Which Video Software To Use For Your Web Video

The term ‘video software’ is like a magician’s hat. In one instant it is the software that converts a WMV video to MP4 flash, in another it is none less than a full video studio like those by Corel or Sony Vegas, and in yet another instant an FLV video player is taken as a video software.

The list doesn’t end here. You need video software to burn recordings to a DVD, and you need one to make screencasts. And yet…yet there are many, many other types of video software that do not come to limelight and so remain largely unknown.

Amid all these heaps of video software where each claims to be different from the other, is it possible to find out which are the ones that are perhaps more useful for making web video?

I guess it is, and in this article I’m going to tell you the 4 video software for Windows mostly used by us at 2WebVideo. Truth be told, we use more than 30 software among which many top ones are free – yes FREE, you read it right.

All those are there in detail in our course on learning to make training videos. For now, let me come to the 4 that are like pivots in our daily workings with web video.

PowerPoint

PowerPoint is easily the most preferred slideshow software out there. It is versatile, but more importantly, it is easy to use. If you’re adept in using computer but haven’t ever used PowerPoint, you’ll still take no more than say half an hour to turn up a reasonably good slideshow.

No wonder PowerPoint is a big favorite in the student community, and even among professionals who use it routinely for making presentations.

However, for all it matters, PowerPoint is less appreciated as great web video software. Slideshow comes naturally using PowerPoint because that is how it is structured. But, what if you can make flash-like animation with it?

Expert users can work wonders with PowerPoint what with the advantage of embedding audio and video in it. Adding to that if you can convert PowerPoint to other formats like WMV or MP4 flash (taught at the video production course), there is no stopping you from creating appealing web videos.

Critics may say why the necessity to convert PowerPoint slideshow when you can easily upload it to hosting sites like AuthorStream, SlideBoom, SlideShare, or SlideRocket.

Agreed, but the point is when you convert to other formats you can leverage the unique possibility of combining it with other forms of web videos. As for that, PowerPoint is a very useful tool indeed.

KoolMoves

Ever thought of making flash movies if you haven’t ever done any graphics? Perhaps not, but if yes, just banish it.

In other words if you are a novice, having always done the ‘writing’ thing on computer and not much else, you are still the perfect person to create a flash movie in under half an hour. With KoolMoves. It’s as easy as that.

Many people I meet know about PowerPoint, but whenever I bring the subject of making flash movie, they clearly feel uncomfortable. The truth is you don’t need to have any extra skill – certainly not the programming languages – to make flash movies with KoolMoves.

And guess what, in all likelihood your flash movie may turn out much better than what you had hoped for. Take my word on it.

Camtasia Studio

If there is one main pivotal video software among the 4 on which our video production efforts stand firm, it is Camtasia Studio. Note it is called a studio, and so it is because Camtasia caters to a wide gamut of video needs.

Of course the primary function is to make screencasts, that is recording whatever unfolds on the computer screen. But Camtasia Studio has many more functions like video and audio editing, adding effects like callouts, zoom-n-pan, tilt, and so on. All of those increase the value of the web video you make.

There is more. Conversion of AVI/WMV videos to flash format is something that Camtasia does with great élan, especially to now-popular highly concise MP4 file.

If you ask me which software I’d rather be not without, it’ll be Camtasia Studio. In our video production course we’ve covered the main basic uses of Camtasia Studio in fair details.

Vegas Movie Studio

While the preceding 3 video software help you create one or other types of videos from scratch, Vegas Movie Studio is essentially a video editing software.

Usually, you will bring in a videocam movie on to its timeline, and then add pizzazz with transitions, titles, and special effects. When complete you can easily share it in online sharing sites, or even burn it to your own DVD.

We at 2WebVideo use Movie Studio for other purposes as well. It is where I can make a still picture zoom and pan ever so gracefully (better than Camtasia Studio) that it appears as if it is originally a video.

There is a wide range of transitions to choose from (once again better than Camtasia Studio), and what’s more you can make texts animating to your heart’s content.

In fact we have made several videos with only Vegas Movie Studio that have been acclaimed by many.

Any Other Video Software?

But of course you’ll need other video software for some of your typical needs. Take for example audio recording, editing, leveling, mixing 2 or more tracks, and above all playing it in the website with a start/pause/stop player.

Did you say a separate audio software is not needed for making web video? I’m afraid you’re wrong. Whatever audio ‘facility’ a video software may offer, you’ll surely need a standalone audio software for finer output.

I lay stress on audio software because it’s an inseparable part of a video, but you will also need a few more software for image editing, bringing perfection to video recording, adding more video effects, adding such needs like flow charts, online quizzes, and suchlike, converting video formats (even if you have Camtasia Studio), and so on.

Our video production course not only tells you the main video software, but also explains how to use them for your myriad video needs.

Here is wishing you all the best for your web videos.