Connect with us

Technology

Holiday Video Editing for Beginners

Published

on

adult cactus camera 297755

Let me ask you a question first: why do you shoot holiday videos? Is it that you want to show off to people through social media about a great holiday you have just had? It may be true enough and no crime at all! Or is it that you like filming scenes and sceneries and with people in it and considering a career in the video editing arena? Very reasonable and a great place to start too. Or maybe you shoot simply because you want to remember – people in your life who matter most.

Every answer is acceptable, because you don’t need a reason for capturing your loved ones live or recording an amazing visit to an exotic location with your family. The problem arises when you want to show it to others – even the loved ones.

Because watching raw footage for 20 minutes can be a daunting task, for even the very near and dear ones and then they have to lie to your face about how much they enjoyed it.

If you want to relieve them from that painful experience or should I say, want to learn a few bare minimum basics about holiday video editing for beginners, please carry on reading.

But before we get serious, let me clear something off.

I believe editing is a digital art form and not for everyone. My elder brother, who is a teacher of economics, can’t even snap a picture without missing a large chunk of the head, is absolutely no match for editing a second’s worth of raw footage. But that never stopped him filming of her two year old daughter whenever he can. So, shoot anything and everything you want without being bothered, because there are professionals who would take care of your holiday video editing.

Now we can get serious.

Hardware:

If you want to edit your raw footage, you need to have a powerful computer to do that. Let me give you just the bare minimum requirements.

Your computer should have at least 8 gigabytes of RAM which is also known as computer’s memory. It also has to have a strong processor to process the complicated tasks you are going to throw at it. Intel Core series (i5 and higher) and the AMD FX series can handle most of them. But processors running with a speed of 2.6 gigahertz (gHz) can get the job done as well. And you must have a lot of storage, at least 500 GB to start with.

Software:

camera camera lens close up 2170450

There are bucket loads of software available and many of them have ample free tools which can help you start editing with ease. Since you are starting as a beginner, free tools can help you learn a lot. And you can always buy the paid ones when you think you feel the specific need to do something that can’t be done by free tools. Below are just the names of some widely used editing software in no particular order:

  •       Window’s Movie Maker
  •       iMovie
  •       Final Cut Pro X
  •       AVID Media Composer
  •       Lightworks
  •       Avidemux
  •       Shotcut
  •       Hitfilm Express
  •       Adobe Premier Pro
  •       DaVinci Resolve
  •       Openshot
  •       Videopad
  •       Blender
  •       VSDC free Video Editor etc.

Those are just a few widely available, user-friendly editing software. You can jumpstart your holiday video editing with any of them.

The Editing Process Itself:

Capture:

The first step is obviously moving the raw footage to your Mac or PC. You can do it as one big, chunky single file or make it big by adding 5 or 10 smaller files; it usually depends on the OS of your computer or the software you are using for editing. You can bring the video data shot by shot by software and each different shot will be in a different file. It will be immensely helpful when you start editing.

Shot:

After bringing all the footage, you have to decide about how you are going to use it. Let me make it clear by giving an example the last video I edited –

It was my parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary and a huge party was thrown.  The video started from the moment of the guests started arriving.

A 2-second shot of the car door being opened.

A 3-second shot of the smiling guests getting out of the car.

A 3-second shot my parents were greeting them at the doorways.

A 3-second shot of the guests hugging each others.

And vice versa.

I had to figure out a way to find the starting and finishing of each little incident as a complete unit and bind them later sequentially by also maintaining chronological order.

I had to do that by watching the raw footage many times and pointing an IN and OUT marker for the little units that I was going to use later.

Timeline:

When you finish working out the shots, they need to be organized so that you can knit them together. And timeline is the place where you do that. You place the little clips in sequence and watch them being played.

Add Effects:

Now the fun part begins. After you have done assembling and cleaning-up timeline, you can add effects. You can put together texts, transitions, still pictures, filters – anything. It entirely depends on your likings. I can just give a word of experience –less is always good in the case for adding effects.

There you go, with the above four easy concepts – capture, shots, timeline and adding effects – you can finish editing your holiday video. You might not create a masterpiece but at least people won’t have to lie to your face.

Before I leave you on your own, just a few pointers to remember –

  •       View your raw footage a number of times to be sure to choose the right clips to use later.
  •       Make sure you organize everything in separate folders. If you can figure out the best takes before the editing process, the job will be a whole lot easier.
  •       Shoot each scene a number of times. It will give you a sea of wealth to work later on and you can mix and match every clip for a refined result.
  •       Stop working for hours end, it will dull your senses and you may miss easy fixes.
  •       Best bet is always using instrumental instead of music, because lyrics can distract if you want to add your subjects talking.
  •       If you’re using music, select instrumental as a backing track. Lyrics can often be distracting unless used delicately.
  •       Get clear idea about some basic terminology like Jump Cuts, J Cut, L Cut, Montage, Cutting on Action, Match Cut/Match Action, Cutways, Wipe etc. You can get explanations about them in plain non-technical terms in numerous sites.  
  •    This is paramount – you need to learn to be patient. There are endless sources of self-learning out there and some of them can be contradictory. But if you know how to be persistent, you can find your own way of editing.

