Video Production/Encoding

Encoding Video for the Internet
Before putting a film on the internet you have to transform it into a special format that can be easily transmitted along wires. This process is called encoding. it can be very complicated, but there are people who can advise if you get stuck, the first thing you need is to download and install a software programme which will encode the video format you have into the video format that will be suited to your online distribution needs. There are a few popular ways of encoding video using commercial solutions but here are some free options

Macintosh
Intro: Many of the Tutorials below use a Quicktime DV file as a starting point. A Quicktime DV file is the default file to be created on your hard drive when you capture from your camera, or via your capture card to Video editing programs like Final Cut Pro or iMovie. When you finish editing you can also save your project as a Quicktime DVto your hard drive. It may take up a lot of space as it is very high quality. Tutorials which take a step by step approach to saving as a Quicktime DV will follow.

capturing to your hard drive using iMovie
Capture Tutorial

Unofficial FAQ

Apple tutorials

creating xvid / mp4 using ffmpegx
ffmpegx is a Mac OS X graphic user interface designed to easily operate more than 20 powerful Unix open-source video and audio processing tools. http://web.archive.org/20030604081134/homepage.mac.com/major4/

creating flv Flow Video using ffmpegx
ffmpegx is a Mac OS X tool most suited for making a flv file to embed in your page. No expensive flash server technology is needed.

http://web.archive.org/20030604081134/homepage.mac.com/major4/

creating xvid / mp4 from a DVD using Handbrake
If you are starting from a DVD, one easy way to encode to mp4 and divx avi is with the program Handbrake Tutorial: There is a clear tutorial on using handbrake here handbrake tutorial

creating mov / mp4 from files using Quicktime Pro
Quick Time Pro is common way of creating mov and mp4 files. There is help file for creating video to be compatible with iPods here http://www.apple.com/quicktime/tutorials/creatingvideo.html

creating mov / mp4 from files using Quicktime Amateur
Apparently Quicktime Amateur can do the same job but it is free. http://www.mikeash.com/?page=software/qtamateur/index.html

creating mp4 from files using iSquint
Aimed specifically at creating mp4 files for iPod - requires 10.3.9 or more http://www.isquint.org/

Windows
Intro: Many of the Tutorials below use a DVavi file as a starting point. A Dv avi file is created on your hard drive when you capture from your camera, or via your capture card to Video editing programs like Premiere. When you finish editing you can also save your project as a DV avi to your hard drive. It may take up a lot of space as it is very high quality. Tutorials which take a step by step approach to saving as a DV avi will follow.

Free capturing tools - Windows
WinDV - Freeware http://windv.mourek.cz/ WinDV gets rave reviews from users who have had dropped frames from other products. http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=WinDV Will split video by recoding timestamp.

STOIK - Freeware http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Multimedia_and_Graphics/Video_and_Animation_Tools/STOIK_Capturer.html STOIK Capturer allows you to capture video from DV camcorder through IEEE 1394 FireWire interface or any analog video source such as TV tuner card, video card, webcam etc. Options to split by size, use temp file to avoid drop frame.

Windows Movie maker - free with XP http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/moviemaker2.ms "With Movie Maker, you can create, edit, and share your home movies right on your computer."

Creating a DV avi file from a DVD
One good way of doing this with a short film or clip is to use Virtual Dub Mod

Tutorial >> /Basic Vdub DvAvi/

Saving a DV avi from a Premiere Pro
Tutorial >> /Save dvavi from premiere pro/

Saving a DV avi from a Premiere 6.x
Tutorial >> /Save dvavi from 6.x/

Creating a Mpeg files with Tmpeg Encoder
Mpeg1: Tmpegenc This is a application suitable to make Mpeg1 files, which are very compatible across different operating systems.

Tutorial >> /Using tmpeg/

Creating a xvid / divx / wmv and other files with Media Coder
Media Coder MediaCoder is an open source universal audio/video batch transcoder (converter), which puts together lots of excellent audio/video codecs and tools from the open source community into an all-in-one solution, capable of transcoding among different audio/video formats.

