Welcome to Jess T.’s Tech Tuesday, where all your geek are belong to us!
Nowadays, everyone has a video camera. Whether it’s a fancy HD recording device or an iPhone, today’s technology allows everyone to be a filmmaker. Unfortunately, not everyone is a GOOD filmmaker.
Now, don’t get so offended. I don’t mean to single you out – you’re not alone! I myself almost always make “sucky” videos. With Facebook status updates, tweets and perpetual over-sharing dominating our culture, we just can’t fight the desire to show the world every mundane detail of our lives!
NEVER FEAR! Steve Stockman is here!
In Steve’s new book, How To Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck, he offers up tips and tricks of the pros – without tech jargon or confusing film school terminology. As Steve says, “Knowing how to work a video camera doesn’t make you a filmmaker any more than knowing how to cut with a scalpel makes you a brain surgeon.”
Not only is the book packed with clear and concise advice on how to take your videos from flop to fab – its also funny! I mean, the name really says it all. Here’s a couple of hints to get you started right away….
How to Shoot the Cutest Kids on Earth: Yours
• Think in Shots: Short, 5 second shots show us a lot, and keep others from being incredibly bored.
• Shoot at their level. Don’t shoot down at them, be with them. Much more interesting.
• Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes. You want memories…and kid’s lives are told through their faces. If you miss their eyes, you’re missing detail you’ll want later.
• Keep the video short. Your mother loves your kids, but if she’s bored, she’s just like you. It’s only one click from your link to Family Guy.
• Misbehavior is more watchable than good behavior. Which story do you tell: the night you were eight and sat down to a polite dinner, or the night your dad told a joke and your sister laughed so hard milk came out her nose? Shoot first, ask questions later.
• Use interviews. Kids say the darndest things, and all that.
Not only do I plan to put Steve Stockman’s words to good use, I plan to share them… with you!
We will be giving away 4 copies of How To Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck to 4 lucky readers.
Rather play it safe? Buy yours on Amazon!
But that’s not all…
To one lucky Grand Prize winner, we will be giving a copy of the book and a brand-spankin’-new Kodak Playsport Pocket Video Camera!!!
The Kodak Playsport
This HD camera can totally amp up your videos, is shockproof, dustproof and WATERPROOF up to 10 ft underwater, so you can film all your summer adventures! The Kodak Playport also comes with built-in editing software so you can trim videos, add voice-overs and more. If you’ve got an HDMI cable at home, you can use the HDMI port to hook the camera directly to your HDTV for the satisfaction of viewing your masterpiece on the “big screen!”
The four winners (chosen at random, thanks to random.org) of How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck are….
- SHALAH
- STEPHANIE E.
- AMANDA KLENNER
- BETSY HOFF
The GRAND PRIZE WINNER of a copy of Steve’s book and a brand new Kodak Playsport HD video camera is…
Congrats to the winners! Keep your eyes out for an email from us! Thanks so much to all those who entered and HUGE THANKS to Steve Stockman and Kodak for helping us with this awesome Tech Tuesday giveaway!
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74 COMMENTS
My kid just told me “Look at my poop mom, it looks like Jabba!” (the hut)… I need to be capturing this stuff, and doing it well.
I like Steve Stockman and MDM on FB.
Following Steve on Twitter and already following MDM on FB and Twitter. There have been so many times when my husband and I have looked at each other after our daughter said or did something and said, “wish we had that on camera”, and the Kodak looks like a great easy way to do it! We have an older video camera but its so hard to transfer videos that we just don’t use it!
I would LOVE to have this and be able to make wonderful videos of my 2 boys!!! I already take a million pictures of them, but need to master the art of great video making.
I “like” Steve on fb.
I follow Steve on Twitter.
I tweeted about the giveaway.
I like mdm on fb
I follow mdm on twitter
I follow MDM on Twitter.
I like steve on fb AND Would love this camera! I have been shooting videos on my camera on my phone but I would love to have some thing with better memory and storage capacity. Something I would not have to worry about running the battery down on. My little girl is growing so fast and I want to capture every moment! She is turning 1 on September 15 so wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a good video camera for her birthday? I would be so happy!
I “like” MDM on fb.
I already liked MDM’s, but I like SS on FB too – he’s got some really good tips :D
Also, waterproof camaras FTW!!!
I need to capture my two girls playing together. They can be so sweet and so devilish.
What a great giveaway :D
I like Steve Stockman on Facebook (Betsy Hoff)
I would totally out this to good use. I have a 1 year old daughter who lights up everytime the camera is pointed in her direction!
I like Modern Day Moms on Facebook (Betsy Hoff)
Liked Steve Stockman on FB.
Liked MDM on FB.
My kids are always on the go….some advice to get good video of them (not to mention a wicked cool new camera!) would be awesome!
Now that my kids are grown, I have taken the time to become a hospice volunteer. With this in mind, one of the things we enjoy most is providing a videotape to the family, capturing precious time the patient has spent with their friends and families before passing. Sharing this video with the family has become a joyful occasion and often helps the family heal. With several volunteers providing this service, it is difficult to capture the amount of interaction we’d like to because we only have one camera. Winning this camera would ensure a video session each time I visit a patient, therefore providing a little more time with that loved one to their family.
