Take your students back in time with VHS Camcorder!

VHS Camcorder from Rarevision allows you to recreate those grainy, jittering VHS videos that most (!) of us are old enough to remember.  There are so many ways you could incorporate this into the classroom, from creating back to the future style films to inspire writing, imagining what life was like years ago, recreating key moments in history or role playing/interviewing public figures.  

The app is very easy to use and literally only takes a couple of minutes of playing around with to see its potential.  

The menu has enough options to make the app interesting and engaging without becoming too daunting or fiddly. 

One of the best features is the date/title, which give a real authenticity to your videos.  You can also adjust the video resolution and frame rate very easily to add to the illusion.  

You can also zoom in and out and use the front facing camera for retro selfies too!

Let me know if you use this app and it would be great to see some videos if you do!

Thanks for reading 

Tom

@teach_fresh

Clips Video Editor

iMovie is such a great app that it can be your 'go to' app in that you can find yourself using it for all video editing rather than looking around at what other apps are available for more specific tasks.  One video editor that I really recommend and one that has the added benefit of being completely free is Clips. 

The simplicity of this app is what makes it stand out as it is so easy to use but the quality of the end product is not compromised in any way. 

Just import or record your video clips, put them in the order you want them to play, trim them and then you can start playing around with more fun features like transitions, the speed of each clip as well as music or voiceovers. 

The speed editor is really effective and the voiceover recorder is particularly useful for getting your children to record explanations or commentaries. 

The app allows you to create and edit smooth, professional looking videos really quickly and easily.  It is so easy to use, does exactly what it says on the tin and has so much potential for use in the classroom.  

Thanks

Tom

@teach_fresh

Videolicious

iMovie is such a brilliant app that it can be tempting to stick with it and not always look at other options for editing your films.  However, one of my favourite apps and one that really stands out from the crowd is Videolicious.

The app allows you to seamlessly edit videos together before adding a voice over.  This sounds very simple and you might be thinking 'so what?'.  This video answers that question.

It literally takes seconds.

Once you've chosen your clips simply record your voice over and then tap the next video during your commentary to move along to the next scene.  

The obvious use for this app in the classroom is a news report (as seen in the video) because the finished product is so polished and professional, but the simplicity of it means it could be used in so many other ways too.  From filming highlights of a trip/visit or an explanation of a method in Maths, to a guided tour - basically anything that combines video and commentary.  

If you do use this app with your class please let me know!   There really is so much potential. 

Thanks, 

Tom 

@teach_fresh

Using Action Movie FX in the classroom

Action Movie FX has been around for a while now but the latest Star Wars update is what made me think about using it again. The app is rated 9+ by the AppStore so you're looking at UKS2.  

The app allows you to record and add special effects to your videos extremely easily.  

There are quite a few options available for free (some you will need to download) but there are also more you can purchase.  For me, there is enough free content, initially at least, without having to buy more.  

Simply choose the effect, film your scene (usually for a minimum of 5-10 seconds) and the app does the rest.  You can also refine your clip by moving and resizing the effect before your scene is saved. 

As well as the usual explosions and car crashes there are Star Wars packages available (see above) Star Trek and Call of Duty effects too - many of which are free.  

Children can record videos and instantly add their desired special FX very easily and very quickly before using them to inspire their writing!  

Once individual clips have been made you could use iMovie to put them together and tell your story.  You can also save your scenes as gifs.  

The app isn't perfect and it could be improved by having the option to use prerecorded videos but as a quick-fix alternative to green screen filmmaking I think this does the job really well.  I also think children (and adults!) will find the whole process fun and engaging which should lead to some great written work.

I will be trying it out with my Year 5 class so we'll see what they come up with! 

Thanks

Tom 

@teach_fresh