This week on the REVP blog we have a Technology Review on www.MotionBox.com. MotionBox is a video hosting service where you can upload and share your videos. It is mainly aimed at personal family videos; but it works equally well for Real Estate videos. What makes MotionBox stand apart from other video hosting services like Youtube is that it is not a public video sharing network. Your account is much more private being available only to other MotionBox members, people you've shared your videos with and those who view your embedded player on the web. So you will not have to compete with the silly videos.

MotionBox is free of advertising, except for the services they have affiliated with. These services are accessed as separate gifts you can purchase and they all relate to your videos. You can purchase a DVD of your video collection, there's a VHS-to-DVD/online service and flip books created from stills of your movies. You can purchase these if you wish, but they are not essential to your account.

Their customer service is excellent as they offer many resources, FAQs, tutorials and blogs on how to make the most of their service. Any inquiries sent to their customer service are answered thoroughly and promptly.

Screen shot of the MotionBox information page

There are many other options as well available with your MotionBox account, free or premium. Most of these you will probably never use however such as the filmstrip video viewer, the Playlist and a few others that are not even worth mentioning.

For a full run down on MotionBox and their terms of service you can visit their information page here at www.motionbox.com/welcome/how_it_works/basics . So what's the final verdict?

Pros: High quality playback. Easy to share videos. Excellent customer service and resources. Affordable Premium account with unlimited transfers and HD playback.
Cons: Lacks the exposure of the larger video sharing networks. Not Real Estate exclusive and many account options are not going to be very useful.
REVP Rating: Highly Recommended - if you're looking for a exclusive high-quality video hosting site look no further.

Green screen technology. It's the technique used to insert digital backdrops into video to create amazing special effects. You thought it was only available to big budget Hollywood pictures, but now it can be available for your next video blog, commercial, recruitment or training video! Movie magic technology has caught up to the Real Estate agents, as Real Estate Video Pros specializes in utilizing green screen technology for special effects in videos. Working with a green screen is not like a typical shoot and there are some fundamental rules you should keep in mind when working with a green screen.

• Native lighting: The film crew will be bringing their own lighting but wherever you decide to shoot your green screen video make sure it is well lit. Native lighting plays a big role in the quality of the video and the special effects. Make sure all light bulbs are functioning and if not to replace them before the shoot.
• Choose a spacious room: The room you use for the shoot should be wide and open enough for the film crew to work in. They will not only need to set up the green screen backdrop but also lights, camera and sound equipment. This cannot be successfully done in a cluttered office or a busy room.
• Find a quiet space: Keep in mind that the loud air conditioner or the buzzing electrical current in the walls may be picked up by the sound equipment used in your shoot. Try to keep background noise to a minimum to ensure the best audio recording.
• Do not disturb the green screen: The green screen backdrop should be secure, clean and as wrinkle-free as possible when shooting. Do not under any circumstances touch the green screen when filming. Any alterations to the green screen may create problems when adding the special effects in post production.
• Avoid unnecessary and exaggerated movements: When filming with a green screen try to avoid any unnecessary motions. You don't have to be stiff as a board but don't get up and dance around either. To ensure the best shoot possible and that you stay within the camera frame, keep your movements natural but within bounds. Your filming crew should coach you on where you can move.
• Do not wear green: Sorry to all the Irish Realtors, but when using a green screen the person in the shot should not wear green. Your clothes may accidentally be caught in the post production special effects! The end result may be the digital background showing through your business shirt.

The Real Estate Video Pros blog is proud to introduce our Technology Review segment. In the Technology Review, we will take a look at a variety of products and services as they relate to multimedia and the Real Estate industry. There will be some very exceptional products and services to grace our reviews, as well as some you would best avoid. Our goal is not to overload you with technical jargon and biased articles. Just to provide the bottom line and our recommendations as to the relevance towards a typical Real Estate professional. So without further delay lets kick off our first Technology Review by looking at the Canon Powershot series of digital cameras.

Digital cameras are essential to today's Real Estate industry. Any Realtor will confess that they take A LOT of pictures. To keep up with the rigors of the Real Estate industry your digital camera needs to be reliable, powerful and not break your budget at the same time. The Canon Powershot series offers a wide range of digital cameras that will fit a Realtor's needs. There will never be a need to have the most advanced models in the series and yet you should not sell yourself short by purchasing the cheapest model either. The best models usually are the "middle of the road" models that offer the quality and features that will help showcase your properties. Most cameras in this series have features such as the Image Stabilizer and Motion Detection to create the clearest and blur-free images you can get.

If you're looking for a good quality workhorse camera take a look at the Powershot A590 IS. It's a bit bulky, but if that doesn't bother you will be glad to know it has a solid 8.0 megapixel quality and a 4.0 digital zoom.

The Powershot SD770 IS is as sleek as it is powerful. 10 megapixel quality that is easy to use and can fit in your pocket. It suffers in zoom as it only has 3.0 digital, but you will rarely need a powerful zoom when taking property shots.

Pros: Great cameras that will last as long as you take care of them. Come with many features to ensure high quality pictures.
Cons: Can be a bit costly if you don't find a deal. Zooms are not too impressive.
REVP Recommendation: Highly recommended - Canon is a strong brand and if you need a digital camera take a look at the midrange Powershot series models.

1. There's no need to be nervous. Make sure that you are relaxed in a comfortable sitting or standing position for the shoot. Know that you won't have a perfect take every time, so don't get to concerned when you slip up. The film crew will take as many takes as they need to make sure you have a good video blog. Try to enjoy yourself, it'll make it a lot easier and your speech will come to you more naturally.
2. Make sure to get your message across clearly. Don't think that if you have a heavy accent that you cannot do a video blog. Don't speak too fast or too slow, keep a steady rhythm. Enunciate well and keep on topic. Try to avoid slang if at all possible.
3. Get plenty of rest before hand and don't come to the shoot hungry. Nothing will distract you or ruin the shoot quicker than being tired and hungry. Make sure you are well prepared for the shoot and even have some snacks and water on hand for later.
4. Find a spacious, quiet room for your shoot. The film crew will need plenty of space to setup and you will need to keep background noise to a minimum in order to get a good shoot. Make sure to keep this in mind when choosing the office or room for your video blog.
5. Prepare yourself for the shoot. Brainstorm over your subject content. Practice speaking it in front of the mirror. Know what you are going to wear and pay extra detail to your appearance.