If you are planning to put your project up on Facebook or YouTube, it's a good idea to get your subjects/actors to sign a release. This is a good, basic one to start with.
Need more help? Try Linkedin Learning (formerly Lynda.com)! It has videos for hundreds of applications.
Windows 7 and newer:
Windows Live Movie Maker is a solid editor that will let you put together a movie. Here's a handout to get you started.
Windows Vista and older:
Windows Movie Maker is not as easy as Live Movie Maker, but it will get the job done.
Mac:
We recommend using iMovie, which should have come with your machine. Here's a handout to get you started.
Web:
Looking for something online? Wevideo is a nifty web-based video editor. The free version is limited to 15 minutes of video/month and it leaves a watermark in the top right-hand corner.
Screencasting is taking a video of your computer screen while you work. A screenshot that moves.
Screencast-o-Matic is a free screencasting software that works from your browser. You can make an account, but you don't have to. You can make a video and publish it immediately to the web or download it and edit it further.
Jing is a free, downloadable software that will capture videos or screenshots. You can download images, but the videos go directly online with a link to them. Jing opens automatically when you start your computer and will appear as a yellow "sun" on your desktop. It's excellent for making "quick and dirty" tutorials.
Creative Commons is a type of copyright that gives creators a way to share their work for free while retaining ownership. They offer six different licenses, and all a creator needs to do is attach one to his or her work. CC licensed materials are great for music, photos, sound effects, and more. You must be sure to follow the rules of the CC licenses, but they also give a lot more freedom than traditional copyright and are much easier to understand.
Please give credit when using Creative Commons material. The creators are letting you use their material for free, so it's the least you could do.
Want to learn more about Creative Commons, how it works, or how to cite it? Check out this useful infographic.
You can download videos from YouTube using ClipConverter; however, you should only do this if the video has a Creative Commons license allowing you to use it.
You can check this on any YouTube video by checking the video info and clicking Show More. At the bottom of the video info, you will see the license type listed, either YouTube Standard License (do not download these) or Creative Commons. Any YouTube search can be filtered to show only Creative Commons videos by clicking Filters and selecting Creative Commons under Features.
Vimeo often hosts Creative Commons videos, too. Just search and on the right side of your results, click on More Filters to narrow your search by different Creative Commons licenses. If the original uploader has allowed it, these videos will include an option to download.
Don't forget that we have iPad Airs, iPod Touches, digital voice recorders, and camcorders at the 2nd Floor desk!
