Nimble video recording tools

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Tips: Consumer level cameras often perform better in lower light than professional cameras. Don’t bother streaming the highest resolution video if your viewers will be watching it on mobile devices or at home with moderate quality internet connections. Most servers regulate quality based on the device that is receiving the video, which means lowering quality to match the strength of the internet connection (bandwidth). Good lighting and good audio are often more important than highest quality video camera. With good lighting you can make good video with a smartphone, poor lighting results in bad video even with a professional camera. And having a crystal clear picture of your face is less important than being able to clearly hear what you are saying. A good strategy is to start with a basic setup, such as those described below, and increase the sophistication of the recording equipment and process as needed. Video can be extremely expensive to produce if professional equipment, facilities and personnel are used. But advances in consumer-quality equipment make it easy to produce high definition video at significantly lower cost. At the same time, people around the world have grown accustomed to viewing videos on platforms such as YouTube. This means that it is no longer necessary to invest significant costs in producing and streaming the highest quality video. You can appear professional and reputable even with lower quality video streamed from YouTube. In fact, many people feel that videos that have a lower production value (less “fancy,” less perfect) are more authentic, and are more trustworthy. What follows are some considerations for how you can produce professional videos using relatively basic equipment. The key is to focus on the quality of the content, and to find subjects who work well on camera. A common mistake if to spend too much time and resources on equipment that is unnecessary, and in some cases results in poorer quality and longer production times. It is better to invest in the right people with the creativity and resourcefulness to produce great videos, rather than over focus on the equipment. Creating Video for Education & Health

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Transcript of Nimble video recording tools

Page 1: Nimble video recording tools

Tips: •  Consumer level cameras often perform better in

lower light than professional cameras. •  Don’t bother streaming the highest resolution video

if your viewers will be watching it on mobile devices or at home with moderate quality internet connections. Most servers regulate quality based on the device that is receiving the video, which means lowering quality to match the strength of the internet connection (bandwidth).

•  Good lighting and good audio are often more important than highest quality video camera. With good lighting you can make good video with a smartphone, poor lighting results in bad video even with a professional camera. And having a crystal clear picture of your face is less important than being able to clearly hear what you are saying.

•  A good strategy is to start with a basic setup, such as those described below, and increase the sophistication of the recording equipment and process as needed.

Video can be extremely expensive to produce if professional equipment, facilities and personnel are used. But advances in consumer-quality equipment make it easy to produce high definition video at significantly lower cost. At the same time, people around the world have grown accustomed to viewing videos on platforms such as YouTube. This means that it is no longer necessary to invest significant costs in producing and streaming the highest quality video. You can appear professional and reputable even with lower quality video streamed from YouTube. In fact, many people feel that videos that have a lower production value (less “fancy,” less perfect) are more authentic, and are more trustworthy. What follows are some considerations for how you can produce professional videos using relatively basic equipment. The key is to focus on the quality of the content, and to find subjects who work well on camera. A common mistake if to spend too much time and resources on equipment that is unnecessary, and in some cases results in poorer quality and longer production times. It is better to invest in the right people with the creativity and resourcefulness to produce great videos, rather than over focus on the equipment.

Creating Video for Education & Health

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Studio Benefits: •  Maximum control over lighting, sound,

and backgrounds. •  A known environment, not influenced

by weather or time of day. •  All equipment is available all the time. Drawbacks: •  Costly to setup, a dedicated room also

means space lost to other uses. •  Subjects have to travel to the studio. •  Subjects may feel uncomfortable in a

“high pressure” surrounding. •  Studio can result in uniform and

boringly similar videos.

EQUIPMENT At Dartmouth College’s Master of Health Care Delivery Science (MHCDS) program we favor the mobile approach to video recording. We do have a “studio”, but it is a shared space that utilizes mostly mobile equipment. What follows are some examples of video setups that reflect the MHCDS program’s approach to video. Where possible we have included links to sample video recorded using the equipment described. At MHCDS we use both the iPad and the mobile setup illustrated on the following pages. We use equipment from the mobile kit both to set up a studio “on location” at distant locations, and also within a shared room (which is also a meeting room) that we use as a studio back at our offices. This shared studio space also has a confidence monitor mounted on the wall (used during meetings to project a computer screen), and wall mounted LCD lights similar to the portable lighting illustrated.

STUDIO: MOBILE VS. STATIC Where will you record your video? There are two general settings: A static studio (we will refer to this as the studio approach), or “on location” at a convenient location that changes depending on the subject (we will refer to this as a mobile approach).

