Make Better Video for YouTube

Welcome to Videomaker! Below are our favorite tips and techniques selected from the past 20 years of the magazine. Use these articles and resources to help transform your creative idea into a professional looking, polished video that will get you noticed on YouTube.

Special Effects

Special effects including green screens, fake blood, fire and gun effects can look realistic with the proper tools and techniques.

Gun Muzzle Flashes & Blast Sounds

Adding gun muzzle flashes and blast sounds to your shootout scenes is easy to do in post production. Learn how to build intensity using post-production editing …

• Tutorials - 4 Simple Steps for Professional Stop Motion Light Painting
  February, 2010
  How to create stop motion animation, using stills with light painting. Learn the step by step process to mastering this special effect.
• Tutorials - Special Effects: Day-for-night, Fake Rainstorm, Sped-up Background
  February, 2010
  We show you how to pull off three simple special effects using just the camera and the subject's reaction to sell the illusion. Learn how to make realistic…
• Tutorials - Green Screen Setup
  January, 2010
  How to properly set up your green screen backdrop, lighting, and camera. We will go over some common errors and their solutions.
• Tutorials - Create Top Special Effects with Outdoor Green Screen
  December, 2009
  How to use a green screen outdoors for chromakey. Learn about the lighting, obstacles and proper usage of the elements outdoors to add to the effect.
• Tutorials - 4 Steps to Build Your Own Green Screen
  December, 2009
  In this DIY tutorial, we show you how to make your own green screen with frame. Learn how to build the frame, attach the cloth and prep the materials for your…
• Tutorials - Using a Full-body Green Screen to Create a Website Spokesperson Effect
  December, 2009
  The steps that you need to follow to be able to create a website video spokesperson walk-on effect.

Video Production Techniques

Tricks of the trade-Lighting/Audio

Three Point Lighting Forms Basis of Good Lighting Fundamentals

Learn the foundation for all good video lighting techniques.

• Tutorials - Finding and Setting Up a Studio Space
  July, 2011
  Studios can save a lot of time in a shooting schedule. In order to set up your own, we'll show you what to consider when choosing a studio space such as size,&h…
• Tutorials - 4 Common Lighting Setups for Professional Video
  May, 2011
  Though great lighting does require some artistic prowess, even the first-time video enthusiast can get great results. To help you make professional looking…
• Tutorials - Lighting Wide Shots for Video Production
  August, 2011
  Wide shots establish the mood of a scene and are important to set correctly. This segment defines the goals of good lighting, gives you some tips on how to&hell…

• Catching the Rim Shot with Lighting
  April, 2012
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Traditional lighting using the key light as your main light isn't always the most interesting design. Try making your rim light the brightest and see how your&h…
• FloLight MicroBeam 2500W Equivalent LED Light Kit Review
  March, 2012
  by Mark Holder
  For truly versatile lighting suitable for all users check out FloLight's MicroBeam 2500W Equivalent video lights.
• Let There be Light... for Less
  February, 2012
  by Michael Fitzer
  Why use light other than the sun or your house lights? Proper lighting will give depth and clarity to your subjects, and soften objects you don't want in the…

Camcorder Techniques

The Fundamentals of Cinematography

• Tutorials - Liven Up Your Documentary by Capturing B-Roll
  May, 2011
  Good B-roll helps you keep a good pace, cover mistakes, and dive even deeper into your story. To make sure your story has all of that, we'll go over some tips…
• Tutorials - Improve Your Video Image Using the Best Lenses and Filters
  November, 2010
  The lens is where the magic of cinematography begin. With it you can bend light into focus, achieve great depth of field, and zoom into your subjects. We will…
• Tutorials - Wedding Videography: How to Shoot the Reception
  June, 2010
  The ceremony is done, but the big day isn't over yet. The reception is an important part of the wedding day. We show you how to light the dance floor, use the…

• Surviving a 48-Hour Film Challenge
  July, 2010
  by Christa Sadler
  Film and video festivals are great ways to meet other enthusiasts just like you, and nothing gets the blood pumping faster than joining a 48-hour film…
• A Checklist To Find The Best Digital Video Camcorder For You
  September, 2009
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Thinking about getting a new camcorder? Here are 10 points to consider while searching for the best digital video camcorder to suit your needs and budget.
• Slick Camera Shots
  April, 2012
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Good video producers have more than a few camera angles up their sleeves. From trick angles to smooth operation, here are some tips for some slick camera shots.

