Izzy Video 25 - Interesting Lines
By | October 27, 2008
Izzy Video 25 demonstrates how using lines can create a more interesting image. This technique is an easy one to learn, and it’s one you can immediately use whether you’re shooting home or formal video. The principles of cinematography are universal.
This is the link to the video.
And again, thanks for all the amazing feedback. Every day I get many emails from new subscribers praising the series. I appreciate the feedback very much, and it motivates me to make more!
Once you’re done watching this video, you can also watch other free sample episodes.
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Izzy Video 6 - Fast and Slow Motion
By | October 27, 2008
This episode covers several different ways you can use “Fast Motion” and “Slow Motion” in your Digital Video.
It’s no secret that I love hearing everybody’s feedback. Thank you for all the compliments, and I certainly plan on posting many more episodes.
If you like the tutorials, and would like to support it, please refer your friends and family. Hopefully, they’ll find it useful as well.
I’m open to any feedback, or criticisms on how to improve. Please let me know if there’s something I can do to make these better.
You can get the high quality version of Izzy Video 6 here.
Once you’re done watching this video, you can also watch other free sample episodes.
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Izzy Video 106 - The Most Requested Topic: Green Screen aka Chroma Key Part 1
By | October 27, 2008
At long last, I have responded to the zillions of requests I have received from Paid Members and Free subscribers alike: “Izzy, will you please make an episode about shooting Green Screens?”
Not only am I answering this request, but I’m taking it a step further! I’m doing two episodes on Green Screens. Part one is all about shooting and lighting for green screens. Part two will come out in a couple days, and it will be about making the magic happen in post-production, keying out the green, and creating the final composite. Part one is free to everyone. Part two will be members-only. (It’s the last few days of the month, and I still need to release the second members-only episode for October.)
Some of the topics I cover in this episode are:
- Choosing a green screen
- The two highest priorities for chroma key work
- Reducing spill light
- Working in zones
- How different cameras impact the quality of the key
- Choosing colors
Between the two different episodes, I cover most of the mysteries regarding this difficult topic. I hope you find them useful.
You can watch the free version of the video here.
As always, the paid members can download an HD version of this video in the member’s area. To learn more about becoming an Izzy Video Member, please visit the membership information page.
Thank you, Izzy Video Members!
All of you who are paid members, I can’t thank you enough. Because of you, I have now been full time for three weeks, and it’s off to a great start. I have received many emails from members letting me know that they have noticed a difference in the production quality of the episodes I released. Thank you for noticing! I have certainly been devoting more time to the content.
Podcamp AZ is next weekend, Nov. 1-2
I’m doing two sessions at Podcamp AZ this year, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. I’m not sure how the sessions are scheduled yet, but I know one session will be a hands-on workshop on lighting for video, and the other session will be about how you can improve your online video. Both sessions will be one hour long, and the entire two day event is free (although donations are highly encouraged because the event is far from free to host). For more details on Podcamp AZ, check out the website.
Some Minor Changes to the Website
I read a book last week about optimizing websites for navigation among other things. Based on some of the ideas I picked up from the book, I made a few changes to the website. For example, there’s now a sitemap in the navigation menu that gives you one-click access to anywhere in the website. Another change is that every page has a “breadcrumb” at the top which tells you where you are in the overall website. Other changes include minor aesthetic changes for simplicity, testimonials, and some additional links to the membership information page.
Phew, that’s a lot of updating for one week! But I think I’m done. Thanks again for watching! And I’ll see you next time on… Izzy Video!
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Izzy Video 105 - Color Grading Workflow In-Depth
By | October 19, 2008
This week’s video tutorial is on the subject of color grading. Specifically, you get to see my entire workflow as I grade a casual video clip in Apple’s Color. Don’t worry about the specific application, though. Many of the concepts in this video should be universal among most color grading tools.
Some of the topics I cover are:
- Principles of Cropping
- Waveform Monitors
- Vectorscopes
- Primary and Secondary Color Grades
- HSL Keys
- Vignettes
This might be one of the single most educational episodes I’ve made so far. It certainly strays from the short, focused structure I typically use — it’s more than 20 minutes long. But I still tried to make sure it was packed with good, useful information.
And to top it all off, I’m releasing it under a Creative Commons License, so you can pass it around and share it as much as you would like.
You can get Izzy Video 105 here.
Because it’s a screencast, it only seems appropriate that I should also release it in a higher resolution to make the screen easier to see.
By the way, both of these are huge downloads, but I didn’t want to compromise too much on the picture quality, so I settled for big file sizes.
In Other News
I created a few buttons and badges (and the appropriate code) for you to post on a website, social network page, or whatever. For those of you who are fans of Izzy Video, please feel free to post them anywhere you would like. Here are some samples:
When you post these badges, you’re helping me spread the word regarding Izzy Video — Obviously that’s something I truly appreciate!
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Izzy Video 103 - Makeup for Video in Six Steps
By | October 8, 2008
This video bucks the typical Izzy Video style by being an epic 9 minutes long! But hopefully you’ll find it very useful information.
