Business Start Up Checklist

* Backdrop and Shower curtain from Wal-Mart: $18

* Tripod from Sears: $30

Wireless Headphone (with "compander circuitry") that sounds like crap: $100 * Expensive,

Wired Headphone that just works: $20 * Cheap-looking,

* Pink-shade Table Lamp: $10

* 100W bulb (that you need to keep switching off between takes because the lamp-shade says it can handle only 40W): $2

* CyberLink PowerDirector: $90

* Getting great feedback from (rather kind) friends and family who enjoyed your spirited attempt: Priceless!

I finally gave in to my alter ego ("Wilson") and started a channel on YouTube, ok.

In order to make a half-decent video: here's what I ended up learning (and buying), Had a lot of fun creating the videos.

30% "sense of humor and timing" and only 10% "mouth-not-moving skills" * Ventriloquism is 60% "funny script",

I just placed the shower curtain on the front edge of my book shelf - so didn't even have to bring out the screwdriver (or my drill) - and no nails were hurt during the hanging of my backdrop. And walla - bearable background for my videos, an extra long shower curtain for $12, got some fabric from Walmart for $6, so! Your computer desk in the background really sucks), * You need to have a decent back-drop (read.

But got it in 3 hours flat, sure, 6 inches short, so. "yesterday", er, i wanted it like. Said it would take 3 weeks to ship; tripod I really wanted, the 3rd-party merchant I found on Amazon that was selling the 70&Prime. Tripod (~ $30) from Sears - ordered online and picked up the same evening in-store; * Need a tripod - so got a 66&Prime.

Unless you have the $500+ ones, so all you really need is a half-decent mike - don't splurge on the microphones. And the sound is like 10 times better (see difference in sound between video #1 and #2 below), brandless headphones that I bought from Staples 4 years ago, went back to my old $20 wired. My spanking new $100 wireless headphone bought-just-for-this worked like crap. * You need more-than-good-enough sound.

Say chroma keying (the green-screen stuff), when I think of doing, but I have a feeling I will be outgrowing it sooner than later (especially, very happy with PowerDirector (~ $90) so far. Paid for an updated version - it kicks butt and has pretty much everything a non-power-user would need. * Need good video editing software - have had PowerDirector for a few years now - have edited a few home videos and stuff.

And the cable to connect it to your computer (faster if you have a FireWire port), big-ass Sony), you need a camcorder (I have an old, * Of course.

And got yelled at later) and set it up on a chair next to me during the shoot, so I borrowed my 8-yr old daughter's pink-shaded table lamp (without her permission. * The regular lighting in your room is no good.

Etc trimming out bad takes, transitions, edit it (very intuitive interface) to add sound effects, save the file, hit "Stop", once you finish recording, And it starts recording right away, and hit the red "Record" button in PD, just put the camcorder in "Play" (VTR) mode. It automatically prompts to be launched when you plug your camcorder in, * If you have PowerDirector (PD) installed.

Of course) and will even upload it directly to YouTube (provided you've logged in previously, wmv) that has a smaller file size compared to MPEG's (given YouTube's 100MB limit), * PD v5 has a cool new "Create File for YouTube" feature - where it will create a slightly low-res Windows media file (.

* Create a new YouTube account with the same name as your channel (because you can't change the login later).

* Create and upload the video directly from PD.

) * Wait for like at least 2-3 hours before you can see it live (used to be live within just 10 minutes as recently as 6 months ago!

Etc) will take anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours to take effect, colors, change to template, * Any changes you make to your channel (description.

And publish the video on your site or blog spam your friends and family, * Wait for it to go live,