Janet Klug, WE Think
(continuation of the article Video for YouTube Without a Camera Part 1)
Adding Voice-overs and Sound in Windows Movie Maker is our third step in preparing a philatelic video for YouTube.
You can add sounds, music or voice to your movie. Voice takes presidence, and you will have to fiddle a bit to get all three on the same slide, so let’s just concentrate on adding the voice-over.
- Just above the timeline and to the left are a few icons.
- The second one is a microphone.
- Click on that to get the ‘Narrate Timeline’ feature.
- The center work space of your screen will have a sliding bar for input level and a button to begin narration.
- Make sure you have a microphone plugged into the appropriate slot in your computer, and that it functions properly. (This can be tested in the Control Panel / Sounds area of your computer).
- Click the ‘Begin Narration’ button and start the voice over for the first slide.
- When you have finished the narration for the first slide, click the ‘Finish Narration’ button.
- A box will come up for you to save this narration.
- Give your slide a name such as ‘Slide 1′ or something similar. Continue narrating each slide.
- When you have finished the narration: adjust the timeline so the narration and the length the slides each stay visible match.
- It’s a bit of fiddling. You can watch your progress by clicking the ‘Play’ button (the large first round button under the video screen at the right).
- If your narration doesn’t sound loud enough: Click on the narration in the audio/music area below the slides in the timeline.
- Right click the mouse on one of the sound file blocks.
- A pop-up menu will appear.
- Click ‘Volume.’ A slide control will appear.
- Move the curser over to the highest volume setting (to the right). That should fix the volume problem.
- When you think you are finished with the video, play it.
- Go to the toolbar at the top of the screen.
- Click ‘Play’
- Click ‘Play Timeline.’
- If you are not satisfied, go back and fix what needs to be fixed.
- If you are satisfied, save the file.
- On the toolbar at the top of the screen, click ‘File.’
- A drop-down box appears.
- Click ‘Save Movie File.’
- Another box appears. The easiest one to work with is ‘Save to My Computer.’
- Click that to highlight, then click ‘Next.’
- Give the movie a name.
- Set the location where the file will go (’My Videos’ is the default).
- Click ‘Next’.
- Click ‘Next’ again on the screen that appears.
- The movie will begin to save.
Adding Sound to your Philatelic Movie.
This could take several minutes. In the meantime, we’ll get ready to add our movie to YouTube next.
Posting your philatelic movie to YouTube is very simple.
You’ll need to open a new account on You Tube if you do not already have one. Just follow the directions by filling in your name, e-mail address and password. It’s free!
- When you account page comes up, click on “Upload.”
- A new screen will appear.
- Click the “Browse” button.
- Your video should be in Documents / My Videos if you used the default setting when saving the movie.
- Select your stamp collecting movie.
- Click the “Upload” button that is highlighted below the “Browse” button.
- Your movie will begin uploading.
Adding Video to YouTube
This takes quite some time. Use that time to fill in the boxes where you tell a little bit about your philatelic movie and offer key words (separated by a comma) so that people can search for and find your video. Save that to YouTube as well.
Once the video has been uploaded, it takes a while longer for it to become available, but YouTube will send you an e-mail when it is all set to view.
You can easily put a link to FaceBook and other social network sites like MySpace by clicking the appropriate buttons that are on the same page as your video.
This is all free, too, so it is a great way to promote your philatelic video, your subject and our wonderful hobby of stamp collecting. 
The American Philatelic Society is offering an online course Keys to Exhibiting conducted by Janet Klug and Ann Triggle beginning in September.
Discover the fun and challenges of exhibiting, with individual guidance in getting started, putting your exhibit together, where to show, and final tips.
Janet Klug, WE Think
Making the Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation is the first step in preparing a philatelic movie for YouTube.
This is a set of step-by-step instructions for making a video for YouTube without using a video camera. You will need Microsoft PowerPoint software and Windows XP or Vista. If you don’t know how to use PowerPoint, read the help files (2003 or 2007) or use the wizard to help you create your first PowerPoint presentation.
- Write the script for your program.
- Collect the images you will use and put both into a file on the desk top where you can find it when you need it.
- Note on your script what images need to be where within the script.
- Open the PowerPoint software and make the program, following your script.
- When you have completed the program, you need to save it. (Here is where it is different from saving a regular PowerPoint presentation.)
