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Last week I learned that iMovie is amazingly easy to use. I googled “how to make an iMovie” and found this post. In less than two hours I had created my first 2 minute film! Easy as pie.

Sharing my video on facebook was step two. I exported my video for “web streaming” on iMovie and sadly my video looked like this (it is grainy and horrible in every way):

BEFORE

The crappy

After some (actually a ton of trying and reading everywhere) I now believe I have found the best way to get great quality from your iMovie and upload it to facebook. Here is the same video AFTER my experimenting (you can see that it is BIG CLEAR and beautiful):

AFTER

The better way to upload to facebook from iMovie

HOW TO TURN YOUR IMOVIE GREAT QUALITY FACEBOOK VIDEO

For the settings I used Vimeo’s tutorial on iMovie. They said you can keep it at the current frame rate, or shrink it to 15 per second if you need a smaller file. At the current frame rate my 6 minute video exceeded the 300 mb allowed on facebook. That is when I changed it to 15.

What size do I export my iMovie to be on facebook so I don’t loose quality when facebook resizes it? I learned from Scobleizer’s blog that facebook’s standard width is 606 pixels. Height? Facebook doesn’t change your video according to height, so just leave it blank and check the box “preserve your aspect ratio”.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK THE “DEINTERLACE SOURCE VIDEO”. If you don’t your video will come out looking really bad.

You are done! Now just finish up and upload your new video to facebook.

In the end, I think Apple would be wise to make a dummy proof export for facebook, Youtube, Vimeo, MySpace, and the top 10 video sites. It just doesn’t make any sense to have a lame little “web streaming” export that doesn’t look good on the web.

Apple guys, if you are reading this, here is my wish list: an automatic uploader for the top 10 video sites that lets you pick from a simple “low quality”, “medium quality”, or “best possible quality”; if the file is too big it can automatically pick the best possible quality available (for example on facebook you are limited to 300 mbs or 20 minutes, if I have a 20 minute video there is no possible way I will get the same quality I can with a 2 minute video jammed in 300 mbs, so iMovie could just figure out the best for me and do it); if the video is too long for the site it could automatically split it into shorter sections and upload it as a play list.

Just some ideas. I am sure they would go over well.

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Ron Paul started his campaign by appealing to those who are considered extremists and sound like the fringes. I am liking his more diplomatic feel lately. This is a great interview (if you are on facebook click here to see the videos on my blog):

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

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Back in September I donated to a politician for the first time in my life. I am a BYU student. I am poor. I am trying to help build a company. A few weeks ago, my 1991 VW’s engine blew up. I can’t afford a new car so I am moving about on foot. BUT tomorrow I am going to dump what ever extra money I can into the Ron Paul campaign in my support of the constitution.

I heard about Ron Paul from a coworker, Duane. For over a year I had watch Duane reading about Ron Paul. I figured Ron Paul was a loony, until one day Duane sent me and email entitled, “An important part of my life.” Duane explained how important the ideas of freedom are to him. It was then I saw that Duane—also a BYU student and a newlywed, bootstrapping a company—had donated over $200 to the cause. I deeply respect Duane so I decided I best pay attention.

Jumping on Youtube I found dozens of interesting videos of the debates. Initially I was bothered when Ron Paul would say that he wants the troops out of Iraq immediately. It wasn’t until after watching hours of Youtube debates on the war, and reading an article by my brother Neal about choosing between our fellow Mormon, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul that I decided the war is unconstitutional and will never work to fulfill its purpose—to rid the world of terrorists (I will discuss my logic against the war in a later post)

on September 9, I saw this video:

When I clicked “submit” to my first meager $15 (ALOT for me in September) donation, that I realized, “I must really like this guy!”

I knew nothing about the 5th of November until the day of. I couldn’t donate because I didn’t have the money. Since the 5th, myself, three of my brothers, two of my sisters (I am a Mormon, we have a big family), my mom, my uncle, and several friends here at BYU have all been saving and proselytizing for Ron Paul. None of us donated on the 5th and only I have signed up at teaparty07. Looking at this tonight, I believe that is the way we are going to see all the records broken tomorrow.

When people take a minute and look past Ron Paul’s unpolitical image, they see truth and the correct principles of freedom. In Ron Paul I feel as though I can visualize the kind of men who founded this country. Just yesterday I showed my friend from Brazil a video on Ron Paul. When it got done he said, “I would vote for this man!” To bad he is not American.

Here is another video to leave you with:

Donate on the 16th, Tomorrow!

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I want a blender that can liquefy marbles and chop up garden rakes, don’t you?

Here is a company right here in Orem Utah called Blendtec. They have created some of the most ingenious viral video ads I have seen thus far. There is no doubt in my mind that these ads will be some of the best spent time Blendtec has ever used. Kudos to Blendtec.

There are three reasons why these videos will be so viral.

1. They are fun. I have already shared them with like ten friends and family members.
2. They are unique. I haven’t seen this before on YouTube.
3. They don’t forget the product. Next time I shop for a blender, there is no doubt in my mind that I will look into Blendtek.

Can you imagine how much these videos would have cost to put on paid TV programing. They would probably be successful there too, but this is little to no cost.

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