HOW TO BEGIN MAKING FILMS AT HOME AT A REASONABLE COST

The production of a digital video includes the following stages:

1. Creating & shooting your film
2. Importing your footage into your computer via USB 2.0 or FireWire (1394) port
3. Digital video editing
4. Where to publish your video
5. Recording your video to DVD
6. Promoting your video
7. Additional resources

Recent radical advancements in computer chip technology have now made it possible to create video that before could be done only with very expensive equipment.  The advent of the new mini-DV format and the development of new digital video producing equipment means that now anyone can create professional quality videos at a fraction of the previous cost.  Mini-DV format is used by both amateurs and professionals, so upgrading equipment means you won’t have to throw away all your old footage, or deal with expensive transfers.  The really good news is that you can start right now and make a good quality video for under $1000, including all stages of production.

This guide will take you through all of these steps and offer some recommendations for equipment and software.

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS • IMPORTING DIGITAL VIDEO  • DIGITAL VIDEO EDITING

DVD RECORDING • WRAPPING UP • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

CREATING & SHOOTING YOUR FILM

Perhaps the quickest way to get up and running with online video publishing is by creating your own video blog, live webcast, split screen interview, mashup or screencast. This is easier than ever now given the range of simple, free online tools that allow you to create your own video. If your subject matter is interesting enough, people will likely forgive you for a lack of production value, so we've compiled content to suit your budget and to get you on your way.

Before you get started need to know exactly what you are looking for. Ask yourself the hard questions, then match your needs.

What's Your Budget?

First establish a clear budget. There are several models that can range from $150 to $10,000 available, and the best way to narrow your search is to have a good idea of how much you want to spend. Purchasing a camcorder is certainly an investment, the more money you spend will result in more features and better quality. Spending an extra $100 or $200 can make a huge difference. That’s not to say that you can’t get decent quality out of a lower priced camcorder, there are several camcorders that beat the can hold it’s own to models that cost hundreds more. Below we've compiled a list of Camcorders to help you on your way.

Key Features to Understand

Digital Video and FireWire:

There are two major types of camcorders: analog and digital. Analog camcorders record the picture information to tape as a series of waves and electronic pulses. Digital camcorders translate the video into a computer-like signal, and then record it to tape. Almost all consumer camcorders right now record to digital video, you want to make sure your camcorder is capable of making good transfers of digital data to the computer or other digital recorders, this is done through FireWire, FireWire transports more data at a higher speed than a USB cable can. Most consumer camcorders have FireWire ports that allow camcorders to be routed to a computer to transfer data. FireWire is standard on camcorders today. It is important, however, to verify that your computer has a FireWire jack.

What format to use? Tape, Flash, HD or DVD:

There are three major types of camcorder media: tape, DVD, and flash. Most consumer digital camcorders use MiniDV cassettes, which record DV-format video. The DV standard produces high-quality footage that is superior to video recorded by consumer analog camcorders and can deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality. Consumer and semipro camcorders that capture high-definition footage record HDV-format video on MiniDV cassettes. The Digital8 format records high-quality DV-format video on analog 8mm and Hi8 cassettes as well as dedicated Digital8 tapes. Like MiniDV cameras, Digital8 models can deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality.

Digital stills are not recorded to tape, but to Flash media, the same as with digital still cameras. There are several types of flash media, SD, Compact Flash, and Sony's Memory Stick and Memory Stick Duo. A very small number of camcorders include no tape or DVD mechanism and can record video only to a flash media card. Cameras use these types of memory to achieve an ultra compact design. Because they record highly compressed video, they're best suited for those that want to use their footage mainly on Web sites and in e-mail.

With camcorders that use built-in hard drives, you can record high-quality MPEG-2 footage and deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality. There is also easy searching and random access to video segments, Selectable image-quality levels, usually including high-quality variable-bit-rate recording. Both video and still images can be recorded on one card (instead of on a cassette and a memory card) HD camcorders have the longest recording times

Mini-DVD camcorders record high-quality MPEG-2 footage directly to a mini DVD-R or DVD-RAM and can deliver more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution, depending on camcorder quality. DVD camcorders record video on smaller-sized DVDs. DVD-recording can cause some confusion, because there are a few different types of DVD media There are three types of DVD formats that camcorders use: DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM. DVD-R cannot be erased once recorded. DVD-RW and DVD RAM allow you to do in-camera editing. You can delete scenes, move them around, and even trim them in some models.