You would be the judge of my little endeavor to give you some very basic ideas about holiday video editing. Now use them, and be an awesome editor.

Cole is one half of New Zealand's leading adventure travel blogging couple who have been wearing out their jandals around the world since 2009. He loves any adventure activities and anything to do with the water whether it is Surfing, Diving, Swimming, Snorkeling or just lounging nearby on the beach. You can follow Cole on Google+. Or consider following us via RSS Feed, Twitter, Facebook and subscribe to our Newsletter.

Continue Reading

Technology

5 Countries With The Fastest Internet Around the World

Published

on

pexels picjumbocom 196655

The Internet has become a crucial part of our daily lives. We need it in all circumstances, from checking the weather to building a business and everything else in between. However, not every country, big or small, has a solid broadband network. The global average broadband download speed is 81Mbps, and upload of 42Mbps. While this is quite an increase from previous years, a few outlier countries far exceed these averages.

Why is Fast Internet Important?

Having a lightning-fast internet connection should be possible for anybody considering what an essential part of our lives. Although broadband is usually pretty fast, the upcoming release of 5G will cover mobile devices as well. This is important as many users choose a mobile device over a desktop one.

Countless day-to-day activities like work, streaming, and even gaming are tightly tied to the internet. Even simpler games like the casino ones rely on the internet to provide a good user experience. An online casino app like Gaminator can be downloaded for free from Google Play, but users need the internet to perform this action. Once the app is downloaded, you can access it without the internet. However, if you want to gamble in a virtual casino and interact with other players and dealers, you need a fast and consistent internet connection.

Depending on your region, your internet may or may not be above the average. Below, we’ve prepared a list of the five countries with the fastest internet connection in the world. The data and list are according to the Speedtest Global Index by Ookla.

Singapore Internet

pexels kin pastor 777059

Singapore is widely known for its surprisingly-fast internet connection. It’s ranked first with a total download speed of 213Mbps and 220Mbps for upload. Singapore is also a coworking and freelancing hub, the second-fastest growing country in this industry. They only reach 13th for mobile speeds with an average of 56Mbps.

Hong Kong Wi-fi

Hong Kong comes second on our list, close to Singapore, with a download speed of 202Mbps, and 193Mbps for upload on a broadband connection. The average latency is also only 12ms which should be good enough for most digital services. The mobile situation is slightly different as Hong Kong only ranks 19th in this category with a download speed of 53Mbps.

Thailand Internet

Thailand is a hub for travelers, freelancers, and remote workers thanks to its natural beauty, affordable living, and reliable internet. It ranks 3rd with 171Mbps download speed and 134Mbps upload. While their broadband is pretty solid, the mobile rate is relatively low. Thailand is ranked 59th with 32Mbps on mobile. It gets the last place for mobile speeds among the five countries mentioned in this list.

South Korea WI-Fi

South Korea gained three positions in the last couple of months, ranking 4th in the Speedtest Global Index with a fixed broadband download speed of 169Mbps and 165Mbps for upload. This provides a pretty consistent experience for all users. Moreover, South Korea ranks 2nd for mobile with a download speed of 109Mbps, close to their broadband connection. South Korea used to rank 1st for mobile, but they got overtaken by the United Arab Emirates by a single point.

Romania Internet

Romania is widely known for its powerful and inexpensive fiber internet connection. Nine of its cities used to be ranked in the top 15 cities with the fastest internet around the world not long ago. Romania has the fastest internet in Europe, with 167Mbps download speed on average and 120Mbps upload. Although they are only ranked 45th for roaming rates with an average download of 38Mbps, their local telecommunication companies are pushing innovation by deploying 5G networks.

Continue Reading

Technology

Taimi: The Gay Dating App That Doubles As a Social Network

Published

on

adult art boyfriend 1449059

Online dating is often considered an adverse platform by those who have been a part of it.

Why Download a Gay Dating App?

In today’s fast-paced environment, the thrill of the chase is often thrown out the window. No one holds a conversation anymore in a world of instant hookups and matchups. It’s either go big or go home (or both) for almost everyone who signs up for these dating sites and apps.

This is especially true when it comes to gay dating platforms. While gay men enjoy friendships, intimacy, and romance just as much as a straight person could, the media created for them only cater to the instant gratification aspect. That is why apps such as Grindr are only good for casual meets.

Indulging in some harmless fun isn’t a bad thing at all. With a suitable space of mind, it could be pretty enjoyable. But it’s just that it can get tiresome for those looking for a more profound connection. Unfortunately, given how the current gay dating apps are designed, finding meaningful connections seems next to impossible.

What is Taimi?

Created in 2017, Taimi is a gay dating and networking app for iOS and Android designed to double as a social network. Taimi aims not only to facilitate those who are looking for casual meet-ups but also those who are searching for an elusive deeper connection.

