Making YouTube Videos

[theryno665]

So, my friend let me borrow his video camera that he's not using (which is very high quality and pretty expensive to boot) and I plan on making some YouTube videos with it, mostly as companion pieces to my blog. But here's the thing: I pretty much know nothing about video making.

I'd kinda like to do stuff akin to Spoony or The Cinema Snob, not so much their reviews as I have no experience with editing and the fact that I'm starting off on YouTube means I can't use copyrighted material, but moreso in the direction of their Vlogs. So, any tips, tricks, ideas? In particular, is there any editing software I should use, preferably in the cheap/free department that's not Windows Movie Maker?

[Deleted]

Windows Movie Maker is about the only free one you can use. The more up-to-date Windows are supposed to have more upgraded software but i've never played with it (Windows 7's movie software isnt out yet). There are other ones I think, but they leave you stuck with watermarks (the annoying logos or text that shows up all over your vid saying your using unlicensed/unregistered software) unless you fork over the cash.

Don't KNOWINGLY rip off other Vlogs or people's jokes. You can kindof be crafty about some references (one of my all time favs is Urinatingtree's Superman videogame review where he runs into spiders and goes "...okay, now what did he tell me?" and then it plays the AVGN clip of him punching spiders). But accept the fact you will get jabbed at some point for ripping a joke or some dialogue from someone you've never heard of before. Just don't make it a habit and don't be a d-bag if called on something (that will NEVER help).

If you wanna do an intro, make it fairly short. Anything over 30 seconds is too much regardless of length, and if they're short videos make it 5-10 seconds tops.

Keep in mind the upload time limit is actually around 10 minutes and 50-something seconds. They give you some elbow room there. ALOT of people think the cutoff is 10 minutes exactly, and that's not true.

If you want to use music, use some stock stuff from other websites (be sure to give them credit either in the vid or in the vid description...you can make alot of enemies if you don't).

I actually use videogame music in my vlogs because a very large majority of it is non-licensed (any game with licensed bands, or any orchestral pieces are usually tied down...and if you use remixes give credit and provide the real link to it...the remixers WILL find them and WILL get your vid muted or pulled if you do not no matter how obscure or hidden you think you are), so it's fair game (though I also have to post what the songs are to avoid 1000 questions over what songs I'm using).

[theryno665]

Yeah, as it stand right now, they won't be super intricate or anything until I get the hang of editing. I don't know why but I usually watch a lot of Spoony and The Cinema Snob's vlogs where they're just talking about movies they saw instead of doing a legit review of them. Yeah, that may be boring to some but they make it exciting and I'm hoping I can do the same. I have ideas but until I figure out editing and such, they probably won't take effect for a while.

And it might take even longer for me to start as my friend apparently forgot to pack the USB cable for the camera. Every cable but the one I need. :-(

[bob]

for my newspaper my video guy uses Windows Movie Maker