35 Video Tools I Use And Recommend (NMS006)

In today’s issue, I’ll share 35 video tools I personally use and/or recommend.

There are many ways to shoot video. For the solopreneur/small biz owner, there’s a few video styles you can use in your business today, and my video tools lineup will fit the video styles below.

The 5 Video Styles I’ve Used And Recommend To Business Owners

01. Full Motion Video (ie “Talking Head Video”)
02. Live Video Broadcast (recording LIVE video)
03. Screencast Video (recording motion on your desktop)
04. Dynamic Slideshow Video (photo slideshow on steroids)
05. Video Conferencing / Webinars

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This video gear list will get you what you need, inexpensively, to begin creating media for your business. What you create or how you do it is up to you. Let your imagination flow, think out of the box and rock it!

I’m NOT including expensive pro equipment or services as I haven’t the need for it and have done well without them to this day. Plus, I’ll only stick to what I’ve used and / or recommend – this article is not meant to be an extensive list of all available resources per category.

In addition, I won’t dive deep into each resource. I’ll just give you a snippet of what I like about it, and link you to the manufacturer or Amazon (for reviews), so you can research more into that tool.

Why do I recommend this list of video gear?

It’s because I’ve either:
- tested it
- used it (even to this day)
- own it
- demo’d it
- broke it but still dig it
- on wishlist but Santa hasn’t brought it
- constantly get asked what equipment I use or recommend
- or a combination of all of the above

In addition, if you’re going to dive into video for business, pick a style that suits you, your objectives, your budget and just get going.

Video Resource Categories Include:

Camcorders

A. Point & Shoot Digicams (shoots video) or Budget Camcorders
B. Consumer Camcorders

Hardware Review Sites

Video Editing Software
A. Desktop Software (Mac & PC)
B. Web-Based Editors

Live Video Broadcast Platforms

Video Drivers

Screencasting Software (Screen Recordings)
A. Desktop (Mac & PC)
B. Web-Based Services

Dynamic Slideshow Video Platforms

Video Conferencing / Webinar Platforms
A. Software
B. Recording Tools

Video Syndication Services

Additional Gear
Backdrops, Lighting and Royalty-Free Stock Images & Videos

NOTE: All Amazon links below link directly to Amazon, NOT via any affiliate link.

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Camcorders

A. Point & Shoot DigiCams (shoots video) or Budget Camcorders

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 [ Panasonic | Amazon ] See image above
10 megapixel digicam with 12x wide zoom, that shoots 720p HD video! Check out
YouTube for sample video tests shot with this ZS3.

And click the image below to view USC Professor, Andrew Lih, on NBC TechRaw presenting this camera:

Creative Labs Vado HD 720p [ Creative | Amazon ]
- Good quality wide lens, superior in comparison to Flip MinoHD, Kodak Zi6 and Sony Webbie. Check out YouTube for sample video tests shot with this Vado.

My 2 Cents:

I would use either the Zs3 or the Vado for travels or family outings – just stick it in my jean pocket and go. You never know when you need it, especially if you have a brilliant business thought and want to record it. If I’m planning an organized shoot and want top quality, I’ll use the camcorders below.

B. Consumer HD Camcorders

Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000 [ Sanyo | Amazon ]

Shoots high-definition 1080p (progressive) @ 60 fps (frames per second), 240p slow motion, along with 8MP (megapixel) still photos, all in this “dual camera”. I especially enjoy the pistol grip format as it doesn’t tire my arms as fast while shooting a long scene (when I don’t have my tripod).

Canon Vixia HD Camcorders
[ Canon: Vixia | Amazon: Vixia HF200 HD ]

If I plan on using a higher end consumer camcorder, I would graduate to one of the Canon Vixia models, like the HF200 HD Flash Memory camcorder with 15x optical zoom.

My 2 Cents:

I would use the Sanyo more often due to its form factor and ease of use. Carrying a camcorder while you’re out of your office is a commitment to keep it safe and protected, especially when out with family. The smaller the cam, the better it is for me. If you’re shooting in office, with the cams on tripods, then either will work great.

