What's the real secret to getting things done? While much of the answer lies in things like motivation and daily habits, you also can't ignore the value of the tools you use every day to do the work. We polled our staff to find out what’s running on their machines here at the office and at home. What we found is that our office has some universal solutions, and then seemed to split departmentally. So for this series, over the next few weeks, yo ...continue

Last week we talked about some steps you should take before buying a video camera. This week let's take a look at a few of the bigger choices you will face as you make your decision. First on many people’s mind is the issue of HD. In the past I would have said that if you are only doing web video, then it doesn’t matter. However, now that YouTube is supporting HD video, I would encourage you to go HD if you can. Besides, even if you are en ...continue

When I was about nine years old, my parents won a drawing for a $1000 shopping spree at a local store in my hometown and decided to use the money to buy a camcorder. As I recall, there were only about six to choose from, and they all recorded onto VHS tapes. The only differences to consider were brand, size (though none were small), and ease of use. Needless to say, it didn’t take too long to pick one out. Now fast-forward 20 years and imagine ...continue

If you have spent time on YouTube, then you’ve probably seen at least one user’s YouTube channel. And if you’ve seen more than a few, then you may have noticed that the design and attractiveness of those channels varies widely from user to user. Some of them are highly attractive with custom imagery, while others make your eyes hurt to look at them. If you have a YouTube account, what does your channel look like? Why does it matter? It m ...continue

Several weeks ago, we posted an article about the new YouTube Show & Tell channel that highlighted some of the more creative uses of the video giant's site.  And now, after watching some of those examples and finding ourselves in need of a new angle to promote our newest iPhone app, I present to you the Sergeant Gun YouTube experience.  It's not just a video, it really is an experience that you have to go through step by step.  I think it turn ...continue

I realized that I needed to write about this piece of software when I recommended it to someone for the third time in recent memory. What struck me was that each thing that I recommended it for was different. One person needed to convert some files from a proprietary AVC-HD codec that her editing software couldn’t read, another was looking to pull some material from a DVD, and the third was looking to compress video for uploading to the Web. In ...continue

Let’s face it: it’s not hard to find flaws in a lot of online videos. I’m not above reproach myself. I often look back on my work and question my tactics or execution. As online video producers, we generally don’t have the same budget or tools at our disposal that feature-length filmmakers do. Having said that, there are some things that you just can’t do if you want people to keep watching, or better yet, come back to watch more. I’v ...continue

Have you ever seen a television commercial that just drives you nuts because of the spokesperson they use? I can think of at least two regional companies here in Colorado that fall into that category for me. In both cases, the “actor” has a close tie to the company being advertised. For one it’s the owner, and for the other one it’s the owner’s kid that serves as their spokesman. I think the concept may have been effective in the past, ...continue

When most of us hear the phrase “show and tell” our minds naturally drift back to those awkward events from our childhoods that required us to bring something interesting to school to share with the class.  Drawing on that tradition, YouTube has launched a new Show and Tell channel that they operate in partnership with the Art Directors Club, that aims to show off interesting and effective ways that advertisers are using YouTube. The site ...continue

Live video broadcasts using Ustream and podcasts each have their pros and cons. I’ve had some experience with both, and I want to share with you what I see as the plusses and minuses of each. In the end, you can decide which method might be best suited for your needs. LIVE BROADCASTS: I would have to say that the number one benefit of a live broadcast is the ability to directly engage and interact with your viewers. With Ustream, viewers ca ...continue