This channel is about you and what you want to do with digital video. I and the other writers will be here to help by providing the kind of channel content you need or want, to learn about, to share everything we know about the many facets of the subject. Read, suggest articles, comment about blog entries, ask questions… participate to the extent you want. Come back often as content will expand daily.
I’m old enough to have experienced the world of analog multimedia: pictures taken with Polaroid and 35mm cameras, and video shot on 8mm film. Video for the home enthusiast moved from film to analog 8mm and HI8 camcorders with tapes recording on tape.
As personal computers developed, analog camcorders could connect to them via a capture device like my Dazzle 80 which did the conversion from analog tapes to digital files. Then came the real digital camcorders… mini-DV's that recorded video tapes in digital format. The firewire/iLink connections to computers copied the digital files to equivalent DV-AVI files on the hard drive. Camcorder video files on tapes and hard drives were now the same. Analog or digital, the quest for more is never ending, as we now go to higher and better digital quality… HD.
My background as an engineer and businessman paralleled my side interest in pictures and video. When I retired from business, Windows Me and Movie Maker came along to capture my interest and time. To edit video, it was no longer necessary to start and stop camcorders and VCR tapes during a dubbing process. The computer provided a non-linear digital editing process that was a thrilling ride. But there was a whole new digital world to learn about.
I’ve been using Movie Maker as my primary editing software, but with its limitations and being an entry-level software app, I use dozens of other specialty software apps also, as needed. It’s important to easily move files from one app to the other as the projects are assembled. Once the parts are finished, I produce them with Movie Maker.
I’ve never been heavily into plastic discs for distributing videos, preferring online websites with links sent by email. The Internet has grown in features and capabilities to support the online processes.
With 3 children and 5 grands, there’s never a lack of family events and memories to capture. Wherever we go, Bernadette has digicams to take digital still pictures and I have a camcorder for video. When returning home from our last vacation to Europe, we had over 9,000 new still pictures and 20 hours of video footage to sort and edit. We’re not yet through them as we prepare for another trip there. The goal isn't to get through them... it's to enjoy the process from snapping and clicking to enjoying the things we make from the content.
In the early days of Movie Maker Microsoft noticed my community involvement and awarded me an MVP –Most Valuable Professional - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/. I’ve received 6 such annual awards to date as my support efforts continue and expand. My website, books, magazine articles, articles, and now this video channel at Bright Hub together make for more thant a full time career.
Once again, it’s not about me and my videos… it’s about you and your aspirations. I’m here to help as much as I can. If you already know lots about digital video, and are willing to share it by writing articles here at Bright Hub, please join in. If you're here to learn or just pass some time, I hope you find the info educational and enjoyable.