Old Glory, New Pride

Independence Day–—Fire up that grill, get out the fireworks, and get ready to toast the founding fathers.

The Main Course:
The 4th means it’s definitely time for a cookout. If you’re putting your grill to use, we’ve got you covered with an excellent list of grilling how-tos – anything and everything from  How To Grill The Perfect Burgers to even Pineapple.

Refreshments:
Our founding father’s knew how to party. On top of sporting some fab-u-lous wigs, they liked to spend some time tossing a few back. Check out How To Make Founding Fathers’ Planters Punch and guzzle down the glory, 1776 style.

Dessert:
Anything goes as long as it’s red, white, and blue. This year, match your food to the flag and check out the festive How To Make A Flag Cake. And if you need something to help with the heat, check out How To Make Patriotic Popsicles.

Entertainment:
If you’re planning to set off fireworks, be sure to watch How To Set Off Fireworks Safely before coloring the sky with your favorite sparks.

Now go get your Independence on!

Howcast Helps Teach Mobile Journalism on The YouTube Reporters’ Center

As we witness the protests in Tehran unravel,  one thing that is certain : citizen generated video has become a powerful and vital component of the news cycle of our age.

In order to enable citizens to hone their guerrilla journalism skills, YouTube has created “The YouTube Reporters’ Center, ” an one-stop shop aimed at providing aspiring journalists with information and instruction to help them report responsibly.  Here citizens will be able to educate themselves about the best practices for reporting different types of stories, conducting interviews, distributing content, adhering to journalistic ethics, and much more!

Howcast.com has whipped up it’s first contribution to the”The YouTube Reporters’ Center“  with “How to Capture Breaking News Video On Your Phone.” Check it out to get great practical tips on capturing breaking news video on your cell phone and getting you started in mobile journalism.

Some Howcast Tips To Teach Your Pooch New Tricks

Although dogs come with character, most of them do not come with manners. This new batch of Howcast vids will turn your rude pooch into a debonair delight.

Need to eat in peace? Check out How to Stop Your Dog from Begging at the Table, and Fido will learn to mind his own beeswax. Or check out How to Teach Your Dog to Play Dead and enjoy Fido’s flirtation with backyard theater.

Once your furry friend has far exceeded refinement, do something special for him—watch How to Make Your Own Dog Treats, and dish out a homemade batch of love.

Jason’s First Hand Military Experience

Recently I had the opportunity to participate in the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference, otherwise known as the ultimate crash course in the military for ordinary non-military folk.  Hosted by General Victor Renuart, the Commander of NORAD (think War Games) and the US Northern Command, the experience was absolutely mind blowing.  From riding in an Osprey to hearing real stories from soldiers, I have a new found appreciation of the military and the people who protect us.  I was given the amazing opportunity to be the first guest blogger on the Commander’s Blog, and write about my experience during the JCOC.  Check it out.

How-To Videos Make This Father’s Day A Memorable One

Father’s day is just around the corner, and as the day approaches we find ourselves undecided on what to do for our special dads. All dads like ties, right? Well, instead of buying him the same old gift, why not be creative and demonstrate your artistic abilities by learning How to Make a Pop Up Card? Your kids will have fun, and dad will be happy you thought of him.

If you’re on a budget and don’t want to buy him a gift you know he won’t like, cook up his favorite steak dinner with How to Grill the Perfect Steak, and top it off with his favorite drink with How to make a Manhattan.

Fathers want to be with their families on father’s day, so if you feel like planning something special for him, go camping in the woods with the whole family and learn How to Set Up a Campsite.

Father’s day only comes once a year, so try something different and have some fun!

Getting the Word Out

We’ve been watching the current protests in Iran regarding the recent election and are amazed by how citizens are using social-networking sites like Twitter both to organize protests and share news.  Seeing technology used to further a cause reminds us about the great discussions we had during the Alliance of Youth Movement Summit in December.

Co-Sponsored by Howcast and the State Department, the summit brought together 17 movements from around the world who had used social technology to grow and create tangible results. Through using the methods described in How to Circumvent an Internet Proxy to Build a Grassroots Movement through Social Networks or How to Smart Mob, organizers–including some Iranians–were able to get their voices heard.

