#10 Discover video sharing with YouTube

Hello again! I am rubbing my hands with excitement and glee because you are about to discover YouTube, a video sharing site. And it is so fun! As long as you have a decent web connection on your computer, that is. If not, it’s just maddening, because the videos just stop and start, so find a fast computer, maybe close out your other applications (Lotus Notes and Horizon take a LOT of memory) before you dive in. Most WCPL ones should work fine. I’ll wait.

Okay, good, you’re back. So here’s the scoop: Digital cameras all come equipped with the potential to make video. It’s different on every camera, but there is usually some kind of icon that looks like a movie camera or film strip. Set it to that and you aren’t taking pictures, you’re making a movie (you may need to read the camera’s instructions for more specific directions)! So, anyone with a digital camera can record and then upload to YouTube whatever they want to share with friends or the world. YouTube’s motto is “Broadcast Yourself”, and people are doing this en masse. YouTube is by far the most popular place to upload them. There are other sites: Funny or Die is one, but they are just imitators. YouTube does it best.

It used to be that if you wanted to be in movies or TV, you had to go to Hollywood and audition, audition, audition. Now, if you want to be in movies, you can write, direct, edit, and star in them yourself! A social site like YouTube democratizes film making, the way that blogs democratize publishing. And if something is good, it can catch on and get more and more popular until everyone in America is talking about it, such as the Thriller wedding dance.

The videos vary in length, from a few seconds to 30+ minutes, and they run the gamut of subjects. Some videos are just personal ramblings, some are amateur TV shows, some are people’s weddings, and most are just for fun. Basically, there is something for everyone, and you can search it just like Google to find something specific. It’s like TV, but with more channels, shorter shows, and fewer commercials. And, uh, less professionalism. Bear that in mind while watching videos.

So here’s the fun part. It’s time to watch some videos!
You might want to close everything else on your computer so that it functions at its fastest. Here are a few examples of the power of YouTube. Enjoy!

1. This is the most-watched video of all time. How many times was it viewed? Oh, only 76 million! So give The Evolution of Dance a try.
   
   
2. There are lots of music videos to watch. Try looking for you favorite artist. What’s that? You say you just loooooooove High School Musical? Don’t we all! Here’s a song from the first movie. (Is it there legally? I don’t know, actually, but most stuff up illegally gets taken down pretty quickly, so I would guess so.)
   
   
3. There are also videos of historical importance—they could help with homework assignments. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” speech, the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, and Zapruder’s film of the Kennedy assassination are all there. YouTube might even help you quickly find famous scenes from movies, music performances, and comedy bits.
   
   
4. And finally, there are the personal videos that people upload to share with friends and family. Someone I know got married this past summer, and a guest with snappy editing skills put this video together using her digital camera: Hmm, okay, it’s no Thriller; maybe you had to be there.
   
   
5. And, last but not least, I followed my own advice and used ERL’s digital camera to make a video myself. This was my first time, too, and I promise that it was painless. Here is the famous Ms. Angie Stephens leading a raucous group of storytime kids in that old standby, Heads, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes. Look at those little tykes move!
   

Your tasks:

• Watch a few (or all) of the clips linked to above. Now that you know how to comment, you comment on the clips at YouTube if you like.
  
  
• Browse some of the videos suggested on the YouTube home page.
  
  
• Search any topic that interests you and watch the videos that comes up.
  
  
• Grab the branch digital camera and make a short movie about anything. Then upload it to the WCPL Learning 2.0 YouTube account! I created a generic account for this project. Here’s how you do it:
  
  
  1. Record a video of anything, at home or at work. Remember to check your camera’s instructions for how to do it! And try not to make it too long (2-3 minutes is a good maximum).
     
     
  2. Download the video from the camera onto a WCPL computer. Again, check the instructions on your camera—each camera is different so I can’t give universal instructions, sorry! Find someone to help if you need to.
     
     
  3. In the top right-hand corner of any YouTube page, click on Log In. Username: wcpllearning Password: learning (all small letters)
     
     
  4. Again, at the top right, click on “Account.”
     
     
  5. Under “Manage My Videos”, click on “Videos, Favorites, and Playlists.”
     
     
  6. On the left side of the screen, click on the “Upload a video” button.
     
     
  7. Give it a title, description, etc., then click “Upload a video” again.
     
     
  8. On the next screen, click “browse”, find your video on the S drive or your local computer, and upload it! It takes a few minutes for it to appear, but it surely will, and all of us (plus the world!) will be able to see your “vision.”
     
     Note: you can’t edit your movie on the digital camera. Separate software is required, and, unfortunately, that is outside the purview of Learning 2.0. If your curiosity is piqued, try here to learn for yourself.
     
     
• Ready to branch out on your own and set your talent free? If you are feeling brave, why not go ahead and create your own YouTube account? Then you can share your videos with your friends, family, maybe even us!
  
  
• Post a comment to this post to tell us what you thought of YouTube and share any interesting videos you might have found.