All About Greypath and YouTube

We have set up a greypathers area within YouTube.

1. You can have a look now, by going direct to http://www.youtube.com/group/greypath (no registration required)

2. When you get there you should bookmark the Greypath Group page as favourite, as it is almost impossible to find using Youtube search. Youtube has simply become too big...

3. Once there, and assuming it will be your first time, you will be able to see the first couple of videos we have put up to test the system.

4. To view vids nothing more is required but if you want to uplift your own to the Greypath Group then you will need to click on Join This Group (See yellow box above right)

 

5. This will lead you to a simple (YouTube) registration page

6. Register and then when you get your password etc back from YouTube you can add your own videos to this group.

7 You can go to the Greypath Group link first, (as per the URL at top of this page), then select Upload Video, [Its the arrow and words top right of the video screen page] , this asks you for yuor videos name and location then takes your video, to your own personal My Video's section, that your registration created. Follow the instructions to uplift your own video here

Then, once you vidoe is up on line you need to come back to the Greypath Group (As per URL top of page) and then select Add Video in the yellow box, this time.

This takes you back to your site again and a slightly different display of your videos. Check the box of the one you want to uplift for us all to see, and then click the Add to Group button.. This takes you video for showing at our group site.

Finally, be patient. It took about an hour for our second video to appear on our own My Videos section prior to being able to add it to the greypath group.

Here are a few things we have learned re filming using the $50 Logitech web Quickcam, (and later a digital cameras video option), so far. (Its much easier of course if you have a digital handicam)

Videocasting with computer quickcams. What we have learned so far.

1. You must look at camera if you are to appear to be talking to people. i.e. looking them in the eye. Avoid the trap of looking at the screen itself, as this will show you looking down if the camera is located top of screen.

2. Background should not distract, and may well be bland

3. Voice needs to be consistent pitch with no uhms and ahs

4. Message must be rehearsed, as it does not work well if you look down at prompt notes. Lacks sincerity.

5. Critical stuff can be typed in 22 font size and placed around the camera lens. (Circle cut out of the message for the lens)

6. Video uses up about 2 mgbytes per minute

7. Movements become exaggerated and/or blurred on camera, so minimal head movements in particular are best

8. If you have something to show, e.g a photo, have it up at the start, or otherwise move it into the screened area slowly. Also remove it (slowly) when there is a bit of distraction via new message or whatever. You will be slightly offput by the fact that the screen you see is not mirror mage as your mind may expect

9. Know where to place the photo in advance so you don’t have to look away at the screen to get it right and lose you talk thread.

10. Try the camera pointed off centre so you can get something extra such as a book cover or picture and yourself on screen at the same time

11. Think about a USB extender cord so you can pick up the camera and point it at other things.

 

More stuff we have learned as we go.

1. There is an excellent Microsoft Movie Maker free download you can use if you have Windows XP or XP Home. It can edit any videos you make, up to about 3 minutes. It comes with the free SP2 update pack

2 There is also a free and really excellent 'how to do it' using Movie Maker, all in video, at http://www.atomiclearning.com/moviemaker2 (As it is a number of video streamed, one megabyte or so lectures, you might use up your Internet allowance here though)

3. We tried out the video function in our Nikon Digital camera and found out that it captured its video in .mov format. So to edit in Movie Maker we had to next find a format converter to change the .mov to a .Mjpeg or .AVi which Movie maker likes.

4. After a painful search we found Apex Video Converter Free vers V 6.21 , and that worked fine. Google for it if you need it.

5. We also found a good sound system called Audacity (Free) where you can capture voice overs etc and add then to your video later..

More to come as we stumble forwards ......