907_Genie

Originally uploaded by Joe Mac1.

Your wish is my command!

I’ve received multiple emails and comments today requesting that I go back to posting the smaller video files. Apparently there are a number of issues with the big ones. The resolution, bit rate, and so on are too much for many systems. The downloads take a long time. There are other issues as well.

So here’s what I’m thinking — I’m going to post both. The small files will go into the RSS feed, and the larger ones will be downloadable from the website.

You see how I aim to please?

I understand that this video is buzzing around the internet, so you might have already seen it. However, just in case, please take a quick peek.

Whether you agree with the message or not, one thing I believe we’d all agree on — it’s an extremely simple video that effectively communicates its message.

http://campaignforrealbeauty.com/

*When you get there, it takes a moment for the “play film” button to appear.

I saw Robert Scoble’s new HD camera at the Podcast Expo a few weeks ago. It was nice, although I didn’t notice which brand and model it was. Is an HD camera a requirement for Video Podcasting (or vlogging)?

Jason Preston, over at the Blog Business Summit, doesn’t think it’s required, and I agree with him. I’ve never used HD for Izzy Video. I don’t own any HD equipment yet, not even a television (I can’t justify spending that kind of money on something I’m constantly setting a goal to do less of).

The list of HD advantages that Jason mentions is all true. I also want to add that most HD footage I see online seems to have slightly better color than the DV equivalent. I’m guessing that the three CCD’s in the newer cameras work with color better than the DV cameras.

That said, the main advantage of HD is increased resolution, and for web content right now, we just don’t need that many pixels. My five minute Izzy Video installments at 640×480 are already 80megs or more. They already take too long to download. I know I could use one of the many available flash players, but I don’t like how flash video looks. I prefer to wait for the download.

I’m sure at some point I’ll upgrade to HD, maybe over the next couple years, but for the time being, DV is sufficient for my needs. As Jason Preston says:

Finally, and more importantly, I’m always convinced it’s more about the content than the quality.

And I agree.

link

My camera is still off at the shop, but I found some footage in my computer that I decided to use for this installment of Izzy Video. Try not to pay attention to the expression on Noell’s face. She was listening to a serious scientific talk via the internet, so she was hardly even aware that I was working around her.

This week’s installment of Izzy Video introduces the idea of four-point lighting, instead of the more frequently covered three-point lighting.

Discovering what podcasts other podcasters subscribe to is interesting to me, so I thought I’d share another one of my favorites here.

I’ve been listening to “The DV Show” for a long time. It’s a great audio podcast that I frequently devour during my commute to work. My guess is that many of you are already subscribers to the show, but just in case you aren’t, I thought I’d mention it here. It’s a very good resource.

Not only does Brian answer questions, easy or difficult, but he also provides classes, links to great software, interviews with experts, and other resources. It’s certainly a lot more technical than my show, but the content is important. Episodes are typically about 30 minutes long.

I recommend you check it out.

Link

For those of you interested in seeing a couple interviews with me, I thought I’d post links.

The first link is to a television show called “Torrent” formerly hosted by Amber MacArthur, now hosted by Matt Harris (who’s doing a great job filling those large shoes). Matt interviewed me at the Podcast Expo a few weeks ago. You can see the interview here. It’s the episode labeled TOR024.

Also, Andy and Sean from Labrats.tv did a short interview with me. They have an entertaining show with a wild sense of humor (let’s just say that this episode ends with Andy taking off his pants), and I was flattered that they pulled me aside for this interview. Here is a link to the episode.

Thank you, Matt, Andy, and Sean for the interviews.

Incidentally, thank you, Craig Syverson for recommending Izzy Video in your interview.

My thoughts after watching the interviews? I need to start working out, and I smile way too much!

Thank you everyone for all the support on Podcastalley.com!

Although Izzy Video is only ranked #78 at the time of this writing, it’s ranked #2 under the subcategory “Video Podcasts.” I’m thrilled about that, and I definitely couldn’t achieve such a high ranking without your help.

Additionally, I’ve read through all 395 comments left on Podcast Alley regarding the show. Wow, such kind words! When I read that kind of positive feedback, it fires me up to keep creating more shows.

As I make tutorials, I’m very aware that there’s an audience out there, and I’m constantly thinking about you as I do my work.

I wish I could meet every one of you!

Because my camera is broken, I have no choice but to do more screen casts.

This installment of Izzy Video is for newcomers to Final Cut. In it, I show you how to use the “Fit to Fill” editing option. It’s extremely useful for timing video to music.

Please pardon the technical problems. There are a couple of audio and video glitches in this Izzy Video which I couldn’t get rid of. I believe it might have been a bug in the software I used to get the screen movies, Snapz Pro X from Ambrosia software. Usually it works great, so I’m not sure if I did something wrong. However, if I wait until everything’s perfect, I might never get this out!

I suppose it won’t surprise any of you to learn that I enjoy watching video podcasts about all kinds of subjects, some of them familiar to me, some of them unfamiliar. Recently, I’ve discovered a few I really enjoy which are short, educational, entertaining, and frankly remind me of the shows my father and I are producing.

“The Wood Whisperer” is a new one for me. It has a nice blend of comedy and educational value. I’ve never done woodworking myself, but the show makes me want to get some of those fascinating tools!

This morning I was exposed to “Feed Me, Bubbe” for the first time. It’s amazing to me how interested I can be watching someone else’s grandmother cook. What a personality, and so well produced!

One on Digital Video that I’ve been subscribed to forever is Craig Syverson’s VideoGrunt. I met Craig at the Podcast Expo, and he’s exactly the same in real life as he is in his video podcast. He’s brilliant and entertaining.

I love learning how to do new stuff, especially if the video is under 5 minutes.

What educational video podcasts are you watching?

I’d like to discover some more. Please make suggestions in the comments, and don’t hesitate to mention your own if you have one.