There are two core features that a still camera or video camera needs to do: Lock Exposure and Lock Focus - Open Camera performs these two beautifully (get Open Camera App in Play Store).
Back in the day, here were was no ‘auto exposure’ or ‘auto focus’. A photographer would have full control over what ended up on the film.
Recording decent audio is a vital, and as such a necessity. Get it wrong and your audience will leave you faster than a child when the ice cream runs out.
If a video is pretty rubbish to look at, but has great audio - it's watchable. If a video has fantastic looking cinematography but terrible audio where you cannot hear a mumbled word an actor says - you have big problems.
Update 11 Dec 17 - As the new lead slide shows, it's been ONE YEAR since I started using PowerDirector on Android.
In that time I've made around 200 videos using this App and all for a Grand Total of £10.74, see the breakdown:
5 Dec 16 - PowerDirector AndroidApp £5.00
27 Feb 17 - Fly Pack Vol 1 at £0.99
27 Feb 17 - Slide Pack Vol 1 at £0.89
8 Apr 17 - Slide Pack Vol 2 at £0.99
18 Apr 17 - Popup Pack Vol 1 at £0.99
1 Sep 17 - Transition: 3D-Like Pack 1 at £0.89
26 Sep 17 - Transition: 3D-Like Pack 2 at £0.99
timeline dec 16 to dec 17
Total Spend = £10.74 in one year
There are now 43 videos on the playlist, see below
After one year I am STILL using PowerDirector and would be lost without it
PowerDirector is easy and fast to use
The Voice Over feature is brilliant, clear and effective
I use text, slides, recording video, recorded android screens to make a decent message get out to people
However, I also use Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 13.0 on windows 10 too as some edits are better suited on desktop
Which also means I can easily make a short video by using Google Photos, Create a Movie thereby making PowerDirector a perfect middle ground between one click fast and in depth desktop video editing.
Lead image for video 25 12 May 17
12 May 17, update - There are now 25 help video that I've made, all on the playlist.
Image on the left, with the reflected tree in cinematic widescreen shows how far we have come.
As I wrote today in the video 25 youtube description, 'This cements PowerDirector as a really powerful video editor. Just perfect. If I were you - make a 100 videos using PowerDirector on Android and see where it takes you.
It's all about creating the right recipe of the tools, the features and the careful combinations of fine tuning that will help you, quite easily, make videos and films you are more than proud of.'.
Update 20 April 17, All videos on playlist now titled PowerDirector Android App 01 to 21. This is in line with official Cyber Link YouTube Help Channel also using the 'PowerDirector Android App' wording (see their 11 video playlist).
Introduction .. On this page, you will find all I have found out about what Essex Police Mobile first is all about, mixed in with my own thoughts, observations and of course resources.
It will also help me educate the Public, the Police and myself on what one simple mobile phone or tablet is capable of. Visible policing to me, is not an officer walking or driving down a street, it's having a realtime conversation with officer's in your area, pooling information and keeping up to date with changes and alerts in your area. Wifi access and quad core mobiles mean it's easier than ever before.
Of all the information in this old school station photo,
I value the wooden bench as the most important - a public
social meeting place, just like twitter
For the last six years, I’ve been following what the Police have been saying on Twitter. This blog has now passed 100 police labels.
What started out as pure curiosity has definitely not gone away, in fact I’m more obsessed than ever.
In that vein, I want to set out a new UK Social Policing Research Stall. I’ve called it The State of UK Police on Twitter as I really have no idea what’s going on.
After reading this post, you will be able to make your own screen recorded video, add music and share wherever you like.
In this example, I spotted something (like Essex Police on twitter reaching 200 accounts) and thought - how can I easily and quickly make something worthwhile and timely to tell this story. Something to look back in a while (in this example, Essex Police on twitter had about 104 accounts at the start of 2015, so 200 on 29 Oct 16 is a landmark).
I've used Google forms to make a ten question Quiz. This one is a test to see how well it's received. There is a mixture of fun and serious questions. What Google have done, is make it very easy to create and take the self marking multiple choice quiz.
John Motson with his copy of the #poltawards data sheet
Introduction .. Ten days ago I sent a few ideas to the Police Tweet Awards Team. In the email, I suggested how, with the 2016 Finalists now published, there maybe a ton of story telling opportunities.
On 7 Oct 16, I was delighted this tweet was made, 'Thank you @mikedownesz - Mike is helping @policeawards promote the awards finalists- looking forward to showcasing your work #poltawards'.
On Wednesday 31 August 2016, Episode Four CSI Forensics was broadcast.
There were eight videos and here they are, all in one place for easy viewing. At the base of this post is the trailer video and supporting introduction text.
if i could sing or play the guitar, i'd definitely go into the margaret glaspy business -- but i can't so, i'm stuck with writing, taking photos and making videos.
that all said, whatever we do, albeit creative or otherwise, have fun with it and feel the freedom.
All of us have been online for years now -- and in that time we collect links and vanity URLs. Some we use every single day and some we let fade like the horizon in a rear view mirror. I've a set of three that double to six (or treble to nine).
Here's the new youtube channel. In a Penn and Teller type way, I'll share it and some thinking behind what I did and why in the hope it may steer aspiring youtube creators to make one too.
Before you get started, have a read of this Creator lesson: Hook them with your channel trailer. Please don't follow it verbatim, rather choose the bits that you feel are most sensible and appropriate to you.
On Wednesday 15 June 2016, Episode Three was aired and hosted at the West Midlands Police dog training centre at Balsall Common with Supt Kerry Blakeman.
There were seven videos and here they are all in one place for easy viewing.
If I'm to give anything to UK Social Policing from now on, it's going to be on the side of innovation and making things happen that have either not been done yet or do not technically exist..
This post will make an argument for more UK Police Officers to be verified at Twitter as I believe an imbalance exists for certain key UK Officers
Where the slide on the left is really a part three where more or less by accident, I've made a pencil sketch of my last three year's videos, around 360 of them.
Chief Olivia Pinkney Hants not shown (3,012 followers)
As I've followed the UK Police on Twitter over the last five years, I've known some Chief Constables are there too - but no idea how many and how active until now.
No real in depth research as such, just made a list, followed a list made by NPCC and tried to fill in the gaps (You may notice 29 members, and I've included just 26 - the three I have missed are Isle of Man, Sovereign Base Areas Police in Cyprus and St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha).
This is a post was first published at: epLdc.blogspot.co.uk (edit 28 April 16, this website has now been archived, sorry about that - still exists, but as a private URL).
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This is short post based on some public observations on Twitter followers for 113 Essex Police UK Officers on twitter.
Kerry Blakeman has been engaging with the public he serves using live video broadcasts for five years.
In this latest example, Superintendent Kerry is using the new facebook live to deliver a set of ten broadcasts over the course of one evening (4.30 to 10pm, Wed 9 March 2016).
You can find all ten broadcasts at: facebook/wmp/videos or embedded in this post below.
In the previous blog post, I talked about the Laptop show as a concept. In this post, I'll be looking at the elements and how anyone can make a video series exactly the same as the Laptop show or on a topic of their choice.
Please define laptop as something that sits on your lap, or you can easily carry about with you.
Having made three videos recently showing a lighter side to the UK Police.
This post shows you how they were created and what they have in common.
I've used nothing more than public images from twitter, a video editor (Sony Vegas) and a lot of patience mixed in with careful observation and heartbeat.
Police Officer blogs are not new, but we're now in 2016 and with that comes the realtime web - which makes it faster and easier than ever before to get your message out.
Twitter seems to be by far the choice for Police and Law Enforcement (for named officer accounts). It's quick, easy and fits in your pocket.
