Video Editing Project with Video Toolbox

Usually, I use iMovie to create my instructional video. I have not heard of Video Toolbox before taking IT 644.  According to class material, Video Toolbox is a free online editing video. Video Toolbox offers many useful features such as video file conversion, cutting / splitting the video, extracting video / audio / subtitles from a video, making thumbnails of the video, adding subtitles / audio streams, cropping video, and adding watermarks.  300 MB is the limited size of file allowed by Video Toolbox.  Video Toolbox also supports variety video formats including 3GP, AMV, ASF, AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, M4V, MP4, MPEG, MPG, RM, VOB, and WMV.

The requirements of this project were to use Video Toolbox to create an instructional, promotional, commercial, or business video. We were required to merge at least 2 video clips together and one of them has to be captured with your digital camera, digital video camera, or digital camcorder. The length of our final video was between 2 to 5 minutes. A text watermark had to be added in the final video. Also, we were required to save our final video in one of these formats (AVI, MOV, MPG, MP4, and WMV). Then, we had to upload our video to YouTube and then embed your YouTube video into our class online social networking site.

I found that Video Toolbox is very easy to use. Each function is straightforward; however, times to complete each task are varied depending on the size of video file. Another limitation is duration period that Video Toolbox allows users to keep the file in their storage. For this assignment, Dr. Yuen has listed all useful information in class video tutorials:

• Add watermark text to a video file
• Merge several video files into a single track
• Convert a video file in simple mode
• Convert a video file in advanced mode
• Cut a video file in simple mode
• Cut a video file in advanced mode
• Demux video files (extract audio, video or subtitles from a file)
• Take video snapshots (make video thumbnails)
• Crop video by trimming out the unwanted video area

         I decided to create a video tutorial about 3D body scanner.  I use flip camera to record the tutorial.  Then, I utilized Video Toolbox to split the video, extract audio from a video, merge video clips together, and add my name as a text watermark. My experience with Video Toolbox has been pleasant until I encountered with adding audio stream of my voice narration that I used Audacity to record.  For long period of time, I have not successfully added my audio steam. Therefore, I posted my problem on class social networking site in case any of my classmates or Dr. Yuen has any idea on how to fix this problem. At the end, I decided to upload my final video to YouTube and add a music provided by YouTube before embedding my final video in class social networking website.

Recently, I attempted to finish my 3D body scanner video tutorial.  I wanted to add my original audio steam to my final video. However, it took so long to upload my video to Video Toolbox. Actually, Video Toolbox failed to upload my video twice. Nevertheless, I refused to give up. Couple days later, I had an alternative idea. I decided to upload my YouTube video version to Video Toolbox. It took only couple minutes. What an excited moment!!! Next, I extracted an audio from a video and added my original audio steam to video. I converted my final video into several video formats and uploaded it to YouTube as well.

           Even though I encountered problem while using Video Toolbox, I still believe that Video Toolbox is a very useful and powerful tool for video editor. I foreseen many benefit of Video Toolbox for Fashion Merchandising program. I plan to put together a video of both alumni and current students discussing about why choose our FM program. I will ask our alumni to either use webcam / smart phone / digital camera to record their opinion about our FM program. At the same time, I will ask for volunteer from our current students to use the same method of recording their perspective of our FM program. I intent to teach the FM ambassadors how to use the Video Toolbox web application. Therefore, they will be the one to create this video project through Video Toolbox.