Hi All:

I would really appreciate some help. I am putting together a promo video to give out to clients and need help! I have a flash web presentation that I would like to burn onto a DVD. I can convert it to PowerPoint if need be..... In addition, I have some footage on VHS now that I want to add to it.

My real question, is what software is best for me to burn onto a DVD with. I would like this DVD to play on most standard DVD players (not just on a computer DVD-Rom) -- can anyone direct me to a program that will let me make simple edits to a video and then burn it onto a DVD that most people will be able to watch at home?

I really appreciate all tips and advice!!!

Try Ulead Movie Factory. Easy to use and gives nice results.

Roxio Media Creator

Just remember to sell the fun.

Show the beginning or an action part of the piece and then cut to finish and reaction shots. Repeat this with each of your effects if you like.

I would also think of using a voice-over to tell your story while the visual is going on.

put all of it on a nice bed of royalty free music and viola you have a watchable commercial for your act.

I would offer a CD version for playing on computers too. I could just see someone getting your video and wanting to watch it right away and not having a DVD in their office. You would lose the "instant" interest

Want to put a DVD together and make it look professional (without knowing anything about DVD production, encoding, menu building film editing). Get an Apple Mac and enjoy the pleasures of iLife (now on version 6).

iTunes (of iPod fame) is just one app of a suite that everyone should own. I won't get pulled into a Mac v PC debate - but simply want to say - if you want to produce a DVD with a certain amount of style (without putting in the 'skill hours' ) then please do it on a Mac - as there is NO excuse for crummy looking menus that simply don't function etc.

Hope this helps a little.

And if you want to write a really great novel, use a 1955 manual typewriter instead of Word on a computer. It's NOT the tool, but the one holding the tool.

Let me get this out first: I AGREE 100% with Justin that we shouldn't get into the Mac/PC debate.

I will, however, offer a little free advice. Take it for what you paid for it.

In today's high-tech world, we have unbelievable tools at our disposal. With great tools, comes great responsibility. Years ago, a professional editor would take weeks to do what a 10 year old can do in 15 minutes on a computer. Times change. However, just because you CAN make a DVD, does this mean you SHOULD make a DVD?

Give me a supercomputer with the best version of Word and I still would be unable to write prose that could compare to the works of Hemingway, Hawthorne or Carroll, typed on a manual typewriter.

(Hang with me, you'll see the point in a moment.)

Magicians, comedians and musicians fall in the same boat. Many bands hear themselves being great when the harsh truth is they are not. They end up playing in garages for their short-lived career because they are unable to find work. There are similar percentages of magicians and comedians who just are not that good, yet feel they are the next Copperfield or Carlin.

The average (and I stress AVERAGE) magician does not have the proper stage training to understand the posing, character bits and vocal techniques needed for a truely powerful and memorable performance.

It's not that they can't, they just never invested the time and energy to script their show. As many have said before me, magicians would benefit so much by hiring a stage coach.

Now these same entertainers are fooling themselves into believing that they have the editing skills needed to produce a professional video. I'll be the first to admit, I've seen some REALLY GOOD videos done by magicians who have never edited before in their lives. But this is the exception to the rule. These guys understand the WHY behind what makes a good video. They didn't focus on the tool, they knew in their mind what they wanted. The average video is in my mind, well, average.

Please purchase some of the programs Justin mentioned. I'll be honest. Mac/PC. Doesn't matter. I've used both and they both work. From the free 'editing programs' that come with pretty much ever DVD burner to the mid range Final Cut Studio ($1300) to the upper end Avid systems (don't even ask about price!), they all make movies.

Just how good the movie? It is up to the person making it.

Now for the main point. Stand out from the "average" video out there. Hire a professional to do what they do best. They will make you look GREAT! I don't care if you've got enough money to hire Lucas to produce your video or if you're so broke you can only give a few bucks to a college kid in a community college film class.

Get someone with experience to do your video and you'll stand out from the crowd. After all, isn't that what your promotional video is designed to do? Make you stand out?

Imagine the other side of the issue. You're sitting with a committee looking at videos of potential magicians. Each one is average. Framing, sound, out of focus, edited on a generic DVD. Then one comes along that is silk-screened in full color, has customized graphics, great background music (LEGAL, mind you), great sound and is edited in such a way that grasps your attention from the start and holds you the entire way, then leaves you sitting wanting to see more after it finishes playing.

Who do YOU think will get the job?

What do you want YOUR video to look like?

As the quote goes, "Do you want to dance, or do you want to dance?"

Give it some thought.

Warm regards,
Scott

Yes I agree that it is not the tools and actually almost everything you say - the reason I recomended iLife is simply that it
1. it does most of the work for you
2. it can add a touch of professionalism to an otherwise standard home video.
3. it functions well ie the DVD encoding is pro level etc.

Could not agree more - if you want it done really well - get a professional to do it!

Dizney, what to recommend for DVD creation depends a lot on what you already have, and what your budget is. What kind of computer do you own? Are you in the market for a new one? Do you want to have to purchase anything other than software?

Answers to these questions can help someone make more specific recommendations for you.

For PCs, the software that's worked best for me for video editing and DVD creation are Adobe Premiere Elements and Nero.

The BEST I've worked with (and affordable for the feature set) are Final Cut and iDVD on Apple machines. If you want total control, you can check out their DVD Studio Pro program.

It may be time for you to check into some computer and video discussion forums, the folks who hang out in there are really into this stuff and can usually recommend something that will meet your needs and your budget.

Kevin

Go back up and read what Scott said again (go ahead, I'll wait).

