By: Hal Robertson
EMAIL hdrobert@4state.com

During the course of setting up a video shoot, sound is usually one of the last things considered. This is unfortunate because regardless how much you spend on the set or the talent, audio has the power to make or break your video. I can't tell you how many "professional" product videos I've seen that sound like they were recorded with a consumer camcorder. The point is, even though the packaging is dazzling and the video is gorgeous, if the audio stinks, it cheapens the value of the entire project.

This basic article will explain why and how to make a VCD,SVCD or DVD.

Why VCD,SVCD or DVD?
What format shall I choose then, VCD, SVCD or DVD?
How do I make a VCD,SVCD or DVD?

Why VCD, SVCD or DVD?

Because you want to play the video on your standalone DVD Player. If you only want to play the video on your computer and/or share to your friends over the internet other video formats are better suited for that like DivX, WMV, RM, MOV. Some new standalone DVD Players supports AVI, DivX, XviD and then you don't have to convert to VCD,SVCD or DVD, it is just to burn the video directly to a CD or DVD and watch.

First lets start with the easy answers:
Yes, you can edit video using your computer.
Yes, the video can look as good as the original footage.
Yes, you can add incredible effects, transitions and titles.
No, you don't need to invest $5,000 or more.
No, you don't have to be a computer genius to install it.
No, you don't have to have a super powerful computer.
Now that we got that out of the way, let's find out what Non Linear Editing is all about and what you really need to get going. By the time you finish this page you will have a good background and understanding of the technology. Hopefully, if I did my job right, you will also be left with a burning desire to start doing it!!

The way certain terms are used varies from one place to another, particularly with regard to the "aesthetic" terms (i.e., one man's close-up may be another's medium close-up). Be sure that you are comparing "apples to apples" in your specific situation.
Academy leader - a leader placed at the head of release prints containing information for the projectionist and featuring numbers which are black on a clear background, counting from 11 to 3 at 16 frame intervals (see SMPTE leader).

access time - The performance of a hard drive or other storage device - how long it takes to locate a file.

active program or window - The application or window at the front (foreground) on the monitor.

alert (alert box) - a message that appears on screen, usually to tell you something went wrong.

alias - an icon that points to a file, folder or application (System 7).

apple menu - on the left side of the screen header. System 6 = desk accessories System 7 = up to 50 items.

Special note: The information contained in this document is written to the best of my knowlege. I take no responsibility for any mistakes that occur as a result of following anything here. So don't sue me if you blow a million dollar budget because I made a typo. Remember the cardinal rule of filmmaking. (Well, maybe not the cardinal rule, but an important one anyway): Test everything. If you plan on doing a feature and are going to edit it with a process you've never tried before, you better shoot a test roll and take it through to the final format, whether film, video, etc. There are so many places to screw up that a test is an absolute necessity. I know people who have ignored this and decided that they would "figure it out as we go" and ended up out of sync or with unrepairable problems, so listen to me. Please.

by Scott Brown

If you're new to PC video editing then knowing where to start can be a bit daunting, so hopefully this guide will point you in the right direction.

To start with you will need a few items of equipment

Camcorders/Video Decks

Depending on your requirements or aims there are number of different solutions to discuss, so i will split these up into separate sections.

1.If you are starting from new then i recommend buying a new digital camcorder, this will give you superior video and sound quality as well as making getting started in video editing very simple, so ideal for the beginner. There are thousands to choose from catering for various types of budgets.

by: Jim Wagner

If you're looking to get into videography and video editing as a hobby, the options can be daunting. Here is a small question and response that may help you get started in this fun and rewarding hobby.

What type of camera do you recommend?

Response: For a beginner, a Canon single CCD camera will suit you well. It has a cost range of $500 to $700. Canon is well respected at all levels of video camera quality and has probably the best quality for the price at the low end.

by: Alastair Taylor

Video Encryption is an extremely useful method for the stopping unwanted interception and viewing of any transmitted video or other information, for example from a law enforcement video surveillance being relayed back to a central viewing centre.

The scrambling is the easy part. It is the un-encryption that's hard, but there are several techniques that are available. However, the human eye is very good at, spotting distortions in pictures due to poor video decoding or poor choice of video scrambling hardware. Therefore, it is very important to choose the right hardware or else your video transmissions may be un-secure or your decoded video may not be watchable.

by: Marie-Claire Ross

Well, it’s official. You are going to star in the company marketing video (or commercial) and you will have a part talking to camera. After ringing your mother, to let her know about your newly found fame, reality hits in. How are you going to pull this off?

The good news is a charismatic business leader can add tremendous impact and clout to a marketing video or commercial. The bad news is that few leaders have the right skills to talk to the camera in a natural manner.