CAMCORDERS

Digital video cameras are often classified into three groups: professional, prosumer, and consumer.  While professional-grade cameras can cost more than $50,000 and prosumer-grade over $5,000, you can now buy a consumer-grade camera for as little as $500.  The difference in quality will not be noticeable to a lay person unless you plan to screen your film on a huge multiplex cinema screen.  Today’s consumer camcorders offer the quality that professional videographers ten years ago could not even dream of.

Best Home Movie Camcorders

Flash

Canon Vixia HG20 Record up to 22 hours of High Definition video to a 60 GB Hard Disk Drive, Canon 12x High Definition video lens, 3.3 megapixel full HD CMOS sensor (1920 x 1080) and a DIGIC DV II image processor, SuperRange optical image stabilizer

Best HD Camcorders

Flash

Best Pro/Semi-Pro Camcorders

Mini-DV camcorders use mini-DV cassettes, which can be purchased for about $5 each, or for cheaper still if you get them in bulk. We recommend well-known brands like Sony, Panasonic, and Maxell.

Be sure that your camera is USB 2.0 or FireWire compatible.

AUDIO

Audio can be just as vital as the video. Using an external microphone instead of the one that is included is always an option, so you must look for a microphone-in jack. It is also good to have a headphone-out jack so you can monitor your audio and correct for any problems while recording. Some higher-end and middle-tier consumer camcorders include manual audio control, which allows the user to adjust the audio level of the microphone's channels; this is important when recording something like a concert, or anything very loud or soft.

All consumer camcorders have built-in microphones, but tend to pick up unwanted noise. Front-mounted mikes generally do a better job of capturing sound from a source in front of the camera and of rejecting the sound of the camera operator muttering. If you'll be recording very quiet scenes, look for a camcorder that doesn't pick up too much motor hum through the built-in microphone. Different types of videographers need different sound-capture capabilities, so look for the features that match your needs.You might want to invest in an external microphone, such as...

IMPORTING FOOTAGE INTO YOUR COMPUTER

Twenty years ago, in order to transfer video to post-production equipment, it was necessary to use a whole room filled with bulky, scary-looking machines that were dedicated uniquely to this task.  Now all you need is a generic desktop computer or even a laptop!

The high quality of digital video today comes from the fact that it is shot in digital mini-DV format on your camcorder and it will remain digital after you transfer it to your computer.  This means that your video will not degrade to a lower quality format, which is what used to happen before the advent of digital video.

All new computers come with either a USB 2.0 port or a FireWire 1394 port.  Those with older computers should note that a USB 1.0 port is not sufficient for transferring digital video.  If you have Windows 98 Version 2 (not 1) or a higher version of Windows you can buy PCI or PCMIA cards for either USB 2.0 or Firewire.  Windows XP and the latest versions of Windows 2000 have the drivers built in.  Windows 98 Version 2 requires a separate USB 2.0 driver for each USB accessory.

You need cables to connect to your camera which can be purchased in most stores (if they do not come with the camera).

If you’re interested learning how USB 2.0 compares to FireWire in terms of performance and speed, read this Tech TV article USB 2.0 Versus FireWire.

IMPORTING VHS TO YOUR COMPUTER

There are 3 ways to do this:

If you already have a DV camcorder, the easiest solution is to plug your VCR into it (audio and video RCA connections) and attach the firewire output to your PC (all DV camcorders should have firewire). Capture the VHS video to a computer video editing program using an analog-to-DV converter, which includes many DV/Digital8 camcorders as well as standalone analog-to-DV converters.

If you don't have a DV camcorder, you can get a video capture card or a dedicated external analog-to-digital converter. The external device will feed to your PC via firewire or USB, whereas the video capture card uses your PC's PCI bus. I prefer the firewire/USB solution because I had issues with video and voice synchronization during capture. Video capture cards typically come with a TV tuner, like the Flyvideo 2000 or XCard and can make your PC act as a TV; the picture can be very good when used in conjunction with a free deinterlacing program called DScaler, and these cards are relatively cheap. DScaler does not work with ATI TV cards (different chipset). Once you have the hardware, get a good video capture program (Pinnacle Studio or Ulead DVD Movie Factory), and then burn to DVD.

You can get a "DVD VCR" with Firewire connections, and you can plug a DV/Digital8/DVCAM camcorder or VCR into it and transfer the tapes to DVD at even higher quality than by using the analog connections.

IMPORTING USING A VIDEO CARD

A Video/TV Capture Card allow you to send a Video or TV signal to your Computer. The signal can then be recorded to the Computers Hard Drive with TV or Video Capture Software. There are several different kinds of Capture Cards on the market, with varying functions. Most TV and Video Capture Cards include software that will allow you to capture TV or Video and then burn to either DVD or Video CD.