I have been following Steve on FB and comment on his tips through posting. I’m all for making videos that don’t suck! Especially videos as precious as these!
i follow steve on fb and twitter, i would use the camera to take video of my dog and my niece and nephews playing in the pool together!
sara (at) theniffs (dot) com
tweet 07-26-11
https://twitter.com/#!/sniffenegger/status/95964385352228864
sara (at) theniffs (dot) com
im following you on twitter sniffenegger
sara (at) theniffs (dot) com
i like you on fb
sara (at) theniffs (dot) com
I would share Steve’s book with my children, one in New York and one in Austin. Since we’re miles apart and now have 3D cell phones, we are trying to stay more connected through pictures and videotaping. I can’t begin to tell you what it does to a Mama’s heart to receive a video or picture of her babies who are so far away, only to receive it containing some obtuse video because something else caught their attention and they laid their camera down. Ugh!
In saying that, we could all benefit from the Steve’s wisdom since we’re such amateurs at taking and sending quality video. After all, having children so far away is tough. Having videos that suck is even tougher.
Liked him on FB! This is such an awesome giveaway. <3 You guys rock!
Tweeted:
@swedishfish176
Another giveaway from MDM?? I think so!
Following on twitter!
I would use the camera to capture my husband’s homecoming in two weeks! Also, my daughter is turning one next month and would, of course, capture as much of that as I could (while following his tips!). It’s hard living so far from family, and only being able to share her growing up through pictures and (often inadequate) camera-phone videos.
Liked Steven on FB. We have been talking about getting an actual video camera , but we can’t afford one :( We use our phones to record short video and a digital camera that doesn’t have enough space for lots of video. It would be great to record moments as my daughter grows. If I received the book it would definitely help make the most use out of the short videos we do record :)
I like MDM on FB.
I like Steve on facebook.
This video is all of the following: Informational, funny and totally relevant. Thanks!
Hey ladies! Im digging you on fb :)
Woohoo twitter friends :)
Steve is pretty awesome for offering his book for your giveaway!
i never carry purses so i love to see the camera could fit in a pocket or in the diaper bag without taking up tons of space. Looking forward to possibly seeing how we could create those great moments to share with other :)
http://twitter.com/#!/sexyplaydiva
My link for my tweet :)
I’d tape all of my sons crazy dance moves and after Dec the new baby!
I liked Steves page :)
I also liked you guys on FB and follow on Twitter
well, i can announce my being preggers through video on fb & twitter if i win the Kodak Playsport and i’ll def need Steve’s book to learn how to do it ther right way! ;)
NO! i’m not preggers yet, just preparing ;) lol
(yes! i did like steve’s page on fb and following on twitter)
We would put it to good use with our two and four year old. I love how small the camera is and I would love to learn how to take better video to capture all the precious moments that fly by too quick.
I liked steve on twitter and mdm on facebook.
i like steve and mdm and i tweeted and posted as fb update
I LOVE this camera! I can see us and any other adventurous families taking this camping, hiking and swimming! It also seems to be perfect for the urban families as well! Thanks for the info!
This camera looks awesome! With our first baby on the way I could see us using this from the first moments to our camping trips and adventures. What I really like is that you can use it in the water and it can take bumps- something you need if you like to hike like we do! Thanks for showing this camera to us!
I like MDM on FB :)
Liked Steve on FB . . . Shared giveaway on FB as well.
There are so many milestones that I would love to capture on video with my new little man, and the new exciting things Max is doing. . Swim lessons, preschool and all the great random things he is now sayig. With us being a very active family camping, swimming and so on this camera could take all the bumps and scrapes that others couldn’t!!
I liked him on FB: kim delatorre
I could certainly put his book and the video camera to good use! I need a new video camera and a guide to make great videos, so this would be so great to have. All my videos suck!
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/shopwithmemama/status/97164202090835968
Already follow you on Twitter: @shopwithmemama
Liked you on FB: kim delatorre
I liked Steve on FB.
I’d love to have the camera (and the help from Steve’s book!) to take vidoes of my three kids at soccer, gymnastics, school programs, birthday parties, family gatherings and just everyday life!
I liked MDMs on FB!
I would enjoy the Kodak Camera as I’ve seen my daughter with a similar one and she enjoys it
I like modern day moms on Facebook
I follow modern day moms on twitter
Went to Steves page on FB and honestly “liked” it” :)
Modern Day Mom’s is freakin’ wonderful….I heart this site so much!
I like Steve Stockman on fb (Shannons Funpage) and follow on twitter (MikeAWife)
My family would love this camera! We have 3 small kids who are always doing something cute that we would love to capture. Plus we don’t live near our parents and other family so it would be a great way to share with them- sending them videos. Thanks!
shannonsweep at gmail dot com
I like MDM on fb
shannons Funpage
shannonsweep at gmail dot com
Follow MdM on twitter
MikeAWife
shannonsweep at gmail dot com
I liked it all on fb:) I would LOVE to win the book and the camera! With two kids under 4 years old in the house, there are too many hilarious, interesting and unforgettable moments every day that I would love to capture(the right way)!
My son’s first birthday is coming up and this would be an excellent opportunity to use a fantastic camera and put a few words of wisdom to good use!
follow him on twitter.
we’d put it to good use by taking video of my son learning to walk and learning new words. we just use the video on our camera right now, and it’s not great quality.
follow moderndaymoms on twitter
”like” MDMs on Facebook.
http://twitter.com/#!/curious_kitty/status/98143524108763136
Where I’m not seeing the announcement?
Should be at the bottom of the page, where the entry information would normally be.
Thanks I looked a few times and it looked normal I went back and refreshed page again but darn I didn’t win :( Grats to those that did!!
We have a lot more things planned Sara! – Js
Thank-you!!!!! We are so excited about winning!
:)
YAY! Thank-you so much Modern Day Moms! We are so excited that we won and can’t wait to try it out!
Congrats Kellee!! – Js
Winners, don’t forget to check your email and write us back ASAP!