So what is a Prosumer? Are you a ProSumer? Prosumer stands for Professional Consumer. So what the heck is that? Well lets start with who is not a prosumer.
Its not just about money - but it is a factor. There are many prosumers who make money with their craft - but then again, there are skilled prosumers who do not make money and create video out of love for the art.
If you are just starting out shooting video, you are not a prosumer. If you have been shooting video for years, capturing movies of your kids, vacations and trip, and then NOT editing it or putting it up on the Internet to share, then once again, you are NOT a prosumer.
If you crawl the net, looking for funny clips and excepts from TV shows, and then re-post them to YouTube, you are not a Prosumer Video creator.
On the other end, if you make videos and movies that get distributed on thousand of big screens worldwide or your shows are regularly seen on the big broadcast and cable networks, I would not include you as a prosumer either. You are a pro.
Advertising and commercial production houses are also not prosumers - unless their work looks really amateurish - then again, some big name video production facilities have deliberately made cheap "homemade" looking videos in order to capture the "viral" video space.
That leaves a vast cornucopia of video and film makers who may be considered as prosumers.
This includes:
Independent film and documentary makers who are aspiring to becoming professional broadcast and Hollywood talents - may, until they become rich and famous, may be considered as prosumer.
Businesses who use video to promote their products, their technologies an messages - once again these type of users can be lumped into he prosumer space.
Wedding and event videographers often get tossed into the prosumer space - even if some of their skills far outweigh the "professional movie or film maker. So it goes...
Experienced amateurs and hobbyists - who have a good camera, use a microphone to capture high quality sound, know how to edit to create interesting productions with a beginning, middle and end, these too can be included into he prosumer bucket.
So, are you a prosumer? Would you like to be a better prosumer?
Here is a collection of articles that may be of value to prosumers. We have split them into several sections -
Video making Tips and Tricks - this includes video editing, shooting, audio capture, etc. Also how to select and camcorders and accessories.
Business Video - How you can use video to promote your business, your technologies and your messaging. This is of value to people designing and making widgets as well as politicians and aspiring comedians who want to do more than just perspire on stage in front of an empty room
You will note that there is some overlap between sections and some articles may be duplicated. Also, feel free to comment and to suggest/submit articles. Some of our articles are staff written, some are contributed bylined pieces, and some are harvested from other sources.
If you want to make movies - on a budget - you got to check out this site!
DIY filmmaking guru Erik Beck and his build team show you how to recreate a new special effect for cheap every Monday on Backyard FX. Whether it's a viewer request or an effect from the latest Hollywood movie, BFX recreates it for $50 bucks or less. Additional segments on Backyard FX include Hollywood FX, where Erik visits top special effect studios, and Your FX, a show highlighting thousands of viewer-contributed tips and films.
Twittervlog.tv personal directory of video blogs and video podcasts - This is a ongoing listing - a work in progress - many of the world's top individual video bloggers listed in alphabetical order - The best VideoBlogs & Video Podcasts
How to use Video in the new Firefox 3.5 browser - You can now embed Internet video in a web page- just like an image - plus you can add effects
Starting with Firefox 3.5, you can embed a video in a web page like an image. This means video is now a part of the document, and finally, a first class citizen of the Open Web. Like all other elements, you can use it with CSS and JavaScript. Here is how to do it
Sometimes you want to capture a simple video and audio scene directly to your computer's hard drive rather than capturing it to tape or to camera storage media, and then going through the capture and transfer process. Here is a cool little tutorial from Adobe about how to use Adobe Premiere to shoot video directly to your hard drive. If you don't have a good web cam or want to get better quality than you can get with a web cam, it makes sense to use your video camcorder to shoot simple talking head videos.
Guide to Time Code for Shooting on Location Video - Time-code is the reference point on the tape or hard disk that follows right through the whole production process. Lots of people rely on it and if it goes wrong, becomes nonsequential, or jumps, then it affects viewing, off-line editing, graphics, sound dubs, and on-line editing and causes an awful lot of bad language from video editors. more
Attaching multiple wireless microphones to a video camera can be a daunting prospect for the uninitiated. This guide was created to show you the ins and outs of using these systems successfully with your video camera.