Wearable Camcorders

Your adventure business might take you to the slopes or waves. If you want to record your adventures or thrills to showcase to potential customers, here are two options for you:

VholdR’s ContourHD Helmet Cam [ VholdR | Amazon ]

Record your adventures in high-def hands-free with ContourHD, a small wearable video camera. It slides onto mounts for your googles, helmet, handle bars, vehicle or anywhere else you want. 8 hours of action recorded on an internal microSD memory card – no wires or tapes. Includes its own editing software to share your adventures online easily.

GoPro’s HD Helmet HERO [ GoPro | Amazon ]

HD Helmet HERO is a high performance wearable 1080p HD video and still photo
camera. Professional quality 1080p / 960p / 720p HD resolutions record at 30 and 60 frames per second (60 fps in 720p). Record up to 2.5 hours on a single charge and up to 9 hours total on a 32GB SD card (not included).

Hardware Review Sites

CamcorderInfo.com is the 1 camcorder review and information site I visit all the time. Comprehensive tests, comparisons and reviews of top makes and models makes it easier to perform research on video hardware.

Video Editing Software

A. Desktop Software for Video Editing

PC Video Editing Software

Windows Movie Maker [ Windows | Free ]

If you want to edit videos without spending an extra cent, then WMM is your best bet. It’s included in your PC, located in ‘Start Menu’ > ‘All Programs’.

Sony Vegas

Vegas Movie Studio HD [ Studio HD | US$40 ]

Vegas Movie Studio Platinum [ Studio Platinum | US$85 ]

I’ve only demo’d Sony Vegas, but it gives you more features and control than Windows Movie Maker.

Cyberlink’s “PowerDirector” [ Cyberlink | US$70-100 ]

This software comes highly recommended by a colleague. I’ve never tested it, but looking at the features and the positive reviews/awards by reputable companies, it would be safe to recommend this app to you.

My 2 Cents:

If you’re starting out, try Windows Movie Maker to edit your videos on a PC. After all, it’s free. If you’re looking for more features and control, either Vegas or PowerDirector will do, though if I was a PC ( <shiver>Nightmare!</shiver> ), I’d lean towards PowerDirector (check out its Features).

MAC Video Editing Software

iMovie [ Apple iMovie | Free, included in your Mac ]

Personally, I use iMovie 09. Recently created this video for a client using just this software. It’s free, gives me decent control and effects with iMovie 09, and with a little imagination, it can make you look like a ROCKSTAR!

B. Web-Based Editors

Jaycut [ Jaycut | Free ]

I’ve tested Jaycut and it seems slick and proficient for a web-based video editor. If you’d like to give an online video editor a test drive, try Jaycut.

Live Video Broadcast Platforms

Ustream.tv [ Ustream | Free ]

My personal favorite Live Video Broadcasting platform. Ustream has served me well for over 50+ episodes and counting at ShermanHu.tv

Video Drivers

Use of these video drivers come in handy when broadcasting live video, and you want to flip the “video source” from your “talking head” to a view of your desktop, and vice versa.

PC Video Drivers

Web Cam Max [ WebCamMax | Varied pricing based on license type ]

WebCamMax helps select your webcam, screen, movie or photos as a video source.

Mac Video Drivers

Camtwist [ Camtwist | Free ]

The Mac equivalent to WebCamMax, but available for free. Yay, Go Mac!!

Screencasting Software

A. Desktop Screencasting Software (Mac & PC)

PC

Techsmith’s Camtasia [ Camtasia | US$299 ]

When I was a PC, Camtasia was the only professional app available for screencasting. Since moving away from the dark side , I’m now using the app described below.

MAC

Telestream’s Screenflow [ Screenflow | US$99 ]

Screenflow is the cat’s meow in capturing screencasts of your desktop tutorials and much more! In fact, Screenflow was instrumental in helping me create this Mac parody video.

B. Web-Based Screencast Services

Screenr [ Screenr | Free | Cross-Platform ]

Screenr is brilliant as a web-based recorder for both Mac and PC users. Just click the
record button and when done, you can download a HD quality screencast or share it with friends on Twitter or YouTube. Here’s a 30-second screencast I created in September 2009.

GoView [ GoView | Free | PC Only ]

A free screen recording software by Citrix, the creators of GoToMeeting. Download app, record, edit, save and its on the web. Now easily share it with friends or colleagues via email or download to your desktop. The good news? The URL to the video is private and can be password protected, so you can keep your recordings private if you so choose.

