Creating a Star Wars Style Opening Crawl in PowerDirector

One of the most iconic visuals from the Star Wars films is known as the opening crawl. Each film begins with the same opening sequence, in which the text "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...." is displayed, followed by the Star Wars logo. After the film's episode number and subtitle are displayed, a three-paragraph introduction in yellow text scrolls away from the viewer.

Before there was Star Wars, there was Flash Gordon,
one of George Lucas' major influences. 

The first Star Wars movie was released in 1977, but this text effect has certainly stood the test of time. It still looks good even today, and evokes strong memories for many people.  Let’s see how easy it is to create this text effect with the Title Designer in PowerDirector. 

Colorboards are found in
PowerDirector's Media Room

Create a new project in 16:9 aspect ratio. On the first track, insert a black colorboard from the Media Room and drag it to the desired length of the text intro. This is not necessary if you plan to keep just a plain black background, but it will be easy to replace if you want to change the background to a star field like in the movies, or even use some other kind of image.

Next, go to the title room and click the icon to create a new title template (2D title). This will open the title designer. 

We'll use the "Text" and "Effect" tabs on the left for this project. 

Drag the text box so that the right, left, and top sides are flush with the side of the preview area. Type or paste your text in the text box. For our example, we’re going to use a slightly modified version of the text from Episode IV, A New Hope. NOTE: The text box will automatically resize to match the line length of your text. So you will need to manually insert line breaks to make the text fit it into the display area.

Now select the text box (do not select all of the text as you would do in a word processor) and change the font to News Gothic bold. Change the color to a custom color: Red 229, Green 177, Blue 58.  Save your new title template, and add the title to timeline track two. The default font size should be set to 24, and you probably won't need to change that.

Set the Starting Effect to "Perspective Scroll Up."

You don't need an Ending Effect.

You can control the speed of the scroll by adjusting the length of the title track on the timeline – the longer time set for the title to play, the slower the text will scroll. Once you have the text scrolling the way you like it, you can replace the black colorboard with any image. Just make sure you set the image on the timeline to the same length as the scrolling text. 

Then you just need some music. The original score by John Williams is amazing, but also copyrighted. And not even the awesome power of The Force can overcome Disney’s lawyers. So for this example we will download the free clip “Perc Peds” as our background music from DirectorZone.

It's that easy! Here’s an extra tip for putting a Star Wars theme into your videos: download these two fonts: 
Star Wars Jedi Hollow and Star Wars Jedi Outline

They look like this:

The Star Wars Jedi Hollow font has a neat special effect – if you type the “@” symbol and set it to this font, it will display a correctly proportioned Star Wars logo: 

So now you can make a Star Wars style opening crawl for your own video projects. If you don't own PowerDirector, you can download the trial version here. Still have questions? Ask away in the comment section below. 

Multicam Editing in PowerDirector - A Short Intro

“Multicam” is short for “multiple camera” and is used to describe shots in which several cameras are set up to record a scene, arranged at different angles and (sometimes) heights. Multicam editing is the combining of the recorded footage from this kind of setup. This combination of clips is called a "multiclip."

This diagram shows example of a multicam setup recording a seated guitar player. 

Or maybe it’s a guy eating a huge chicken leg – graphic design is not my strong suit.

DON’T LEAVE! The highly crafted image above is just an example of a professional setup. You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment to create your own multiclip. Today, almost everyone has a mobile device – either a cellphone or a tablet computer, and you can set up this kind of shot easily with a couple of friends. Sometimes you won’t even need to set up the shot – when an amazing event happens and you were there to record it, ask around afterwards to find out what footage other people were able to get. Often you can put together a great multiclip just from yours and other people's mobile device recordings.

In most cases, video editing software uses the sound from each clip as the reference to synchronize the clip timing. When shooting an event that does not have a clear sound reference recordable by all cameras, you may need to create an audio sync point. This can be done with a clapboard, or even by having someone clap their hands at the beginning of the recording. PowerDirector supports two ways to edit the resulting multicam footage.

Sync Method 1: Just drag all of your clips to the timeline. You can either put them all on one track, or on separate tracks (they will end up on multiple tracks anyway). Select them all, and click “Sync by Audio.” PowerDirector will automatically arrange them according to the sounds detected in each clip. 