Mobile Benefits: •  You can go to where the subject is

(workplace, home, some other place that is suitable for video recording), making this a more convenient option for your subjects.

•  Subject feel more relaxed. Mobile equipment tends to be smaller and less intimidating.

•  Generally lower cost for equipment, and there is no need for a dedicated space.

Drawbacks: •  Less control over lighting, sound,

climate/weather. •  Requires thinking on your feet in

unfamiliar surroundings. •  If something breaks, you are a long

way from your studio.

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iPad video kit

Equipment (click on price to see examples): LED video light_______$99 iPad (iPad Mini or Air)__$399 - $499 Padcaster iPad mount__$399 Lavalier mic (wired)____$20 Microphone adapter____$20 Tripod_______________$180 Estimated total________$1117-$1217

Notes: •  iPad cost varies depending on model used. •  While lighting is not necessary, it improves video quality. •  The wired lavalier mic significantly enhances audio quality, and the wire keeps

subjects close to the video (a wireless mic would allow folks to step farther away from the video recorder).

•  An adapter is needed for the lavalier mic to work with the iPad, you cannot simply plug a mic into the iPad jack and have it work.

•  While less expensive iPad mounts and tripods are available, it is best to use the higher quality versions such as those listed here. These will last longer, are easier to use, protect the equipment, and are less likely to vibrate

sample

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Mobile video kit Equipment: Collapsible background (x2)____$200 Video camera, mid level consumer/professional________$399 - $2200 Wireless lavalier mic/transmitter_$700 Tripod_____________________$180 LED lighting +3 lighting stands__$830 Protective case, extra camera battery & memory cards_____________$500 Estimated total___________$3000 - $5000

Notes: •  The cameras shown above may not be

suitable for use outside the USA, they are examples of the type of camera that we recommend and use at MHCDS.

•  Professional lavalier mics are worth the cost: Their audio quality is excellent, and they will not interfere with other signals in the area.

•  Protective cases are recommended to preserve the investment in cameras and mics.

•  Extra batteries for camera and microphones, and memory cards are highly recommended.

STREAMING SERVERS Once you have a video that is recorded, edited, and ready to share, you have to get it to your audience. This generally means streaming it on the internet, and sharing the internet link with your audience, usually through a website. There are many sources of “streaming server.” In some cases your organization might own or manage a server where you can upload a video and stream it. If a video does not contain private information, and you are willing to share it with the world (or anyone who has the link), then YouTube is one of the best choices. This is because YouTube is viewed by people all over the world, on all types of devices, using all types of internet connections. It is also free, easy to use, and familiar to just about everyone. There are other paid services that host video “in the cloud” (online, so you don’t have to manage the server). These include Vimeo, Wistia (used by MHCDS), and Kaltura (formerly used by MHCDS).

sample

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iPAD APPS Some iPad apps have usefull features for recording health, education, or other informational videos. Some useful apps include (click or tap on icon to link to the US version of iTunes):

Filmic Pro ($9.99): Allows you to control more features of your

iPad video.

Knowmia Teach Pro ($9.99): Allows you to record “voice over Powerpoint (or

Keynote)” videos. You have the option of including a video feed of your face as well.

Explain Everything ($5.99): Allows you to easily record your voice or video over a

white board, or other images.

A NOTE ON VIDEO EDITING… No matter how good your subject, and how creative the videographer, there will always be a need for editing. Often editing simply involves trimming a few unneeded seconds from the beginning and end of a video. More typically a video will also need other light editing: Snipping footage from the middle, adding transitions to smooth the viewing experience, adding titles to identify speakers or sections of the story, splicing together different segments of video, adding still photographs, spicing up the production with music. There are many choices for editing software, ranging in price and complexity. Some are available free on the internet, or bundled with your laptop computer (iMovie on a Mac, for example). More robust editing software—such as FinalCut Pro—can cost anywhere from $99 to $799. To find out which might be right for you, consider your platform (Windows or Mac), and do some internet sleuthing. Be sure to read reviews from reputable sources. Spending more will not always get you more: Sometimes the added complexity of a professional product prevents you from doing the few basic tasks you would like to perform. An important consideration: make sure that the video files you download from your camera are in a format (sometimes called codec) that will work with the editing software you are using. You can usually find this out with a google search using the codec or camera you are using, and the editing software as search terms. If the video from your camera is not compatible with your editing software, you will need more software and an intermediate step of converting (or transcoding) from the format you downloaded from your camera to one that is compatible with your editing software.