Keep Videolicious in mind for your next quick-clip video

And plan ahead.

While I am used to a physical video camera, tripod, microphone and desktop editing software, I’ll admit that I always on the hunt for easy ways to make a video on the go, too!

In the fun events we promote for our school districts, having everything you need at your fingertips provides us with the ability to capture video at any time. And sometimes you never know what you’re going to wish you had video of instead of just pictures.

Today, here’s a quick introduction of a new app called Videolicious. I’ve gone back and forth on whether or not to use this as a tech tip, but with a quick video I created this morning, I definitely think it’s worth checking out.

Why I hesitated:

The reason I hesitated, is that so many advanced features are locked – they are meant for the paying customers. But it’s not a quick, “sure I’ll pay for it” feature. In talking with their sales department, the advanced features come with corporate or district contracts; they do have pricing for education. If this is something you think a lot of teachers or other people would use in your office, it might be worth it. I inquired about pricing and will let you know what I hear.

Why I think it’s worth sharing:

Until then, the free version does give you some options for quick videos and narration. It’s a three-step process:

• Step 1: you first choose the video/pictures you want.
• Step 2: choose what audio you are going to use.
• Step 3: choose music. There are about six songs to choose from on the free version.

In Step 1, you choose from your camera roll. You can select pictures or video clips.

NOTE: YOU HAVE TO SELECT THEM IN THE ORDER YOU WANT THEM TO PLAY, SO PLANNING AHEAD IS A MUST!

If you only want to use a section of your video clips, click “Edit” at the bottom, tap on the clip and trim it. Click Save and the shortened version will be chosen. (This will not shorten the original in the camera roll, just inside this editing app.)

You have a 10 shot maximum on the free account.

In Step 2, you choose what audio you are going to use. (NOTE: This step can be skipped if you just want to put a series of video clips or pictures together.)

• It will first turn the camera on you for you to narrate. (ignore my goofy faceJ) The great thing here is that you know the order of your pictures and video clips (and their approximate length) so you know how long you want to talk about each one.
  • If this is the option that you choose, you tap back and forth between the photo clips on the screen and your picture. When you tap on the clip or picture, that brings up the picture to cover up your audio. It needs to be recorded in real time. There’s no editing option after this.
• The other option is to click “Import” at the top right of the screen. The free version allows you to import one clip. If you’ve already recorded an interview that you play continuously, you can select that and hit “Save.”
• Once you’ve chosen that clip, it will ask you to preview your video. Just like with narration, you tap between the interview and the video/picture clips to create your finished product. This way, if your interviewee is talking about a specific book in the beginning of her soundbite, a picture of the book will be the first clip you’ll want to choose. That way, once she starts talking, you tap the book clip and when you think it’s played long enough, you tap back on your interview. The next video/picture in your Step 1 selection will move up and is ready to be tapped.
• Once you’ve completed Step 2, you’ll click “Save”.

In Step 3, you’ll choose a song. (NOTE: This step can also be skipped.) The music choices come with the app, but there are only a few available on the free version. Still, they offer a variety of choices and you’ll probably find something. There are a ton of choices on the paid version.

• Once you select a song, it gives you the option of adjusting the audio – more music or more narration. If you have an interview or your narration, you want the music to be softer and just play in the background. If you chose not to narrate or have an interview on your video, you might want the music louder.

Once the three steps are complete, you click Save and it automatically goes to your camera roll. After this, you can also choose to share it a few other ways: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Email or FTP.

Your videos also stay within the app, so you can keep them and share them later.

Here are my bottom line thoughts:

• Simple steps
• Need to go in with a plan and a tentative script or narration outline
• Limited options on the free version (10 video clips, 1 imported narration clip, 1:00 maximum length)
• Easy to edit and get a nice flow and mix of narration with video/photos, though
• Would work great for quick, fun, stories to promote!
• It is feasible to put it all together in just a few minutes!

Extra tip for the free version:

• To get more soundbites or to use multiple clips from someone’s interview, edit them together in iMovie and save it to your camera roll. Just be sure to keep it under a minute. Then when you open Videolicious, it can be your one import to narrate your story.

Here’s a quick clip I created with Videolicious of my trip to Florida. Take a look!

 

 

 

 

 

And don’t be shy about shooting your comments or questions back to me!