Technology in your hands

This year I'm hoping to help non-profits and small businesses make use of video technology on a small budget. Many of us have great HD video tools already and just need to learn how to use them effectively. I believe I could outfit a group with all the tools they need for less than $500. The trick is to learn how to use them. It does take some time and some skill but it's not rocket science.
It's much like deciding if you are going to build or repair your house yourself. Do you have time? Can you develop the level of skill to do the job well enough to make you happy? Probably a professional will do it faster and with a lot more polish.
But if you are willing and able to do some simple things yourself, it can be very rewarding.
If you already do a little video, here are a few tips to making it better.
1) Use a tripod. Hand held can be ok but if you want to use this video in a larger project or archive it for possible use later, it's worth having nice still images.
2) If you are interviewing someone or collecting a speech - use a microphone! What they are saying is AS important as the video - maybe more important. If you get good audio you can add images later that match with what they are saying.
3) Light or tape in good light. Your images will look much cleaner. Showing on an HD screen, fuzzy images really look bad.

If you want to talk more about video, see me in the Oil City Transit Studio, 27A on the second Saturday of every month.