Video has been automatically synchronized
according to the audio content of each source. 

Once your clips are synchronized on the timeline, you can move & resize them, set transparencies, and insert transitions to achieve the production effect you want. For example, you can click “keyframes,” and position the four clips to create a multicam collage like this:

If you have more than four clips, lay them out in a 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 grid 

(reusing the best shots) to create a cool video wall effect. 

Sync Method 2: If you have four or less clips, you can use PowerDirector’s Multicam designer. The Multicam Designer lets you easily switch between camera shots, creating a single multicam track on the timeline. Click on the Plug-in button and then select MultiCam Designer, then click on Import Video. Import your multicam clips from the Media Room. Set the synchronization type to Audio Analysis, and click “Apply” to start the analysis. The tracks will be synced according to their audio content. If the audio quality of some of the clips is not good enough to allow for automatic sync by audio (likely to happen if you have imported smartphone footage shot outdoors) , you still have many other options for synchronization: manually, by time codes, and by inserting markers onto the clips.

The Multicam Designer will sync the source clips, and provide an easy way
to combine them in real-time to create a single track on the timeline.

Now capture the segments you want from each of the four videos, and you can do it with real-time mixing. Click the record button, and then select the camera sources you want to use in the order you want them on your final track. You can also use the keyboard keys 1 to 4 to select the camera source. Try it a couple of times to get the feel of it. You will see how you can tightly control the editing while all four sources are playing simultaneously. Click the pause button to pause recording at any time. Click the stop button when your recording is done, and then click OK to go back to the main edit window. 

The Multicam Designer has created one video and track on the timeline, 

with all four sources inserted in the desired order.

Back on the timeline, you can still use the usual tools to work on the newly created track, like transitions, effects, or titles.

That’s how easy it is! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments below. If you do not own PowerDirector, you can download the trial version here. You can also check out the CyberLink forums, which are frequented by helpful and knowledgeable PowerDirector power users. 

Share Your Adventures with CyberLink’s I Love Travel Contest!

Summer is a perfect time for all sorts of thrilling journeys, from exploring a nearby city to discovering a new culture in a foreign country! On your adventures this year, keep a camera by your side. When you capture video footage of an amazing experience or place, why not share it with the world…and maybe win great prizes. CyberLink’s I Love Travel Contest is back!

Once again CyberLink is challenging our PowerDirector fans of all skill levels from around the globe to create the most compelling and/or fun travel video. The contest will be running from now through September 7, 2015, so you have plenty of time to travel, capture, create and win big.

With seven awesome prize packages including ‘Great Travelers’ grand prizes, ‘Audience Favorites’ and ‘Lucky Voters,’ and great gifts up for grabs like a GoPro, Apple Watch and many others, you have nothing to lose! May the best editor win, so get out there and start your journey today!

Click Here for the Complete Contest Rules

Click Here for the Complete Prize List

Click Here to Enter

CyberLink reserves the right to share your personal information with our marketing partners. By using CyberLink software and Apps, you agree that CyberLink may access all files on your PC and/or mobile device.

Editing Vertical Video – A Handy Quick Fix

I probably don’t need to tell you not to shoot videos with your smartphone held vertically. Since you are reading this blog, you are obviously smart and sophisticated. You probably are also one on the six million people who have watched this public service announcement: Say No to Vertical Videos.

But honestly, there are times when it is more convenient or useful to shoot vertical (sometimes called portrait) video. For example, a family member might be doing something absolutely hilarious, and you want to capture it on video. But if they see you holding your phone horizontally, they are going to know that you are filming them, and they will stop doing the hilarious thing. The moment is lost.

On the tech side of things, some videos are intentionally shot vertically; sometimes because the subjects that are taller than they are wide, and increasing the distance between camera and subject to capture it all horizontally would mean losing resolution detail. An even more compelling reason for vertical video is that some projects are designed specifically to be viewed on tablet computers, smartphones, or E-readers, where the vertical orientation is arguably the more natural way to watch video.

