7 Ways to Create Video Without a Video Camera

There's no question that video has mushroomed into a massive new communications and marketing opportunity. What some people may not realize is how inexpensive it is to create short videos for instructional, promotional or educational purposes.

During a recent speaking engagement, I told the audience that they could create their own videos at almost no cost and they didn't even need a video camera. Of course, I got a few stunned looks, but it's true.

Let me explain.

---

Video does not have to be a talking head or action sequences from a sporting event to be effective. Here are just a few examples of creating short, informative videos without a traditional video camera:

1. Turn a PowerPoint presentation into a video. Create your slides, add some narration and convert to a video file. 
2. Create a video with a series of still photos. Add a little bit of movement to the images (zoom in or pan across) and you've got a Ken Burns' style video.
3. Use a no or low cost video editing software program to create a video with nothing more than a series of text and graphic images, much like a PowerPoint presentation. 
4. Use an online presentation program such as Sliderocket to create slides and audio which can be converted to a video format and embedded on your website or blog.
5. Use your laptop webcam to record yourself talking about your subject. Edit the open and close and you've got a quick informational video.
6. That still photo camera you own probably has a built-in video feature. The quality is more than acceptable, as you can see in this video which I recorded while I was on vacation.
7. Your smart phone probably records video. Use it to capture a spur of the moment event or, if it's good quality, record your entire video. The new iPhone 4S shoots superb 1080p HD video.

So, there's no reason you can't create low-cost videos for your website or blog. It's just a matter of taking the time to learn how these options and techniques work and decide what you want to create.

Let me know if I can help. Contact me at [email protected].