EASILY SYNC YOUR AUDIO TO VIDEO WITH SONY VEGAS

When we record our videos, we usually just rely on the in-camera mic to pick up sound - which is fine, up to a point.  The problem is, (apart from the fact that most in-camera recording tends to be very poor quality), that it's very restrictive. The mic must stay with the camera, whether or not the sound source is close, or miles away.

To get good sound, we must do what the professionals do, and record our sound seperately, and with reasonably priced, high quality recorders like the Zoom H1 (much beloved by indie film makers) available, there's no reason not to.

Seperate recording however, does leave the problem of how to match the two files together afterwards? So, in this video, I take a video clip, and an audio recording from a Zoom H1 recorder and show how to synchronise them together in post production.

It's not complicated or difficult at all, but the difference in sound quality is very impressive - Try it yourself.

Jumping through closed door effect - In Sony Vegas Pro

It's a surprising and humerous effect. Jumping through a closed (in this case, car) door.  In this video I show how to make this nifty little effect using Sony Vegas Pro. The version I used for the tutorial was Sony Vegas Pro 13, but any of the Pro versions should be able to do the job just as well.

When I first tried to make the effect, I thought it would just be a basic jump-cut - cutting from the actor on one side of the door, jumping against it, to the actor on the other side of the door. When I tried that approach however, the results were somewhat less than convincing...

So I used the last few frames of the "Jump" side to "blend"  the actor into the door - a bit more with each frame, until they were completely on the other side and this produced a much more convincing effect. But don't take my word for it, check it out in the video below.

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And if you like stuff like this, then why not subscribe to the Meejah Youtube channel... It's free!
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How to make a Cool Intro with Windows LIVE Movie Maker

I'll be honest with you - Windows LIVE Movie Maker is not my favourite beast. The Old Movie Maker at least looked a bit like a real Video editor and had a timeline. The new one does have editing abilities but is nowhere near as flexible or intuitive as it's ancestor.

Having said that, Windows LIVE Movie Maker is the only editor that some people have. After all. if you want to try your hand at video editing, you are not going to shell out hundreds on a program that you may decide not to use after all - you are going to try it out on something that's available, and hopefully, free!For anyone who runs Windows, then the free and available option is going to take the form of Windows Live Movie Maker.

One of the most popular videos on the Meejah Channel is  How to make a Pro Intro with Windows Movie Maker which was a tutorial using the Original Windows Movie Maker but it has prompted a torrent of messages asking for a tutorial showing how to do this with the LIVE version.

I ignored the situation for a long time hoping it would go away, but it looks like it never will, so I have finally taken the bull by the horns and produced the video they were all asking for. It's a complete how-to, from sourcing your background clips, through editing them on Windows LIVE Movie Maker, and finally rendering into a Video. Hope you enjoy it.

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If you like this sort of stuff, then why not subscribe to the Meejah Youtube channel - It's Free!
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How to Bleep out Bad Language and Swearing on your videos with ANYvideo editor.

Ever had a great bit of video that you really wanted to upload, but were too embarrased to show because it contained swearing, cursing or bad language? 

Well now you can use that golden footage -  dig out those clips, because in this video tutorial you can find out how to "Bleep" out those naughty words and make your video suitable for everyone, not just Builders and Sailors. 

It's remarkably easy to do and the technique can be used on pretty much ANY video editor - Including basic ones. If you can split your clip then you can use this method. 

To prove the point that the technique can be used on any video editor, the demonstration in this video is performed on Windows Movie Maker - So C'mon - don't just sit there, get %@%! Bleeping!

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If you like this stuff, then why not subscribe to Meejah's Youtube channel - It's free!

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Everything you wanted to know about Windows Movie Maker

Most of the messages I receive at The Meejah Channel tend to be questions about how to use the basic functions of Windows Movie Maker. It would seem that there are a lot of would-be video editors out there who are struggling with the technicalities of Microsoft's free video editor.

So I thought "why not produce a basic how-to guide for Windows Movie Maker"? A guide that covered everything from getting your video clips into the editor, right through to rendering the finished edit into a movie.

This was not such a quick 'n easy job as I had at first thought and I ended up producing a series of seven videos explaining all the various aspects of using WMM in a quick no-nonsense way.

The videos (and these are links by the way - click on them to see the videos), cover these topics:
Importing your Video
Editing your Video
Editing your Sound
Video Transitions
Video Effects
Editing Titles and Credits
Rendering your Edit into a Movie

You can also access the whole playlist Here:
You can subscribe to Meejah's Youtube channel Here

So if Windows Movie Maker has ever confounded you, or if you're just curious as to what it's capable of, then check out this series - It may just surprise you.

Watermarking with Windows Movie Maker - The Easy Way.

Watermarking on video. - In case you don't know what "Watermarking" a video means, it is the addition of a name, or a channel identification logo to a video. It is usually quite small  and unintrusive - frequently semi-transparent - and more often as not, lives in one of the corners of the screen, where it remains for the entire length of the video.

What's it's point? - Well it's not just an excercise in vanity, a "Look what I made" statement. It's actually a security measure. The internet is replete with "bad'uns" who are happy to download videos they have taken a liking to from places like Youtube and then re-upload them elsewhere as their own work. This is of course ruined if the true owner of the video has their name or channel indelibly marked into the very fabric of the video.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of nascent video-makers use Windows Movie Maker as their video editor of choice and being a somewhat basic program, has no facility for producing true video watermarks - So does this mean that WMM users will just have to do without Watermarking.