10 TV and Video Capture Cards:

1. ATI TV Wonder HD 650 Combo PC TV Tuner

2. VisionTek TV Wonder HD 650 PCI-Express TV Tuner

3. MSI Theater 650PRO TV Tuner

4. Saber DA-1N1-E Combo Analog/Digital PCI-E TV Tuner Card

5. Hauppauge WinTV HVR 1600

6. AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCI-E HDTV TV Tuner

7. ADS Technologies INSTANT HDTV PCI

8. Pinnacle PCTV HD TV Tuner

9. wKworld PlusTV HD PCI 120 TV Tuner

10. Leadtek WinFast TV2000 XP Expert

IMPORTING & CONVERTING .FLV FILES

In general videos on Internet are in format FLV. A version of video compression appropriated for Websites. Numerous readers are available to be able to read this type of format on a computer ..

DIGITIAL VIDEO EDITING

Editing is crucial to making a good video.  The editing stage is when you can divide your footage into clips, which you can subsequently shorten, modify or combine; add music, narration, sound effects, special effects, and more.

With the popularity of video on the web and sites like YouTube, there is an increased need to understand the different types of video file formats and what they do. Each format has its advantages and disadvantages, Here are a few of the major formats in more detail...

MPEG

Most of you will have heard of MPEGs. MPEG stands for the Motion Pictures Expert Group.

The MPEG standards consist of different Parts. Each part covers a certain aspect of the whole specification.The standards also specifies Profiles and Levels. Profiles are intended to define a set of tools that are available, and Levels define the range of appropriate values for the properties associated with them.MPEG has standardized the following compression formats and ancillary standards:

• MPEG-1: is the first compression standard for audio and video. It was basically designed to allow moving pictures and sound to be encoded into the bitrate of a CD. To meet the low bit requirement, MPEG-1 downsamples the images, as well as using picture rates of only 24-30 Hz, resulting in a moderate quality, It includes the popular Layer 3 (MP3) audio compression format.

• MPEG-2: Transport, video and audio standards for broadcast-quality television. MPEG-2 standard was considerably broader in scope and of wider appeal--supporting interlacing and high definition. MPEG-2 is considered important because it has been chosen as the compression scheme for over-the-air digital television ATSC, DVB and ISDB, digital satellite TV services like Dish Network, digital cable tv signals, SVCD, and DVD.

• MPEG-3: Developments in standardizing scalable and multi-resolution compression which would have become MPEG-3 were ready by the time MPEG-2 was to be standardized. Hence, these were incorporated into MPEG-2 and as a result there is no MPEG-3 standard. MPEG-3 is not to be confused with MP3, which is MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3.

• MPEG-4: MPEG-4 uses further coding tools with additional complexity to achieve higher compression factors than MPEG-2. With its more efficient coding of video, MPEG-4 moves closer to computer graphics applications. In more complex profiles, the MPEG-4 decoder has effectively become a rendering processor and the compressed bitstream describes three-dimensional shapes and surface texture. MPEG-4 also provides Intellectual Property Management and Protection (IPMP) which provides the facility to use proprietary technologies to manage and protect content like digital rights managment. Several new higher-efficiency video standards (newer than MPEG-2 Video) are included (an alternative to MPEG-2 Video):
  • MPEG-4 Part 2 (or Advanced Simple Profile) and
  • MPEG-4 Part 10 (or Advanced Video Coding or H.264). MPEG-4 Part 10 may be used on HD DVD and Blu-ray discs, along with VC-1and MPEG-2.

FLASH

Flash Video is a file format used to deliver video over the Internet using Adobe Flash Player (initially produced by Macromedia) versions 6–10. Until version 9 update 2 of the Flash Player, Flash Video referred to a proprietary file format, having the extension FLV. The most recent public release of Flash Player supports h-254 video and HE-AAC audio. Flash Video content may also be embedded within SWF files. Notable users of the Flash Video format include YouTube, Google Video, Yahoo! Video, Reuters.com, and many other news providers.

WMV

WMV is a Windows-only format generally used for streaming video over the internet. Again, it is a compressed format. Microsoft claims that the bit-rate is twice that of MPEG-4, meaning that the overall quality is higher even though file sizes are larger. It is the default format for Windows Media Player but doesn't work on Apple's QuickTime Player, though the plug-in Flip4Mac WMV (www.flip4mac.com) will solve this problem. Its main competitors are MPEG-4 AVC, RealVideo, DivX, and Xvid. The first version of the codec, WMV 7, was introduced in 1999, and was built upon Microsoft's implementation of MPEG-4 Part 2. Continued proprietary development led to newer versions of the codec, but the bit stream syntax was not frozen until WMV 9. While all versions of WMV support variable bit rate, average bit rate, and constant bit reate, WMV 9 introduced several important features including native support for interlaced video, non-square pixels, and frame interpolation. WMV 9 also introduced a new profile titled Windows Media Video 9 Professional, which is activated automatically whenever the video resolution and bit rate exceed 300,000 pixels (eg., 512 × 586) and 1000 kbit/s (eg., 1001 kbit/s). It is targeted towards high-definition video content, at resolutions such as 720p and 1080p.