Tutorial - to come

also along the same lines is SUPER © Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer. A GUI to ffmpeg, mencoder, mplayer, x264, mppenc, ffmpeg2theora & the theora/vorbis RealProducer plugIn.

http://www.erightsoft.net/Superdc.html

Creating a xvid / divx files with Virtual Dub
Virtual Dub is a free software way of taking one video file (and DVDs) and creating an encoded video file suitable for the Internet. It is commonly used to create Mpeg4 files / Divx's and Xvids.

Tutorial - Creating Xvid files from a DV Avi File. Here is one help file which gives step by step instructions to use Virtual Dub /Basic Virtual Dub Xvid/

Creating an ogg theora file with ffmpeg2theora
ffmpeg2theora is a free software way of taking a DV avi video file and creating an ogg theora file.

Tutorial - Creating ogg theora files from a DV Avi File. Tutorial /Ffmpeg to theora/

Creating a wmv and other files with Windows Media Encoder
Windows Media Encoder An easy to use encoder for Windows, free if you have a registered version of Windows.

Tutorial - Creating Windows Media player files /Windows media encoder tutorial/

Creating a flv file with Riva Riva FLV Encoder 2
Riva FLV Encoder enables you to encode video files to Flash video (.FLV) files. It currently supports the most common video formats, including AVI, DV, MPEG, MOV, and WMV,

Link to freeware download : http://www.rivavx.com/index.php?downloads&L=3

Creating a xvid from a DVD in one application
Simple divx can take a DVD and make a xvid file ready for the internet. There is a simple tutorial here

http://www.simpledivx.org/main/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 and the home page is here http://www.simpledivx.org

auto gordian knot http://www.autogk.me.uk/modules.php?name=TutorialEN

/Tutorial on using auto gordian knot/

Videora iPod Converter to make mp4 files from other files
Videora iPod Converter is a free video conversion application developed by the creators of Videora. It allows you to convert your regular PC video files (avi, mpeg, etc) into the proper video format that your iPod understands(mp4 with h264,mpeg4 video and aac audio). GUI for ffmpeg.

http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/iPod/download.php

guide: http://www.videora.com/en-us/Converter/guides.html

Shareware DVD / File to ipod converter
http://www.topvideopro.com/dvd-ripper/dvd-to-ipod-tutorial.htm

Cucusoft iPod Movie/Video Converter
Cucusoft DVD to iPod Converter is the easiest-to-use and fastest DVD to iPod converter software for Apple iPod Movie and iPod Video. It can convert almost all kinds of DVD to iPod Movie / iPod Video format.

Detailed Tutorial

SuPer - Free Software encoder
SUPER, Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer. A GUI to ffmpeg, mencoder, mplayer, ffmpeg2theora & the theora/vorbis RealProducer plugIn. If you need a simple, yet very efficient tool to convert (encode) or play any Multimedia file, without reading manuals or spending long hours training, then SUPER © is all you need. Supports most video formats and also portable formats for PSP, PS3, iPod, Zune, PocketPC and NEC, Nokia, Siemens, SonyEricsson mobiles.

http://www.erightsoft.com/SUPER.html

page on Super and link to guides - http://www.videohelp.com/tools?tool=SUPER_1

Linux
ffmpeg and mencoder which is a part of Mplayer, are two popular ways of encoding your video on linux. More information on command line encoding to is here in the form of a pdf from jaromil and eleonora. pdf on command-line encoding

How to make an flv file with ffmpeg
To convert a movie file (.mp4 .mov .mpg .3gp .mpeg .wmv .avi) to FLV, do following:

ffmpeg -i movie.(avi) -s 320x240 -ar 44100 -r 12 movie.flv cat movie.flv | flvtool2 -U stdin movie.flv

Lesson Plan

 * Video Production/Lesson Encoding Video for the Internet