The new Gotuit VideoMarker Pro™ is an application for publishers to package and present their broadband video libraries with a new level of rich video metadata that drives greater traffic, longer session times, and superior monetization. more
Lighting for Interviews Do you know how to light an interview properly for video? How to use a softbox - fill, main and fill.
A Look at 3:2 Pulldown - 24 frame production in a 30-frame world. All about Drop frame versus Non-Drop Frame
The Lone Videographer Record professional sound without a dedicated sound engineer How to record audio using a boompole and a shotgun microphone with a video camera when you are working alone.
Canon Vixia HF10 vs. Sony HandyCam HDR-CX7 As seen on CNET TV Prizefight: Flash-based HD camcorders - Brian Tong brings you a showdown between two of the top flash-based consumer high-definition cameras. Which camcorder is best? Watch this video
The Plug-In Pavilion - The editor's tools: 3D compositing, titling, FX creation, lighting, color-correction and more with BorisFX, Graffiti 5.1, Red 4, and Boris Blue 2.
Green Screen Tutorial - all about how to set up and use green screen for fun and dramatic video effects. Put your subject on the moon, in Paris or anywhere you can imagine. more
How to preview HDV in Realtime - Many video producers are switching from SD to HDV and are finding out that their current systems are unable to preview out to an external monitor. There are several hardware solutions on the market that can make an HDV workflow run as smooth as your existing SD system. This article explores the various options for creating a real-time preview out on either a Mac or PC with either a PCI Express or external solution. more
Streaming and Digital Media by Dan Rayburn is an outstanding book for those who not only want to understand how the technology works, but want to know how THEY CAN MAKE MONEY with Internet video and streaming TV. Discover how new video distribution channels & devices are affecting your content business - Learn what you should pay for online video services and what you should expect in return - Read real-world ROI case studies of what has worked and what hasn't across b2b and b2c verticals more
If you want to make money making Internet video, you got to read this:
Getting Paid: Sites that Help Video Producers Make Money - Compiled by Scott Kirsner (Editor, CinemaTech) - New revenue opportunities are emerging with the recent boom in video viewing on the Web. On this chart, I've tried to list all of the Web sites that enable independent video producers to make money from their work. I've ranked the sites subjectively, based on how much traffic and buzz they've been attracting, and also how likely it seems that a video producer would actually manage to earn a significant return by posting a video to them. (Media companies with large libraries have a wider range of options for monetizing their content, including Apple's iTunes Music Store, Movielink, and Vongo.)
All About Time Code- Time code synchronization is still a big mystery for many audio and video professionals, and as today's Audio and Video technologies continue to integrate, having a basic understanding of time code has become more and more essential for both studio and field production. The good news is that the basic principles are really straightforward and easy to familiarize yourself with. This technology isn't exactly cutting edge; it was developed in the early Sixties to provide a kind of "virtual sprocket" for frame-accurate editing of videotape. more
How to convert animated GIF files into Flash with WildPresenter
This tutorial will show you how to convert animated GIF files into Flash with WildPresenter. The default WildPresenter image importer imports GIF files (and other image files) as a single frame. more
If you are a video or film pro, you should check out this short article about "Drawn By Pain". This is the inside story of how writer/director Jesse Cowell brought his 12 part Net miniseries to the internet video screen. Good stuff. Read the article and then watch the video.
Are you trying to do cool chromakey effects? Trying to put your actors and friends in strange and far away locations without leaving the set? Check out this article all about how to light for Green Screen or Blue Screen effects. more
A famous film-maker a while back said something about 'Everything you need to know about film you can learn in a week.' He was being generous. You can learn it in 10 minutes.
Need to master the essentials of making video without having to crack open a book or take a bunch of classes? Here is a great Mini-Guide that gathers together a list of totally free online video resources for anyone looking to learn something without having to pay for the privilege. As Web 2.0 evolves into a democratic, largely social landscape, online video proves itself to be a great asset in collective knowledge-pooling. more
Do you want to learn Adobe Premiere Pro but don't want to pay an arm or a leg? Check out the video-tutes.com site and pick up some free Premiere tips and tricks. Well presented, clear and precise. They are in the process of beefing up this section but the existing tutorials are excellent.
