Handbrake: Open Source Video Transcoder

HandBrake is a cross-platform (Linux, OS X, Windows), multi-threaded video transcoding application. It's a free (GPL-licensed), open source tool that enables you to easily convert from nearly any format to the most often used codecs of today, thus making them useful on devices beyond your desktop computer. This article will give an overview of its features and then guide you through a typical use case. We will be using the Linux version of the program, but the differences across platforms are mostly cosmetic. Having said that, Mac users can take a look at the GUI in this brief article.

Click to read more ...

Handbrake Video Conversion and Ripping Software for Mac

This is one of the more controversial apps I have tried in recent memory. It is a well known video conversion and ripping software. There have been a lot of bad reviews, which surprised me as I had not tried to look at what other people said until after I had tried it myself. I didn't understand the animosity that was being flung its way. That is, until I actually read through the reviews.

Click to read more ...

Vine for iPhone: Create and Share Fun Videos

Have you been wanting to make fun little videos, but you weren't sure of how to edit them, post them or even store them because of limited space? This is a great app that handles all three issues by allowing you to create small, looping video clips to share with friends and family. All without having to know a single thing about video editing or creation.

Click to read more ...

My Secret to FCPX Color Grading - Magic Bullets Mojo

On a regular basis, viewers tend to ask me how I edit my videos to be so colorful. Well, it's no secret that I use Final Cut Pro X as my main video editor. My secret weapon, however, is a plugin called Magic Bullets Mojo. Watch for examples of color correction and how I use this color correction software to my advantage!



Magic Bullets can be downloaded here: http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/products/all/mojo/

Red Giant is most well known for their full version of Magic Bullets that often plugins into major applications like Adobe Premiere or Adobe After Effects. Magic Bullets Mojo is a dialed down version of the application, giving you addition Final Cut Pro X Effects to add more in depth color grading to your video. While there isn't much wiggle room beyond the effects, you can adjust each color correction to your liking using a variety of sliders. At the price point of $49.99, I think this plugin is a must for any amateur/intermediate YouTuber, videographer or filmmaker using the latest version of Apple's Final Cut software!

Any questions are welcomed in the comments below. Thank you for watching/commenting/rating/subscribing! You guys rock!

Update on Aug 26, 2012 at 1:36 PM by Sean Boughner

Red Giant Software also make Trapcode Soundkeys; which is a great plug-in for working with audio and adjusting levels in your compositions. There is a great lesson on CreativeCow.net on how to work with Trapcode Soundkeys by Aharon Rabinowitz.

http://library.creativecow.net/articles/rabinowitz_aharon/waveform_1.php

Fruit Ninja: Taking Someone Else's Idea Done Right

It is very difficult to come up with a novel idea that becomes successful. For every successful channel such as Freddiew and FinalCutKing, there are thousands of imitators who attempt to emulate their traits with little success. One of the most popular and imitated videos on Youtube is FinalCutKing's "I am Fruit Ninja" with over sixty video responses. Our team wanted to take advantage of the popularity of the video and game without looking like another cheap carbon copy.  The video ended up being the most liked, viewed and commented video response by far. How did we do it? The first thing we did was study all the differences we could find between the original video and the video responses. Such differences included camera placement, background, presentation, acting, pacing and seemingly trivial details such as size and color of the fonts.  The next step was to figure out how we could make it better. First, we realized that all the backgrounds were either black, a hastily photoshopped image or took place in someone's living room. We set to find a background that could pass as a place in which a Ninja would train. More importantly we noticed that not a single video out of all the video responses had martial arts, which is one of the most known characteristics of the ninja! Luckily for us, we had martial artists in our team. Good things can happen from taking someone's idea, but only if you put the effort in to contribute your share and make it better. After all, it's not just the idea that brings success, it's the execution. I'm certain we all know plenty of people who could learn this.