To make this fairly simple YouTube video or this complex 10 Commandments parody, what software and other equipment do I need?
I want to use these for my job by making instructional videos on how to do research for distance learning students (obviously 10 Commandments isn’t relevant but I have access to some copyright free video to illustrate various purposes and video of my own making). I can buy anything at academic price and I can do basic html, make PowerPoints and handouts all day long, but I’ve never worked with A/V web design and my boss knows less about it than I do, so please “tell me like I’m 4” and don’t worry about offending me.
(I feel kinda bad cheating on the research for a project on how to do research, BUT since it’s a different kinds of research I teach I’ll cheat anyway 
.)
Damn, I read the first sentence and was psyched when I thought “Sampiro is gearing up to out-do the 10 Commandments Spoof”. Then I got to something about ‘instructional video’ and ‘for my job’ and am now too disheartened to carry on.
Sorry I don’t have anything more useful to add.
There’s nothing in the first set that can’t be done with free software from Microsoft, which you can download for free or may already have on your machine. Photostory works very well for basic slideshows, with transition effects, while Movie Maker can handle a lot more in terms of transitions and video clips. Any software that “renders” static content into a standard video format is going to introduce pixelation and compression artifacts. You can easily get a Powerpoint style presentation down to a few MB per minute if most of the content is static. Even if you think you want to get really into digital video editing, it is perhaps worth playing with Movie Maker to get a feel for how a non-linear DV editor works before taking the plunge into Premiere Elements or other more expensive software. Inexpensive Windows video editing software is pretty likely to be shite. Especially avoid bundleware that comes with TV tuner/capture cards, etc. such as Ulead.
Flash is probably the best way to present the type of content that you are interested in and has the potential advantage of being interactive. A DVD video is pretty interactive through menus and such, but Using Macromedia Flash the possibilities are endless; there is a big learning curve. FYI, to get a taste, you can record very basic Powerpoint style content to swf with Open Office Impress, and record screen activity video (very good for software demos) using Camstudio.
Have Fun!
Well, actually I would like to do one with the DVD of SYBIL- a teen comedy called either “SHE’S GOOD PEOPLE” or “16 PEOPLE I LIKE ABOUT YOU”= and there’s a Schindler’s List meets Green Acres thing that would probably be a bit too… well anyway, I want it mostly for instructional purposes.
Thanks Stan Doubt.
Any recommendation for a good voiceover software (freeware or any other)?
The aforementioned Camstudio will record audio from either the mic or the application. Very good for software demo voiceovers.
For strictly recording and mixing digital audio with freeware/shareware, I am a big fan of WavePad; the old standby is Audacity. The gap btw these and something like Pro Tools is pretty small for what you are doing and the limiting factors are likely to be your mic, studio environment and performance, not the software.