For a while, I was on fire to put together a new book from the archives of my blog. One about Social Media.
The first book from the annals of my 8 years of blogging is a success: MorRefresh connection with LinkedIne Than Just A Voice: The REAL Secret to Voiceover Success.
The pages of that book contain a relatively enduring message of voiceover information; suggestions that have a shelf-life that’ll last as long as the current era of voice-acting permits. Yes, things are constantly changing, but enough of THAT book will remain true for some time to come.
The new book I was contemplating was to be a primer of Social Media for Voice Actors. Work began on compiling the appropriate articles from my previous blogs, but more often than not, the frustration was that virtually EVERY article needed to be updated. And by the time the book would go to print…updated again.
In other words Social Media wisdom is so ephemeral…so fleeting… that it’s impossible to publish a book that is current with TODAY’s trends. As in Today, March 24, 2015.
I used to say if an article with Social Media wisdom was more than two months old…it was outdated. Now, I’m revising that to a two WEEK deadline. Such is the pace of technology; hardware and software.
That’s why a blog is much more suited to such a pace. A book brings more remuneration, but it also brings a load of self-publishing headaches that balances the scale as far as I’m concerned.
However, it pains me to not share the good stuff I find everyday in my web wanderings, and there has been plenty of it lately.
So consider this a list with a deadline. Some of the stuff below may last longer than two weeks, but don’t count on it. Most of what you find these days is just a stepping stone to a better product, or a new cultural phenomenon, or a buyout, and as such has a very SHORT shelf-life.
INSTAGRAM. Still hot…red hot, in fact. Works best on your smartphone. Post pics, write catchy captions, include lots of hashtags, and use clever videos of up to 15-secs. Very different audience than Facebook. Who knows how long it’ll stay hot…but so far it’s growing like crazy. Use HyperLapse to record videos for posting to Instagram. Now, Instagram has released a new add-on called Layout for assembling pic collages for posting to Instagram. See my blog about 7 Ways to Use Instagram for your VO Business. It’s older than two weeks, but most of it is still good.
Honorable mention: VINE. Video only, and only for 6-secs.
CANVA. Drop-dead-simple online (and smartphone app) for designing graphics. For branding, blogging, logos, newsletters, FaceBook, Instagram, presentations…you name it.
MEDIUM An online instant publishing and social media site that is booming. Free. Log on, and start publishing. It’s kinda like a marriage between Tumblr and Bloggr. Very clean and simple. Use it on your smartphone. Dictation just added. Follow certain authors, get respectability for your thoughts. In fact, here’s a starter article for you entitled: To Find Media’s Future, Look at Radio’s Past.
MEERKAT. The hottest viral app to come out of SXSW and still growing so fast their servers can barely handle it. Streams live video in a tweet from your iPhone (so far, not Android). Wanna save that streaming live video to YouTube? Just visit KatchKats.com. A simple hashtag does it for you.
BuzzFeed This site is likely the future of news and journalism. That’s scary, but the TV that gave me a great job for 30+ years will not look the same (if it’s there at all) in 5 years. HuffPo and Buzzfeed… all the news that’s fit to digitize.
Quora This site is not new, and in my mind shares the same space with Redddit, StumbleUpon, and Delicious…only it’s showing it has legs, and the ability to adapt and grow. Ask Quora a question..any question, and then sit back and be amazed by who responds… sometimes celebrities, sometimes CEO’s of major companies, sometimes blowhards…but it makes for a lively place.
(saved the best for last)
From TheGuardian.com, an awesome list called “The Top 50 apps for Creative Minds”.
Below, an excerpt from just the video section. But there’s so so much more. Promise me you’ll click on the above link and take a look.
Replay
iOS; free
Replay is pitched as a video editor for Instagram but that sells it short: it’s an accessible yet powerful way to blend your photos and clips into short films for social sharing, adding text, music and filters to make them stand out.
Dubsmash
iOS/Android; free
Some apps catch on with the technorati, but Dubsmash is different: it’s a mainstream mini-craze. The app gets you to lip-sync to short audio clips from famous songs, films and speeches, then share. Often silly, but fun.
vjay
iOS; £7.99
That’s vjay as in video DJ for this app, which allows you to mix together tunes and videos too. You can import your own clips or use preloaded videos from Snoop Dogg and other artists, and results can be shared online.
Movie Edit Touch
Android/Windows; freemium
If you’re looking for a good iMovie alternative, Magix’s Movie Edit Touch is well worth a try. Importing clips, cutting them together and adding a soundtrack is simple, with extra features available as in-app purchases.
Vyclone
iOS/Android/Windows; free
This should be more popular than it is: when you and several friends are all shooting clips at the same event, it stitches together your footage into multi-angle videos. It’s particu larly good for parties and weddings.
YouTube Capture
iOS; free
If you’re keen to just shoot and share on YouTube, the online video service’s app is very handy. You can capture several clips, then rearrange them, add a soundtrack, and let the app tweak the colour and de-wobble your footage.
Cinamatic
iOS; freemium
This is made by the company behind photography app Hipstamatic, with a similar focus on retro visual effects. Record clips up to 60 seconds long, apply a range of filters and then share to YouTube and various social networks.
CourVO
