One of the key features of our new site are the videomarks. These are like bookmarks in our huge archive library. Some of our cams have been archived back to 2008 and WE are still converting this footage into a format that can be viewed on all devices (including iPads and iPhones). The past 6 months of archive, and everything that is recorded from now, is available for viewing and videomarking.

You can watch the video above to see exactly how you create a videomark, but here are the steps …

  1. Go to the archives – Visit the archives at http://beta.crm-api-integ-220516.mystagingwebsite.com/video-archives … for now videomarks can only be created from the archives and not from the cam pages. However, we are working on speeding the archiving process up and will then begin to work on creating videomarks in real time. Currently recordings can take up to 30 minutes to appear in the archives.
  2. Pick an archive – Now select which cam’s archives you want to explore from the left drop down box under the video player.
  3. Change the thumbnail frequency – The default display of thumbnails in the matrix is one every hour, but you can change the frequency in the second (from the left) drop down box. You can select one thumbnail every 30 minutes, 10 minutes, 5 minutes or even a thumbnail every 1 minute. Then by clicking the next button on the top and bottom right (or left) of the thumbnail matrix you can page through the days thumbnails.
  4. Change the date – Of course you can also select different days to view within the archive using the rightmost drop down menu. Or you can click the “previous day” button or the “next day” button (if you are not looking at today’s archive).
  5. Click the thumbnail – Once you have found a moment in the archives that you would like to view then just go ahead and click that thumbnail. The video should start playing in the player above the thumbnail matrix.
    [note: if you are doing this on an iPad or iPhone you may have to tap the player once of twice to get the video playing. This is a known bug and WE are trying to figure out what is causing this.]
  6. “Scrub” the video clip – You can ‘scrub’ through the video using the slider on the control bar of the player at the bottom. Remember that all videos in our archive are recorded in 10 minute clips. [note: right now when you get to the end of a 10 minute clip the next one does not automatically play (this is called: “seamless play”). Its coming, but not quite working yet …)
  7. Creating a videomark – When you have found a great moment it’s time to create your videomark! All you have to do is click the “create a videomark” button under the video player and a pop up window will appear …
  8. Title – You have to create a title for your videomark. This will be used to create the videomark’s unique URL (link). Its also important to catch people’s attention so think of something that describes the action in your videomark. [note: It cannot be offensive, silly or rude. If it is the archivists will delete your videomark.]
  9. Description – The description is also important and helps your viewers know more about what to expect in your videomark.
  10. Tags – Only tags from our official tag list will be accepted. As you start typing tag-options from the official list will appear. We only allow tags from the official list so that there are no spelling mistakes. Tags are really important as it makes the search work, but also they mean that Google can index the videomark page better and this will mean more views for your videomark.
  11. A videomark is born – Then click “save videomark” and your videomark will be created! You will be taken to a new page (your videomark page). The URL (address) is a unique URL that will only change if the title is changed. You can copy and paste this URL into Facebook Pages or email it to your friends.
  12. Following – you (as the videomark creator) are automatically following the videomark, but anyone else can follow it and if they do the comments made under the videomark will show up in their private newsfeeds (home page when logged in – beta.crm-api-integ-220516.mystagingwebsite.com)
  13. Sharing – If you want people to see and appreciate your creation then you should share your videomark. Its easy. Just click on the sharing icon beneath the video player and you will be given options to share based on which social networks you have linked to your WildEarth user account. [note: right now you can only share to personal Facebook timeline and not to a Page, but we are working on this don’t you worry …]
Good luck and have fun. We built the videomark system to be a neat way to find those pearls of nature in our archive and share them. Many people cannot spend that much time watching the LIVE cams, but if you create great videomarks for the various sightings at the cams then everybody can keep up with what is going on. So create videomarks and share … its in your nature.

~Graham