Looking for Best Practices contributions for a book

[LocalAustinBoy]

Hello everyone!

I'm an ex-employee of Corel, Adobe and Macromedia. I've been asked to create a how-to book on VideoStudio X3. It's been a couple versions since one has been released, so the potential market is good. As a technical sales person, presenter and trainer in multimedia at these companies for the last 20+ years, I've learned a lot, both about the products and the user, but there is much I don't know. I'm one of those, "jack of all trades, master of few", people.

Therefore, I'm asking if anyone would like to make a contribution in the form of "best practice" blurbs that I can include in the book. The pay? $0. The reward? Nirvana. Ok, so maybe not that. But if you have opinions and experiences you would like to share, I would love to consider using them. I will give you credit, including any links to promote yourself. And I will get you a free copy of the book when it's released.

I'm looking for anything from one paragraph to an entire page. Remember that a page in a how-to book is not quite as much as a normal page.

Please respond to the following address with your idea(s) and personal e-mail, so we can take this off-line and communicate more efficiently. You don't have to get me the final version right now, just the topic and how long you think it might be.

Send all responses to: videostudioX3@austin.rr.com

Here is a list of possible topics I've come up with.
These responses can be in general and/or specific to VS.

¡E What to look for in an entry level video camera
¡E What to look for in a mid-level video camera
¡E Pitfalls to avoid when shooting home videos (keeping the camera still, poor lighting, background noise etc)
¡E Pitfalls to avoid when editing home videos (too many transitions etc)
¡E Lighting 101
¡E What are the most important things to set before I start shooting? For beginners? For more advanced videographers?
¡E The best output formats for the web (mpeg, QT, H.264 etc)
¡E The best output formats to store video on my computer and why (QT, avi, wmv, mpeg etc)
¡E Should I upgrade to an HD video camera?
¡E My HD vidoecam has several output quality choices. Which one should I choose and why?
¡E If I want to intermingle photos in my video, how should I save my photos so they work well with my video?
¡E Tape vs. mini-disc vs. harddrive video cameras
¡E What to consider when adjusting white balance in videos. Should I set it before or edit it afterwards?

Thank You!!!

Marc

[Black Lab]

Seems the answers to most of those questions would simply be of one's opinion or personal choice. To include all will make your book the size of an encyclopedia.

[LocalAustinBoy]

Oh, don't worry, I totally realize this. I won't be including all responses, unless I get only 2 )

[metmot]

Oh, don't worry, I totally realize this. I won't be including all responses, unless I get only 2 )

You can find enough opinions and information on each and every one of these subjects in the forum archives here with some footwork to author what you want. Read, understand, put what you learn in your own words and give credit to no one.

That's what I would do.

It's your project, you can't get others to write it for you. But you can certainly plagiarize their opinions and experience since they have given it freely.

[LocalAustinBoy]

This is a great idea! Thanks! Come to think of it, I could probably cruise through the Adobe, Apple, Pinnacle and Avid forums too.

[Black Lab]

But I don't know how many best practices you'll get specific to X3, as its only been out for a couple of weeks.

[LocalAustinBoy]

That's okay, Although VS specific tips would be great, I'm also looking for more general video shooting and editing tips. And X2 and older should still apply.

[sjj1805]

Your best starting point (From this Web Board) would be our Tutorials.