- Click “File” on the toolbar.
- Then click “Save As…”
- You will be presented with a box.
- At the bottom of the box is a drop-down menu that says “Save as Type”.
- A blank box that has a “down” arrow behind it appears.
- Click the down arrow.
- Scroll down to where it says “PNG Portable Network Graphics Format (png)”.
- Click that.
- Give your file a name.
- Then click “Save.”
Saving PowerPoint as a .png.
So now a bit of warning. PowerPoint allows for animated gif images and all sorts of fancy fade in and fade out techniques. Don’t use them. PNG does not support them, and all you will have are plain slides that don’t do anything fancy. But you can fancy it up in the next step.
Making the movie using Windows Movie Maker (How-to Center) is our second step in preparing our philatelic video for YouTube.
- Open Windows Movie Maker. (If you have Windows XP or Vista, you have this software.)
- Click the ‘Start’ button. It is at the bottom left.
- Then click ‘All Programs’ in the box that pops up.
- Open Movie Maker.
- On the left side there is a list of tasks.
- The first section is labeled ‘Capture Video’.
- Click ‘Import Pictures’.
- The ‘Import Pictures’ box will open.
- Find the .png file you just made and open it.
- Highlight all of the slides you want to include in your movie.
- Click the ‘Import’ button at the lower right.
- All of your PowerPoint slides will magically appear in the box at the center of the screen.
- Now all you have to do is drag each slide down to the timeline at the bottom of the screen. (Or, you can highlight all of them and drag all of them into the timeline at one time.)
Importing Slides into Movie Maker.
You can adjust the length of time the slide stays visible by clicking on the edge of one of the slides that are in the timeline and dragging the edge to the right (to add more time) or to the left (to subtract time).
Don’t worry too much about this until you start doing the voice-overs. That is the next step and we’ll do that in the next article.
The American Philatelic Society is offering an online course Basic Stamp Collecting conducted by Ada Prill beginning in September.
An Introduction to the Hobby covers all the basic hobby how-to’s: from where to get stamps, to how to store them, to figuring out what they’re worth.
Reading books and magazines means turning pages, typically in sequential order. If we reference the book or magazine’s Table of Contents (ToC), we often jump directly to a specific section or page, normally based on a page number. Using electronic media, we have greater flexibility in moving between sections or specific pages, based on hyperlinks embedded in the document.
The System
Allowing movement between pages in more than only a linear direction (’next’ or ‘previous’ page) requires a ‘navigation system’ and that is one of the basic and more noteworthy features of a Digital Philatelic Study (DPS) – see the article Defining Digital Philately.
We should also make our ‘navigation system’ reasonably obvious and most importantly, its functions simple to use. The ‘navigation system’ becomes a constantly visible and available ToC without having to go back to the beginning of the document.
Keeping in mind we want easy access between main ‘Sections’, we’ll use embedded hyperlinks to move from one ‘Section’ to another. The hyperlinks will appear on every page so that movement is always possible using hyperlinks found in the same place each time we need them. Many times, hyperlinks are embedded in the navigation buttons we press on web sites and we don’t even think about the programming beneath the image’s surface.
Linking Sections Together.
Each hyperlink has a single function. Simply put, clicking on the hyperlink takes the viewer to a specific ‘Section’ (or page) in the study. If properly labeled, the destination should be clear – before clicking the hyperlink.
We can also embed hyperlinks within content text or images to move to specific ‘Pages’ or external documents and we’ll use this method of movement as well.
It’s reasonably easy to include hyperlinks and the greater the number, the easier it is to access all sections of the DPS and to relate various pieces of information to other relative data or documents.
Verifying Function
Let’s check how our navigation system works. On individual sheets of paper, make sample pages for each main ‘Section’ (as well as ‘sub-sections’ as desired) of your DPS. Arrange the sheets according to our pyramid layout, see the article Structure and Organization), ‘Title’ at the top, ‘Introduction’ underneath, etc.
Inter-linking Subjects Together.
Each sheet should have a ‘Section’ (or ‘sub-section’) name and the appropriate hyperlinks on it. Pretend to press a hyperlink name on one of the pages.
Done correctly, we should be able to move between any two main ‘Sections’ (or ‘sub-sections’) of the study with a click of the mouse button.
