That cable box isn’t going to fill itself.There are hundreds of channels out there, and not all of them can show endless reruns of Who’s the Boss? No,

TV-land needs new shows, and lots of ’em.If you’ve spent any time watching what passes for entertainment these days, you’ve probably thought, “Heck, I can do that!” Well, why don’t you, then?

 

On the next few pages, we’ll help you get started in the wild world of television production, or at least give you enough ammo to get your own show launched on the Web. Keep reading for our tips on what kind of camcorders to consider, the essential rules of good editing, and how to share your finished product with the world.

 

Who knows, maybe that Showtime producer is combing through YouTube right this moment, looking for the Next Big Thing—and it could be you!

 

1. Shoot It

There’s a dizzying array of camcorders crowding the market today, from really cheap gizmos to shoulder-hoisted monsters that cost as much as a down payment on a house. We’re keeping this list on the lighter side of the wallet, because when it comes right down to it, you’re more likely to catch a producer’s interest with a good story vs. slick video quality. And remember, when you make video designed to go on the Web, it’s likely to get pretty seriously compressed anyway, eroding much of the visual quality that you see on your monitor.

 

Easiest: The Flip Video Ultra

No-frills video at a rock-bottom price, $179, www.theflip.com

 

It’s small and only does 640x480 video, but the Flip is absolutely fine for getting your videoin’ feet wet with minimal monetary outlay. The thing we really dig about this tiny device is that it’s perfect for capturing wild effects shots—use some good ol’ duct tape to attach it to the front of your car, hit record, and you’ve got up to 60 minutes of seriously cool on-the-road footage, without major concern for getting squashed bugs or mud off the lens.

 

Fair warning: Make sure you get the Ultra version, which includes a tripod mount on the bottom—this is crucial for any camera you’ll ever want to use for real video work. The audio capabilities also aren’t stellar, but they’ll be OK as long as you record synchronized audio with a field recorder (see “Format Facts,”), and you’ll want to make sure to download the Perian QuickTime codec (free, www.perian.org), which lets you directly access the AVI files generated from the Flip with the QuickTime player and open the AVIs in iMovie, Final Cut Pro, or any other video editor you’re likely to use on the Mac.

 

Better: DXG-566V HD

Upgrade to high-def on a budget, $149, www.dxgtechusa.com

 

It’s not a whole lot bigger than the Flip, but this insanely inexpensive camcorder bumps your resolution up to 1280x720 and offers more controls and creative options. Given the review of the DXG-110 digital still camera in a recent issue of Mac|Life (1 out of 5 stars, Apr/08), we didn’t have high hopes for the DXG’s video quality, but the H.264 QuickTime movies that emerge from this camera are really not bad, given the low price.

 

If you put this camera on a tripod, and record audio with an external recorder, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results. It also doubles as a still camera—no great shakes there—but the low light mode takes advantage of the pair of bright LEDs built into the front of the unit. You can also lower the capture resolution to either 720x480 or a smaller 320x240 size, which gets you more time on the same SD card, a nice touch.

 

While the DXG-566V HD feels a little cheaply made, the price is so low that we don’t mind recommending it as a good entry-level camera. In fact, with the money you save on this puppy, invest in a copy of Red Giant Software’s sophisticated video-processing software, Magic Bullet Looks (4 out of 5 stars, May/08), and you’ll be thrilled by the results.

 

Best: Canon Vixia HV30

A beefy camcorder perfect for any pro, $999, www.canon.com

 

This is simply the best overall choice for a great balance between quality and cost: For under $1,000, the HV30 has the kind of power typically found in pro-level hardware. It uses MiniDV tapes to capture video at full 1080i HD resolution (1920x1080) and 24 frames per second, which yields a more filmic look, given that genuine film is also shot at 24 fps. You can also switch down to 1280x720, if you want to work in standard definition.

 

In addition to tape, the camera supports SD cards for shooting, and there’s even a built-in flash when using it as a still camera. If you’re going to be shooting exclusively with ambient light, or in low-light situations, you’ll notice the superior video quality, as well as the benefits of Canon’s excellent optics—the video that comes out of this small camcorder is just shy of being truly broadcast quality (though in today’s digital media salad, we could totally see making a TV show with a few of these little gems and some creative postproduction).

 

The smooth optical stabilization makes a huge difference if you’re shooting handheld—it can’t make everything stable, but as long as you’re trying to hold the camera still, you’ll be rewarded with rock-solid video that seems almost magical. The built-in microphone is quite good, and it even records in stereo, a nice touch for added realism. Additionally, there’s an audio input for plugging in an external microphone, which is perfect for using a boom-based mic rig. Given all of this awesome power, it’s almost scary to see just how much is packed into its diminutive case.

 

A little-known feature that makes this camera extra special for studio work is the HDMI output, which works in a pass-through mode-—meaning that the HV30 can be used to pipe its digital output in real time to an external HD recorder, or a Mac equipped with an HD capture board. Why bother? Well, with support for 4:2:2 HDMI output, the high-end color sampling results in truly professional quality, making it perfectly suited for doing real-time compositing with DV Garage’s amazing Conduit ($199, www.dvgarage.com). This kind of rig would have set you back tens of thousands of dollars just a few years ago, but now puts instant blue- and green-screen capabilities into your hands for virtually peanuts.