Considering this, the Taimi app has all the features of GPS and intelligent distance-based pairing, which are now staples of online dating. But with that, it also allows its users to have dedicated profile pages on which they can share anything through the app’s social media posting feature. They could follow like-minded people or have others follow their profiles, creating connections and friendships.

This dual approach is one of the many things that sets the Taimi gay app apart from its competitors.

The Gay App Prioritizes Safety

According to the Taimi team, the app has been created to become a safe space for those who want to connect with like-minded people. Regardless of whether they want that like-minded approach to translate into a short yet enjoyable connection or something that is turned into a friendly relationship that stems into a deeper bond.

The Taimi app uses state-of-the-art security mechanisms to make sure that operating on the platform is a pleasant experience for users and a safe one.

While apps such as Grindr have come under fire for sharing their users’ HIV status and other information with third parties, Taimi ensures that its users’ data remains safe and private at all costs. For that, the app uses state-of-the-art security mechanisms and internal policies.

Taimi doesn’t only stop at the safety precautions there. It also ensures that verified profiles are only using the platform with no intention to harm people. The app uses artificial intelligence (AI) in combination with hand-picked moderation to verify accounts. This verification ensures that users who connect with others can feel safe about doing so without the fear of being duped or catfished by others.

It Allows Video Calling

adult city girl 240224

Taimi also allows its users to connect via live video calls. This makes sure that users can connect that way without sharing their phone number or Snapchat handle.

This adds another layer of privacy and convenience for its users, who do not have to use Taimi as a temporary solution until exchanging phone numbers with their connections. If they have Taimi, they most likely don’t need another app to connect to the same people via advanced features.

It Makes for a Stellar Social Network

The social posting and connectivity features mentioned earlier only add to all of this and make Taimi a must-have app for gay men who want to feel safe in their online pursuit of meaningful connections.

This makes Taimi an excellent choice for a social network dedicated to a community that has long needed such a space for itself.

It is Expanding Its Outreach

While Taimi is only catering to gay and bisexual men, for now, it plans to expand its operations to offer the same features to the larger LGBTQ+ community.

Taimi is free to use, with some of its most advanced features included in the free version of the app. But if you need more, you could subscribe to the app’s paid service and enjoy additional features and filters.

Taimi is available for iOS and Android and already has many online users. Click here to give the app a try and see how it fits your pursuit of joy.

Continue Reading

Technology

10 Benefits of Self Storage

Published

on

C:\Users\New\Pictures\New folder\load-image (6).jpg

Storage space is a concern every person has when they have too many items. The question of where to put your belongings can be a headache. It’s especially stressful during home renovation or moving.

One solution to address this is self storage. Getting a storage unit answers your concerns about cramping too many items. Read on and learn why you should get a self storage unit today:

1. Removes Clutter from Home

One benefit of having a self storage unit is freeing up your house. Clutter can affect your health negatively, making you feel stressed. If you go for a storage unit, you can reduce the number of items lying around your living space.

2. Keeps Items Safe

If you want to protect items, get a controlled climate storage unit. It works when you want to keep them in a safe environment.

It stores items the elements will otherwise damage. It includes artworks, documents, and photos. Climate-controlled storage also stores electronics and furniture.

3. Provides Necessary Space

If you need to free up space in your home or business, a storage unit helps. You can move up items in a storage unit to make your home more livable. It’s your best bet when freeing up a room for a different purpose.

4. Guaranteed Security from Theft

Security is another storage unit feature. Storage unit providers ensure your items remain secure in their containers while giving you full access to them. Storage companies also have CCTV surveillance systems to track the premises both inside and outside.

cctv 2596537 640

5. Temporary Storage for Items

You might have seasonal items used for a moment then stowed away after. These could be for your boat, RV, and so on. Opt for bigger storage units to help store them better.

You can learn more when you check out Titan Storage. They can help with storing your boat, RV, and other valuables.

6. Cost-Effective

A storage unit helps you worry less about expenses. When comparing between a storage unit and an apartment for storage, the former gives more features for less.

7. Can Work for Business Purposes

You might need storage for products or materials for your business. Storage units offer the necessary space to keep your business assets secure.

8. Eases with Transition Between Homes

Moving between addresses gets tough, especially when you have a lot to pack and unpack. A storage unit is best when moving bulkier items. Some also offer moving services.

9. Ensures Safety at Home

During a renovation, you’ll have tools and equipment sitting on location. A self storage container stows these items when not in use. It’s a good way to maintain safety standards.

10. Helps with Downsizing

At some point, you might end up downsizing. A storage unit can help those efforts, especially during retirement. After all, you have lots of storage options to work with.

Try Self Storage Today

Self Storage comes with a wide variety of uses. They’re suitable for any situation. Consider using one whenever necessary.

Are you looking for more informative guides? Check out our articles for more.

Continue Reading

Meet Cole and Adela

Cole and AdelaWe have been wearing out our jandals (Kiwi for flip-flops) on our travel adventures around the world since 2009. We think our blog is thought provoking and a little witty. But we have been proven wrong before. Find out more about us here...

New on Four Jandals

What Are You Looking For?

Subscribe

See Our Favorite Topics