Actually, No. Because although standard watermarking as we know it cannot be produced by WMM, we can nevertheless produce something mightily similar by tweaking the "Titles" options. It's quick, It's easy and It WORKS, and you can find out how by checking out this video:

Compose your videos like a Pro

Ever thought that your video and photographic compsitions were lacking that certain "something"? Wondered why your snaps never looked quite as good as some of the pro shots you have seen?

So what is the secret to composing pleasing shots with your camera or camcorder - Is it something which requires an artist's eye and years of training?

Well, actually, the secret of composition rest in the application of a very simple rule - more a guideline really - called "The Rule of Thirds". It's actually a very simple technique that was discovered hundreds of years ago by the great artists of old and continues to be used by artists, photographers and cinematographers to this day.

The technique is simple to learn, yet very effective. Adopt this technique and you should get successful results 90% of the time.Check out the video and you'll see what i mean.

Creating voiceovers and adding music in WMM

One of the most useful things that you can do with a video editor is to add narration to your video. In fact if you want to make a documentary of any sort, it's pretty much vital.

Windows Movie Maker is a great little program for what it is - and the price is right (Free). But sophisticated it is not. It offers only one Audio/Music track which usually means having to choose between having background music or a voiceover.

With a little bit of cheating however, you CAN have both and although Windows Movie Maker does not allow you to gently fade between different volume levels, this too, can be done by cheating.

So if you want to know how to use Windows Movie Maker to remove an annoying sound-track, add some nice music, a narration AND drop the background music level whilst the narrator is speaking, then this video is for you - Check it out.

How to produce an Echo effect in ANY video editor inc. WMM

Everyone loves an echo, and it has to be one of the most useful sound effects that the video/film maker can use. It can give the impression that you are in a  tunnel, hall or other cavernous place.

Where would classic horror movies be without the creepy feel that comes from dialogue laced with a generous helping of echo?

Unfortunately, not every video editor comes with a built-in facility to produce them. The high-end editors will have it as part of a more comprehensive audio management toolbox, but few if any of the free video editors will posess anything like this.

But that's no problem, because in this video I am going to show you a quick and easy method that can be used to make your clips echo - whatever video editor you use, and to prove the point, the demonstration uses good old Windows Moviemaker. It's quick, easy and effective so you need never be without an echo again.

How to do Jump Cuts

Do your Vlogs lack snap and pazazz? Do they ramble on a bit? - Then you need to discover Jump Cuts! 

What are Jump Cuts? Jump cuts is a rough 'n ready video editing technique, the sole purpose of which is to cut out all the rubbishy content of your Vlogs, such as ummms, aahhs  and pregnant pauses, and to stitch together the rest of the content into a fast pacey Vlog.

Check out the vlogscape on and around Youtube and you will see that this video editing technique has become the de facto way to edit Vlogs as it provides pace and zing to even the most mundane videos. 

This video transition technique is quick and easy to do and can be done with even the most basic of Video editors - in fact the demo here is done with Windows Movie Maker ( don't have a copy? No problem  you can download it free from the link at www.meejah.co.uk)

Make a Pro Video Intro with WMM

Do you find the standard titling options in Windows Movie Maker (WMM) a bit Mnnahhh...? Do you long for something with a bit more gravitas that will bestow an aura  of high technology jiggery-pokery?

Alas, we all know that this kind of intro requires high octane (and costly) programs like "After effects". There is no way you could even come close to producing such video eye-candy by using something as basic as the free editor "Windows Movie Maker" 

Well,  my friends you have been informed. Impressively cool intros can indeed be created using nothing more complicated that your free copy of WWM.

Fancy having a go at making some cool pro-looking intros? This tutorial will show you how. It's easier than you think and loads of fun.So if all you've got to edit on is Windows Movie Maker (WMM) here is the tutorial you have been waiting for.

Meejah - Start making videos now.

Hi, I'm William Huw and I like making Youtube videos.

Now I know that there are lots of people out there that would like to be making videos for Youtube (and other places), but they believe that it's all beyond them. They think that it's all incredibly difficult (it's not), extremely technical (it doesn't have to be), and that they will have to buy lots of expensive equipment (they won't).

In fact, if you probably have everything you need to start making videos that you can publish on Youtube (and other places), right now.

So I have decided to make a blog that will show you how to do just that. How anyone can make some pretty good videos even if they have no budget and little to no equipment.

Each blog will be accompanied with a Youtube video, so you can see for yourself exactly what it is I'm banging on about. All the videos will be posted to TheMeejahChannel - my Youtube channel. If you would like to subscribe (it's free), here's the link: TheMeejahChannel

Once you have begun making and posting videos, you can even start to make money from them (it's not difficult), OK you probably won't make your fortune from them (well, not right away anyway), but you can cerrtainly make some pretty decent pocket-money to begin with, which could be a big help if you decide that you do want to buy some expensive equipment later on  :)

So don't delay. Make sure you get the lowdown on all the videomaking tips, tricks and wrinkles that will be coming this way by subscribing to this blog.
See you at the Oscars.
Will