STEP 1: So here’s a suggestion for using PowerDirector to make vertical video presentable. (NOTE: PowerDirector will probably auto-rotate your vertical video, as it can read the file's EXIF data and act accordingly. If your video is already rotated correctly, skip to STEP 2). Select the video in the timeline, so that you can see the blue crosshairs on the image in the Preview Window. Click on the crosshairs and drag to rotate the image. Then click on one of the middle white buttons on the periphery to resize the image (since after rotation it will be too tall).

(And now you know why they won't let me make blog posts
about graphic design.)

Now you’ve got the video oriented correctly, with large black strips on either side. Many people will just share or upload the video in this form, and wait for the inevitable derisive comments about holding the smartphone the wrong way. 

Step 1: Upload vertical video to YouTube.

Step 2: Get yelled at in the comments.

STEP 2: But we can improve the video with just a few easy steps in PowerDirector. Just add the same clip to the timeline two more times, placed so that all three clips start at the same time. Re-position the two added clips so that they fill the black spaces on both sides. Re-size the outside clips so that they are larger than the original center clip. 

In the Effect Room, click on “Style” and find “Gaussian Blur.” Drag it onto both outer clips. Adjust the degree of the Gaussian Blur so that the outer clips retain the general color and motion of the center clip, without showing too much detail. 

Now your clip looks like this:

Does this arrangement look familiar? TV news stations will often use 

this method when they are forced to broadcast a vertical video.

Without the conspicuous black spaces to either side, the video is now much easier on the viewer’s eye. The whole process takes a very short time, and the improvement is huge. You can see the full video from the above project here.  

If you want to give this a shot but you do not own PowerDirector, you can download the 30-day trial version here. If you have any questions about this, ask me in the comments below. 

Pioneering the Future of The Art Film With PAH-FEST Winner Ryan Leaneagh

In our modern day and age when we hear the name “Coppola,” most people will instantly associate it with the successful family of film and wine gurus. Christopher Coppola – Brother to Nicholas Cage and Marc Coppola, nephew to Francis Ford Coppola, and cousin of Sophia Coppola, is no exception to this legacy of excellence, but Christopher likes to do things a little bit differently.

Passionate about telling the stories and projecting the voices of everyday people across the U.S. and overseas, Christopher is the mastermind behind “PAH-FEST,” a groundbreaking digital media festival that celebrates creativity by giving young people an opportunity to discover their inner artist and share the findings with the world. PAH-FEST, short for “Project Accessible Hollywood,” has held events in many U.S. cities as well as in Belize, Germany, and Slovenia. Focused on showcasing the efforts of aspiring young artists new to film-making and empowering them to tell their story, PAH-FEST has worked with a variety of educational institutions. A recent PAH-FEST event in 2014 invited students from five Northern California Universities, including the San Francisco Art Institute, to create and share a “4K Art Film.” To ensure the students at SFAI were equipped with the latest and greatest in video editing software, PAH-FEST partnered with CyberLink to provide participants the newest version of PowerDirector to edit their 4K masterpieces. Our team got a chance to sit down with the winner of PAH-FEST’s 4K Art Film challenge, Ryan Leaneagh, and chat about PAH-FEST, PowerDirector, the future of film, and the journey of the modern filmmaker. 

Our discussion took place over an espresso at Café Zoetrope, an iconic example of San Francisco architecture and a well-known Coppola haunt. Ryan explained to us that his flame for filmmaking ignited at an early age, making his first film when he was just 10 years old. This early effort entitled “Snowbirds” focused on his aunt and uncle travelling around the U.S. in an RV. His filmic education continued into junior high and high school as he was fortunate enough to attend the prestigious Denver School of the Arts. The seven years that Ryan spent at this unique institution provided him with tools, hands-on experience, and theoretical knowledge about movies, film theory, and production that has thus far proven invaluable.

It’s noteworthy that Ryan’s first film centered on travel and exploration, since these topics have become a motif in his subsequent films and one of his great passions. At age 18, he is already a seasoned traveler, with his wanderlust taking him to far away destinations such as Belize. He’s already planning his next journey that will take him to Alaska to view the northern lights.

As we got to know Ryan a little more, it became very clear to us that he is truly a creative spirit with a passion for arts not limited only to film. He also paints, sculpts, makes “zines,” and is both a musician and a DJ. Oftentimes Ryan gets inspired from artists working outside the film sphere, including his mentor and punk/folk painter Alicia McCarthy. He believes that if you look closely, you will actually discover that all these diverse disciplines are intrinsically connected. Taking this notion of synthesis even further, Ryan also believes that science is parallel to art and hopes to study neuroscience at some point in his future. Both science and art are about exploration and pinpointing possibilities, making these fields closely linked.

