Preface

We live in an age where most every family in America owns a video camera and editing software, even if they never sought out either. Anyone with an internet connection can put their video online where it can be seen by everyone on the planet. The Web has given anyone who wants it access to far more information than any film school alone can provide. The world of video production has entered a golden age. There are no more excuses not to pursue whatever goals you hope to achieve with video. Videomaker has been there very step of the way.

In the late 1990 s, when the average middle-class American could purchase video editing software to run on the home computer they already owned, it was clear that we were entering a new era of video production. Consumer camcorders were already common, but with non-linear editors entering people’s homes, so too was a quality of production previously reserved only for professionals or those willing to spend thousands on dedicated equipment.

Consumer video production stayed at that point for about ten years, as individuals shot SD footage on their home camcorders and edited on their PC or Mac. In the last few years, however, we’ve seen a surge forward in the process of consumer-level video production. It’s a result of computers and cameras getting cheaper and moving into every electronic device in the home.

When The Blair Witch Project came out, people were amazed that someone could shoot an entire film that would be released worldwide, on a simple consumer camcorder. Today, an iPhone 5 could easily take better quality video and cost significantly less. The only reason, I believe, that we haven’t yet seen a nationally released film shot entirely on a smartphone is simply because an extreme upgrade in picture quality and functionality can be purchased for under $1,000.

The world of video production has never had a lower barrier to entry. With cheap cameras, this book, and the ever-expanding audience on internet, there’s no reason not to dive in.

Mike Wilhelm Executive Editor Videomaker Magazine