final Cut Pro X
A bit much to learn at first but the way to go
Huge user groups for support
Go to
CreativeCow.com
and check out the forums
Cheers
Neil

[Livia]

We always used Windows Moviemaker. Does most of what you will want it to do.

[tikirawker]

Find a few of the content creators that you enjoy on youtube. in the details section most of those people either mention the software or their website that will have how they make their vidz.
final cut and vegas are very popular. It really depends on how much time you want to put into your new hobby.

[panacheparis]

Johanna, I like best Apple's iMovie. The best cruising videos I have seen are made by a 22 year old girl (using iMovie) who is sailing around the world. She has 60 movies now on Youtube.com. Do a search on Cruising La Vagabonde. She and her boyfriend bought a 42 Beneteau in Italy two years ago. Neither knew how to sail or make movies but they set off to circumnavigate the world.. She now has more than 200,000 followers, is making more than $5,000 per 12 minute movie, and they were just given a $1,000,000 boat by the French manufacturer to feature in their movies. She taught herself how to put an interesting movie together. They are now in Tonga.

[Ndavies]

I have been using PowerDirector by Cyberlink and have had good luck making videos from footage and still shots taken on my Sony Camcorder, GoPro, and various phones. I have produced several hours now of our trips to the, Bahamas, Mexico and Cuba on our boat S/V Midnight Sun II. I have been planning to post them on YouTube as I am a big follower of other cruisers like Delos, Trio Travels, Drake Paragon, La Vagabonde, etc. (not that mine are as good as theirs!). However, I made one big mistake in my earlier movies. I used copyright music and YouTube stripped out the music or limited it to a viewing area of only a few obscure countries (I guess those that don't have copyright laws). Since it takes such a long tome to edit, add music etc., I have not had the time and motivation to go back and re-do the earlier ones. So my advice is start out with non-copyrighted music if you intend to post your work! For the current ones I am working on (still a work in progress), I am using a combination of non-copyright music and my own music.

But, if anyone is interested in taking a look at my videos, send me a PM and I will be happy to provide a link to them for free.

[sailm8]

As a former TV Production teacher and professional editor, I would recommend learning how to shoot good video first. How many videos do you see on line that are shot holding the camera in Portrait instead of landscape, or full of whip pans back and forth and up and down. Good video is hard to shoot and takes forethought and a good camera. Sailing videos are especially difficult do to a rocking boat and wind noise. You can't fix crappy video by editing. Look at your material with a critical eye. Don't zoom in and out. Use the zoom to compose your shot. Learn to edit in the camera. This means for example if you are shooting out of the starboard side and want to switch to the port side, stop the camera and start again when you're facing port. Don't pan.

Watch TV with a critical eye. Ask yourself, Why did they shoot that shot that way?

I taught my students on imovie and later Final Cut Pro.

[astokel]

I've used all the above programs but I gladly spent $100 for Serif MoviePlus (less for upgrades). All the features of Final Cut but much more intuitive. There is a wizard, but you probably won't need it.

I agree with sailm8 that knowing how to shoot a video is very important. I watched other people's videos on YouTube first, then bought the right camera. I have a Canon with a plug for an external mike (very important when shooting in wind), I use a tripod so the shots are steady and I prepare ahead so I know what I want to say.

Good luck!

[sailm8]

I would also suggest a USB Mic for voice over work.

[panacheparis]

Originally Posted by astokel

I've used all the above programs but I gladly spent $100 for Serif MoviePlus (less for upgrades). All the features of Final Cut but much more intuitive. There is a wizard, but you probably won't need it.

I agree with sailm8 that knowing how to shoot a video is very important. I watched other people's videos on YouTube first, then bought the right camera. I have a Canon with a plug for an external mike (very important when shooting in wind), I use a tripod so the shots are steady and I prepare ahead so I know what I want to say.

Good luck!

Serif Movie Plus is great software. I made TV Broadcast programs in California for many years with Final Cut, but used MoviePlus at home. Unfortunately, when I moved to France, and used Apple's iMac, Movie Plus was not compatible. I called Serif in London and they do not plan to issue Movie Plus for Macintosh. So just a note to check before you purchase.