Ryan ordered a second espresso, and our conversation returned to all things Coppola. PAH-FEST dared the participating students from SFAI to use 4K cinematography to unlock hidden details in their films, such as vibrant colors and captivating compositions. It also challenged them to formulate their narrative around the question, “What is Beauty?”

With its advanced video, audio, and color perfecting technologies, CyberLink’s PowerDirector was the perfect tool for these budding filmmakers to use to address these challenges. Although he had worked with other editing software before, Ryan was thrown head first into CyberLink’s PowerDirector software as a first-time user when creating his PAH-FEST entry with his team. Luckily, they quickly discovered that the software was near perfect for first-time users. He would also recommend PowerDirector for families interested in creating videos due to its intuitive and user-friendly interface. As an audio enthusiast, Ryan and his team enjoyed using the software’s tools to perfect the sound in his 4K film.

When asked about the future of film, Ryan commented that from here on out, new age art must “engulf the audience and allow them to be part of the movie viewing experience.” While he looks up to all-star directors and filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan and Rob Nilsson, winning an Oscar or a Grammy is not high on this aspiring filmmaker’s list of priorities. When looking toward the future, Ryan simply hopes to be working on large projects and collaborating with people who inspire him. Whatever projects he may work on in the future, Ryan’s biggest endeavor will be to ensure that he can continue to convey his own point of view and tell a meaningful story.

When we wrapped up our interview, Ryan provided some sage advice for aspiring filmmakers. “If you want to be a filmmaker, just start doing it. You’ll learn more from a semester of real life experience than you would from a semester in school. Just get out there and start making your dream a reality today.” We look forward to following the career of this prodigal artist and can’t wait to see what amazing things await him in the future.

The Eye from Ryan Leaneagh on Vimeo.

Click Here to Visit the PAH-FEST Website!
Click Here to Download CyberLink's PowerDirector!

5 Ways To Avoid Holiday Photo Fails

The holidays can be a high pressure time of year. Challenges seem to be all around us, from desperately searching for the perfect gifts, to putting up with the in-laws and keeping screaming children in check. With so many things to consider, it’s no surprise that many family holiday photos end up sub-par. That’s why we here at CyberLink have decided that 2014 is going to be the year of holiday photo wins! We’ve consulted with the experts and pulled together a cheat sheet with strategies to guide you down the path to holiday photo success and alleviate pesky seasonal stress. 

HOW TO GET THE PERFECT HOLIDAY FAMILY PHOTO:

Tip #1

Plan in Advance and Edit, Edit, Edit!: Group shots can involve quite a bit of coordination – whether it’s finding matching (ugly) sweaters or trying to get the kids to stay still and stop crying – the perfect shot is never as easy as it looks. Find a comfortable location with good lighting to make sure everyone will fit and be noticed. Take plenty of photos to increase your odds of getting a perfect shot. If that still doesn’t work the right editing software can help stitch together the best faces from each shot into one image that will trick your friends into thinking you have the perfectly behaved family.

Tip #2

Abide by the Rule of Thirds: This is an oldie but goodie! The rule of thirds can be helpful in most circumstances and suggest that an image be divided into nine equal parts by two equally spaced horizontal and vertical lines and is usually just a tap away on a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera. The important elements of your shot should be placed at the intersections of the lines for an ideal composition. Experts recommend filling the frame as much as possible with the kids, grandma or the holiday ham – anything to minimize a distracting background will help keep focus on the subject
you want.

Tip #3 

Keeping Up with the Candid Moments: For those of us claiming to live reality show worthy lives, candid photos are often the most memorable and easily captured on a smartphone. Tricks like burst mode can be found on most devices and it’s perfect for catching the spontaneous moments your family will be talking about for years to come! The pros suggest staying away from the zoom though, as it can dilute the final image. If you’re trying to capture a candid, don’t be afraid to jump right into the moment and take a
close up!