 

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Format Facts

When buying a camera, here are some essentials to keep in mind.

 

Flash memory-based cameras are becoming increasingly popular,
and are less likely to break down than a tape-based cam, which contains more moving parts. The flash cameras typically connect to your computer via USB, and the file is copied off at the Finder level. Tape cameras, on the other hand, usually require a FireWire port and the use of a video editing application to “capture” the video, which takes more time and ultimately subjects the camera to wear and tear.

 

Standard Definition (SD) is 720x480, 30 frames per second. High Definition (HD) has two primary flavors: 720 (1280x720) and 1080 (1920x1080), and a few frame-rate choices: 60, 30, and 24 fps. You’ll probably want to stick with 30 fps, which is the standard for most video delivery systems.

 

Most cameras use a proprietary battery (you should always budget for at least one spare), whereas camcorders usually come with an external charger.

 

Hang around any pro video shoot, and you’ll quickly notice the audio person with a case full of microphones and boom assemblies (for hanging the mics right above the actors), as well as a field recorder. Study up on wireless microphones, or invest in a couple of inexpensive microphones (such as the Samson CO2 Condenser, $149 a pair, www.samsontech.com). The Zoom H2 digital file recorder ($199, www.samsontech.com) is an excellent choice for recording better-quality audio to be edited into the video in post.

 

2. Edit

Putting together a coherent video is not a simple task, and it’s one that requires some planning and common sense. Realize that making a show is a major undertaking if you want to end up with something that looks professional and polished. These tips should help you in the production and postproduction phases.

 

Shooting

Yes, your camcorder has a zoom control. Here’s the basic rule about using it: Don’t. There’s nothing more amateurish than zooming in and out while someone is talking, walking, or doing just about anything. If you can’t reposition yourself when going for a close-up shot, pause the recording, zoom in, and continue recording. If you don’t want to stop capturing video, assume you’ll be spending time editing out the zooms once you’re at the editing stage. And remember that the audio capabilities of your camcorder are probably not going to cut it; you’ll want to consider microphones, booms, and a field recorder. You will also need a cheap clapper, which helps synchronize the camera-shot video and externally recorded audio in postproduction. Finally, get some lights, C-clamps, a decent tripod or two, and some large pieces of white cardboard for makeshift reflectors.

 

Logging Your Video

Take the time to clearly label and add comments to your logged video; your crew will thank you.

 

Once you’ve shot your footage, the most important step before getting down to editing is called logging, and it involves organizing the clips in the media bin of your editing software. Think of it as being the first step in the process of ordering—if you’ve shot scenes with the clapper, you’ll have a visual indication, embedded in the footage, of what goes where, and this is incredibly useful when dealing with the often large amount of video that needs to be distilled down to more manageable, bite-size chunks. A common mistake of novice videographers is to shoot all the video as one big chunk, and then chop and paste it in the editing software timeline. If you take the time to log your individual clips and organize them, it’ll save you time in the long run and makes the editing process much easier.

 

Decoupling Sound from Image

In iMovie, you can select the Extract Audio command from the Advanced menu, and then lay separate video down on top of the original audio track.

 

Starting Small

It’s tough to keep the action interesting for more than a few minutes at a time. Editing together a tight short will help you learn about pacing, timing, and visual continuity, and your audience will probably be willing to sit through about three minutes before losing interest and clicking away. If you can grab them in those first minutes, you’ll be able to hold them for longer. Create a storyboard to plan what you’ll be shooting. All you need are some basic storyboard templates and a printer, or a pad and pencil. Study movie trailers, which will give you a good idea of how story pacing happens, just sped up to condense the plot into a minute or two. If you’re thinking of a full-fledged episodic show, keep it to 23 minutes or less. Get into the habit of knowing that the pacing should be faster than you think it should. The hardest thing in editing is being concise.

 

Transitions

You will be tempted to use these transition effects. You will resist.

 

Yes, there are hundreds of ways to visually move between different scenes, with wipes, 3D spins, and goofy effects that add nothing to the story, all of which ultimately make your whole production feel cheap. The best way to cut between shots and scenes is to just cut, an instant transition from one angle to another, from a medium or long shot to a close-up, and then back out. Fading to black or white is useful for changing locations, time frames, or acts of a story. Cross dissolves should happen in no more than a second or two; anything longer is going to feel unnatural and annoying. If you’re set on playing around with elaborate transitions, try to tie them to the story line in some way, and use no more than one or two of them in your production. In most visual storytelling, restraint is a good thing, and it will help you keep your audience focused on the story you’re trying to tell.

 

Titles and Credits

Here’s our demented self-produced movie title, done in Woody Allen’s favorite style.