QuickTime

QuickTime is integrated with Mac OS X, and it was an optional component at install for earlier versions of Mac OS. All Apple systems ship with QuickTime already installed. QuickTime is optional for Windows systems, although many software applications require it. Apple bundles it with iTunes for Windows download, but it is also available as a standalone installation.The QuickTime file format functions as a multimedia container file that contains one or more tracks, each of which stores a particular type of data: audio, video, effects, or text (e.g. for subtitles). Each track either contains a digitally-encoded media stream (using a specific codec) or a data reference to the media stream located in another file. Tracks are maintained in a hierarchal data structure consisting of objects called atoms. An atom can be a parent to other atoms or it can contain media or edit data, but it cannot do both.

The ability to contain abstract data references for the media data, and the separation of the media data from the media offsets and the track edit lists means that QuickTime is particularly suited for editing, as it is capable of importing and editing in place (without data copying). Other later-developed media container formats such as Microsoft's Advanced Systems Format or the open source Ogg and Matroska containers lack this abstraction, and require all media data to be rewritten after editing.

Other file formats that QuickTime supports natively (to varying degrees) include AIFF, WAV, DV, MP3, and MPEG-1. With additional QuickTime Extensions, it can also support Ogg, ASF, FLV, MKV, DivX Media Format.

H.264

DivX

MORE VIDEO FORMATS

Since video editing programs differ widely as to what input and output formats they can support, you will have to understand different video formats in order to be able to choose the right editing software. 

• AVCHD A high-definition digital video format that can record in 1080i and 720p and still maintain a reasonably small file size. AVCHD files are based on the MPEG4 codec. The advent of high-definition (HD) televisions and displays spurred the development of this format, which uses the same resolution as HDTV signals. AVCHD video files can also be burned to Blu-ray Discs™, and played in compatible devices, such as Blu-ray Disc players and the Sony PlayStation®3.
• AVI is another Windows-only format but is older and not so commonly used these days
• DV (Digital Video) DV is the format used by many digital camcorders, usually on Mini DV cassettes. DV format employs a form of lossy video compression, but is still memory-intensive. When transferred to a computer, a DV clip requires roughly 1 GB of storage per 5 minutes of video. (Clips are usually stored on the computer as QuickTime or AVI files.) Despite its use of compression, DV can provide a clean image with up to 520 lines of resolution. DV uses a type of compression known as "intraframe" — that is, it encodes video at the full standard frame rate of 30 frames per second. This allows frame-by-frame editing.
• RealMedia One of the most popular formats for streaming content on the Internet, RealMedia includes the RealAudio codec for sound clips and RealVideo codec for movies. RealAudio and RealVideo files are often given the common RealMedia ".RM" file extension. RealMedia is a container format that's often heavily compressed.
• Xvid Xvid is an open-source lossy video codec based on MPEG-4. It was developed in response to DivX, and received its name from the backwards spelling of DivX. Xvid compresses a great deal of video content into relatively small files, and retains a reasonably good video resolution. It can be used with several different operating systems, and is a popular choice for transferring video over the Internet.