Tip #4

Set Up a Selfie Station: You shouldn’t have to do all the work this year! Set up a smartphone tripod so users can take photos throughout your holiday gatherings and you won’t have to spend the entire time running around making sure everyone is accounted for. This way guests can take stable and high-quality candid shots and you have some surprise photos when all is said and done.

Tip #5 

Invest in Quality Photo Editing Software: At the end of the day, we all have to admit we aren’t perfect. Quality photo editing software can help clear up any imperfections as a result of a bit too much eggnog or rambunctious kids that end up a blur. These can help adjust the exposure, color and so much more in a way that just can compare with a simple Instagram filter.

Since a little laughter can always help to make the season bright, we recommend that after you’ve absorbed our tips for photo success, and before you get your kids all spruced up to take their annual photos with Santa, you head over to BuzzFeed where we have pulled together even more photography motivation for with a gallery of unfortunate yet humorous photos with Santa gone wrong.

Now that you’re ready to master holiday photography, it’s time to grab your camera, rally the troops, and start snapping candid gems! Remember that the most essential element of holiday spirit is enjoying time with your loved ones and sharing festive events filled with cheer. If you can capture a few of the most joyous moments to last through the ages, that is even better.

Want even more photo tips? We will be releasing new tips and tricks to help you obtain holiday photo and video perfection on Facebook Page throughout the holiday season, and hosting a contest where you can enter to win our PhotoDirector or PowerDirector software each week. To get in on the action simply share the tips you see tagged #CyberLinkHoliday with your friends and family. To ensure you don’t miss any tips, “LIKE” our page today. After all, sharing photo and video tips is a great way to share the love inherent to this season!

“LIKE” CyberLink on Facebook here to keep up with our tips and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/cyberlink

Having problems installing? Have a question about product features? Need technical support? Send email to Ben_Hall@cyberlink.com.

Top 6 Tips to Make Your Holiday Videos Shine

Do you want to make epic Holiday Home Movies this year, but need some help getting into the Holiday spirit? It’s time to put down that bag of coal and pick up a cup of hot cocoa and your camera, camcorder, or camera phone. The team here at CyberLink just launched a campaign filled with so much seasonal cheer it will last you well into the new year!

As long as there have been cameras, Americans have been infatuated with documenting their lives, especially around the holiday season. We have delved into the history behind this trend and compiled a rich entertaining archive of videos exploring the evolution ofhome movies over the past 50 years. We’ve also created an Infographic showcasing tips and tricks to help YOU make the best holiday home movies
in 2014.

Our Tips For Creating the Best Holiday Videos:

Tip #1
Invest in a Mini Tripod for Your Smartphone: Mom and Dad’s home videos were always grainy and shaky while they circled the party, eggnog in one hand camera in the other, capturing every moment on film. Tripods and mini tripods for smartphones are an inexpensive and easy way to capture scenes like guests entering a party or kids unwrapping their gifts while giving time for a quick break and time to enjoy the holiday from the other side of the lens.

Tip #2
Create a Storyline: Be your own Steven Spielberg and make your holiday home movie award-worthy by telling an entertaining story. By creating a storyline in advance to set the framework for your video, you can select an overall theme, a beginning, middle and end to give your movie a Hollywood worthy plotline. To make your movie more unique, consider adding voiceovers, “staged” scenes or even editing your home holiday movie to a stylish video eCard or slideshow to share with your friends and family this year. Go wild and include a 30 second blooper reel!

Tip #3
Adequately Proportion People vs. Scene: Jumping from one shot to another is often jarring to watch in a home movie. Including a few scenic shots like the light of a Christmas tree, snow fall or a table setting can help transition from one scene to the next, so make sure you take a few shots of the surroundings as well. Experts say the general rule is a healthy three to five seconds of scenery juxtaposed with the holiday action in your movie when all is said and done.

Tip #4
Collect Video from Family and Friends: Chances are you aren’t the only one capturing the holiday action this year. Put the call out to friends and family for their smartphone videos and find editing software with a multi-camera feature. It will let you edit scenes of the same view captured from all angles. Cloud sharing programs can be a great tool in helping to bring everyone’s content together in one place for easy access and storage. Mom and Dad definitely never had that!

