Public Works Comics makes sharing your videos easy.
You probably have the tools to make a video already, even if you don't have a camcorder.
Web cams, digital cameras, and even cell phones often have video recording features—many digital
cameras even have a simple switch to choose between stills and video, something like this:
So take a look at what you already have… Most of these devices record in either the .AVI or .MPG
formats, both of which we support, and the video you make can either be a) uploaded directly from the
device or b) uploaded from your computer, after you copy the video there.
Analog and Digital Camcorders
If you have an analog camcorder (one that uses VHS, VHS-C, SVHS-C, 8mm, or Hi8 tape), you need
some more equipment to get your video onto the Public Works Comics. Why? Because these camcorders
typically do not have a computer connection.
You need to digitize your video with a converter box (A converter box converts an analog signal you’re your
camcorder to a digital signal that your computer can understand). After the video has been digitized, you
can manipulate it or upload it.
If you have a digital camcorder that captures videos in Digital8, MiniDV, HDV, or any of the DVD formats,
then you just need a direct connection to your computer. The USB or FireWire ports make this direct
connection possible. Or you can insert the DVD you've recorded in your DVD drive and download it to
your computer.
Once you've downloaded the video from the camera, you can upload it to the Public Works Comics. Or, you can
edit it with an editing program and then upload it.
Editing Your Videos
If you want to edit your video then note that most new computers come with basic video-editing software
installed (like Apple's iMovie or Windows MovieMaker).
Once you have copied the video from your phone, camera, or camcorder to your computer, you can bring
the video into these programs.
There you can not only edit the video, but add effects, titles, and music to make your video look and sound
more interesting.
Uploading Your Videos to the Public Works Comics
Just save your video in a format that the Public Works Comics can accept for uploading.
We recommend that you save your videos as either QuickTime .MOV, Windows .AVI, or .MPG files— these
are the most common formats and they work well within our system.
We specifically recommend the MPEG4 (Divx, Xvid) format at 320x240 resolution with MP3 audio. Resizing
your video to these specifications before uploading will help your clips look better on the Public Works Comics.
Making Your Videos Easy To Find
When you upload your video, you must choose a category and enter at least one tag to describe the content in
your video. Adding this information helps other Public Works Comics members find your video, so if you want an
audience, help them out!
The more accurate the tags are on each video, the easier it is for everyone to find cool videos to watch.
Make your tags as descriptive as you can. Separate each tag from another by a space.
