Video Cameras, Video Editing, and other Essential Marketing Accessories for Affiliate Marketers - Part 2

In Part 1, we took a close look at the essential tools required to start video production for the affiliate marketer - fast processing computers, large file storage capacity, high definition cameras, and video editing software. Without these an affiliate marketer will lumber along at a slow pace and possibly lose the motivation to produce good video in large quantities. Quantity is important because it creates back links and any experienced online marketer will tell you that back links are gold!

In this article we will take a look at some of the accessories that are available to make the production process easier, and the video look more professional without having to spend hours upon hours shooting and editing. The idea is to use great editing software to set up a template to work with. I spent a couple of hours setting up a template for the first video, and was able to produce another three in the next hour as a result. Now that is moving along!

One tool that is needed is screen capture software. This gives you the ability to grab screen shots and cropped sections of banners and products you want to feature in your video. Screen capture tools vary in price and functionality and there are a variety of them offered online. Costs vary anywhere from hundreds of dollars, to low priced, to free. Remember you get what you pay for.

I did find two pieces of software that captures screen shots and records live screen motion, both for under $50. Easy Screen Capture 2 and Easy Screen Recorder are great to work with and have interesting features. Do an online search and check them out for yourself. Another great application for screen capture is if you are producing an e-book to sell online. With any kind of screen capture you are going to need large storage capacity on your computer - and we're back to the essentials.

Most of the videos you will see online are shot with a Web cam, and these are fine if you want to produce that style of video. A better way to step up production values is to learn to shoot a well lit ‘piece to camera' bit, in front of a green screen. This will enable you to change backgrounds at will, unlike a Web cam shot where the background is always the same.

Lighting a shot is a whole study in itself and most quality editing software systems teach you how to light a scene correctly in their tutorials, and let's face it, bad lighting for green screen shots can make or break your effort. I know from experience. I've had a few.

When we think of green screens and lights we may think of thousands of dollars in set up cost. Not true. Today you can buy green screen kits that come with support frames with large green screen materials for wide shots and deep foreground shots, and lights and reflector umbrellas, all for under $200 at eBay. Get a kit, you'll make better videos. Enjoy.

Harry Connor Jr is a marketing guy in Print and TV Commercial Production in general business and real estate, who loves the internet. For more information on what Harry is up to go here Harry Connor Jr