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The Outsider: How to become a YouTube star |
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Written by Greyson Howard/Tahoe World
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Tuesday, 12 February 2008 |
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Whether you are looking for a way to preserve memories of your last great blue-bird day, or you want your 15 minutes of Internet fame as you bomb down boulders on your mountain bike, video cameras can be a great companion into the backcountry.
Last summer I took along a video camera to capture the sights, sounds and thoughts of my fellow hikers over 15 days of hiking on the Tahoe Rim Trail, and loved the variety it gave me along with my usual still shots. But when noise and motion are involved, there are even more ways to screw up that perfect shot, so technique, along with the right camera, is key.
Check out some tips compiled from the Sierra Sun and Tahoe World’s experiments in the world of motion picture, pick out the right camera for the job, and become the next big thing online.
 How to shoot:
Don’t just shoot action and scenery shots — that’s boring. Get your fellow adventurers on camera, talking, or if you are going it alone, turn the lens on yourself. Dialogue can be carried over action and panoramas when you get down to editing.
But when you do get people talking, let the camera run for a second or two before and after, so you don’t end up with chopped-off dialogue.
Get in close to capture the blow-by-blow account of your last run – small camera microphones can’t work miracles, especially in the wind.
You’re probably not on a tripod or a dolly, so keep zooms and pans to a minimum. Figure out where you need to be to capture your bud dropping in and brace yourself to limit that Blair Witch wobble.
Be mindful of your lighting – keep the sun to your back as much as you can.
Back at home, basic software like Movie Maker for PCs, or iMovie for Macs will let you do basic editing from cutting, moving clips, and adding music (free, copyright-cleared music can be found on YouTube’s AudioSwap).
If somebody shot stills, throw a couple photos in for effect.
What to shoot with:
Don’t have money for a new video camera? Check your digital still shooter – many new ones have video that can cut the mustard for YouTube quality broadcast.
If you’re ready to buy, there are too many options for me to outline, so I’m afraid you may have to do your homework.
But if you want to cheat of my notes, I’m checking out some outdoor-worthy shooters that should hold up to bumps, dust, snow, and even a dunk in the Truckee when you’re tubing next summer.
The Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 can submarine down to five feet, zooms in 5x, and can record up to 80 minutes on 1 gig of memory (SD memory cards). $500 (but you can find it closer to $400)
Panasonic’s SDR-S20 also boasts 5 feet diving capability, but pushes zoom out to 10x and is supposed to be shock-proof when dropped up to 4 feet. $400
Don’t have a hand to spare between your ski poles or handle bar? Check out Samsung’s SC-X300L, which comes with a normal handheld camera, along with an external lens to mount on your helmet. The main body can zoom up to 10x, and double as an MP3 player and webcam. $500 (do some digging and knock off about $150)
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 12 February 2008 )
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