Eureka – it works. Congratulations!! You’ve just created a hyperlinked navigation system.
As an added feature of the blog, we now link to several online exhibits on computer technology.
- From Abacus to Laptop: Johann Vandenhaute (Belgium)
- The Story of the Computer: Dan Dobrescu (Romania)
- Computer Stamps: Vito Galgano (Italy)
The sites are also found in the right hand navigation pane under ‘Links‘.
Thomas Broadhead, Knoxville Philatelic Society News
Philately is a visual hobby, but it is also a tactile one. Not only is it fascinating to see the many varieties of stamps and covers, but it is also amazing to hold pieces of paper that individually have interesting histories. Seeing pictures of stamps in catalogs, which are increasingly printed in full color, is almost as good as seeing ‘the real thing’ in an exhibit or in our own collections.
The advent of the electronic age has given us access to beautiful images of stamps that we will never see in person, and our own KPS newsletter is full of digital images – some scanned from the actual stamps and covers and others borrowed from the world wide web. A year ago, philatelic exhibiting in the U.S. took an electronic direction with the first competition for ‘Digital Philatelic Studies‘ (DPS) held at last October’s Fall Mega Event – a huge stamp show sponsored by the American Stamp Dealers Association (ASDA) in New York City. In addition to traditional exhibiting, the ASDA again this year invited the submission of electronic exhibits, and I decided to try my hand at this new format. One great help was the information provided on the ASDA web site, which includes four complete DPS exhibits from last year’s competition.
The Alexander III Bridge Issue.
Several digital formats are possible, and I decided to develop a Power Point presentation for my study of ‘The Most Beautiful Bridge in Paris.’ I wrote an article about this a few years ago for the KPS newsletter, with the focus on the Alexander III bridge, built 1897-1900 in honor of the Russian Czar Alexander III. This marvel of architecture (4 architects) and art (more than 13 artists were involved in its decoration) is featured on a 100 franc airmail stamp issued in 1949.
Most of my DPS features this stamp, its production proofs, varieties, and postal history. However, my exhibit begins with examples of all French stamps and postal stationery that have ever shown Parisian bridges. Although there are 37 bridges (’ponts’ in French) including pedestrian bridges (’passerelles’) that cross the Seine River in Paris, they have not received the philatelic attention that I think they deserve!
The Bridges Shown on the Stamp.
The most spectacular depiction of bridges in Paris appears on the 1000 franc definitive airmail stamp issued in 1950. The image below is one from my DPS and shows this stamp with the identified bridges. The details of the design and the engraver’s art allow each bridge to be recognized from the number of arches and the relative locations of other buildings and monuments. The Alexander III bridge is distinctive in having a single span, more than 100 meters long, and it is easily recognized as the bridge farthest in the distance on this stamp. Note, however, that there is an unidentified bridge near the top and a missing bridge in the design.
Just a quick note of digital philatelic interest from Stamp Collectors Corner:
“In 2008, Bhutan once again released a postage stamp like no other. The first ever CD ROM postage stamp was created to show the world what Bhutan has accomplished during the past 100 years.”
The article CD ROM Postage Stamp – Bhutan describes a new issue – a mini-CD.
Janet Klug, WE Think
Body pages are just as easy to create as title pages using Publisher and the techniques we have just described in the article MS Publisher and Title Pages.
First you need to add a few pages. Use the “Insert” feature on the tool bar. A pretty self-explanatory drop down menu appears. Add the number of pages behind the current page.
How ever many pages you add will appear orange tabs near the bottom of the screen. This allows you to move from one page to the next by just clicking on the page tab.
Inserting New Pages
Page two will automatically appear on the screen when you click “OK.”. At this point it will blank. You then begin to add subheadings, captions, and other text and illustrations. Each of these things will go in either a text box or a “picture” box.
Placing the boxes exactly where you want them is made incredibly easy. Notice on the page that there is a horizontal ruler at the top of the work area, and a vertical ruler along the left side of the work area. Your cursor will create a line on each ruler that helps you place text and pictures exactly.
Just keep adding stuff until you get the page the way you want it to look. This finished page shows a pretty complicated layout of stamps, covers, text and a scan showing a die variety.
At the top of the page in the left corner I placed a tw-oline subheading. This was reflected in the plan of the exhibit that appeared on the title page. Below that is a boxed notation in red that highlights an important feature of what is being shown on this page… that the stamp is the first printing of multiple printings that will be exhibited.
