Hot tips for making your own Web flicks.

A picture is worth a thousand words, but a movie is worth about a million. So, why aren’t you using video on your Web site? If the answer is that you think it’s too complicated, think again. Today’s Web is way more than text and pictures, and a cadre of new companies are out there right now, clamoring for the chance to help you put your video content online. Whether you’re a Fortune 500 retailer fighting for a little more mindshare or a globe-trotting supermom trying to keep up with the kids, our easy tips can turn you into an overnight movie mogul. All you need are the three C’s: a camera, a computer and a little creativity.

Make your mark

Let’s be honest: No matter who you are, your business could benefit from a little more brand identity, and few media buys make as much impact as a TV ad campaign. But thanks to the Web, you no longer have to throw several million bucks into the airwaves to get your message across. With nearly half of all Americans using broadband Internet at home, today’s Web surfers don’t just watch video-they practically demand it. Don’t believe us? Spend just a few minutes surfing through the pages of YouTube (youtube.com) or Google Video (video.google.com), and you’ll see countless clever TV ads mixed with a cavalcade of wacky homespun oddities. And with YouTube serving some 50 million viewers daily, it’s no surprise that today’s top companies are racing to get their ads online.

But you don’t have to be a big business player to make your straight-to-Internet debut. Even weekend bloggers and podcasters have a jump on the movie mania, and the blogosphere is bustling with the din of millions of streaming videos. A few clicks of the mouse can let a busy family share vacation footage with long-distance relatives, or allow a D-list celebrity to keep up appearances with a small but hardcore fan base. Getting movies on the Web is easy enough for anybody.

Gear up

Shooting video for the Web doesn’t require much. After all, the goal is to create something simple enough that anyone can view it, regardless of their DSL speed or the age of their PC. So, there’s no point in spending thousands of clams on a Coppola-caliber camera. If you’ve got one, great. Otherwise, any little camcorder will do. If you’re ultra-mobile, get yourself a pocket digicam that also shoots video. Most new handheld cameras have a video option that includes sound, and some even feature image stabilization to counteract shaky hands.

Generally speaking, it isn’t really essential to install movie-making software on your PC. But it certainly can’t hurt. Mac users already have all the software they need, since every new Mac now comes with iMovie preinstalled. For Windows, programs such as Pinnacle Studio ($70, pinnaclesys.com) or Muvee ($99, muvee.com) work great. Video software makes it easy to edit clips together, add text and transitions, and cue up audio tracks to get your viewers in the groove. It also simplifies the process of saving your films in a Web-friendly format.

If you’re really tech-savvy, you could write your own code to stream your movie from a Web site, but I don’t recommend it. Even experienced developers know better than to reinvent the wheel, and there are a few online services that will post your videos for you with just a few clicks of the mouse. Check out Hipcast (hipcast.com), VideoEgg (videoegg.com) or Camtix (camtix.com) for all the tools you need to upload and host your movies on the Web.

Roll ’em

Amateur directors often make a few common mistakes that result in nearly unwatchable video. Be nice to your viewers by panning slowly, holding the camera steady and avoiding sudden zooms. If you’re going to edit your video, try shooting multiple short takes of less than a minute each, and be sure to capture a variety of angles. You can put these together later in any order you like, which can make the final cut more interesting. Closeups are key, because chances are your viewers will be watching the movie in a three-inch window. Shoot more footage than you think you’ll need, but remember that the online audience has a fairly short attention span, and try to keep your production under five minutes. Alternatively, you could use a webcam to record a quick message to your sales force or say hello to your family back home, and post that to the Web as well. You could even record video on your mobile phone and post it to your blog to keep your family updated on your travels.

Load ’em up

When you’re ready to share your vision with the world, sign up for an account with one of the Web video services. To pick the right one for you, see the “Webcasting wonders” sidebar. The easiest way to share your videos is to post them to a blog, and all three of the videocasting services shown here support this feature. If you don’t already have a blog, you can sign up for a free one at Blogger (blogger.com), Word Press (wordpress.org) or LiveJournal (livejournal.com) and be up and running in just a few minutes.

Once you’ve signed up for a service and configured your blog, upload your movie file from your PC. The upload could take several minutes. Once your movie is loaded up, type in a title and a description to accompany it and then, if needed, set the quality of your video. For most online audiences, a display width of 320 pixels and a video frame rate of 15 frames per second (fps) will do nicely. Finally, post your video and get set for your Internet premiere.

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robert strohmeyer is a freelance writer based in Northern California. Email Robert at editor@executivetravelmag.com.