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Putting films online: where to start
If you have some video clips you’d like to put on to a third-party site for your friends (or indeed the whole world) to see, you need to sign up to one of the popular free websites, such as YouTube. Although YouTube is the biggest, and indeed the most headline grabbing video sharing network, it’s not the only one in its field, with others such as MetaCafe, Veoh, or GoFish offering free hosting of video clips. Once you’ve activated your account (you’ll only need an e-mail address to do so), you are given your own personal page to gather and display videos.
Uploading videos is extremely easy. There’s usually an option to “upload”, so click on this, hit ‘browse’ and select the file from the folder you’ve saved it in. Youtube accepts all types of video file extensions, including “.mov” (or “Quicktime”) files and “.avi” files. Generally, your camera or computer will have saved it as one of the more common file types, but be careful if you’re a user of Windows Movie Maker, whose “.wmm” files are not readable by many programmes, including Youtube.
If you have broadband Internet, chances are you’ll be able to download much quicker than you can upload. But a ten-minute clip (the maximum length on YouTube and many other video sharing websites), for example, should upload quite quickly, with content compressed to a smaller size by the video host for quicker streaming online. Once uploaded to the host website, videos are usually available to view within the hour.
Editing your work
If you want to edit the way clips look, there is a range of freeware available. Whether you wish to alter the video’s colour, contrast, speed, add captions, or connect a few clips together, there are many packages available that simplify video editing. You could try using a professional package like Final Cut Pro, but it is generally for advanced users and costs many hundreds of dollars. Windows comes complete with Windows Movie Maker, which is a great place to start, with a lot of free functions. Macs, on the other hand, come with iMovie, a similarly easy to use programme, with the added advantage of producing content supported by YouTube, in the exported “.mov” files. There are other free programmes accessible on the Net that will carry out specific functions, such as distortion grading, but many are only trial versions and insist upon purchase of the full product after a certain length of time.
More recently YouTube has allowed users to edit video whilst online, with built-in correction tools. Working in a similar fashion to iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, YouTube’s tools employ a simple timeline feature and make editing relatively straightforward. The system is also being pioneered by JumpCut. Currently this function is less popular, but as use of broadband increases and time lags cease to occur, web users may find the convenience of editing and uploading in the same place a time saving tactic.
What format is best for YouTube?
YouTube allows a whole range of files to be uploaded, but some will be re-rendered, resulting in lower quality. YouTube recommends saving files in MPEG4 format, ideally at the 320x240 resolution, with MP3 audio for optimum playback. Despite this, many YouTube users still swear by the WMV format. When saving your movie, go to “save as” and try to select MPEG4 if possible. If there is no option to do this, you should be able to find a free video file conversion tool on the Internet without too much trouble.
As video sharing becomes increasingly common, popular home movies are entering the mainstream consciousness, with television shows like “Friday Night Download” featuring “the best of the web”. Even if uploading home videos isn’t for you, you may find a world of entertainment for free on video hosting networks.
