Video instructions

 Video instructions

1/ WHAT DEVICES DO I NEED TO FILM AND SEND MY CREATION TO COOKSHOW ?

You will need three things:  A camcorder or equivalent, a personal computer and a high speed internet connexion.

CAMCORDER OR OTHER RECORDING DEVICE:  Hard to believe, but even if you don't have a camcorder you probably  have a tool to make a video. Can be a Webcam, a digital camera, a cell phone, a pda… so please check on your devices for the video recording feature. You will often be able to record in .avi or .mpeg format, which is perfect for Cookshow.

PERSONAL COMPUTER: In order to edit and send us your videos, we recommend that you first save it on a PC, as either .MOV, .AVI, or .MPG files (most common formats). Your device (excepted a cell phone or some pda’s will need a direct connection to your computer, either to the USB or FireWire ports or by inserting the DVD you've recorded. Once you've downloaded the video from your camcorder or equivalent, you can upload it directly to Cookshow or may choose to edit it before.

HI-SPEED INTERNET: As a Dial-Up is not fast enough for uploading videos, if you don’t have a fast  connection, think about family, friends etc. Also remember that many public spaces such as cafés, libraries, and hotels have wireless Internet access. If you're having trouble finding wireless service, many hotels and motels have a DSL service that you can plug into.


2/ FILMING: HOW CAN I MAKE A NICE VIDEO?

Filming require almost the same competencies as cooking. It is just about having the ability to teach and  share, a certain feeling for good things, and the respect of  timing. So don’t worry, you’ll easily succeed. Internet audience is used to shorten videos, so one advice: the shorter, the better (we recommend between 2 and 3 minutes for simple recipes).

Here are the keys for success:

DIRECTING: In order to succeed, you first need to plan. Always include and show i/ ingredients used for your recipe ii/ how you cook it iii/the nice result.  Ask yourself some questions. i/On the recipe or the trick you want to show: Is it video-friendly, not too long, understandable by other people like you …  ii/On the way to shoot: What do I need to get on the screen, when, how far, how long…  iii/On outside elements: light, noise, alone or with friends…  

SHOOTING: Be as smooth and as short as possible, always. Complicated images and frequent movement produce artefacts, dropped frames, and an overall bad quality. If you don’t need to move or are alone, you may use a tripod. If you do so, don’t hesitate to stop filming, move the cam to catch a detail and put it back on its tripod for wide views. Always think  i/ That your eyes are more powerful than any cam. Hence be as close as possible to what you want to show, and between moving the cam forward or using the zoom function, always choose the first solution. Be close and forget zooms. The simpler the light patterns, the simpler the images, whether moving or still.

LIGHTNING: One rule concerning lightning when filming: More is far better than less! Even if a big window may provide nearly all the light you need, (if they're on one side of your subjects), don’t hesitate to turn on all your lights. Remember the background: no sunny window should appear in the background of the subject you are shooting and don’t forget to light the whole environment.

SOUND: Most of the time the sound is too weak, the speaker is often too far from the camera and doesn’t speak loud enough.  Here are some tips for a good sound: i/ Script it before. ii/ Shoot with voice-overs in mind iii/ Match narration to visuals. iv/ Don’t be too far from the microphone and don’t be shy speak loudly. v/ Be short.  vi/ Emphasize.

EDITING/ POST PRODUCTION: This is the point that most worries all of us... Am I able to do it? Without any doubt, the answer is yes! We all have the tools without knowing it and they are now really easy to use.  Most new computers come with basic video-editing software included (like Apple's iMovie or Windows MovieMaker). Once you have copied the video from your camera, camcorder, cell phone … to your computer, you can bring the video into these programs. Most allow you to not only edit the video, but also to add effects, titles, and music to make your video look and sound more interesting. The most important thing is rhythm. Always think about it, find yours and don’t hesitate to cut what you filmed. Keep only what is useful and interesting to watch. Last but not least, don’t forget to add titles, subtitles and advertise your site, blog, restaurant or company.

We recommend that your videos don't exceed 4 minutes. You don't want to bore your public, do you ?


3/  UPLOADING YOUR VIDEOS TO COOKSHOW

Once you finish and are ok with the result, you will need to save the video in a format that Cookshow can accept to upload. It is quick and simple.

You need to give some  information about your video, and if you want (optional), write a quick  summary of the recipe you have chosen to film. If you’re not sure to have time to upload or wish only to start the process, Cookshow gives you the opportunity to save information or/and text you wrote and upload your file (video) later.

FORMATS: We recommend that you save your videos as either QuickTime .MOV, Windows .AVI, or .MPG, MPEG4 files which are the most common formats, but we accept many other formats.
Sizes:  640x480 or 320x240 resolutions are the most adapted, with 25 frames/second.


4/  MAKING YOUR FILM POPULAR AND EASY TO FIND

Once you have uploaded your video, your success (good rankings, many views and comments) will not only be due to the visual quality of your film. It is one of the keys of course, as you don’t want to watch a shaking video with awful sound, no rhythm, bad colors and so on...

But remember that accuracy of information besides the video will help you to be seen: When you upload your video, we require you to fill some information and enter at least one tag to describe its content. You may put many tags in relation with your recipe or trick. Adding this information helps other Cookshow members find your film, so if you want an audience, help them out! The more accurate the tags, information, title of your video and written description of your recipe or trick, the easier it is for everyone to find what they are looking for.

If you have any doubts, any questions about all these aspects, please don’t hesitate to ask us at:
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