Recording a video journal

2 minute read

Having a physical and digital Journal is lovely. Complementing it with audio recordings was even better. But two years ago, I thought that I could go beyond including video whenever I want. Videos of myself explaining how things were. I was doing it once a month in my office. The format was similar to the audio recordings, long recordings. But, that end up in huge files and not that fast to handle. Then, I changed the approach to small videos (<3minutes) that I could record anywhere. This was a more flexible and manageable plan.

As for the recordings, I do almost the same as with the audio. I go for a walk or set the stand in someplace and do the record.

Video Hardware

As always, I started to look for the best set up for the job. Quickly I notice that the same hardware that I use for the audio recordings was valid here: The iPhone and the Shure MV88. But I added a new accessory, the Manfrotto mini tripod.

mini tripd and the MV88
mini tripd and the MV88

That addition gives me the possibility to set up the iPhone for recording everywhere or carrying it on my hand while recording in a more natural namer.

Video Software

I like to keep things simple. I use the regular camera app to do the recording. That record ends up in the Photos app and stays there until I process it.

The process is also simple. I have created a template project in iOS Movies App. To process a new video, I just need to edit that template, insert the new view replacing the previous one, and export it. That task can be done anywhere at any moment during my GTD process phase.

The storage follows the same path as the audio recordings. It goes to iCloud, to DayOne, and finally to local storage (Synology). You can find more details on the audio Journal entry.

Conclusions

As with the audio, the video has added another dimension to my journal. I do not do it every day. I do it when I feel I need to do it. Having the journal is not an obligation but a scape valve, a tool that you use when you need it. During the last years, I have done it quite a lot, around ten times a month. I already have a huge collection of videos and audios.

Sample

Nothing is better than a sample of the work to get the feeling of the result. Here it is.