Episode 16 Video and Show Notes

Live show air date: July 16, 2020
Join me for Elevenses with Lisa, the online video series where we take a break, visit and learn about genealogy and family history.

How to make a video with Adobe Spark Video

Update: Adobe Spark Video is now part of and called Adobe Creative Cloud Express. Some features may still be free while others require a subscription. 

Adobe Spark Video is a mobile app and website that allows you to create videos quickly and easily. You’ll need to start by signing up for your free Adobe account at http://lisalouisecooke.com/bargains (click the Adobe Spark graphic.) By doing this you will also receive a free trial period

How to Start a New Project

In this example we are creating a video in the app on our phone. Features may appear slightly differently on a tablet and in the web browser. In preparation for creating a video, save copies of your photo and video content to Dropbox, other cloud service. Then save them to your phone.

Step 1

Tap the + button to begin a new project.

The Storyboard Editor is at the bottom of screen. Here you can select which slide to work on, add new slides and rearrange slide. Typically, you will add one piece of content to a slide such as a photo or video clip.

Step 2

Add Content by tapping the plus sign (+) on the selected slide.  You can add photos (or other digital images), video clips, text, and icons. Select these from your phone.

 

Step 3

Edit Video clips as needed. You can trim the length and edit several short clips out of the same video. You can also continue longer video clips to the next slide (since the maximum video length per slide is 30 seconds), and also silence the audio as desired.

I use Larsen Digital to convert all my old home movies into digital MP4 files that can be used in Adobe Spark Video. Check our exclusive savings for my viewers at https://larsendigital.com/lisa.html

Step 4

Playback your video as you create to see how it flows. Edit each slide length (Text or Photo Slides) as needed by tapping the time shown. Add or subtract seconds as needed by moving the time slider.

 

Step 5

Add additional slides as desired. You can remove a slide by pressing and holding the slide to reveal menu.

Step 6

Change the layout for any slide by tapping Layout in the menu at the top of the screen. You will find options to have only a photo, a photo with text, split screen and more.

Step 7

You can edit the theme of your video by tapping Theme in the menu at the top of the screen. The theme affects the entire video. Tap to select a theme, and then tap to edit the theme. Select a color by clicking through the options for each color.

Step 8

Tap Resize in the menu at the top of the screen to select the appropriate size video for your purposes. Size options:

• Square: Good for Instagram and Facebook.
• Widescreen: Good for YouTube and viewing on a monitor or TV.

 

Step 9

Add music to your video  by tapping Music in the menu. All of the music included in the app has already been cleared for public use. There are many “moods” to choose from. Simply tap a song to preview view it. You can also save royalty-free music to your phone and tap Choose from Files to add it to your project.

Step 10

Each slide has a red microphone button. Tap and hold it to record narration up to 30 seconds. Press the small play button at the bottom left of the image to play it back. You can re-record by pressing and holding the button again.

Step 11

Once you have played back your entire video and you are happy with it, it’s time to share.  Tap the Share icon in the menu at the top of the screen. Sharing options include:

• Saving the video to your camera roll
• Posting it to Facebook
• Posting it to Twitter
• Sending it via Email
• Sending it as a text message
• Copying the link for the video to your phone’s clipboard.

You can make an unlimited number of videos with a small Spark watermark with the free version. If you would like to remove the watermark and gain access to many more features you will need a subscription which will include all the Spark apps: video, post and page.

Sign up for your free Adobe Spark account and get a free trial of the subscription version: http://lisalouisecooke.com/bargains/ 

From You:

Shelley from Oklahoma: “I just wanted to share with you my genealogy project I have been working on for a few weeks. I was inspired by the one lady I think in England that made a wall display using pictures on canvas. Thanks for the ideas.”

 

Put a Smile on Someone’s Face with a Video

Put a Smile on Someone’s Face with a Video for a Chance to Win

Your task this next week:

1. Make a folder on your computer, go through your digitized photos, and copy the ones that make you smile into the folder.
2. Then go to genealogygems.com/bargains and get your free Adobe Spark Video trial.
3. Download the Adobe Spark Video app on your phone and log in.
4. Start a new project and add the photos.
5. Select some music – it will be super easy because you are going to look for the “Happy” mood.
6. Save your video and share it with your family and friends. This is your chance to bring some ancestral happiness to your family no matter where they live. You can email it to them or post it on social media.

Resources

Live Chat PDF– Click here to download the live Chat from episode. Includes answers to your questions about using the Adobe Spark Video app to make a video. 
Show Notes PDF – Genealogy Gems Premium Members can click here to download the show notes PDF for this episode. (Log in required.) Become a Premium Member here. 

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