How To Create a YouTube Stamp Video
Omar Rodriguez, APS E-Xpress
With a little patience you may be able to upload your video TODAY!!
If you use your PC a lot, this will be a breeze. If not, it might take a little patience on your part. But at the end of the road not only you will have surely contributed to our cause, but also you will have been empowered with a modern tool.
Janet Klug and Wade Saadi report they were able to complete the whole thing in a few hours. So don’t dispair. You can do it!!
What we are looking for:
We need many videos in the internet that will show non-collectors how interesting stamps are, and how they relate to topics that they are interested in. Your end product should be:
- Short. Attempt to keep your video around 2 minutes long. The attention span of internet audiences is truly very short.
- A simple storyline illustrated with stamps, covers or cancels. Not a detailed or exaustive account of the topic.
- Targeted to non-philatelists of all ages. They will find your video when surfing in the internet while looking for information about the subjects they are interested in. So simplicity is critical. They will find your video because of the “tag” words that you yourself will enter when you upload your video in YouTube. (which is free). So think of words describing your subject that those non-philatelists will likely use to surf in the internet. You can use many different “tag” words. The more you use, the more likely your video will hit a potential future stamp collector. Wade explains very well how to focus your story in the Challenge.
- Your video should not be just the pages of your stamp exhibit. Instead, it should be a storyline of a topic you care about illustrated with very selected stamp related items. It is key that the video has some form of narration.
- Avoid images or music which are copyright. If in doubt, don’t use them. (e.g. Janet tells me that US stamps from 1970 on should not be used without USPS permission). She also recommends music that is specially available to be downloaded free of charge.
- The closing of the video should give viewers who like the idea of collecting stamps where to start, such as the following APS links. This one, Learn About Stamps, is a new finding guide for beginner collectors that goes live this week. It is the result of a one year project with the collaboration of APS/NPM/PH to help grow our hobby.
- If you have concerns about becoming anonymous when uploading your video in YouTube, do not include in your YouTube account any personal information you don’t want others to have on line. When you open your YouTube account (for free) you can choose whatever screen name you want. Janet has had so far 1,600 hits in her cats video and has not received any spam mail yet. She thinks YouTube does a good job of protecting privacy.
STEP BY STEP PROCESS
I recommend you first look at Janet’s and Wade’s videos before you start, Janet’s was created without a camera using scans of images on Powerpoint, while Wade’s added short video images made with a simple video camera. Their videos can be see in in the following links Janet’s and Wade’s.
Then look at the following detailed instructions. Look at Janet’s link below first, and then watch either of the other 3 links depending on the equipment you will use and the type of computer you have
‘How To’ Videos and Instructions
- Step-by-step instructions on how to create and post a video to YouTube without using a video camera — by Janet Klug
- How to make a video on YouTube with a camera or web cam
- PowerPoint to YouTube using Windows Movie Maker
- PowerPoint to YouTube using Mac iMovie
Sounds daunting? No, it is not. It is actually much simpler than you think. And if you are as inexperienced in the internet as I am, this may be a way to enter the new world in a fun, rewarding way.
By the way, if you upload your short video before June 30, you could even win the APS President’s Challenge YouTube competition, with a prize of a $250 gift certificate redeemable for APS products or services. More importantly, you will enter the internet generation and will help us reach new collectors!!!
Please let me know when your video is uploaded, so that we can add it to the APS website. Contact me if you wish to bounce ideas about your specific storyline or how to make it fit in a 2 minute limit. Hope to hear from you soon. 