DIGITAL AUDIO

• AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) AAC was developed to improve upon the MP3 audio format, and uses a more advanced form of compression. According to some listening tests, AAC files encoded at lower bitrates (like 96 Kbps) sound as good or better than MP3s encoded at higher bitrates (like 128 Kbps) despite their smaller size.
• AIFF (Audio Interchange File Format) An audio format for Macintosh operating systems commonly used for storing uncompressed, CD-quality sound (similar to WAV files for Windows-based PCs). AIFF is a lossless container format.
• ATRAC™ Developed by Sony engineers in the early 90s for the MiniDisc format, ATRAC is a lossy audio codec which offers near-CD sound quality with relatively small file sizes.
• AU An audio format commonly used for posting sound clips on the Internet. AU files can be played back on Windows, Macintosh, and other operating systems.
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) A MIDI file doesn't contain actual audio data, but rather contains commands that let MIDI-capable synthesizers re-create a specific musical passage. MIDI has been used for years as a way for electronic instruments (like digital keyboards and sequencers) to communicate with each other.
• MP3 (MPEG1, Audio Layer 3) The most common codec for storing and transferring music. MP3 employs a lossy compression, but still manages to deliver near-CD sound quality in a file that's only about a tenth or twelfth the size of a corresponding uncompressed WAV file. When creating an MP3 file, depending on the desired file size, you can select varying amounts of compression and sound quality.
• MP3Pro An updated version of the original MP3 codec. Small, low-bitrate mp3Pro files contain much more high-frequency detail than standard MP3 files encoded at similar low bitrates. The high-frequency portion of the audio signal is handled by an advanced and extremely efficient coding process known as Spectral Band Replication (SBR), while the rest of the signal is encoded as a regular MP3. That means that when you play an mp3Pro file on non-mp3Pro-compatible software, you'll only hear the non-SBR-encoded portions (so you'll lose the highs altogether). However, when encoded and played back using a fully compatible audio program, such as Windows Media Player, mp3Pro files can deliver very good sound quality using low bitrates.
• SDII (Sound Designer II) An audio format for Macintosh operating systems which is often employed by pro-quality sound editing software applications. SDII files, like AIFF and WAV files, are capable of storing uncompressed CD-quality audio.
• Vorbis (Ogg Vorbis) Vorbis is an "open-source" digital audio compression format — it exists in the public domain and is completely free for commercial or non-commercial use. Vorbis is most often used in conjunction with a digital A/V container format known as "Ogg," it's usually referred to as "Ogg Vorbis." Vorbis, like MP3, it is a lossy compression system, removing frequencies deemed inaudible.
• WAV A standard audio format for Windows, is often used for storing high-quality, uncompressed sound. WAV files can contain CD-quality (44.1 KHz/16-bit) audio signals. CD-quality WAV files require relatively large amounts of memory — roughly 10 MB per minute of music. WAV is a container format. .
• WMA (Windows Media Audio) Developed by Microsoft, WMA is one of today's most pervasive Internet audio formats. The Windows Media Audio format has built-in copy protection abilities, unlike MP3. Windows Vista contains native support for WMA encoding, enabling users to create their own WMA music files.
• WMV (Windows Media Video) Microsoft's proprietary lossy compression format for motion video. Windows Media Video is used for both streaming and downloading content from the Interne and lets you play back and manage a range of audio and video file types, including WMA and WMV.

Most video capture cards (see Digital Video Capturing) come with basic editing software which will enable you to tie together video sequences.  If you want to experiment further with video editing then you could look at some of these programs.

EDITING SOFTWARE

Pinnacle Ultimate Studio 12 With its uncomplicated interface, and following in the footsteps of its predecessor, Pinnacle Studio Ultimate version 12 ($129.99 direct) still beats the other video editors when it comes to ease of use. Couple that with bold new special-effects themes, the cool third-party functionality this edition introduces, and lots of little enhancements, and you get an upgrade that committed Studio users will love. But this is the only product in its class that has just two video tracks, which many users will find limiting. And though Studio offers several outstanding special-effects packages, several other editors, including CyberLink PowerDirector 7 Ultra , offer a more powerful feature set across the board.

Capture Options

• Capture from DV, HDV and Digital8 camcorders or VCRs (requires a FireWire® port)
  
• Capture from analog camcorders, 8 mm, HI 8, VHS, SVHS, VHS-C, SVHS-C, or VCRs (NTSC/PAL/SECAM). Requires DirectShow® compatible graphic board or TV tuner board with analog (Composite or S-Vide) inputs
  
• Import from AVCHD* camcorders (requires USB 2.0 and a UDF driver)

Output Options

• Output to DV, HDV or Digital8 tape (requires camcorder with FireWire Input port and a PC with a DV/FireWire port)
  
• Output to analog videotape (requires DirectShow compatible videdevice or videcard with TV-output)
  
• Output to Apple® iPod® and Sony® PSP™ formats*

Import Formats

• Video: AVCHD*, DV, HDV, AVI, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DivX®*, MPEG-4*, 3GP(MPEG-4)*, WMV, Non-encrypted DVD titles*
  
• Audio: MP3, MPA, WAV, AC3*
  
• Graphic: BMP, GIF, JPG, PCX, PSD, TGA, TIF, WMF

Export Formats

• VideCD (VCD) or S-VCD with optional CD burner (CD-R or CD-RW)
  
• AVCHD*, Blu-ray BD*, HD-DVD*, DVD* disc with optional disc burner (incl. dual layer)
  
• Apple iPod and Sony PSP compatible (MPEG-4) formats*
• DV, HDV, AVI, DivX*, RealVide® 8, WMV, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4*, Flash, 3GP*, WAV, MP3* files
  Dolby® Digital 2 channel* and 5.1 channel audi*

Windows Movie Maker (Free) Included in Microsoft Windows, itt contains features such as effects, transitions, titles/credits, audio track, timeline narration, and Auto Movie. New effects and transitions can be made and existing ones can be modified using XMLcode.Windows Movie Maker has support for the DVR-MS format that Windows Media Center records television in. The HD version in Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista adds support for capturing from HDV camcorders. The capture wizard will create DVR-MS type files from HDV tapes. However, the Windows Vista version of Windows Movie Maker no longer supports importing video from an analog video source such as a VCR or from a webcam.

