EZVid is a free program that makes and edits videos and slideshows for use on YouTube. It offers a media timeline for editing and can record your screen in real time. EZVid works on most recent versions of Windows, costs nothing and is very easy to use
There are so many videos on the Internet the very concept is dizzying in its scope. From a panda eating a cake in the shape of a panda, to a short clip of the president waving to a crowd for some reason, it’s possible and probable to find nearly anything in a video posted somewhere on the internet.
So, why not make sure you add to the morass of digital video available by making and uploading your own contributions? Most of us have uploaded a YouTube video at one point or another, and there are more than a couple different paths to accomplishing that end. One of those among the free and useful software legions is “EZVid” which allows you to edit and upload videos to your YouTube account. It’s free to download and use, and it is quite streamlined and user-friendly so even the inexperienced person can come off as the next Tarantino or Howard with ease.
EZVid is a pretty comprehensive solution for turning your audio and video ideas into YouTube videos. You’ll need some kind of input device, of course, in the way of a web cam or other digital capture device and a microphone if you want to record your own voice or other sounds. Additionally, as mentioned, EZVid will also record your computer screen so it could be used for instructional videos as well as other creative pursuits that require the ability to capture what happens on the computer. Bearing in mind, of course, that copyright rules apply even on YouTube, the entire process of making and uploading a video is made much easier by EZVid. This is a trend being seen across the board with so many different social media sites trying to make it easier and faster to put your life on the net. So much of the older generations rail against the concept while the newer generations seem to take it for granted that putting their lives on the Internet for all their friends and strangers to see is normal. Social commentary aside, this means that programs like EZVid are becoming more and more common so it’s always a good idea to keep a reliable one in mind. EZVid is one of those.
Download and installation is super fast, and the cheat sheet you’re given at the very beginning will help you get your bearings without much trouble. You’ll have options to use your own screenshots, camera stills, digital art and any other image file in your finished video as a snapshot collage or slideshow. You’ll be able to record your own voice narrating, add your own music tracks or use one of many preloaded tracks in the public domain. You can mix images with videos and screen captures, add effects and frames, cut and paste sections, all the usual and basic things you’d expect from a video editing suite. Beyond that, there is also the big button in the lower right corner to let you easily upload our finished product to YouTube quickly and easily after entering your account information.
The biggest advantage here is the streamlined nature of the program and the specific focus of it. It has a design goal in mind and goes for it Swith a single minded purpose that makes it an impressive success in that area, but the downside is that it’s not good for much else, since it doesn’t allow you to save or export your finished audio or video projects into any other format besides immediate upload to YouTube. While it is very easy to use, nicely streamlined with a comfortable interface (especially to users of early version of Windows Movie Maker), the limiting factor of only being useful for YouTube keeps it from rising to the very top of the list. Other downsides include an ad bar type ‘toolbar’ that wants to install along with the program, which is easily avoided, and the fact that since the program is meant to create YouTube videos, about ten minutes is the maximum length so if you’re looking to make a feature film this won’t be your best vehicle. A good product for a specific use, and the price is certainly right, though
Until next time, my friends!
Get EZVid here.
