Update 1/2/2012

Marc’s review of the Kodak Zi8 camera, with comparison tracks of audio sources and tips on audio editing inside Sony Vegas.  Enjoy.

 Ok it’s video production season at WP Academy.TV…

…and my dining room is now fully-converted to a video production studio, to the chagrin of my wife.

A few updates to my original article below:

• The Kodak Zi8 (replaced by Zi10 now) external microphone jack is very noisy, so I have upgraded to a Canon Vixia HF10 (about $300 used) which is an AVCHD camcorder (records to Flash media in AVCHD, which is a highly compressed video format).  However the Kodak Zi8 (and its little brother the Kodak Zi10 Playtouch) do make adequate web video from the internal mic , after Audacity noise removal (see below).
• You could also try the  Audio Technica ATR-3350 Microphone ($23) which is a very good low-cost mic, however due to problems with Zi8 the improvement is marginal (check video above).
• I purchased a 4 x 45W Compact Fluorescent lighting kit from Cowboy Studio ($100), but actually only need 2 of the lights (plus chandelier) for night-time.  I am likely to shoot by daylight however with (perhaps) artificial light supplementation,  I prefer daylight and the camera works better generally in daylight.
• Here is how to remove noise in Sony Vegas: right-click on audio track and “Open in audio editor” (after configuring Audacity as your audio editor).  In Audacity, highlight a short noise portion and then Effects > Noise Removal > Get sample, and then highlight whole track and Effects > Noise removal.  Save as .wav file.  Back in Sony Vegas, right-click on Audio > Remove from Group, then right-click > Delete, then Add Media to your clip bin and then add the .wav to any sound track.
• Also I don’t do green-screen any more, it’s too much work and not necessary for the homey-feel I want to convey.  Instead I am experimenting with different backdrops, what you see is simple grey felt ($10 at cheap fabric store).   To see really high-quality video look at Amy Porterfield on Facebook.  Perfect (indoor) lighting and backdrop, very natural and authentic delivery, plus of course she is pretty nice to look at.  I aspire to quality just one notch below that, which is good enough for me provided I can get good technical quality and delivery.
• My tips for professional home-studio videos: NO HYPE just high-content presentation, natural delivery and high technical quality, and under 60 seconds.  Smiling is good and is generally my Achilles heel.

How to produce videos such as the WordPress Academy introduction video

• Hardware: Kodak Zi8 ($115) and Audio Technica ATR-3350 Microphone ($20)
• Software (optional for “green screen” effect): Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 ($60).  If you don’t need “green screen”, edit in iMovie (Mac) or Windows Movie Maker (Windows)
• Software (optional for Powerpoint capture and “Picture in Picture” PIP effect): Camtasia Studio Version 7 ($220)
• Backdrop: 2 yards of extra-wide green felt from fabric store ($10)

Notes

1. For lighting, choose a room in the house with good natural daylight ideally coming from several directions.  The camera is very light-sensitive so you should avoid direct sunlight in the room.  If you over-expose your videos will look washed-out.  Best time to shoot is early morning or late afternoon.  Alternatively, shoot outdoors.
2. “Green-screening” allows you to put a background on the video.  I chose one from Free stock photography sites and used a process called “Chroma Keyer” described in this video.  (It’s a bit technical, it’s also fine to shoot with a nice cloth background or home / office environment and avoid green-screen)
3. The current video has pixellation (artifacts), low-cost camera will always do this with green-screen but the Kodak ZI8 is much better than the camera used in this video.  Make sure you shoot in the highest resolution  (1920 x 1080 for the ZI8).
4. Produce web presentations at 1280 x 720 resolution (HD), “talks” could be produced at 640 x 480 as the resolution is less important.
5. Related article: Camtasia Tutorial (how to mix screen shares with video, and Camtasia can also do very nice Picture in Picture or PIP)

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I have seen a lot of clients in my 7 years as a web developer and web educator… about 300, I am guessing.

Many came to me after taking some multi-thousand dollar “internet marketing coaching program”.  Very few of them recovered their investment.  I want to share their story with you.

99% of “internet marketing coaching programs” will try and fit you in a box… a box that has worked for the creator of the program… and then they give you 1000 things to do, but you fail at even the first thing, and by the time you realize this you are either past the refund deadline or you are too embarrassed and ashamed to ask for your money back.

The reality, which you know as well as I do, is that there is no formula for “making money online”… unless having a good product, good marketing, and a good sales and follow-up platform counts as a “formula”.

In addition, most of these programs try and teach you to become an “internet information marketer” (i.e., to sell digital products).  This is a sweet spot to be in if you can pull it off, but very few have figured that one out.

So here are two (relatively) simple ways to “win” on the internet

(we’ll revisit “internet information marketing” at the end, humor me)

The first way to “win” on the internet is to start with what we call a “passion business” (a hobby really), you want to reach a wider audience for your ideas, build a community, promote a cause, maybe a simple cause but an important one, like making your own baby food (this is a real example).

You may or not ever make any money at it, but if you are having fun, who cares?   Most of us begin there.  And if you don’t begin there, where can you begin?

Millions of otherwise very talented people are frozen at this early stage.  And it’s sad because this is actually the easiest part of building a web business: your sales and follow-up platform.  It’s what you learn in my 14 hour course.

The second way to “win” on the internet is only slightly more difficult:  you have an existing business that is already generating revenue, and you want to grow it, get a steady source of leads, or increase your rates and visibility.  This also I can help you with, 100%.

Your chances are very good with this second method.  It is much easier to grow an already successful business, than to start one from scratch.  Especially on the internet.

If you get that, you are ahead of most of the people who are trying to make money online.

But let’s move on, and assume that you are “going for gold” and you really do want to become an “internet information marketer”.  You know the risks but you just aren’t settling for anything less than passive-income, time freedom,  and location-independence.  Tim Ferriss has lit a fire in your soul that no common-sense can quench.

Well more power to you, because you are in a for a ride.

Remember the three factors:  (1) Good product, (2) Good marketing, (3) Good sales and follow-up platform.

You still need a good product.  I am not certain that I, or anyone else, can teach you that.  It needs to come from your creative genius.

But I can tell you this (and I will back it up with a real case study): it doesn’t need to cost you a fortune.  The real cost is your time and energy.

The case study is WP Academy

Check out my development server:

http://dev.wpacademy.tv/  (a development server means our work-in-progress)

This site cost me less than $1000.

The video trailer I had done for $50 on Fiverr (the guy who did it is for hire).

My point is this:  for $1000 (plus 2 years of blood, sweat and tears), I have created from my genius.

What is your genius?

Do you want to find out?

I can’t teach you your genius (and maybe it has nothing to do with the internet, which is cool).

But I know that if you don’t get started, you won’t find out.

Comments?

Thesis Theme, Inside and Out, recording has posted here.

It will be available through Feb. 6, 2012 (then goes into the private member’s area)