In this installment of Izzy Video, Noell and I cover the six steps of doing makeup for video (specifically for men). Because I wanted to make sure we covered several of the necessary topics, it was difficult to keep it short. I considered breaking this up into two episodes, but I think it works better as one, even though it’s a little long. What do you think?
For those of you with hands-on experience working with makeup for video, what additional comments and tips would you add? Please let me know in the comments…
You can get Izzy Video 103 here.
Once you’re done watching this video, you can also watch other free sample episodes.
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Huge News From Izzy Video!
By | October 8, 2008
Huge News From Izzy Video from izzyvideo on Vimeo.
Click here to watch the higher quality version of this video.
Noell and I have never been this excited. In two weeks we’re going to be full time producers of online video. Izzy Video has consistently grown over the years, but I’ve only been able to work on it in my spare time. I believe that by pursuing it full time, I should be able to develop it into what I really envision it to be: a rich resource for beginning and intermediate video makers (Experts hang around too, but they usually already know everything I do). 
Is it nerve-wracking? Of course it is, because it’s such a huge risk. I’m the sole provider for a family of five, so there’s certainly a lot of risk. But we’re both still fairly young. If we’re going to take some risk, now is the time to do it. Besides, it’s what we really WANT to do, so why not see if it’s possible?
And this brings me to how you benefit from the risk I’m taking. Because I need to maximize cash flow to help ease the transition from my day job’s steady weekly paycheck — to zero guarantee, I’m
posting a coupon code for 20% off an Izzy Video Premium Subscription. If you’re not currently a Premium Subscriber, you can use this coupon code to get a nice discount. If you are already a premium subscriber, then you have a couple options: You can use it to get a discount off a renewal, or you can forward this information to a friend with an interest in video, and they’ll immediately have an
additional way in which they will benefit from knowing you.
Here’s the coupon code for 20% off an Izzy Video Premium Subscription:
20B42
New Subscribers: Here’s where you go to use it, http://www.izzyvideo.com/membership
Current Premium Subscribers: Renew with a discount here, http://members.izzyvideo.com
Thanks for the support as always, and please wish us good luck as we pursue this exciting direction!
All the best,
Izzy
*By the way, the coupon is only good for six more days (through the 28th), so please act fast if you’re interested!
** Update **
Several people have asked me about renewing. If you’re already a premium subscriber, and you decide to renew to take advantage of the discount, then I will manually extend your subscription. So if you’ve only been subscribed for two weeks, and you want to extend a year, then I will extend your subscription by an additional year.
Also, you’re free to spread the coupon code to anyone you would like! It only helps us spread the word, and it gets your friends a nice discount!
Also, thank you everyone for the awesome support! It’s been a very exciting day seeing all the emails, new subscribers, and comments. I can’t tell you how much your support means to me (and us).
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Izzy Video 100 - Scary Stuff
By | October 8, 2008
What? 100 episodes? Already?
It’s pretty amazing that we’ve hit that mark. I don’t know how many video podcasts have released 100 episodes, but whether it’s a lot or a little, it still feels like a nice achievement. The truth is that I’ve had the time of my life assembling the last 100, and I’m ready to take on the next 100.
I wanted to do something a little different for the 100th episode, so I decided to make this tutorial about creating scary video. With Halloween less than two months away in the USA, it’s a good time for the topic.
You can get Izzy Video 100 here.
Seeing as how this is a special occasion, I thought I’d release the episode as a free one to everyone, in both the regular size as well as the high quality version for viewers interested in a better picture (and who don’t mind the bigger download).
Whether you are just discovering me now, or whether you have been with me since the beginning, I want to say ‘Thank You’. Without the Izzy Video audience, none of this would be possible. Thank you for watching. Thank you for the feedback. Thank you for the support.
I’m really looking forward to the next 100!
Once you’re done watching this video, you can also watch other free sample episodes.
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Izzy Video 95 - Tips on Posing
By | October 8, 2008
In this Izzy Video tutorial, I give some tips on posing. Paying attention to how you pose the subject of your video can make a difference in your overall image, and it also dramatically influences how they feel about the way they look in the video themselves.
Here is the link to the standard quality video.
And this is the link to the best quality video, which is an excellent example of what the premium subscribers receive.
Once you’re done watching this video, you can also watch other free sample episodes.
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Izzy Video 57 - “Analyze Motion” and “Match Move” in Apple’s Motion
By | October 8, 2008
You can create some interesting special effects in your videos using the behaviors “Analyze Motion” and “Match Move” in Apple’s Motion. Motion’s capabilities appear endless, and can be quite intimidating, but I keep things very simple in this video podcast.
This installment of Izzy Video shows you how to use Motion to create a “magic wand” out of a stick.
Here is the link to the video.
Once you’re done watching this video, you can also watch other free sample episodes.
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Izzy Video 34 - Outdoor Interviews
By | October 8, 2008
This Izzy Video brings together some of the concepts I have previously discussed.
Many people like to do their interview outside because they enjoy the look of sunlight more than tungsten lights. I prefer sunlight as well, but it can be difficult to work with such an uncooperative key light. Inside this video podcast are some ideas which can help you improve your outdoor interview imagery.
You can watch this video here.
Once you’re done watching this video, you can also watch other free sample episodes.
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