Dynamic Slideshow Video Platforms

Animoto [ Animoto Business | US$249/year or $99/3-months ]

A powerful video montage creator mashing up photos, videos and music to give you a one-of-a-kind dynamic video that will wow your audience.

Here are samples of videos I’ve created:

Bike club demo video (fast action)

Wedding video (slower video)

Video-In-Video (demo’d their video and music collection)

Boinx’s Fotomagico [ Fotomagico | Mac only ]

Fotomagico is a storytelling software for photographers. It helps you to turn your pictures and movies into a dynamic video, simply. Here’s an example of a video I created awhile back for Thanksgiving, titled “Are You Thankful?”

Video Conferencing / Webinars

A. Video Conferencing / Webinar Platforms

GoToMeeting (GTM) / GoToWebinar (GTW)
[ GTM - US$49/mth | GTW - US$99/mth]

An industry standard platform for web conferencing. GTM holds up to 15 attendees, while GTW can accommodate up to 1,000 attendees.

Glance [ Glance | US$9/day or $49/month ]

One of my personal favorites. Glance makes it quick and easy to get a web meeting or conference setup and running. They can accommodate up to 100 guests. Since I don’t use web conferencing as often, I’ve opted for the next app below.

Mikogo [ Mikogo | Free ]

Mikogo is what I use to connect with my team. It’s a cross-platform desktop sharing tool that is easy to use and doesn’t cost a cent to use for both commercial and private use. Mikogo can accommodate up to 10 participants and also offers session recording and playback (Windows only).

Skype [ Skype | Free ]

Skype video conferencing offers a quality video feed for both parties (using good quality webcams) and it doesn’t cost anything to use it.

B. Recording Tools

eCamm’s Call Recorder [ Call Recorder | US$19.95 ]

Call Recorder is an add-on for Skype. Use it to record Skype calls and podcast interviews into Quicktime movies.

Article: “How To Record Skype Conversations“

This article sheds light on the various ways, tools, resources and tips to record Skype conversations.

Video Syndication Services

TubeMogul.com [ TubeMogul | Free ]

A free service acting as a single point for deploying uploads to the top video sharing sites. Powerful analytics share who, what, and how videos are being viewed, including per-second audience dropoff, audience geography and much more.

HeySpread.com [ HeySpread | Credits ]

HeySpread is a professional video distribution and tracking service. You can easily and quickly mass-distribute to promote and track your videos over the Web. Just like TubeMogul, it saves you time having to manually upload your videos to all the popular video sharing sites.

// Added October 23, 2009 after Eric Fontaine commented on my “Comparing TrafficGeyser.com and TubeMogul.com” post //
Eric Fontaine, the Marketing Director at HeySpread, shares this, “HeySpread for Professional Video Analytics and Video Distribution – http://bit.ly/4Kxy9. Far cheaper, with exclusive features such as YouClone (copy/paste your YouTube videos to any other platform automatically and in one shot), powerful and user-friendly interface, REST API for an easy and fast white label integration“.

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Additional Video Related Resources

Backdrops

I purchased my backdrops (white, black, mixed brown/taupe) off eBay. It has been awhile, but I don’t recall spending alot of money on them at all.

Lights

Philips CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lights) are the bulbs I use in my studio, screwed into light bulb shields with clamps.

Royalty-Free Stock Images / Video / Audio

iStockPhoto.com [ iStockPhoto.com | Credits ]

A massive repository of royalty-free stock images, audio and video. There are several free royalty-free stock image sites on the web (eg. MorgueFile.com and SXC.hu) but I’ve always found the appropriate image or video at iStockPhoto.

// Added “Royalty-Free Music” on Oct 16, 2009 thanks to Ted Wahler’s prompting in the comments //
PremiumBeat.com [ PremiumBeat.com | Per Track Purchase ]

If you’re looking to mix royalty-free music to your videos to add that extra punch in your production, Gilles Arbour’s PremiumBeat.com gets my highest recommendation for a comprehensive, exclusive collection of tracks and superb service! I was a customer of PremiumBeat.com way before Gilles agreed to be the sponsor to my live video show. Check them out and let Gilles know I sent you

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That’s it for this long blog post, my friends. Thank you for reading, and you can share your feedback and comments below or via Twitter

Until next time, here’s wishing you much health, happiness and prosperity – and video success!

Sherman Hu

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