Free your footage

Here's a quick rundown of how to export and upload your digital masterpiece for all to see

Compressing your video

Once your home video has been lovingly shot and painstakingly edited, don't leave it lurking on your hard drive. Videos are made to be seen, so you're going to need to know how to create a DVD or upload it to the web.

If you're making a DVD, it isn't as straightforward as simply copying the existing file on to disc. Video projects in their native file formats have a massive file size, so they'll need to be compressed before they can be copied to disc or uploaded to the internet.

When compressing a file, the idea is to reduce file size while still retaining watchable video quality. Thankfully, programs such as iMovie have built-in compression tools that mean you simply have to choose the required destination (email, CD, iPod, internet etc) when exporting. If you're using an Apple Mac, the resultant compressed files are in the QuickTime format (".mov" will appear at the end of the file name). If using a Windows program such as Premiere Elements, it's often possible to choose between QuickTime, Real (usually a ".ram" file name) or Windows Media (".wmv" ) formats. In practice, it is usually safest to choose QuickTime if it's available, as this tends to be viewable by the widest range of users and devices.

DVDs require MPeg2 files but your editing or disc-burning program such as Toast (Mac) or Nero (Windows) should handle this technicality for you. Compression is a time-intensive task for a computer to perform, so be prepared to wait a while (especially for longer projects) for the conversion process to complete.

How to upload

Once you have your file saved on your computer in one of these formats, you're ready to upload it to a video sharing website (see below). This will require you to register an account with the website, then follow their specific instructions.

If you're posting on YouTube this couldn't be simpler. From any YouTube page you can click on "Upload Videos" in the top right-hand corner of the screen. You can then enter information about your video including a title, description and any tags you want to add to enable people to find your video more easily. Finally click "Browse" and select the video file from your computer's hard drive or desktop. (Bear in mind that YouTube limits each video to 10 minutes or 100 megabytes.) Save yourself time and hassle by saving your file as QuickTime (".mov") and selecting the website's preferred resolution.

If you're concerned about copyright laws, it's worth noting that when you upload your video to a public website you do not relinquish your copyright - you are simply granting a licence to the website to use your content. You retain all legal rights and can have your video removed at any time.

Convert your clunky VHS into slimline digital media

If you've got shelves and shelves of videos and your home is starting to resemble your local Blockbusters, it might be time to consider converting those clunky VHS tapes to more storage-friendly digital media.

There are several possible methods, the simplest being to buy a combination video and DVD player/recorder which you can use to play the old VHS tape and simultaneously record on to a shiny new DVD.

Alternatively, if you own a relatively new camcorder, you can use this to transfer VHS tapes to your computer. Connect the camcorder to your video player using a cable from "video in" on the camera to "video out" on the player, and then to your computer as normal. Set the camcorder to playback mode and hit play on the video player. The video will then pass from video player, to camcorder, to computer. Consult your camcorder's manual if it all gets a bit confusing.

But what if you don't own a camcorder or a combination machine? Well, there is also hardware available for converting video into a digital file. For about £100, a video-capture kit such as Pinnacle Studio MovieBox can be plugged into a USB port on your computer and will capture video directly from your video player. You can also edit and shape your footage using the included software. If you have a Mac, the MovieBox is also compatible with iMovie.

Once the footage is on your computer, the simplest way of archiving your videos is to burn them all on to DVDs. As you capture each video to your computer, burn it to DVD straight away rather than keeping it on your hard drive.

Finally, although DVDs are a vast improvement on VHS in terms of longevity and quality retention, they won't last for decades, so store any footage intended for posterity in a cool, dark place and make backups, if you want future generations to appreciate your video-making skills. Helen Ochyra

Digital video sharing websites


Edit and personalise your videos at blinkbox, as well as watch, buy and rent movies and TV shows


Home to over 18 million hours of easily searchable video


Blip broadcasts videos you should see on TV but don't


User-friendly site featuring numerous comedy clips


Hosting everything "from the strange to the spectacular", this site is easy to navigate with videos organised into channels


Easy-to-use site favoured by families for sharing personal homes videos


This site specialises in short-form original content and entertaining footage


A myriad of video services is available at motionbox - you can even turn your video into a pocket-sized flipbook


The "viral video network that pays" connects video-makers with sponsors, splitting the ad revenue 50/50


Familiar search engine Yahoo plays host to a hugely varied selection of clips


Veoh "turns online video into internet TV", allowing users to watch online or record to their hard drive for later


A musician's dream, MySpace is home to thousands of music videos of all genres


It's all about privacy at Vimeo as you can chose exactly who sees your videos


Create your own video page and browse others' latest uploads

And if you're still after something a bit different from the mainstream, there's always GodTube- where you can "broadcast Him" - and Crackle for all comedy lovers.

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