Your computer might have a built-in camera that can be used for recording. This may be suitable for recording vlogs, but otherwise it's quite limited. You can also buy a simple, inexpensive camera that you can attach to your computer for more flexibility and better quality in picture and sound.
To produce more complex videos, you need better gear. Small digital cameras, which can quickly and easily dump recorded data onto your computer are cheap and easy to operate.
You can actually make videos without using a camera at all. There are tools (some of which are discussed below) that can be used to make slideshows, cartoons or screen capture videos. These offer easy, all-in-one video production. It all depends on the types of videos you want to make.
For editing, you need a video editing software program. These range in complexity and quality, as well as in price. There are free programs and premium programs that offer more features and better quality.
Advanced Video Production Tools
Investing in more advanced tools can allow you to make much better videos. You can have much more power over the content of these videos.
There are advanced editing tools, for example, that automatically edit or brush up your videos, saving you time and possibly producing better videos that you could've produced on your own.
Other tools automate steps in the video production process or automate your SEO.
By investing in more advanced tools, you can produce better videos, reach a wider audience, and streamline the production process.
However, you should be careful to only invest in tools you need and will actually use.
When shopping for advanced tools, look for:
- Something that you can use; in other words, it'll produce
- Tools that have the features you need or extra features
- Products that get good reviews and recommendations
- Products that offer at least a free trial. It's nice to give a the types of videos that will help you achieve your goals that you can use online. Take the time to read some reviews and seek out recommendations program a test drive before you purchase to make sure it does what you want.
Top Picks for Video Production Tools
Wideo
Wideo is a free tool that allows you to create cartoons. It has its own design elements or you can add your own music and graphics.
GoAnimate
GoAnimate is similar to Wideo but is higher quality and there's more that you can do with it. It's also a premium program, not free.
Viewbix
Viewbix is a premium tool that enhances your videos in various ways to help you with branding. It offers analytics and tools for driving traffic.
Powtoon
You can use Powtoon to create videos that are a cross between cartoons and PowerPoint presentation. You can plug in your content and it will create explainer videos. Powtoon is free but there is also a premium version that has more features.
Prezi
Prezi creates dynamic presentation videos on a 'virtual canvas.' You create the presentation and then can zoom, pan and move around it, explaining its various parts. There are free and premium versions.
Camtasia
Camtasia is the leader in screencast programs. It allows you to film your screen, making a video out of whatever you're doing on your computer. Camtasia is very simple and easy to use, and offers full editing capabilities. It's a paid software program.
YouTube Editor
The YouTube Editor is free and already integrated into YouTube’s editing interface. It helps you with various aspects of posting videos to YouTube, while giving you basic editing capabilities like captions, customer thumbnails, and calls-to-action.
Magisto
Magisto is a program that takes your amateur videos or images and touches them up to make them look more professional. It analyzes videos to find the highlights and essentially does your editing for
you. There are free and premium versions.
PowerPoint
You can use Microsoft Office’s PowerPoint to create videos just by recording a presentation. For many people who own PowerPoint 2010 or above, this is one of the easiest ways to create quick videos and post them to Youtube.
Windows Movie Maker
Windows Movie Maker is a great tool for those with Windows machines that want to start out with video editing. It’s easy to use, comes as a free program and has a variety of great features.
iMovie (Mac)
iMovie is the Mac equivalent of Windows Movie Maker. Again, easy to use and with some fantastic features; as well as being a free program for Mac users, iMovie is a fantastic place to start.
Animoto
Animoto is a highly-rated, easy to use and feature-rich online app that you can use to create and edit some great videos. The Lite version is free, but it is somewhat limited. It does however give you some idea of the capabilities of the software before you buy the full product.
There are many more tools available beyond the ones listed above, but this gives you an idea of how tools can help you. Start by deciding what specific kind of help you need and look for the tools you need to do that.
