Here are several different ways you can create a video for you business. These ideas will run the whole gamut–from creating professional quality work (more expensive) to making video that looks like something out of “Creature from the Black Lagoon” (very inexpensive).
Remember: content is the most important aspect, and anyone can create good content. If you can only go “inexpensive” right now, that’s okay. It’s amazing what you can do these days with a web cam and a headset microphone.
#1) Webcams with headset microphones: They look very ghetto, but YouTube is brimming with these makeshift home videos. This setup is about as simple as it gets. Just go to your local electronics store, pick out whatever whatever webcam and headset look good, and plug them into your computer at home. You’re in business!
To get the most out of any video you create, see “4 Things that Will Dramatically Improve Your Videos “
#2) Picture camera with a video feature: My first videos were made on a little Sony Cyber-Shot camera. It picked up decent audio and with some lighting the videos turned out okay. Most digital cameras (and cell phones) can shoot video.
Please, for my sake, just learn to edit out the beginning and end where you’re leaning over to turn the camera on and off. Windows Movie Maker comes free on your PC and iMovie comes on Macs for just such occasions.
#3) Camtasia: Camtasia is a screen capture program. This is how I’ve made all the tutorial videos on this web site. Camtasia will run you a couple hundred dollars, but there’s a free 30-day trial you can use to test it out. If you get to the end of the trial period and you say to yourself “There’s so much more I could do with this program!” then it’s probably worth the money.
You’ll also need a microphone of some type. All video editing (and some audio editing) can be done directly in Camtasia.
#4) Consumer/Prosumer video camera and lapel microphone: I’ve heard good things about the “Flip” video camcorder. It’s pretty inexpensive easy to use, plugs into your computer, and outputs video at 640X480 pixels (which is the optimal size for YouTube).
If you want to get into higher quality video, I’m partial to Cannon camcorders (GL/XL series). It’ll look great, but they require extra work getting the video from the mini DV tape to your computer and you’ll have to adjust the size before uploading it online so they’re not huge files. If you’re looking for professional video and you don’t want to learn how to do all the work yourself, go with…
#5) Professional studio: There are many studios set up with professional cameras, lighting, and sound equipment you can use to create a very nice presentation. For information on how to work with a professional studio, please see the “Expert Video Interview” (coming soon).
My setup
Here’s exactly what I do to create tutorials for this web site (I get this question a lot):
First I write out a script–don’t skimp on the script writing part. By far the most important thing you can do is have a good script of what you’re going to talk about so you’re not rambling and you don’t get lost. I write everything out word-for-word that I’m going to say.
I then voice the script using a lapel microphone I bought at Radio Shack for $12. I record the audio using Adobe Audition, a sound editing program (see “Free Stuff for Business Owners” for free alternatives to the programs I use). I edit out any parts I mess up, long pauses, coughs, moments where I lost my place, background static, and times when my 1-year old is knocking on the door to my home office using his bottle.
While listening to my finished audio track, I record shots on my computer screen using Camtasia. I just follow along to whatever audio I recorded (you can also just record the audio at the same time as you record your screen shot, and that’s what most people do). The blue shots where I have words and diagrams on screen are all done on Adobe Photoshop (when an arrow or a word appears, that’s just me un-hiding that particular layer).
All told…
All told it takes me 4~6 hours for me to create a finished video tutorial–write a script, record and edit the audio, record and edit the video, publish it to this web site, and write an introduction and conclusion.
You don’t have to go through that much trouble if you don’t want to. I could probably shave that down to 30~60 minutes if I just strap on a microphone, hit the record button on Camtasia, and wing it. That’s what most people do–I’m a bit more particular about the work I create.
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