CyberLink PowerDirector 7 Ultra Consumers who want a video editor that has an extensive, highly usable feature set, works fabulously, and can input and speedily output all relevant formats should look to CyberLink PowerDirector 7 Ultra.

Corel VideoStudio With the release of the $99.99 (direct) Corel VideoStudio Pro X2, this consumer-level video-editing program has matured into a highly likeable and usable program. The software offers a good range of editing capabilities and output options. On their own, the newly enlarged effect-configuration windows and the ability to toggle effects on and off (which aids previewing) are worth the price of the upgrade. But beyond these two worthwhile updates, the software is a very solid choice for DV, HDV, or AVCHD editing. It's especially good for users editing HD video on slower computers, where VideoStudio's proxy editing feature really shines.

Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Sony's Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack ($129.95 direct) gives you almost the same interface as the one in Vegas Pro 8, the company's professional program, augmenting it with some accessible tutorials and additional consumer-oriented features. The software also includes a very competent audio editor and authoring program. But while the editing interface is highly efficient and stable, it confronts you with unfamiliar concepts, like audio and video "envelopes" and "event groupings," that make the program harder to learn than others in its class

Apple iLife Apple iLife '08 is the easiest way to make and share beautiful multimedia. If you have a small child, faraway family members, and a Mac, it's a must-buy. And if you've never dared make a movie before, the new iMovie is for you

The differences between the cheaper and more expensive versions of editing software are related to how well they can do four basic tasks involved in editing:

Capture

Mix Sound

Transitions

Output.

Important factors include software speed (the time it takes to do actual hands-on editing work, including combining clips, rendering transitions and effects, etc), the number of import and export formats supported, real time preview, customizable interface, the number of tracks, fonts, special effects, and transitions.

So unless you are set on making an MTV-type infomercial with 3D geometrical figures flying all over the place, the above programs should fulfill all your video editing needs.

The more expensive and powerful video editing programs used by intermediate to advanced videographers are Adobe Premiere Pro ($699) or its previous version, cheaper but still very powerful Adobe Premiere 6.5 (Adobe website doesn't carry it anymore but you can buy it from many online retailers for about $450).

.Avid, though it’s difficult to learn, Avid is actually built to make complex editing projects simpler. To that end, the program is designed so that footage can be easily accessed and shared between multiple users and multiple computers.

Lastly, Apple’s Final Cut Pro is an industry standard for professional videographers and documentary filmmakers working on a Macintosh platform. (Final Cut does not work on Windows)

WHAT FORMAT TO USE NOW THAT YOU'RE DONE EDITING?

So many formats! How do you get the best video format when you have so many competing criteria, such as:

• Compatibility
• File size (smallest format)
• Video quality
• Editing software runs on your computer

Use Flash for best compatibility and close to the smallest file size

Flash is the only player that's pre-installed on both Windows & Mac computers. If you use Windows Media format, you leave out your Mac visitors. If you use QuickTime, you leave out your Windows visitors. Yes, those users can download and install extra software so they can view the video, but some people won't just to view a video. The easy solution is to just use Flash, since both Windows & Mac computers have it preinstalled.Besides exporting or converting your video to Flash format, to get it onto your site you'll also need to install a Flash video player.

Here's a rundown of the benefits of using a Flash player:

• Maximum compatibility. Almost all users can view it without downloading additional software.
• Tiny, fast download for those users who don't have it already. The competing media players like Windows Media, QuickTime, and Real are huge and cumbersome to install.
• User-friendly startup. You can have the first frame say something like "Video loading, just a sec...", to let the user know that everything's working and the video is about to start playing. Other media players typically provide no feedback to the user, just a blank window.
• Watermarking. You can add a transparent logo to the corner of your movie (such as the name of your domain) and link it back to your website. So people may be less likely to steal your video, and if they do, it's an an automatic ad that takes people right back to your site.
• Ability to make your own custom controls.
• Full-screen video. Getting full-screen video is easy with Flash. It's usually impossible with other formats/players.
• Piracy protection. It's very difficult for users to save your video to their hard drives and then post it on their own websites. On the other hand, if you want users to have the ability to download your video, then this would be a downside. In that case, your best bet is .mpg for maximum compatibility.