Tip #5
Find Your Classic Holiday Movie Moment: Imagine if Clark Griswold of National Lampoon fame had a smartphone during his Christmas vacation? There are a lot of ways to capture the quirky, candid holiday action that is bound to occur so don’t forget to get involved with your subjects. Share toys with the kids, get the family pet involved, and sneak up on grandma, essentially roll camera until you find whatever is going to keep everyone laughing for years to come!

Tip #6
Invest in Quality Video Editing Software: One of the biggest advantages of living in the 21st century is accessible video editing software that traditionally has been reserved for the pros. It has given us the power to create truly memorable and innovative home movies that will last a lifetime, or at least as long as YouTube.

These tips are only the beginning, and we will be releasing even more new tips and tricks for photo and video perfection every few days on our Facebook Page all season long. And to give you the proper tools to create aforementioned flawless photos and videos, we’re also hosting a contest. To enter “LIKE” our page today, and every time you see us post a #CyberLinkHoliday tip or trick share it with your friends and family. From now till December 31st we will be giving away 10 copies of our PhotoDirector or PowerDirector software each week to Facebook Fans that share our #CyberLinkHoliday tips.

Are you feeling inspired yet? We sure hope so, read through our tips, explore our home movie archive at the CyberLink Event Page, “LIKE” our Facebook page to get daily tips, and make sure to share the tips to win free software. Then go out into the world and start shooting and snapping to preserve your 2014 memories forever.

You can “LIKE” CyberLink on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/cyberlink

Explore our Evolution of the Holiday Home Movie campaign here: http://www.cyberlink.com/event/holidaytips

For PowerDirector technical support by email, contact louis_chen@cyberlink.com

Get Ready for Easter

Check this home-made Easter Hunt video. Hope it brings some inspiration for you to make your own Easter Production.





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Action Sports in Snow

Today we picked an action sports video from a PowerDirector user. This snow boarding video was taken from a sports camera. Most sports videos require some editing to make it entertaining and we'd like to show one that was done very well. Kudos to




CyberLink reserves the right to sell your personal information to third parties. CyberLink is not responsible for lost data or damage to your hardware. By using CyberLink software, you waive all rights to join any class-action suit against CyberLink.

PowerDirector named Best Product of the Year 2013 by PCMag

What a wonderful news to end the year 2013, PowerDirector 12 wins 3 prestigious awards. No doubt, it is the best video editing software.

With consumers owning more devices capable of shooting near-professional quality video and photos, PowerDirector 12 has revolutionized the video editing process by providing consumers first cross-platform video editing experience. In the PC Magazine Best Products of 2013 Announcement, the publication noted that PowerDirector 12 “is a long time favorite among prosumer video editors. It offers impressive performance, an intuitive interface, and lots of editing goodie.” With its new up-to-4-angle MultiCam feature, 3D and 4K editing and output, and direct uploading to sharing sites, all at a consumer- friendly price, PowerDirector 12 beat all competitive offerings from other major technology vendors.

Read the complete news here.

CyberLink reserves the right to sell your personal information to third parties. By using CyberLink software, you agree to allow CyberLink Corp to access and make copies of all files on your computer or mobile device. You further agree to not join any class-action suits against CyberLink. 

FRIDAY FUN - Happy Holiday Greetings

This year, send Holiday Greetings in a video eCard to your loved ones. Just follow this link to create one of your own. You can share to friend's facebook too.

 

CyberLink wishes you all the happiness and joy of the season and throughout the year.
View video eCard.

Click here to create a FREE video eCard.

Click here for a tutorial on how to create a video eCard to post on Facebook and send by email.

Video Editing Techniques that will Transform Your Holiday Home Movies

Why take mediocre home movies when you can take videos that truly dazzle friends and family for a lifetime? With the right techniques and tools, you can take more memorable videos that will be the envy of friends and family.

First, shoot to edit – that’s right, keep the camera rolling and don’t hit the pause button too soon. Why? Lots of great footage gets lost because people hit pause before the fun really starts to happen. Lots of spontaneous memorable moments occur at holiday gatherings and events – so make sure your camera is on, recording all the action. You can always edit out the dull moments later.

