Making Videos

Over the past 2 years, I've received several questions about how I make my videos. I work for a gym that doesn't allow me to video tape my actual classes, so when I decided to start making videos, I had to come up with a way to do it that didn't involve taping in a gym. My husband was familiar with some video-producing software, so he set up a green screen in our basement, put my step in front of it, and we were off!

I tape my routines on my video camera, bring the video into my computer, and then tell the software that everything that is the color of the green screen is to be "clear." Then, I underlay a photograph in the background (pre-modified to add my name), and the software knows that wherever the green screen is actually shows the photograph instead. That's why sometimes in my videos it looks like I'm stepping on something in the photograph -- that's when I have stepped onto my green screen, which does extend onto the floor.

Next, I overlay the music, carefully aligning the beats so that it looks like I actually used that music when I was taping. Last, I put in the words, and render the video into the format required by the websites I use. The whole process can take about an hour, depending on whether I goofed during the taping and need to cut and splice parts together. That can be very time consuming, so I try really hard to be perfect when I do the taping!!

I've had a lot of fun making these videos... selecting the background pictures, figuring out how to sneak my name in somewhere onto the photograph, and selecting the music. So, that's how I do it!

Intermediate Step, Nov. 17, 2008

Hi Guys!

Here's an Intermediate Step class for you. I really had fun with this one, and my class commented several times that they enjoyed it, and said it was a "really good workout." Yeah -- I hope so -- that's why we do this, right? :-)



Choreography:

Rock on Top, exit & Pivot (8) *be sure you are at the end of the step when you pivot
Shuffle & Walk away, pivot, and walk back to the step (8)
Tick-Tock 3, exit front & stomp & exit (8)
Hamstrings 1/2 around the world (8)
Turn & Stomp the Floor, x2 (6)
Up & lunge x3, exit home (10)
"Stomp & Twist" (8)
Shuffle forward & straddle, shuffle backwards & straddle (8)

Knee Lift Over, x2 (8) *see notes below
Hamstring exit (4)
Glute Flye Over (4)
"L-Stomp" (8) - this is just a syncopated double/single stomp (aka 8-ct mambo)
Chasse Rock (4)
Reverse Turn (4) - this can also be a mambo, a pivot with or without propulsion

1 Knee, 1 Elvis (4)
Across the long way & box on the floor (6)
Repeater 2 (6)
Revolving Door (8)
1 knee & walk back/forward (8)

*Note: If your class can handle more syncopation, check the video for the 2nd run-through. The Knee Lift Overs are syncopated together and condensed from 8 counts to 6, then you have to do a double hamstring exit to make up the extra lost beat. Everyone will do the last hamstring together, so if you have different levels in the class, they will all meet up again on that last hamstring.

Video Site is Down

Well, the website where I posted my breakdown videos is now, evidently, out of business. Rest assured, I have all of the videos on my computer, but it will be some work for me to post them onto YouTube and then link to here. So, hang in there, and I'll see about working backwards in these videos to get them to where they work again.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Dana

Experiment with Quicktime video

Here's an experiment for us. I'm going to embed the latest breakdown video two different ways. First, I'll use Quicktime. You'll have to press the "Play" arrow at the bottom of the box to make the video play. Second, I'll embed a thumbnail link. Please let me know if you can or can't see either one of these videos by adding a comment to this blog entry. If one of these methods seems to work for most people, then I'll try using that method in the future instead of the Flash version. Unfortunately, Flash seems to be better quality than Quicktime.

*Note: I removed the links to the video. Stop by soon for new working links. ~Dana