Contents
1. Introduction
2. Programs
3. Tips
4. Rendering
5. Effects in Adobe After Effects
6. Conclusion
1. Introduction:
This guide is going to teach you how to make your own videos and give you some useful editing tips, such as Drafting, Music, Camera Angles and Rendering in HD.
2. Programs
First off your going too need some recording programs. I will provide links too two great gaming cameras and one Screen Recorder with a brief overview of each.
1. Fraps
Fraps is the most popular gaming recorder. Fraps works best when you purchase the camera but there is a free version available. The Free version has it's limitations, you can only record for 5minutes and there is a watermark of their website on the top of the recording. The watermark is no big deal and I will give you some tips on how too stop it in the tips section of the tutorial. Fraps also has a problem of "eating" away disc space.
Download: FRAPS show fps, record video game movies, screen capture software
2. Wegame
Wegame is the greatest up and coming FREE gaming recorder! That is right it's free. Wegame is currently in beta and can be a little unreliable at times purely because it sometimes doesn't pick up on the game your playing. Wegame has a great online community for support with a very nice feature that when you post more you gain points which you can earn free rewards, such as games!
Download:WeGame, a free Fraps alternative - Record Games, Capture Games, Game Record, and much more!
2. CamStudio
CamStudio is able to record all screen and audio activity on your computer and create industry-standard AVI video files. CamStudio is also 100% free and is perfect for those who want to make Video Tutorials.
Download: CamStudio - Free Screen Recording Software
Video Editing Software
Free Software:
Windows Movie Maker
Paid Software:
Adobe Premiere
Adobe After Effects
Sony Vegas
3. Tips
I'm going to show you some Tips to making Videos your videos appeal too the Audience. I am going to take you through these steps:
1. Research
2. Scripting
3. Visual
4. Audio
5. Lighting
1. Research
The most important of the five steps is Research. I cannot stress this enough. You need to go and research what your creating. There is no point making an Epic Video of the worlds first exploration of a zone in wow when there could already be a video posted. Also Research videos related too what your video is based apon, this could give you some tips and tricks in itself!
2. Scripting
In my day I have made many videos when I have no scripted a single thing. Those videos were unsuccessful. You need to write an overview of your characters, with detailed analysis of their emotions, attitude and actions. Also you have to script what the characters say in the Sequence, if not this could leave your voice actors or yourself stuttering or worse the video not making an sense at all and not appealing to the audience.
3. Visual
Make some effort in this section, no one likes to watch a clip be replayed over and over or a video that's some pictures with music. If they wanted that they could play some of their own music and search Google images.
4. Audio
I made some PvP videos. How much worse would they be if I put Celine Dion as the music instead of some Angry Metal. Audio is the key that makes a video either good or bad. No matter how well you have done all your other steps the Audio can change the outcome in an instant. Match the music too suit the event or emotions being portrayed in the sequence. If you have a dramatic scene put slow and harmonic music, not some techno.
5. Lighting
One of the steps most Machinimators particularly forget. Lighting is essential, it can represent the mood without music, for example after a long action pacted sequence you could kill off a character. Turn the music off and make the Lighting Dark and ominous. Also if your green screening your videos, make sure you match the lighting with the background. It's never good seeing a bright character on a dark background, unless for a particular effect.
Fraps Watermark
No one likes the watermark on your videos! So these are two very easy steps too get rid of it.
1. When you open you're footage in you're video editing software, stretch the footage just enough too cover the watermark!
2. Masking. Masking is a great way to edit footage and can produce many great effects. I could make a whole tutorial on masking so I'm linking a video which will cover all it's basics.
(Updated masking videos for all Programs)
4. Rendering
So you have all your footage and audio ready too be released for the public to view. You would more than likely want your videos too be in HD right? Well i'm going to show you how to make it in HD and still be in a compressed format.
When you go too render or start a new project in either Adobe Premiere or Sony Vegas, edit the values to these:
Format: MPEG or WMV
Size: 1440 x 1080
Framerate: (Preferable what you recorded at, if not make it 30)
Video Quality: Best
Bit Rate: Leave it as Preset (playing with these can mess your whole video up)
Those are the basics for a HD video, for more detail on how to do it for the different software i'll post some videos!!
Sony Vegas
Adobe Premiere
Windows Movie Maker
5. Effects
One of the ways too get a outstanding video is using effects. The more eye catching the visual is the more likely it is to have the Audience continue watching. Adobe After Effects is the best way too achieve this. I don't know of any free software for effects if you find any please PM me or reply in this section.
To achieve the greatest effect you need too download Plug-Ins for more options on how to create effects in your videos.
Here are some free plug-ins: Third-party plug-ins for Adobe After Effects
These videos will help you get started along your way!
(Please note they are based on Machinima using World of Warcraft)
6. Conclusion
There we have it, you should be on your way to becoming a premiere director on the youtube scene! You should have learned all the basics that you need to make a successful video. All you need now is some creativity and some time!
If you need any help or want me too add something into the Guide please PM me or leave a comment in this thread. Thankyou for taking the time to read this!