If you are a video producer or film maker, you might want to check out The WebVideoZone (www.WebVideoZone.com). This is a members only resource that offers tools, tips and tutorials to help businesses get better results with internet video. One of the most popular features is their Web Video Player, an FLV video player that makes it easy for anyone to add interactive web video to any site.
Do you want to know the down and dirty details of what it takes to get an indie film made? TALES FROM THE FRONTLINE OF INDIE FILMMAKING & OTHER ASSORTED TIPS FOR THE ASPIRING MOVIEMAKER, that has a bunch of articles and also stories of Peter John Ross's adventures as a filmmaker. From how he met his girlfriend through to how Horrors of War got started. It’s his E! TRUE NOT-HOLLYWOOD STORY “tell–all” book.
Canon's new three-CCD HD camcorders – the XH A1 and XH G1 models - provide broadcasters, cinematographers and production facilities with a full line of professional, high quality, low cost HD solutions. Broadcasters, Event videographers, and cinematographers with tight budgets will appreciate Canon's flexible, powerful and feature rich XH A1 and XH G1 HD camcorders. Whether on set, in the field, or shooting a feature film, these two camcorders offer selectable frame rates and deliver stunning 1080i HD video. more ORDER YOURS NOW
Are you working with Vegas Video and want to become an expert? Checkout the two new Sony Certification programs for Vegas software
Are you working with Adobe Premiere Pro and need more info about how to author and make DVDs? checkout this video tutorial. Creative Cow leader Aanarav Sareen takes users through the new DVD authoring capabilities of Premiere Pro 2.0. While Premiere Pro 2 may not replace Encore DVD, for many tasks it is a fast and powerful way to get client previews and many other jobs, done quickly with a professional look and feel. Here's how in just a few minutes...
Get a Tripod - Please!!! Does your video make your viewers sea-sick? As basic as it may be to pros. Novice videographers tend to take the easy route and free hand everything. No matter how steady your hand, or how super duper your image stabilization feature. A good quality tripod is the anchor of a smooth video shoot. A tripod is not "training wheels" for your camcorder, but rather an essential extension of it. A good tripod is equally as important as your video light or external microphone. more
AfterEffects Tutorial - Make Scary Type
From Creative Cow
Horror Text on the Wall - Part 1 - In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to make ''Horror Movie'' style text appear on a wall
Horror Text on the Wall - Part 2 - In this video tutorial, Creative Cow Leader Aharon Rabinowitz shows you how to make the horror text from part 1 run down the wall slightly, as if bleeding.
The Short Film Network (www.ShortFilmNetwork.com) was recently
launched to create a mainstream distribution channel for the best
short films. Instead of you searching for the best short flicks,, they'll
create and send you the best shorts on a compilation DVD every month
direct to your home. If you are a filmmaker, you might want to contact them and submit
your work.
Are you a filmmaker looking for some great real world tips on how to create an independent film? If so, or if you are just curious about what really goes on behind the scenes during the filmmaking process, please take some time to visit the Horrors of War movie site. The brain child of writer - producer - director Peter John Ross, this site was developed to promote the film, Horrors of War, that was co-directed by John Whitney and produced by Phil Garrett and Sean Reid. The short "making of documentarie"s are GREAT and should be seen by everyone who dreams of making their own flick, as well as those actually in the biz.
Are you a struggling filmmaker or video maker trying to get your web show up and on the net? Check out the story of how Justin Kownacki managed to get his ongoing web based program completed and his trials and tribulations.
Something to Be Desiredis a web comedy about a group of DJs at Pittsburgh’s struggling WANT FM. Now in its third season, the show has blossomed from an online experiment into a regular destination for college students and office workers alike. But bringing a web sitcom to life is not without its challenges, particularly when the cast and crew are volunteering and the budget is anything but big. more
Do you want to learn how to set up a car chase, make a realistic-looking alien, stage a fistfight, create atmospheric lighting, and/or correctly use special effects?
"Digital Video Production Cookbook" (Kenworthy, O'Reilly, US $29.95) will show you how to create sophisticated-looking visual effects, dramatic shots, and powerful sequences using low-cost methods adapted from high-end professional techniques. more
If you are an independent film maker, using the web to help promote your film is essential. Check out how the makers of "Formosa" created a simple but effective site that features the trailer for Formosa. Director Noah Kadner had a strong desire to shoot 35mm film but lacked the requisite finances. “When I first heard about the Panasonic SDX900 camera I became very excited, because I saw that it combined 24p, Cine-style lenses, native 16:9 CCDs and high quality compression.