To learn more about how you can use social media to effect change, watch these videos inspired by the Alliance of Youth Movements Summit below:

Can you reinvent the how-to video for $2000?

The Howcast Emerging Filmmakers Program launched its first contest today — the How-To Video Challenge! It’s a call for filmmakers, web video artists, and inventors to show off their coolest, baddest, flat-out flyest how-to videos. We’re counting on some exciting creative approaches to the how-to format….maybe a new shooting, editing or animation technique; a household hack or tech mod we never heard of; or even a short film that subtly weaves in a how-to lesson.

We lined up a top-notch panel of judges to select our winners including, Peter Baxter, Slamdance Film Festival; Jeff Cooperman, The Colbert Report; Katherine Sharpe, ReadyMade Magazine; Tim Sullivan, Magical Elves (Project Runway, Top Chef). I think finalists will be thrilled to have their work judged by these industry pros, but that’s just the icing on the cake, because our first prize winner will score $2000 and promotion across online, mobile and off-line platforms. (Second and third prize winners will also take home some nice booty — 2nd prize is a Sony Webbie HD camera with accessories and 3rd prize is a Nano and Apple Store gift certificate.)

The contest is the perfect opportunity for us to reward the creativity of the filmmakers we work with and to challenge a whole new community of film and video makers and DIYers. Reinventing the how-to video is a fantastic assignment for these creative folks and we can’t wait to see what they dream up. When we say we want our socks knocked off, we really mean it.

Important Dates:
Entry Deadline: July 28
Voting Period: July 29 - August 10
Winners Announced: August 20

Good luck and happy shooting,
Heather
Managing Producer, Emerging Filmmakers Program

Rainy Day Games From Howcast

It’s been raining all week here in NYC, and so we’ve been forced to come up with some creative ways to pass the time. To start, get your abstract strategy on by checking out How To Play Othello.

Or check out How To Play Chinese Checkers, which is neither Chinese nor a variation of checkers. (Discuss.) Want to hone your card skills? Watch How To Farrow Shuffle a Deck of Cards, or How to Deal A Deck of Cards, and you’ll be slinging cards like a pro.

To learn how to play more board and card games, check out the full playlist!

Howcast Shows You How to Dine without Blowing Your Diet

You shouldn’t have to stress about sabotaging your diet every time you eat out. Check out Howcast’s How to Dine without Blowing Your Diet playlist, and you can eat at just about any restaurant without fear of blowing your weight-loss gains.

Feeling like heading south of border for dinner, but worried about all that delicious cheese?!! Check out How to Dine at a Mexican Restaurant Without Blowing Your Diet, and make that spicy journey without schlepping back the guilt.

Ooh la la—French food, one of the richest cuisines in the world. Take a minute to watch How to Dine at a French Restaurant withouth Blowing Your Diet, and leave the gavage for the goose.

Finally, if you want to keep tabs on your progress, you’ll need to know how to tract your lbs. How to Weigh Yourself Correctly will keep you updated–and honest.

You bring the will power, we’ll bring the know-how.

Bon Appetit!

Filmmakers from Down Under Getting Creative in the EFP!

Howcast’s Emerging Filmmakers Program has teamed up with stateside film schools Boston University, Flashpoint Academy, and now, for the first time ever, a film and television school from way down under – Charles Sturt University of Wagga Wagga, Australia.

CSU’s Television Production Students produced eight fantastic Howcast spots this semester. (CSU students have a leg up with access to a fully operational television studio!) Check out the Charles Sturt Univeristy Channel and you’ll see an impressive performance by a team of actors/comedians, kitchen techniques illustrated in a sleek location, and a unique cocktail recipe beautifully lit and shot.

“The collaboration between Howcast and Charles Sturt University has produced a number of excellent how-to videos. Howcast nurtured the student’s talents, boosting their confidence to produce creative works up to the standard required for global release.” — Bruce Gater, Lecturer In Television Production

Charles Sturt University is proud to be the first Australian university to partner with Howcast and Howcast is thrilled to work with film students from across the globe and looks forward to working with more talented Aussies!

-Heather