It gives you fantastic compatability, and the filesize is just a little bit bigger than a similar-quality video in another format (like H.264/MP4). In the olden days you'd have to choose between compatibility, filesize, or quality. These days you don't have to choose. Flash is what YouTube and Google Video use, and they use it for a reason: More people can play Flash video than other other format, since Flash is pre-installed in more browsers. It's true that Flash isn't 100% compatible for everyone, but the point is, nothing is 100% compatible. Using a Flash player is simply more compatible than anything else.

Alternatives to using Flash

The next-most compatible format is an .mpg format,either Windows Media Player or QuickTime can open it. But that compatibility comes with a price: .mpg files are much larger than modern formats for the same amount of quality -- sometimes up to twice as large.

After .mpg, the next-most common format is Windows Media (.wmv), but Mac users can't see it without installing extra software.

Apple's QuickTime (.mov) is at the bottom of the list because it's only pre-installed on Macs. Windows users can install QuickTime, but of course many of them won't bother to install software just to watch your video.

Different Flash video formats

• .flv - This is the raw video file itself. This is what you get after converting from .mp4 or some other format. This is what your Flash player will play. It stands for Flash Video.
  
  
• .swf - This is the format of the Flash video player software. The extension stands for ShockWave Flash, an older name for Flash.
  
  
• .fla - You'll probably never see this format. It's only relevant if you're building Flash projects with Adobe's Flash Development kit. If you do create your own Flash projects with the development kit, then the .fla format is just a Flash document (a software or animation project you created). But this format doesn't run on the web. You use the Export command to convert your project into a .swf file, and that is what you actually upload to your server.

WHERE TO PUBLISH YOUR VIDEO?

You've made your video and now you want to share it with the world. Millions of people everyday are uploading videos of themselves and friends to Youtube, and a number of other free hosting sites such as Vimeo and Google Video. YouTube is the preferred destination for uploading video on the Internet, as it offers the maximum number of viewers. Instructions for uploading a video are relatively easy. First you'll have to open an account, once this is done it's generally a two or three step process that allows you to browse for your video file on your computer, add a little description and then click upload. Most of these sites will also give you options for adding a thumbnail, selecting your genre and in some cases revenue sharing. After you've uploaded your video, the hosting site provides the option of sharing your movie by giving you a link/URL that you can email, they also include a great feature that allows you to copy the HTML code and "embed" the video into your own website or blog.

.Members of YouTube are offered to be a part of groups called "Channel Types" that make their channel more distinctive. At one time, when a person signed up for a Director account setting, he or she was offered to have unlimited video length, but that is no longer offered, although the users who joined the "Director" group during that time still have that unlimited video length setting. At that time, they were still also limited to 100MB in video size, but now these accounts are limited to 1GB. The types are:

• Comedian,. comedians displaying their comedy bits for YouTube viewers.
• Director, movie makers displaying their videos for YouTube viewers.
• Guru, people who are experienced in a certain field make videos of what they do.
• Musician, musicians or bands covering songs or displaying originals or giving lessons on songs, scales, chords, etc.
• Non-profit, a status obtained by 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations accepted into YouTube's non-profit program.
• Reporter, civilians or professionals who make videos about local or international news and current events.
• Politician, one who is running for or currently involved with the politics of government.
• YouTuber, a general viewer of YouTube.

YouTube's video playback technology for web users is based on Adobe Flash Player. This allows the site to display videos with quality comparable to more established video playback technologies (such as Windows Media Player, QuickTime, and RealPlayer) that generally require the user to download and install a web browser plug-in in order to view video.Viewing Flash video also requires a plug-in, but market research from Adobe Systems has found that its Flash plug-in is installed on over 95% of personal computers.

YouTube's videos are distributed through streaming media in a range of formats, with the video and audio quality dependent on the platform. YouTube's offers users the choice of two quality levels, normal and high, both of which are based on the Flash Video. These videos are encoded with audio in mono MP3 format.The normal quality videos have a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels, while the high quality videos have a resolution of 480 x 360 pixels. YouTube accepts videos uploaded in most formats, including WMV, AVI, MOV, MPEG, MP4, DivX, FLV, and OGG. It also supports 3GP, allowing videos to be uploaded directly from a mobile phone. Videos uploaded to YouTube are limited to ten minutes in length and a file size of 1GB.