 

Google the names “Saul Bass” and “Kyle Cooper.” Opening titles are an art form, and the best way to learn title design is to watch some of the masters at work. For your first projects, keep them simple, just like Woody Allen—check out the opening title sequence for any of his movies made post-1980; that’s the Windsor font, white on black. Elaborate typefaces bouncing around the screen are hard to do right, so concentrate on making the credits clean and legible. If you have Final Cut Pro, you’ll be tempted by the myriad creative options offered by LiveType, but remember, making good titles is like making soup: Add too much salt or spice, and the results will be too much for the typical palate. Same rules apply to title design, unless your name is Bass.

 

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3. Distribute it

Once your show is in the can, it’s time to show it to the world. Don’t worry about renting out your local theater—the Web is the biggest movie house on the planet. Let’s take a look at some of the sites you’ll probably consider for hosting your video—it’s a lot cheaper than paying for the kind of bandwidth that video files soak up, which can be considerable with longer productions. The nice part about all these sites (and the ones that we’re not including here): You don’t have to choose just one, you can use them all without worrying about possessive, egotistical agents.

 

YouTube, www.YouTube.com

Pros: It’s the most popular video-hosting site around, and it’s got Google’s deep pockets and technical know-how to keep it at the forefront of the online video revolution for the foreseeable future. If you want to get the largest exposure for your movie, YouTube is the main game in town, with the most straightforward interface and amenities. There are also tools that allow you to subscribe to your favorite filmmakers or posters, so that your fans will automatically know when you upload the latest installment of your sitcom.

 

Cons: The overall video and audio quality is some of the worst we’ve seen, which will make a big difference in the impact that your finished film will have on a potential audience. Maximum video length is 10 minutes. The feedback system is infamous for its often-horrid commentary—bordering on psychotic—so much so that many folks disable the comments section for the videos altogether.

 

Spike/iFilm, www.ifilm.com

Pros: iFilm has the distinction of being the first website to pioneer the world of online movies. It’s primarily geared toward the professional video crowd, with the best overall video and audio quality we’ve seen and heard on the Web. It’s often the place where Hollywood producers do their first tier of online talent recruiting, and offers an overall quality of experience higher than other sites. iFilm will even accept DV, Beta tape, or just about any other physical format (up to 45 minutes long), and will do the encoding for you, ensuring the best possible quality.

 

Cons: Be prepared to prove that you have legitimate music rights (or original tunes). iFilm uses the Flash video format exclusively, so forget about iPhone compatibility (for now). Like the Mac itself, these guys don’t have the largest viewer base, but on the upside, they may have the most upscale

audience on the Net.

 

Revver, www.Revver.com

Pros: Revver was the very first video-sharing website that offered something more than exposure—if you qualify, your video can make you some money via an interesting ad revenue-sharing scheme. If your film gets some play, you get some pay: 40 percent of the advertising income generated by your video goes into your PayPal account. You can also set the playback window size for your video to be larger than on any of the other sites, which is great for anyone who wants to shoot in HD and make the biggest impact. There’s no time limit, but vids must be under 100MB. Revver also does QuickTime and Flash, so it’s good to go in the Apple universe and everywhere else.

 

Cons: These guys seem to have a bit of a problem getting exposure for their site, which is not surprising, as it seems that everyone is competing with YouTube. That’s a treacherous game to play, much less win.

 

Metacafe, www.Metacafe.com

Pros: Another site that can generate profits is Metacafe. A relatively recent newcomer, it’s got a unique payment scheme—you get money for the number of times your video is viewed. 1,000 views are worth $5, and you get your first $100 chunk at 20,000 views; a million views will buy you a nicely loaded Mac Pro tower. The site also offers a plethora of useful production tips and tutorials, and video quality is a touch better than YouTube’s.

 

Cons: To make money, your video has to be approved to be part of the site’s cryptic Producer Awards system, so not just any old home movie can become a cash cow. Audio is OK but nothing to write home about, and it’s all Flash video format. Worst of all, its paltry 8-minute time limit is the shortest of the bunch.

 

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Going Pro with the Canon GL2

The GL2 features optical image stabilization for smooth shooting.

 

Once you move into the multiple thousands of dollars, you’ll find cameras jump to 3CCD offerings (one sensor each for red, green, and blue, resulting in superior clarity and color detail). Perhaps the most popular lower-end professional camcorder is the Canon GL2, which combines a handheld form factor with a potent 3CCD system designed to meet broadcast standards. Street price for this baby is around $1,800. If you’re looking for a serious camera at a relatively reasonable price, this is the one.

 

Our Favorite Web Shows

Looking for inspiration? Check out these independently produced, Web-based series.

 

Chad Vader

www.blamesociety.net/chadvader/index.php

 

What if Darth Vader worked the day shift at a supermarket? And his first name was Chad? Watch his adventures here.

 

Ask a Ninja

www.askaninja.com

 

One of the most successful Web shows ever, this maniacally edited indie Q&A show now earns its black-clad creators over $1 million a year.

 

Lisanova

www.lisanova.info

 

Comedians love Web video. One of the best is Lisa Donovan, who offers up deadpan humor and hysterical celebrity impersonations in this free-form series.