Want To Shoot Better Digital Video? Watch This Report From ABC News

Here's a great video I stumbled upon over on ABCNews.com. It offers some great tips on shooting better digital video--everything from the best time of day to shoot to suggestions on how to share your footage online. It's almost like a mini course on the subject. Have a look:

A Reason To Get Animated

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to create your own animations but didn't think you possessed the talent to give it a go, you'll love a site called GoAnimate.com. They give you all the tools you need to create your own animations: characters, backgrounds, sound effects--you name it. And best of all, you don't need drawing or cartooning skills.

They've got a helpful video tutorial page to show you how to get started. Here's an example of what a finished product looks like using the tools you'll find at GoAnimate:

Stranger To Love by Rookrat




Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

Pursue Your Hobby With A Little Help From YouTube

If you've been a regular visitor to The Senior Surfer and a fan of the lighter side of the Web, you know that YouTube provides plenty of laughs. But did you know that it can be a terrific resource for the hobby lover in you as well?

Fact is, whatever your hobby, you'll likely find tons of stuff about it on YouTube. Next time you visit YouTube just type in different search terms related to your hobby and see what turns up.

Here's an example of a video on stamp collecting, to give you an idea of what a rich resource this can be for hobbyists:

Pen That Celluloid Classic With A Little Help From The Web

Got movies on your mind? Not surprising since last night was the Academy Awards. But, have you ever entertained the idea of actually writing a movie? Previously, if you wanted to indulge in such a lofty pursuit--even just as a hobby--you first had to learn how to format a screenplay or buy expensive software to do the trick. No longer. Today there's a site called Scripped.com that will automatically format your screenplay for free! What's more, you don't even have to download it onto your computer--it works directly in your browser!

Want to learn more? Just head on over to their site for all the details! By the way, while their software automatically formats your screenplay, it won't write it for you. For that, you'll need to rely on your own inspiration and creativity! Best of luck!

Explore The Woodworker's Web

Are you passionate about woodworking? Then you'll want to take advantage of the numerous woodworking resources available on the Web.

For starters, try these Web sites:

• Woodworking on About.com - You'll find free woodworking plans, tons of helpful tips, how-to articles and more at this site from About.com.

• Woodworking.com - Loads of articles and a woodworking discussion forum are among the highlights of this woodworking portal.

• Woodworkingonline.com - How about woodworking podcasts? You'll find plenty of them here!

Do you have a favorite woodworking site that's not listed here? Share it with our readers by leaving a comment!

The Internet For Coin Collectors

Are you a coin collector who isn't taking advantage of the great numismatic resources available to you online? Or maybe you're thinking of getting into coin collecting and wondering how the Web can help? We'll make it easy for you by pointing out a couple of sites you simply must see.

To feed your passion for coin collecting, check out the following:

• American Numismatic Association - Frequently asked questions about coins and coin collecting, articles for new collectors, and even a virtual museum are among this site's many highlights.

• The American Numismatic Society - The online home of The American Numismatic Society features details about the society's diverse coin collections, membership information and more.

• Coins & Paper Money on Ebay - You'll find plenty of coins for sale, some great coin buying guides and even a discussion forum for coin lovers, here at the largest auction site on the Web.

Got a favorite site for coin collecting enthusiasts not featured in this list? Tell us about it in the comments section!

Pursue Your Hobby Online

If you're not already using the Web to pursue your favorite hobby, then what are you waiting for? According to recent research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, seniors are still lagging behind their younger counterparts when it comes to using the Internet to pursue their hobbies. So, to help you along, we're introducing a new category here at The Senior Surfer called Pursue Your Hobby Online. We'll pick a hobby and then point out some great resources about it online. First up? Stamp collecting.

Here are some must-see sites on the Web if your hobby is stamp collecting:

• American Philatelic Society - The Web site of the largest nonprofit society in the world for stamp collectors. You'll find beginners' tips for stamp collecting, a web based version of their newsletter and much more!
  
  


• Stamps and Stamp Collecting on eBay - You can buy and sell practically anything on eBay, so of course you'll find plenty of stamps there too. This page also has links to stamp collecting guides and a discussion group as well!

• AskPhil - Stamp Collecting Starts Here - Sponsored by the Collectors Club of Chicago, this site is packed with how-to articles and tons of other reference information-plus you can even e-mail them your questions about stamp collecting!

Got a favorite Web site about stamp collecting not mentioned here? Share it with our readers by posting it in the comments section!