You can find instructions for uploading normal and high quality videos at the YouTube Help Center.

DVD RECORDING

Once you’ve shot and edited your film, you will probably want to show it to other people.  The old way to make your video available was to export it back to mini-DV tape and make VHS copies from it.  Now, however, with the availability of the DVD format, you can burn your movie directly on DVD.

DVD authoring is the process of collecting video, audio, various menus, submenu's, and options, subtitles, etc. into an interactive branching structure that will eventually become a playable DVD.

Whether you are new to DVD Authoring or are a seasoned veteran there are many software tools that you can use to make professional quality DVD Movies.

DVD AUTHORING SOFTWARE

Ulead DVD MovieFactory 6 Easy-to-use disc authoring and burning software, Choose from 70+ motion menu styles for DVD menus that pop, Plug-and-go DVD recording; end-to-end HD DVD disc creation, Use the Edit Room to add polish to videos with titles, music, and effects,

Sony DVD Architect Studio Import audio, video, and stills from an extensive range of formats, Easy to use menu-based and drag-and-drop interface for DVD design and authoring, Create picture slide shows and music, compilations, Still and motion menu creation, Text editing and shadow effects

AVS DVD Authoring AVS DVD authoring uses a wizard base model to walk you through the possible difficulties commonly associated with DVD Authoring software; meanwhile, giving you the ability to customize your menus

DVD Lab DVD-Lab is an advanced DVD authoring program, The software is versatile and easy to use.

CyberLink PowerProducer 5 Strong Blu-ray capabilities, easy to learn, handles all DVD types. Creates standard, Blu-ray, and HD DVD discs.

MyDVD 10 Lots of valuable applications you'll use frequently. Burns DVDs quickly. Perfect audio-video sync for real-time capture to DVD. Good video editing and slide-show production.

Nero 9 Ultra Edition Can burn Blu-ray and HD DVD data (but not multimedia) discs. Streams multiple TV channels to remote PCs. Shares content with networked computers, phones, PDAs, game consoles, and DMA-attached home theater components. Flexible installation utility lets you omit unwanted modules.

There are a few of the more expensive programs, such as Sonic Solutions DVDit! 6 , Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 , Vegas Pro 8 Professional Video Editing, Audio & DVD Creation.

PROMOTING YOUR VIDEO

Now you have your video on the web, but unfortunately so do several other million people. So how can you give yourself a better shot of making sure your video gets seen?

Tagging - When you upload your video, make sure you don't ignore the tag section of the upload form. Effectively tagging your video will really help people running a search to find your content. Think of tags as helpful pointers that help people to identify the contents of your work - not using them is like trying to sell tinned goods with no labels on them - you can do it, but you aren't likely to be wildly successful.

So if your video is about how to write your first blog, you might add tags (separated by commas, usually) e.g. "wordpress", "wordpress blogging", "blogging", "blog", "first blog", "beginner's wordpress" and so on. The more descriptive tags you use, the better.

Keyframe or thumbnail image - If your video has a great "thumbnail" image - the frame of the video that appears in search results before the video is played - you'll have a much greater chance of getting it watched on YouTube and other services. Some sharing services will allow you to choose your own thumbnail from anywhere in the clip. Others, such as YouTube, use the clip right at the mid-point of your video as a Thumbnail.

Effective titling - If your thumbnail and tags are well thought through, don't blow it by writing a useless title. Just as with blogging, your best shot at getting your video clicked on is to either tease your potential viewer or give them an accurate description of the contents of your video

Get the word out - Once you've optimized your video for discovery, the next thing you need to do is get the word out about it.

If you have a blog, blog about your new video. If you use Twitter, Myspace, Facebook or other social media services , make sure you publish a link to your video in any or preferably all of them. You could also consider writing a Squidoo or Hubpages entry related to your video, and cross promote it that way.

The key is to make sure your video is either linked to - or better yet, embedded - in as many places as possible.

WRAPPING UP

Creating & shooting your film

Getting started

Budget

Camcorders and Audio

Importing your footage into your computer

USB 2.0 or FireWire (1394) port

Importing VHS to your computer

Importing using TV/Video card

Importing and converting FLV files

Digital video editing

Video formats

Editing Software

What format to use

Where to publish your video

Upload insturctions

YouTube accounts

YouTube Help Center

Recording your video to DVD

Authoring Software

Promoting your videoCameras:

Tagging

Keyframe or thmbnail image

Effective titling

Get the word out

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Here are some good web resources for software reviews and recommendations:

WFF Links for Film Makers

Videomaker Magazine

PC Magazine

CNET

ZDNET

Digital Producer

DV Magazine

Desktop Video