Shooting to edit is easier than you think – especially if you have a plan in mind. First, think about your final production before you shoot. Have a basic framework and storyline that provides structure but is still elastic enough to accommodate spontaneous moments. Then, plan to shoot a lot of close-ups and wide angle shots because these make good cut-aways when you have long footage that needs to be broken up. Plus, it is always fun to get people’s reactions to different things like a sought-after gift or an indulgent dessert. For example, if you are filming a holiday dinner, get a close-up of your uncle giving the toast and then capture the reactions of others around the dinner table. So, set up your shot and let the camera do its thing. Then take close-ups of guests talking, reacting, drinking and laughing. When you start the editing process, splice in these shots so your audience isn’t watching a full toast for five minutes.

Take some shots of scenery before people enter the picture. You need shots for transitions, backgrounds and cut aways so shoot 10 to 15 second clips. Capture the presents around the tree, the house lit up in Christmas lights, the festive dinner table and the roaring fireplace.

Make sure you film where the action is. Take fun shots of people cooking in the kitchen. Capture the drinking, laughter and camaraderie at the bar. Find a spot where you can keep your camcorder going for about 10 minutes. You can always edit it down later but you may capture some really great spontaneous moments.

Think about taking some nice transition shots. Most people pan into the falling snow or the flickering holiday lights but you can use your imagination. One technique that really works is to first pan into a scene and then make the image blurry or de-focused and then focus again before cutting away to another scene. Or go 3D and create some movies for the 3D TV in your living room.

Invest in video editing software as this will make all the difference. You can literally transform your mediocre home movie into a blockbuster film with the right software that can improve audio, make colors pop, feature a catchy soundtrack and set a zippy pace. CyberLink makes affordable, easy-to-use video software for regular people and professionals alike. Go to www.cyberlink.com and check out Power Director 12.

Take your videos to next level with multicam shoots. There may be more than one person in the family who is taking video shots the holiday table, singing or snow fights. Get all footages from all the cameras and import them to PowerDirector. This version let’s you edit scenes of the same event captured from different cameras in an easy and friendly interface. Amaze your friends and family with the professional production.

Don’t have PowerDirector yet? Download a FREE 30-day trial here.

How to Create a Holiday video eCard

Did you know you can easily create a Video eCard to your friend’s email or post on their Facebook wall? This Holiday make it special and send your blessings in by video.

In 4 easy steps, you can create a video ecard. To begin, go to www.directorzone.com and you will see a link above “Create your FREE video eCard”. Click on the little bird.

You will notice that you can create video eCards for various holidays and occasions, and for each theme there are several beautifully designed eCard cover art to select from. Here we will select “Christmas”.

Step 1: select a preferred Cover Art for your eCard. There is a collection of beautifully designed cover art to select from.

Or you can replace the cover art with a photo of your own, by clicking on the  "Uploace Cover" button. Make sure your photo is around 350 x 350 pixels and no bigger than 100 kb. Click on the “Choose file” to access the file from your computer and upload.

Step 2: decide how you want to send the eCard. Let’s start with the Facebook option first. You will need to login Facebookand authorize Directorzone to access your Facebook account.

Then, input your name and email and select “Send eCard to Facebook”

Step 3: create your eCard content. You can customize with your own greeting messages with up to 400 characters. A convenient counter at the top automatically tells you how many characters you can input.

You will notice a default video is already included. You can replace it with any other Holiday video you find on DirectorZone or embed a video you have created.

 

Next, all your facebook friends will appear in this screen and you can select the friends to post the video eCard on their wall. You can also post on your own wall too.



On the left hand side is a preview link. Click on it and you will see the eCard your friends will receive.

Here is to preview the eCard we just made:

Now, if you want to send the eCard to your friends email address, you can do so by filling out their names and email addresses, you can send as many friends you want at once. And there is an option to send an email copy to yourself. So, let's go back to Step 2 to fill in the recipient list.

The next step is to edit the ecard content, it is very similar to the previous method but with an additional link to edit your recipient list.

Prior to sending out, this page is a preview of the ecard you have just made.

Click on the “Send” button and you have just completed sending your Holiday Greetings to your friends and family.

Ooops, did you just remember someone was not in your recipient list? Click on “Send another eCard” button and make sure every friend and family member receives your Holiday blessing.

And this is the eCard sample your friends will receive in their email inbox.

Now, let's send our Holiday Greetings!


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