This is a great story. You can create great looking video movies using DV and desktop video editing software. And - you don't need a million dollars. "Revelations" is definitely one of the best Star War's Fan Film out there. Read about how Shane Felux and his wife Dawn Cowings spent three years and $20,000 of their own money to make our own Star Wars fan film, titled Revelations, distributed for free over the Internet. They had some help - Adobe software and hundreds of people from around the world contributed their time and talent to make this project a reality. Great editing and wonderful effects - more
All about Streaming Video and Net Video. Check out Doug Dixon's 2005 guide to what you need in order to watch and create streaming video. For both beginners and professionals. more
Are you looking to produce your own films and videos? You got to get organized. Check out this article about organization, planning and shot lists from the master of independent film, Peter John Ross of Sonnyboo.com more
Are you trying to become a movie star or a least a famous video or film producer, director, hyphenate or whatever? Are you wondering what it takes to become successful in Hollywood, New York City, or other media center. Check out the Nobody Wants Your Film site - aside from featuring some entertaining and funny video clips, this is a great example of extremely creative web design and marketing.
Are you a producer or a creator of videos or films? If you are looking for a brilliant way to use the web to help market your film or DVD, make sure you check out the Gone 2 The Dogs website. Built to promote sales of their video CD, they have incorporated exceptional design, creativity and even a wonderfully cute game - What kind of Dog Are You, to generate leads and sales. Gone to the Dogs is a surreal comedy about the trials of canine metamorphosis.
Forget Film School! - Learn to make movies by watching DVD commentary tracks - another great Peter John Ross article
Are you looking for a good way to help raise funds to produce your film? Have you thought of selling credits on your film via E-bay. more
Are you a lighting designer or cinematographer? Need to know more about how to create art with lighting? Check out "Placing Shadows - Lighting Techniques for Video Production", by Chuck Gloman.
A mix of theory and practical applications, Placing Shadows covers the physical properties of light and the selection of proper instruments for the best possible effect. For the student, advanced amateur, and pros trying to enhance the look of their productions, this book examines the fundamentals and is also a solid reference for tips on better performance. Get Placing Shadows: Lighting Techniques for Video Production, Second Edition from Amazon
The new Spring 2004 MovieMaker includes exclusive interviews with Mark Ruffalo, Lars von Trier and Charlie Kaufman, as well as a special focus on screenwriting, tons of festival coverage and much more.
Film Maker Special - promote your film or independent movie/video web site for just $50 for three months! You get your banner ad posted on three of Internet Video Magazine's most visited pages.
Streamload is an online subscription service that enables you to send, receive, access, and share digital files of any size. Access your files from anywhere at anytime. For as little as $4.95 per month enjoy unlimited online storage for all your files; you just pay to access them. You can now get 10 Gigs of storage for FREE. Click here to open a free unlimited file storage account!
If you are interested in getting started in creating your own video blog, the new Vlog It software from Serious Magic may be just the tool you need more
If you are making independent films, documentaries or industrial/commercial projects, the most difficult aspect of the business is distribution.
Checkout this new offer by CustomFlix. It's pretty cool. Their new On-Demand DVD Publishing service now offers distribution opportunities with top retail and rental programs including Walmart.com, Wal-Mart DVD Rentals, Amazon.com Marketplace, Amazon.com Advantage, Netflix, CinemaNow, GreenCine, Froogle, and Yahoo!Shopping. more
Looking to put together a video editing system and you're not a computer tech? Buy it ready to go. Pre-configured and tested.
How to edit using Adobe Premiere Elements 4 and Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 - A guide for the Creative Video Maker
Transferring Old Analog Video to DVD - How to transfer your old videos to DVD
technologies continue to integrate, having a basic understanding of time code has become more and more essential for both studio and field production. The good news is that the basic principles are really straightforward and easy to familiarize yourself with. This technology isn't exactly cutting edge; it was developed in the early Sixties to provide a kind of "virtual sprocket" for frame-accurate editing of videotape. 
If you are interested in getting started in creating your own video blog, the new Vlog It software from Serious Magic may be just the tool you need 