• 5 Tips for Handheld Shooting
  December, 2011
  by Jennifer O'Rourke
  Whether you're out for a quick shoot, or are lugging your gear a long distance, you can't always take a tripod along. Here are some tips for hand-held shooting…
• Cinevate Atlas 10 FLT Slider Dolly Review
  September, 2011
  by Dan Bruns
  With its extreme versatility, carefully machined aluminum and sleek design, Cinevate's Atlas 10 FLT is an incredibly useful piece of gear.
• Fun and Entertaining Vacation Videos
  June, 2011
  by Jennifer O'Rourke
  Vacation videos don't have to bore your viewers - you just need to understand how to edit while you're shooting on location.

Making Better Video for YouTube

Uploading, formats, compression and downloads

Shoot Online Video for a Small Sharing Screen

Learn how to shoot for a small video sharing screen, to create better online videos.

• Formatting for YouTube
  June, 2010
  by Kyle Cassidy
  In the past three years, Youtube.com, Google's video website, has become the place for video sharing. Knowing the restrictions will help you upload your next…
• Distributing the Goods
  April, 2008
  by Andrew Burke
  From YouTube to those that pay, video-sharing sites have risen from the obscure to dominate internet users' online experience. Which one is best for your…
• Uncommon Exports
  August, 2007
  by Morgan Paar
  From YouTube on the Internet to iPods and cell phones, you can find video everywhere. But getting it TO these devices can be tricky.

Video Editing

Putting it all Together

How To Get The Perfect Greenscreen Key

Learn how to get the perfect greenscreen key in Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro and Sony Vegas.

• Tutorials - How to Adjust the Pacing of your Documentary to Tell your Story Better
  November, 2010
  Though a story may be fresh, driving, and compelling, if it is too linear or too long, you risk losing the interest of your audience, We will show you how to…
• Tutorials - How to Convert Frame Rates
  January, 2012
  We're going to show you how to successfully convert from one frame rate to another using footage interpretation and pitch shifting.
• Tutorials - How to Get Rid of Hiss and Hums in Audio
  January, 2012
  We'll show you some handy tips for correcting hisses and hums using high and low pass filters, notch filters and automated tasks.

• Sony Vegas Pro 11 Advanced Editing Software Review
  April, 2012
  by Doug Dixon
  Vegas Pro 11 is a welcome upgrade to this classic professional editing tool.
• Selecting the Right Video Editing Software
  January, 2012
  by Mark Montgomery
  There are many video editing software packages available today. So many, in fact, that it can be an overwheling task to choose the right video editing software&…
• Revving Up Your Editing Options: Editing Software Buyer's Guide
  October, 2011
  by Dave Sniadak
  The road to editing greatness begins by shifting into the right gear. You can't drive your projects forward with software that leaves your computer idling in…

Pre-Production

Planning tools to save time, money and aggravation

Select Tripod, Microphone and Camera for Web Video Production.

Yes, you can use a web cam to produce a choppy online video with horrible sound, but you're likely to lose credibility in the first few seconds. You can get a b …

• Surviving a 48-Hour Film Challenge
  July, 2010
  by Christa Sadler
  Film and video festivals are great ways to meet other enthusiasts just like you, and nothing gets the blood pumping faster than joining a 48-hour film…
• Video Production Scheduling
  March, 2010
  by Laura Martone
  You might know what you want to shoot, but how long will it take to do it? Here is how to create a simple shooting schedule so you'll have the answer.
• Using an Audio Monitor for Video
  July, 2009
  by Christopher R. Ducas
  An Audio monitor will help take you from amateur to professional videographer. Audio quality is often a difference between amateur and professional videos.