Secrets of Videoblogging
2004 and 2005 were a different world in terms of video and the internet. There was no streaming video; no YouTube. The iPhone was still years away and dialup was the way most people, who could, connected to the internet.
But there was a small group of us who thought blogs could do for video what they were doing for publishing. Anyone should be able to easily put a video online for free.
Freevlog
For my part, I used my background as an instructor to write tutorials to help people navigate the incredibly complicated, nascent video infrastructure.
The original tutorial from February 2005.
Freevlog updated and expanded with the help of Ryanne Hodson.
The original tutorial was immediately popular. I then enlisted my future writing partner, Ryanne Hodson, to help me expand the site and flesh it out with screencasts.
The Challenge
In 2005, Peachpit contacted us about turning Freevlog into a book. We pitched a short book that would turn the wild west of internet video into a weekend project.
My Role
- I created the initial tutorial site that the book was based on.
- I co-authored the book.
- I authored the sample chapter in the PDF below.
Secrets of Videoblogging in an Apple Store circa 2006.
Sample Chapter
While most of this book is no longer relevant, I think this sample chapter is a good example of what we designed it to be—accessible. It’s, short, full of step-by-step instructions with photos, and features lots of real people doing real things.
Download PDF
"Wishbone" - my favorite vlog.