I've put together the most frequent questions and the best answers I could come up with. Any more questions, let me know.
You WILL need the following:
2. But, how do I make a vid?
Glad you asked! I WILL need to break it down into the hardware and software explainations.
Hardware:
Another type of hardware is the capture card type. There are many on the market, and they go inside your tower in the expansion slots. I don't open my compy, but ymmv! Here is a site that compares the specs Safe Harbor. You have to make your choice based on your personal preferences and budget. I make no recommendations *g*.
Software:
3. But, how do I make a vid?!?
Keep your shirt on! I'm getting to it...
Once you have the hardware set up and functioning (don't ask me to help, it took me the better part of a day because I am so not technologically inclined!) you can capture video. I like to capture from VHS tapes and CATV. Most WILL also capture from digital camcorders. If you are trying to capture a large amount of video, you need to make sure you have the hard drive capacity for it. One hour's worth of video takes 700+ MB's of disk space. When you start making clips of episodes and such, you can fill your HD up very fast! Note: capturing video clips from VHS works better if the VHS tapes are recorded in SP (2 hour) mode. If you capture without sound, the clips WILL be a bit smaller. It depends on what you wish to do with the clips. For making fanvids, you WILL need silent clips. Remember that all t.v. shows are the property of their production companies and financial backers, and you can't sell the clips, etc.
Now that you have all those nice vid clips, you WILL need to figure out which song you wish to use. Remember to respect song copywrights. The formats used by the editing softwares include .mp3 and .wave formats. Check your help files if you are unsure which to use. I find I like to convert a .wav file to .mpg format because .wav's generally have better sound quality.
4. OK, I get it, but HOW DO I MAKE THE BLOODY VID?
You need to get out more...
Never force a vid - if it's there, it WILL flow. Don't confuse this with having to learn as you go, which we all have done, but remember that if it's too hard, you won't do it!!
Write down/print the lyrics. Don't guess what they are saying, even if you've heard the song a million times. It makes a difference! There is a great lyrics site Leo's Lyrics I use them often.
"Storyboard" your vid before you begin. Get at least a rough idea of what clips from what eps WILL match your lyrics/musics/general idea for the vid. Write these down somewhere. I usually print out the lyrics and write on that sheet of paper the scenes from the eps that I want to use. This is not set in stone, because I almost always vary from my plan, but the general outline keeps you on track and then you spend less time wondering which clips to use and more time perfecting your editing! It also seems to help make the "message" of the vid more uniform and pleasing.
Then, gather together, digitally speaking, the clips that match/convey what you want to say. Using the editing software of your choice, you WILL need to import the clips from whatever source you have. Then, you can chose which clip you wish in what order, etc. If you wish to edit the clips, and you WILL, you use the edit/trim function. That is explained very well in the help files under "edit clips". Basically, it involves setting a start and stop point on the vid that matches the lyrics/moods you are trying to envoke. This is rather a long process when you are beginning, so don't be frustrated if it takes a while to get the hang of it! My first vid was pretty rough in its transitions, but I still got the point across!
You WILL want to make transitions between clips. I have found that I make my vids in a linear fashion, working with the music and making the transitions as I go, rather than put all the clips together, then work the transitions. It makes putting the clips to the music's timing & lyrics easier IMO. Most software has numerous transitions to choose from; however, I just use "dissolve" mostly *g*. I find that I like to put the titles in first to make the timing of the music coincide with the start of "action" in the vid clips - ymmv. There are various title programs in all the editing software and you WILL have to experiment on which font/format you like, etc.
Now, you have a nice "rough cut" vid. You are ready to produce. Generally, production of the vid is in mpeg1 format, but some programs WILL allow you to produce into mpeg2 format. The easy way to think about that is: mpeg1 is for viewing in players like Winamp, Real, and Windows Media Player, also for burning VCD's (which are like DVD-lite); mpeg2 is for burning actual DVD's, which most folks do not have the capacity for yet, but the standard is there, and the hardware is available for a price.
I produce into a mpeg1 format, then "clean" up my vid by using a nifty program called TMPGE. This allows me to trim and make sure the timing of the frames is correct for the sounds. I use the Nero program for burning VCD's to "share" my work. You can burn the vids in "rough" format from the Dazzle software in MPEG version with any burning software, including the Roxio-lite that's included on ME and XP. A lot of editing software WILL require you to use a conversion software in order to get VCD's that WILL play in stand-alone DVD players. I have found that most compy CD/DVD-ROM's WILL play both NTSC and PAL formats without complaints. Again, MPEG format WILL play in any player like Winamp or Windows Media Player.
Now, you have your vid! Hope you think it was worth all the work. I always do!
The Lost World belongs to TPTB and whoever the money folks are this week. This is a fan site for fun & promotion of the show.
Finns's Fanvid FAQ
So, you really like fanvids, huh? They're all right, I guess... It's my turn to contribute something to the website, so I figured since this is sort of more my deal that the others, I'd be the one to answer all the questions that keep coming in about the fanvids.
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1. How do you make a vid?
1. Video capture hardware
2. Possibly additional RCA cables
3. Video editing software (sometimes included with your hardware)
4. Possibly additional video editing software
5. "Burning" software if you wish to put your vids on disk and share.
6. Some time to learn how to use the above
I use the Dazzle Digital Video Creator. (Not the DVD one, but the other one. ) It is a USB peripheral. It uses a series of RCA cables (the ones that have red, yellow, and white plugs) to attach to a VCR or digital camcorder and your compy via the Dazzle hardware. It can record off of a VHS tape or CATV or the camcorder. It can out-put to VHS. The resident software for the Dazzle is what I use most in editing my vids. It is very user-friendly.
The Dazzle comes with resident software for capturing video. It also has a built-in editing function. The capture cards have software for doing the captures, but some not for editing. You WILL need to buy a separate editing program if you have one of those. Lots of programs for that and you can check places like download.com for reviews and try-before-you-buy versions. The good software can be expensive. The grandparent of them all is Adobe Premiere, but you can use Windows Movie Maker which is a freebie with XP, it just doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles. Each program is somewhat complicated when you first begin, so you WILL have to take some time to learn it. Be not afraid, but understand that you are doing stuff that t.v. production folks do for a living on a smaller scale, and they make pretty good money! Once you have the editing software and have familiarized yourself with it, you are ready to begin.
All pictures are the property of TLW production companies and are used lovingly and with no profit.