• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The DIY Video Editor

All things video for the enthusiastic amateur...

  • Blog
  • Software Reviews
  • Choosing Editing Software
  • Choosing a Video Camera
  • Editing Tips
  • Shooting Tips
  • Sharing & Distribution Tips
  • General Tips
  • Video Courses
  • Audio Tips
  • Optical Discs
  • Quick Video Tips and Articles
You are here: Home / DIY Video Editor Blog / The Friday Roundup – Great Video on Ordinary Equipment and Annotations

The Friday Roundup – Great Video on Ordinary Equipment and Annotations

Image of film strip and YouTube logo.

I haven’t included a wide range of topics this week because, as fate would have it, there were a few posts from around those interwebs that I think needed to be expanded upon.

Hopefully I won’t come across as getting too preachy about some of this stuff but really there is method to my (preachy) madness.

Something About a Bad Tradesman and His Tools

I have always been a great believer in the idea that it’s not the tools that make the difference, it’s the person using those tools.

Shooting video and video editing are two great examples of this concept in action.

Very often I get requests from people to recommend some kind of “better” video editing software or “better” camcorder or camera to solve some kind of problem or lack of results that person is getting.

In fact one of the reasons I tend to avoid talking too much about specific types of software for specific things or types of cameras is for this very reason.

The majority of marketing and advertising in this field is squarely aimed at the person who is trying to get better results and who can easily be manipulated into thinking it is the equipment that is failing to deliver and not the person’s use of that equipment.

I think in the last five years or so I have only ever once recommended to a reader that he should upgrade to a higher version of the software he was using. I did this because I knew he had explored every nook and cranny of his existing editor, had learned how to use it all very well and had genuinely outgrown the program.

Every other question or recommendation I have received has been as a result of people simply not learning how to use what they have as effectively as it could be used.

The same goes for camera equipment.

My view is that the best camcorder or still cam for you to use shooting your videos is the one you already have.

To illustrate this point take a look at the article linked below and especially take note of the videos on that page.

This is a great example (although it is a little extreme I admit) of what can be achieved when you know exactly what you are doing with the equipment you have.

I am not saying that you have to get to the point of the examples cited on that page whereby you need to be a fully qualified cinematographer, lighting director and a feature movie standard editor.

But what I am saying is that until you can come at least close to what you see on that page with a basic setup then you really have no reason to go spending a bunch of money.

Finally, make sure you scroll all the way down the page to where the guys from FStoppers add their own take on it all and offer some really solid advice.

I have included one of the videos below just to give you an idea.

  • Is It Possible To Shoot High End Video With A $600 Point & Shoot?

So Why Am I Not a Superstar Yet?

I’m sure there are quite literally thousands of people (or even more) each week that dive into the world of video with the intention of uploading it to somewhere and instantly attracting a huge audience from some vague undetermined source.

They see ordinary people like themselves touted in the media and elsewhere as being the new YouTube sensation making squillions of dollars a week for just making some crappy videos.

Filled with hope they make their own crappy video, upload it and are surprised that absolutely nothing happens!

There is reason for that and the guys at ReelSEO have pretty well nailed it in an article they posted this week.

  • 11 Guaranteed Reasons Why No-one is Watching Your Videos

Annotations on YouTube

Finally this week a totally awesome giveaway from the guys at ReelSEO.com.

ReelSEO is a website and associated YouTube content devoted to providing primo content on how to use video in marketing on the internet.

They are especially savvy when it comes to dealing with the wily ways of YouTube, YouTube Channels and how to go about maximizing your chances of success through that medium.

It would be easy to think that just because these guys are coming at video from a strictly marketing or commercial point of view that their information would only really apply to a business presence on YouTube or a presence with the sole purpose of marketing.

To think of them this way is to sorely underestimate the value of what they deliver.

The reality is that if you want to load video up on to YouTube with even the slightest expectation that someone outside your immediate family and circle of friends will watch them then you are going to be disappointed.

With absolutely ridiculous amounts of video being uploaded to YouTube every hour of every day the chances of someone “stumbling upon” one of your videos is remote to say the least.

In fact even if someone gets on to YouTube and searches for your video with prior information they may still have a hard time finding it!

These days on YouTube you need to be leveraging every possible advantage you can so that your videos appear in the search results, in the “play next” listings, in the “Related Videos” listings and anywhere else they can possibly appear so that you can attract an audience to your channel.

On top of that you need people to not just watch your videos, you need them to DO something at the end.

It doesn’t matter whether you need them to click through to your website, click on your offer or simply subscribe to your channel, you absolutely MUST capture them in some way so they can find their way back to you.

One of the most powerful features offered by YouTube to do this is annotations.

Now if you are not sure what Annotations are but you have watched videos on YouTube then your only problem is that you haven’t quite put a name to the thing you have seen many, many times.

Annotations are those little boxes of text or images that pop up while a video is playing (not the ads that come up from the bottom) asking you to Click Here or Subscribe Now or whatever.

For most people annotation are annoying and are a distraction from what they are looking at and sometimes are so bad that by the time they have carefully clicked the little crosses to make them close… the video has finished!

Technically speaking those kinds of examples a great instances of how NOT to use them.

Like many features on YouTube they are there for a reason and they continue to be there because if they are used correctly they can be the difference between slowly decomposing in some YouTube backwater and becoming successful.

  • YouTube Annotations: Learn How-to Master Video Annotations
  • The Friday Roundup – Another 4K Pocket Cam and Goodbye to Annotations
  • Tips and Tricks for Shooting Commercials on a Budget
  • The Friday Roundup – It Ain’t the Meat It’s the Motion and Other Editing News
  • The Friday Roundup – Depth of Field, Zach King Effects and Dialogue Mixing
  • The Friday Roundup – Equipment Envy, Bitrates and Color
Previous Post: « The Friday Roundup – Transcoding, Creating a Crowd and Special Effects
Next Post: The Friday Roundup – How to Look Intelligent in an Arty Film Conversation and More! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Main Categories

  • Home Page
  • DIY Video Editor Blog
  • Choosing a Video Camera
  • Shooting Tips
  • How to Choose an Editor
  • Video Editing Tips
  • Getting Your Videos Online
  • Video Editing Software Reviews
  • Audio Tips
  • Video Courses
  • General Tips
  • CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc Repair and Data Recovery
  • Quick Video Tips and Articles

Software Reviews

  • The Best Video Editing Software
  • Easy to Use Editing Software
  • CyberLink PowerDirector 21 | 365
  • CyberLink Director Suite 365
  • Filmora 12 by Wondershare
  • Corel VideoStudio 2022
  • Movavi Video Editor
  • Pinnacle Studio 26
  • Magix Movie Edit Pro
  • Vegas Movie Studio 17
  • Adobe Premiere Elements
  • muvee Reveal Encore
  • Magix Video Pro X
  • ScreenFlow for Mac
  • Multimedia Software

Footer

  • Contact
  • Disclosure
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • About
Copyright © 2023 The DIY Video Editor
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie SettingsAccept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT