Video Nation: A DIY guide to planning, shooting, and sharing great video from USA Today's Talking Tech host [Paperback]

Jefferson Graham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 2012 | ISBN-10: 0321832876 | ISBN-13: 978-0321832870 | Edition: 1

A DIY guide to planning, shooting, and sharing great video from USA Today Talking Tech host
 
All kinds of people are creating video for the web: bloggers, small business owners, web show hosts, and corporate marketing departments, to name just a few. How do the best videos get made and go viral? What secrets lie behind them? In Video Nation you’ll learn everything you need to make great-looking video for YouTube, Facebook or your blog—from one of the top experts around!

Jefferson Graham, host of USA Today’s Talking Tech and Talking Your Tech, takes you skillfully through the art of video creation and distribution. And you’ll have a lot of fun along the way. You’ll learn what equipment you need to get started--from bare bones to wish list state-of-the-art great. You’ll get the skinny on sound and lighting. You’ll learn how to properly set up for and shoot an interview. You’ll even get to take your video to the next level by using multiple cameras as they do on TV.

You’ll also find 30 downloadable video lessons so you see the concepts from the book in action, including how to make a great video on an iPhone, lighting techniques, simple editing techniques, and much more.  To access the videos go to www.peachpit.com/videonation and click "register your product."

Here are just a few things you’ll find in Video Nation:

• tips on developing fresh new ways to promote your business or yourself
• a guide to the tools available for a “one-man band” production, including advice on shooting with DSLRs, point-and-shoot cameras, and iPhones
• best techniques for setting up, preparing questions for, and interviewing a subject from a video producer who has interviewed everyone from comedian Jeff Dunham and the late Steve Jobs to Kermit the Frog
• detailed descriptions of working with sound and lighting for a variety of indoor and outdoor scenarios
• step-by-step coverage of using editing programs such as Apple iMovie, Adobe Premiere Elements, and Final Cut Pro X
• a guide to uploading your video to YouTube, create a channel, market your video with Twitter and Facebook, and earn thousands of dollars a year from your efforts via the YouTube Partner program
• and much more!
  

 

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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Amazon.com Feature: Bonus Content from Jefferson Graham, Author of Video Nation

[Click the photo to see the page spread with callout tips from the book]

Producing an Interview

Lighting Setup

Shooting with an iPhone

Position Your Subject

Creating a Title

About the Author

Jefferson Graham is a long-time technology reporter for USA Today, and host, producer and editor of the USA Today Talking Tech and Talking Your Tech video shows, which features interviews with tech newsmakers and reviews of the latest gadgets and gizmos. Tech guests have included celebrities such as Carson Daly, Selena Gomez and Valerie Bertinelli; tech stars like Zynga CEO Mark Pincus and Pandora’s Tim Westergren; and YouTube breakouts iJustine and the Annoying Orange himself, Dane Boedigheimer. All the shows are produced professionally on the same DIY budgets described in this book. Graham is the author of nine books and is also an accomplished Manhattan Beach-based portrait photographer, videographer, and jazz guitarist. 

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Peachpit Press; 1 edition (July 20, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321832876
• ISBN-13: 978-0321832870
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.4 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (55 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #42 in Books > Computers & Technology > Digital Media Management > Audio & Video Editing

More About the Author

Jefferson Graham is a Los Angeles based USA TODAY technology columnist, and the host and producer of USA Today's Talking Tech and Talking Your Tech video shows, featuring reviews and newsmakers, companies and consumers on the role technology plays in their lives.
Guests on the Tech shows have included musicians James Taylor, TV's Judge Judy, "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, comedians Steve Harvey and Arsenio Hall, former boxer Mike Tyson and Pandora founder Tim Westegren. Before switching to the tech beat in 2000, Graham covered television for USA TODAY.
He is the author of nine books, including "Come on Down: The TV Game Show Book," and "Vegas: Live and in Person." Graham, who joined USA TODAY in 1984, is also a portrait photographer in the Manhattan Beach, California area and a jazz guitarist.
Graham was born in Evansville, Indiana and grew up in New York City.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great How-to Book on Videography for Beginners! August 22, 2012

By KLanders

Format:Paperback

At my job, we do a ton of video interviews on the fly. This book has totally changed our approach for the better. Here are some of my favorite tips from Video Nation for shooting video like a pro:

1) Definitely Light It Up - To be honest, I hadn't thought much about lighting when shooting video. Either I had enough light or I didn't to see my subject. As Jefferson tells it, I am not the only one in the dark, blind to this basic of the videography craft: "Many people forget...your images will always look better with attention to lighting." Fortunately, Jefferson was able to show me the light, and provided me with a list and a handy how-to video to inexpensive lighting tools and techniques that would illuminate my videos. Turns out, all I needed was a basic clamp light, a light bulb, diffusion paper and clothespins to attach the paper to the clamp. To get the details on lighting how-to, I'd recommend checking out Chapter 6 of Video Nation and its accompanying online video.

2) Keep It Steady - Camera mounts are a must. To avoid making your viewer dizzy, keep the camera steady and stable with a tripod. For an amateur like me, Jefferson recommends the affordable Joby GP3 Gorillapod, a bendable tripod that you can wrap around a table corner or a bookshelf. For those with more advanced skills and needs, check out the Gear Guide in Video Nation.

3) Make It Social - Once you have created your brilliant video, given it the perfect eye-catching title, and uploaded it to YouTube, it's time to share it through the social channels. Post your video to Facebook, Google+ and Twitter (TwitVid). If you want your video to go viral, you can't be scared to share, be proud of your work and tell the world about it.

If you are interested in videography, I highly recommend checking out this book - to get you started or take your craft to the next level.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book! August 4, 2012

By MCK

Format:Paperback

I'm starting to produce real estate videos and "Video Nation" guided me through everything I needed to know to get started. From cameras to lighting to editing software to tricks of the trade and more. Thanks Mr. Graham!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A lot of great information for the beginner August 22, 2012

By Celeste Thoms VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Excellent book for beginners, especially those who want to shoot video for the web. It covers all the basics of types of cameras, creating great audio and planning your shoot. A lot of books do not go into detail of how to really plan. You have to get a separate book for that, but this book has everything you need to get started. It also details some great apps to get for your iPhone if you are shooting on that. There is also some great ideas on how to conduct an interview on skype or other online chat.
This book is definitely for the beginner who is not familiar with all this technology. It's a great starting point and it gives the reader so much valuable information.