How to make a video for the web

Using Camcorders

If you already have a digital camcorder (one that captures in Digital8, MiniDV, HDV, or any of the DVD formats), then you're ready to start shooting your masterpiece. Your camcorder will need some kind of direct connection to your computer, either to the USB or FireWire ports or by inserting the DVD you've recorded. Once you've downloaded the video from the camera, you can upload it to YouTube or bring it into an editing program to play with it some more.

If you have an analog camcorder (one that uses VHS, VHS-C, SVHS-C, 8mm, or Hi8 tape), you can still get your videos onto YouTube. It will require an extra step and some additional equipment, though, since these camcorders are not usually equipped with computer connections. You will need to digitize the video with a converter box, which will convert the analog signal from the camcorder to a digital signal that the computer can understand. After the video has been digitized, you can manipulate it further or upload it.

1) Basic set up before shooting. Sound and Light
Set you camera to shot at either (640 X 480) or (320 X 240). Either will work. Move your camera close to the subject. You can zoom and stand back - but don't. The microphone built into most consumer cameras have a limited range.
Don't point your camera towards a light source or open window during the day. The camera will adjust for the bright light and your subject will be too dark. Your subject should face the light and the more light the better. Low light produces a grainy look.

YouTube Recommendations - Best Formats for Uploading

YouTube can accept almost any video format for upload, but thye recommend the the following settings to get the best results.

* Video Format: MPEG4,WMV,AVI and more
* Resolution: 640x480
* Maximum length: 10 minutes (YouTube recommends 2-3 minutes)
* Maximum file size: 1 GB
* More tips from YouTube

2) Keep your camera still
Avoid if possible pans,(side to side) zooms and moving your camera. Your subject can move but you should stay still. When you move the camera, every pixel in every frame changes constantly, and this lowers your video quality. Use a tripod if available or make your own. While tripods are effective in preventing camera shake when taking pictures, they are really not portable and cost money.

So here’s a video that shows how to build a "unique" camera tripod using items that are lying unused in some corner of your house. And it’s so small and light-weight that it will easily fit in your pocket.


3) Use Plain Backgrounds
Busy backgrounds are as bad moving the camera. Shoot your subject against a simple background or plain wall to keep the image as uncluttered as possible.

4)Editing and Improving Your Videos

If you want to be a bit more hands-on with your video, most new computers come with basic video-editing software installed (like Apple's iMovie or Windows MovieMaker). Once you have copied the video from your phone, camera, or camcorder to your computer, you can bring the video into these programs. Most allow you to not only edit the video, but add effects, titles, and music to make your video look and sound more interesting. Free video editing software - Videospin
When you're done, you can use VideoSpin to upload movies directly to YouTube or Yahoo Video easily; the process takes just a couple of simple steps.



Uploading Your Video to YouTube

Once you're happy with your final result, you'll need to save the video in a format that YouTube can accept in order to upload. YouTube recommends that you save your videos as either QuickTime .MOV, Windows .AVI, or .MPG files— these are the most common formats and they work well within the YouTube system. YouTube specifically recommends the MPEG4 (Divx, Xvid) format at 640x480 resolution with MP3 audio. Resizing your video to these specifications before uploading will help your clips look better on YouTube. If not don't worry about it. It will still work fine.

Uploading Directly with Mobile Devices

If you have video capabilities on your cell phone or PDA, you can upload videos directly from the device to YouTube. So if you get a quick clip of something cool with your phone, you can put it up right away. Just set up your Mobile Upload Options in advance, and then send your videos to the email address you're assigned when you set up your free account. All of your mobile videos will have the default tags, title, and description that you set, or you can overwrite them in the email message you send.