He's right. Great magic will not necessarily make a great video. I know video shooting and editing. I've done broadcast TV, motion pictures, corporate, demos, commercials, you name it. I've got shelf full of national awards for video and I walk lopsided from carrying a Betacam camera on my shoulder for too many years. I've done it so much, I learned that I don't want to ever make video for money again. I say all this in the hope that you'll listen when I suggest that you seek out someone with experience to help you make your demo video. Making video is different than making magic in one vitally important way.

Someone who isn't very good at doing magic, can go down to the magic store and buy a clever trick, practice it for only an hour, and then perform it for an audience and still have at least some chance of entertaining that audience to some degree (or at least not looking like an idiot). This is because the audience doesn't necessarily know what good magic is supposed to look like. They don't see much magic. However, they *all* watch TV. Every day. With video, you can't "hum a few bars" and fake it. They will know.

Think about it. When you're channel surfing with your TV remote you can tell in less than three seconds if you've landed on a local cable access channel or real network programming.

Fortunately, the tools to make great video are now cheap (as has been pointed out). However, video gear is like Mae West (who famously said) "I may be cheap, but I'm not easy". So you should find someone to help you. It doesn't have to cost much money (it might even be free). The gear is cheap, so at least these days you only have to talk them into donating their time. There are a lot of amatuer film makers who are trying to develop their chops in editing just like we're all trying to develop ours in magic. Someone like that might even enjoy editing your video together and output to DVD for you.

--- Mark

PS
Another sad fact: give me a crappy, rather dull magician with poor material and bad delivery and I could shoot a teaser demo video that will make him look like the most dynamic and brilliant performer you've ever seen. On the other hand, you can also take a really great magician, with faboulous material and finely honed delivery, and put them in the hands of someone with weak video skills and little experience and their demo video will be as exciting as the middle third of a "Murder She Wrote" episode.

I'm not a performer (this is a lifetime interest for me but just as a hobby) so I can't say much from a marketing point of view, but I would say this is something you shouldn't rush if you're set on doing it yourself... Hiring a pro would no doubt yield the best results but maybe you're just really into the idea of playing around with this sort of thing yourself. I'd suggest getting a reasonably-priced digital camcorder (if you're self employed then consider writing off a portion on your taxes as a business expense if you're expressly using it for this project to market yourself... Not the full 100% if you'll be using it for personal use too). Then shoot footage of your kids, birthdays, Christmas, pets... the same stuff you normally would. They usually come with decent editing software (like the Ulead studio mentioned above) and you'll be able to get plenty of practice that's NOT for commercial purposes. Edit and burn some DVDs of your home movies (you'll enjoy it anyway, and it's great practice). Your old VHS footage may be great but odds are that it's degraded some, and it may lose a little more quality converting it to digital, so you may consider shooting some new stuff with the digital camcorder. Mine was fairly inexpensive even 2 years ago but the quality of the picture, in my opinion, is pretty darn good when converted and burned to DVD. Converted VHS really won't compare. Of course it's great to covert the VHS to digital to preserve it, and the material may be something that means a lot to you and/or cannot be reshot, but if it's something you can redo I'd consider doing it in digital to start with.

LOL...It sounds like you're suggesting he make his video like a David Blaine production. If you're going to offer a recommendation, at least offer something original.

My advise to producing your DVD is to first, use a digital video camera. Clarity is much better. Second....Have a production comapany produce it for you. With the $$ spent on software, equipment and such..not to mention the time spent in doing all this, you can hire a production company to do it for you. They're not that expensive and well worth the cost. I've produced and distributed 2 DVDs now, and would not do it any other way. Of course, the DVDs were not promos...they were full shows...about an hour each. MUCH less hassle to have a company do it for you...Check your Yellow Pages.

If you are going to use a production company, don't just pic one out of the Yellow Pages. First, have a clear idea about your project. Have a clear vision of what you want on the DVD and how it will look - artistically. If it were me, I would have the entire thing storyboarded before I even approached the production company. Then if you are going to use a production company, find one that specializes in or atleast has produced magic performances for DVDs in the past. But honestly, most magic dvds are simple POV in the audience type shoots where you might see a graphic or two only to be followed by a "magic buddy" sitting in an aftershow setting with the magician while they discuss the routines. <insert yawn here> Maybe it is time for some independents to create a magic dvd worth watching... more than once. If you have the nerve to go ahead and produce you own, and can afford it, go mac and Final Cut Pro.

Tyler, I hear your cry for something fresh. Unfortunately, this is a VERY narrow field. First, you must find a videographer who's got a good eye.

Then it must be cut into something entertaining without sacrificing the content but keeping the energy. Finally, the DVD must be created for a highly interactive, easy to navigate menu (and graphically professional) system.

Next qualifier for your request is that this videographer/editor must also have a strong background in magic. They'll know when to look where and be able to capture certain tricks from the best angles and be able to anticipate audience reactions.

I've "heard" these guys are "kinda" good. (*wink*) He's a full time editor with a background in VFX (visual effects) who just happens to have 10 years of performing magic under his belt. Here's his site.

Warm regards,
Scott Sullivan

P.S.
For those thay may not know, that's my tongue-in-cheek shameless plug. <b>That guy's website is mine. </b>

P.P.S.
I'm cutting on Final Cut Studio HD and love it, but I know guys that have cut great reels with Avid, Premiere, Vegas and even iMovie! That debate has been played out. The higher end software mostly just allows you to create your vision more efficiently (ergo, clients get their cut sooner).

....So for all you magic DVD needs, see my pal Scott Sullivan at http://www.reelsinmotion.com.

Don't forget, I get a commission!! Seriously, sounds like Scott would be a perfect person to get more info from... shoot him an email.

Final Cut Pro is the way to go!

Note: I have never met or even know Scott but if he's on a mac... he's ok by me!