Video tools

From Lakeinnovation.org

Topics:

Editing software

Screencasting

Skype call recorders

Video conversion

DVD ripping

Audio editing

Creative Commons media

Video hosting & distribution

Video translation

File transfers

Live streaming

Videoconferencing

Hardware

Tips & Techniques

Editing software You will need editing software on your computer in order to edit videos from multiple sources together, add titles, make transitions, etc. Most new computers come with some kind of video editing software pre-installed.

   * Windows Movie Maker (PC) – basic program that comes with most PCs
   * Adobe Premiere Elements (PC) – more advanced than Movie Maker
   * Sony Vegas (PC) – goes beyond Movie Maker but is cheaper than Premiere
   * iMovie (Mac) – basic program that comes with your Mac
   * Final Cut Express (Mac) – allows greater functionality but cheaper than Final Cut Pro
   * Final Cut Pro (Mac) – software of choice for many amateur editors, available on Ashoka Editing Suite*

There is currently a MacPro with FCP 6.0 located at the Global Ashoka office. Time to use this machine can be reserved using the Public Calendar "Video Editing Station" in Outlook. It is highly recommended that you go through training in basic editing before using this computer. Stay tuned for details about how to get trained by the Ashoka Video Taskforce.

Screencasting Screencasting allows you to capture your desktop. It can be especially useful for creating tutorials or walking somebody through a document.

   * Jing (PC/ Mac) – free; used by various Ashoka staff members to create tutorials
   * ScreenFlow (Mac) - $99; camera + desktop, mouse effects, zoom, editing, multi-format exporting
   * Camstudio (PC) – free
   * iShowU (Mac) – $30
   * Skype – (PC) popular tool now offers screensharing on PCs

Skype call recorders Don’t you wish you could travel the world and interview your favorite Fellows and staff? Until that happens, these quick tools will allow you to capture video conversations with anyone on Skype. All you need is a webcam, this software and some questions.

   * Pamela Skpe Call Recorder (PC)
   * eCamm Skype Call Recorder (Mac)

Video conversion Because you may be working with video clips that were recorded on different cameras in different parts of the world, it may be necessary to convert your files into a format that your editing software will recognize. In general, .MOV files work best on Macs. On PCs, .AVI files are often utilized. It can often take some experimentation to find the right conversion so if you are working with found footage or foreign material, be sure to build time into your workflow for this process. One big issue to look out for after converting your clip is making sure that your audio is both present and synced with the video.

   * MPEG Streamclip (PC/ Mac) – magic tool for converting from one file type to another
   * Quicktime (PC/ Mac) – needed for MPEG Streamclip; Pro version has exporting options
   * Super (PC) – very handy tool for converting files including AVIs to MOVs
   * Media-Convert (PC/Mac) - a website that facilitates free online file conversion

DVD ripping Did you get a DVD from a Fellow or partner that you would like to use in your own video? Most DVDs that are made to play in DVD players require “ripping” in order to attain the raw video file. Assuming you have the rights to it (and the disc is not locked), you can rip videos from a DVD using:

   * Handbrake (PC/ Mac) – used for bringing videos from DVD to computer

Audio editing It is often necessary to record audio separately from your video track. For example, if you are creating a tutorial and you’d like to use a voice recorder to get your voice-over, then you may want to edit your audio down before connecting it with your video. You may also simply prefer to mix our voice-over with music before bringing it into your video editing program. Audio editing software is very helpful in recording voice-overs, “cleaning” audio, producing podcasts and mixing audio for slide-shows.

   * Audacity (PC/ Mac) – free program for recording and editing audio

Creative Commons media Unless Bono is an old college buddy, you probably won’t get to use any song you want for a publicly available video. The good news is there are various places on the web to get pre-cleared footage, sounds, music and photos. You normally just have to give an attribution to the author and then you can have access to plenty of material. It is becoming both more professionally accepted and (in many cases) encouraged to use Creative Commons media. Just be sure to give credit where it is called for.

   * Internet Archive - film, video, audio, images
   * Flickr CC Search - photos
   * CCMixter - music

Video hosting & distribution This is how you get your video to your intended audience. Before choosing where to submit your videos, please consult our guidelines for Internal and External Videos. It is important that we build our video channels together, thus increasing exposure to all Ashoka content. Although it is sometimes enticing to get a video uploaded so that you can share it or embed it on a blog or website, it is best to get it up on one of our public channels first so that we can retain view totals and aggregate audience information. We currently have channels on YouTube and Vimeo.

   * YouTube – the most highly trafficked video sharing website
   * Vimeo – upload higher quality, longer videos (SD or HD) to user or group account
   * Tube Mogul – send videos to multiple sites simultaneously including YouTube & Blip.tv
   * Blip.tv – nice quality video, supports creative commons licensing
   * Google Video – poor video quality but easy to share private videos

Video translation Video is undoubtedly a powerful tool but its power can be limited when made available only in one language. If you are aiming to reach a multi-lingual audience, it is important that you either subtitle or overdub your videos. While there may be staff or volunteers in the Ashoka network that can help with translating, this can be a very time-intensive process, in particular when you need to translate unedited footage so that you can edit. The following tool can help but because you have to upload your video, it will make most sense to use once your video is completed in one language and needs to be translated into another.

   * dotSUB – crowd-sourcing the translation of videos

File transfers Video clips often need to be sent from one location to another. Because file sizes of video clips can get quite high (especially when dealing with HD footage), it is often necessary to upload the clips to a server so that they can be downloaded where needed. Depending on the amount of footage that needs to be transferred, these tools can prevent needed to store and transport footage on external hard drives.

   * Drop Box – allows shared folders on multiple computers; 2GB/ mo free
   * Box.net
   * YouSendIt
   * Pando
   * Mediafire

Live streaming While pre-recorded content flourishes on the internet, the new trend of live streamed content is increasingly impossible to ignore. The Ashoka Video Team has been conducting research on several live streaming platforms and has identified a few exciting tools given various needs at Ashoka. Live streaming is a great way to make your event both globally public and interactive. We’ve been mainly using these tools for opening up Fellow presentations to bigger audiences (starting with our Global staff). Although we’re all excited to start using these tools, it’s important that we try to build up content for our live channels together. If you are interested in learning more about how to setup a live streamed event, please email wkristin@ashoka.org

   * Livestream – our current favorite; allows you to create a virtual TV studio
   * UStream – interactive video streaming utilized by many major outlets
   * Stickam – interactive video streaming that is also works well for videoconferencing
   * Qik – allows broadcasting from your mobile phone; important tool to watch

Videoconferencing Whereas live streaming typically includes one core video feed being broadcast to others, several tools are available that allow multiple users to connect and see one another. With support from ITI, The Ashoka Video Team has been hard at work identifying a videoconferencing tool that will harness the power of new technologies and allow Ashoka’s staff, Fellows and partners to connect on a virtual platform. Based on our research, we decided to pursue a trial with WebEx. Because we are currently within our trial period, we are encouraging all staff to make use of WebEx as much as possible.

   * WebEx – interactive videoconferencing w/ desktop sharing; allows up to 6 video feeds
   * DimDim – interactive videoconferencing w/ desktop sharing; has free model with one video feed
   * Skype – free; one-to-one video conferencing; most staff already using
   * ooVoo – free; video chat with up to six people at once