Finished Page from Exhibit
Directly below that is a scan of what the first die looks like, enlarged from the stamp so the viewer can easily see it, and then text below that describes in words what you are looking at.
Then come the stamps, from left to right. First, is actually the reverse of the stamp, so that the viewer can see the aniline ink bleeding to the back of the stamp.
Then there is a corner block, shown to illustrate the line perforations, and finally on the right is a SPECIMEN overprint.
Two covers showing first printing stamps round out this page. Each item has its own text that went into a text box.
Microsoft Publisher has many more features too numerous to mention for this article. I suggest you try it yourself. The current version of Publisher runs on Windows XP or Vista. It requires a 500 megahertz (MHz) processor or higher, 256 megabytes (MB) RAM (random access memory) or higher, 1.5 gigabytes on your hard disk, a CD-ROM or DVD drive to load the software, and a video display of 1024 X 768 or higher resolution.
Download a trial version of Publisher or take an online test drive on their website. The purchase price from Microsoft is $170, but you can probably find it cheaper elsewhere. I’ve tried lots of different software to make my exhibits. Publisher works best for me.
Don Chafetz, Israel Philatelist
Should I Twitter? Does this picture belong on Facebook? Does this video belong on YouTube? What is Cloud computing?
The computer world has many new technology options which I am just now trying to understand. Since my children and granddaughters are not nearby to explain and show me how to use this new technology, I am struggling.
Besides learning the mechanisms of each new application, my mind is always trying to figure out how philately can use the technology to spread the word. I have taken my first steps due to the encouragement of my daughter, Gwyn, and am now on Facebook.
No, I have not posted an extensive profile. Instead, I use the site as a way to share pictures with my family and a few friends. For philatelists, I can visualize the site as a tool to exchange images of stamps or covers that might be of interest. The advantage of using Facebook is that the images are on the web and you can invite fellow collectors anywhere in the world to view them. There is no need to send the images to everyone. Also, you can add comments about the images and again everyone can view the comments and comment on the comments!
YouTube is a good site for posting videos that anyone can see. I have not formally arrived at the point where I have a video to post, but I have made a very crude one. I took some still images of one of my side collections, The Morris Canal, and placed them in Apple’s iMovie program. While crude, I was able to create and play the movie, but with no audio track.
Actually, there was another effort a friend, Fran Adams, and I made that was all audio, but had no video! It could have been posted to YouTube, but with no video it would not have been well received. The audio recording was created during the 2009 SANDICAL stamp exhibition in San Diego. I did an audio description of a Judacia exhibit that was in the show while Fran handled the audio and editing portion.
The bottom line is that with very simple and inexpensive technology philately has the means to show and demonstrate the beauty and joy of our hobby.
Twitter registration screen
While President Obama is a Twitterer, I am not. I have not found a need to be in continuous contact with anyone, letting them know my every move. But, I can see where it can come in handy when you are at a stamp show with a friend. For instance, as you and your friend are visiting dealer booths and doing your never ending search for the right items, I can visualize you Tweeting your results back and forth. In fact, you might have found some elusive items that he/she has been searching for and you can hurriedly inform him of its location.
As far as cloud computing is concerned, I am not exactly sure how it will work and the advantages it offers now to philately.
Nevertheless, as I understand it, you basically keep all your information on an internet computer (server) thus eliminating the need for your information on your home computer. I assume the advantage is that whatever records, images, etc. you have on your home computer would be available to you literally anywhere in the world via the internet and the cloud. At this point I am not sure about the value of the technology when you can use an iPod Touch to do the same thing now.
The main point of this discussion is that new technology and computer programs are becoming common place and we in philately need to be aware of them and try to harness their capability and power. “Why?” you might ask. Well for one thing they can make our philatelic life easier and more fun by helping us maintain our inventories, create a visual record of our collections and most importantly facilitate communication with other collections.
But for me, the most important long term reason is that these tools are really marketing tools that we must use to spread the word about our hobby. A video on philately posted on YouTube or pictures posted on Facebook can be seen by millions of potential collectors. Of course, both of these methods would have links to our web sites and information about our societies.
Remember, new members are the life blood of any growing society. It is now time to more fully embrace the new technology and turn it to our advantage.
