Links:

This is my list resources used.

Websites and main links:

• http://www.youtube.com
• http://www.vimeo.com
• http://s1.zetaboards.com/NextTopVidder/site/
• http://www.youtube.com/user/thestation
• http://smosh.com
• http://video-editing-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
• http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10281571-93.html
• http://www.videomaker.com/issue/2010-01-01/
  

Success on the Net

Finding internet fame can be a difficult task, but it is a rising trend for new videographers. Many of the popular YouTube users, such as SxePhil, also run websites to generate extra revenue through advertisements. The more popular they become, the more they can be worth to advertisers and this is a unique phenomenon.

One particular internet duo I wish to shed some light on are Smosh. Smosh is a comedic duo starring Anthony and Ian, who rose to fame posting the funny video they filmed at home. The group has expanded far beyond this though. They now run their own website on which they host exclusive content such as bloopers and deleted scenes that are not available on their YouTube channel. They've developed games and contests for the site, and even run an online store. To see for yourself, you can checkout their website here.

The never ending battle...

As mentioned in previous posts, a big issue with YouTube has been copyright claims by major media companies. Claims are being made on music, video footage and other content. For the most part, YouTube has negotiated well. While TV shows and movies are obvious breaches, certain songs have been approved by companies to be used so long as additional advertisements are placed with them. Still, there are constant legal battles going on in the background of YouTube as everyone tries to get their piece of the pie.

Today though a few new battles have been won in court for Google's YouTube. According to CNet News "a federal judge to dismiss[ed] a number of the claims for statutory damages asked for by group of copyright holders that included a European soccer league and music publishers." The claims were dismissed on the grounds that the videos "were foreign works and weren't covered by U.S. copyright law." To see the full article click here.

Nothing is free

Have you ever heard the phrase "nothing is free?" In the world of video editing this is one phrase you'll get to know very well. While the internet may seem like a full, open access portal for music and stock footage, there are quite a few people out there still trying to make claim on what they believe to be theirs.

This is the issue know as copyright claims. While the internet may give you access to a wide variety of music and stock footage, using it in a video is an entirely different affair. Something as simple as adding a music track to one's video can get it banned or taken down from some websites. YouTube in particular has developed internal detection programs for locating audio and video that has been claimed by production companies across the globe. If the program detects an audio track that has a claim on it then the audio could be muted. If the video has footage that has a claim on it, the video will either be taken down or your account could be suspended (or both).

The only way to completely avoid this issue is to only use content that has been recorded and written by you. It can put a damper on one's creativity though if you're not a musician or you wish to make a fanvideo which unavoidably does use footage that you have not recorded yourself. Questions are also being raised regarding music that has been bought legally through iTunes. If you purchased this song, why can't you use it? That seems to be a question yet to be answered.

Abracadabra! It's time to edit!

To become a good digital video editor, you have to have the right tools. A computer, a firewire, and camera are all important components in filming process, but the editing software you use will likely be the most important tool you ever work with. This tool, this not-so-simple piece of software is the instrument that makes all the magic happen. It is a what a wand is to Harry Potter and it is what will make or break a person as a video editor.

This, of course, raises the question of what software do you choose? It would be nice to say that there is one perfect piece of software available that everyone will love but that is unfortunately not the case. Some programs will be too complicated for the common editor while others will not offer enough control. It all depends on the type of editing you wish to do and the hardware that you're working with.

A great site to get some information on all of this is TopTenReviews.com . They offer comprehensive reviews of some of the latest programs as well as comparisons on price. As someone new to the field, price is particularly important to consider as some of the more professional programs can get fairly expensive and may not be worth the investment if you're not serious about editing.

More than just a competition...

Are you good enough to be "YouTubes's next top Vidder?" That's what the creators of this online competition are asking. But strangely enough, that isn't actually the competitions biggest concern.

For those unfamiliar, "YouTube's Next Top Vidder" is an online competition hosted by some of YouTube's more popular video editors. Over the years, these artists have gathered a quite following with hundreds of subscribers from all over the globe. In the competition, they create video editing challenges and act as judges for the new competing artists.

The goal of the competition though is not actually to find the "Top Vidder." While gaining the title would be nice, the point of this competition is to help some new, but talented video editors get exposure in the YouTube community. This may seem like an inconsequential goal to some, but anyone who's posted a video for the first time will realize how difficult it is to get feedback on their work. They're competing with millions of other people uploading every day. This competition is great way to gain exposure, and hopefully, some new subscribers in the YouTube community.

Techno Translations

There has been a lot of talk in this blog about what videography is and, more specifically, where to find it. But where does one get the tools? And what does one do once they have those tools? It's good to decide that you have an interest in the field but knowing where to start can get tricky.

A good place that I'd recommend is VideoMaker.com . The site is a great resource for editing tutorials, software reviews, and introductions to the hardware that you'll need when starting a video editing project.

Also, though it seems a bit out of character given the field, if you're still not as comfortable reading off the internet, the company also publishes a magazine. Just as on the website, the magazine allows you to read up on current reviews of the latest technologies and softwares available to an aspiring video editor.