How to Make a Screencast: Tips and Tricks
Are you an eLearning professional who wants to make screencasts for training courses?
Or are you going to start your vlog on YouTube and show how to use specific software?
In this video, I’ll explain how to screencast, which tools to choose, and what to consider before
recording, so keep on watching. Happy learnsday everyone!
I’m Polina and today is another great day to learn something new,
so let’s get started! ...
Before we dive deep, let’s explain what exactly a screencast is.
A screencast is a video recording that captures the actions that take place on a screen.
You can also often hear people calling it a screen capture video or a screen recording. A screencast
can contain various objects like text, images, audio, and even mouse movements.
A screencast is a type of video tutorial that is most often created to demonstrate a process that’s
shown on the screen. But although such videos are all instructional, they can be used for
different purposes by different people. Here’s who can benefit from screencasting:
● L&D professionals. With screencasts, learning pros can demonstrate to their employees how to
use the software they need to carry out their job duties; for example, create a video guide to
Microsoft Excel or record an LMS walkthrough. ● Teachers. Screencasting helps teachers save more
time on introducing the topic in the classroom and invest more time in practice and discussions.
This approach is referred to as a flipped classroom. For instance, a teacher can record
their screen while explaining how to solve math equations and share the video with students so
they can watch it before coming to class. ● Software development companies.
Organizations that produce software or offer a web service can benefit greatly from making
video tutorials on how to use their tool. This is where screencasts can come into play again.
● YouTube instructors. Skillful photoshoppers, advanced users of Microsoft Excel,
and other software experts use screencasts to share their knowledge with the world.
● Gamers. For gamers, a screencast is a way to share their gameplay with the world,
as well as get feedback on their skills and teach their peers how to improve their performance.
Whether you’re making a screencast for a classroom, an online course, or a YouTube
video, here’s how you do it, step by step. Step number 1: Make a plan and write a script
You have only 10 seconds to capture and engage an audience. From the very beginning of the video,
they should understand that this screencast is what they need now.
To captivate your viewers right away, plan your video. Decide where to start, what to show in
the middle, and how to end. Then prepare a script. Don’t skip this step, as the script will help you:
● Make your screencast more concise. ● Think about some talking points and
tips that will make the lesson more useful. ● Figure out what you should show and when.
● Avoid unnecessary pauses while recording. ● Reduce the time for video editing.
● Reduce any unnecessary stress Writing a script is actually quite
easy. In an instructional video, the first few moments should draw the viewer in and give them
reasons to watch what you have to present. Don’t use the first five seconds of your
video to tell people your company name; use them to share why they should keep watching.
This can be done with a dialog or graphics. Matthew Pierce
Learning & Video Ambassador from TechSmith Corporation
You can start with a statement about the goal and provide a plan of your tutorial
so a viewer can see what to expect right away.
In the middle of the screencast, you need to describe the topic
in as much detail as needed to transfer the knowledge required to solve the issue.
At the end, you can give a summary and go through the key points once again if your video is long.
If it is short and focused on one topic, repetition may not add value. You may also want to
give the viewer an action they can perform. This also helps to further anchor the learning.
For example, if your video is about creating a new PowerPoint template, rather than recapping the
steps, invite viewers to actually do it. If you’re worried about the viewer remembering the steps,
it’s probably better to provide a job aid or handout that’s easy to open in another window,
download, or print. At the very end, give a preview of the next lesson.
Write the script in a conversational tone, without complex phrases or a lot of acronyms and jargon.
It’s okay to use contractions, even slang. Keep your audience in mind — using more
informal language will make your video easier to understand and, hopefully, put your viewers at
ease with the presenter. Matthew Pierce
Learning & Video Ambassador from TechSmith Corporation
To make sure the text works, read it out loud.
This will help you notice complex phrases or awkward transitions. Are there places in
the script that don’t sound natural? If so, make the necessary touch-ups.
You can also check the text for readability in Hemingway. This online editing tool will help you
find complex sentences and phrases, excessive adverbs, and passive voice constructions that
you can turn into an active voice. You will find the link in the description.
When writing your script, make sure that you choose words that have a
purpose. Make each word fight for its place in the script. If the word isn’t helping the
viewer to understand or move towards the purpose of the video, consider cutting it.
Step number 2: Choose a microphone A headset or a built-in laptop
microphone are bad tools for voice acting. Ambient background noises such as hissing,
crackling, or echoing may appear in the recording. Use a separate microphone for making screencasts.
First, define the type of device you need: ● Dynamic mics block out room echo and
background noises well. Most often they are used by musicians at concerts,
where there is no time for sound processing. ● Condenser mics, to the contrary, catch
even the ticking of a clock. But if you record your voice in complete silence, you can achieve a
decent sound using this type of device. Condenser mics are most often used at radio stations.
Another important consideration is how it will be connected to your computer:
● ХLR mics are of high sound quality, but they are connected to a computer
via an external sound card or a special adapter. You need to buy it separately.
● USB mics can be plugged into an available USB port on the computer.
It’s much easier. However, the sound quality is sometimes worse than that of ХLR devices.
There are also some useful microphone accessories that can help achieve a pure sound,
even if you are recording a voice on the street or in an apartment next to a construction site.
A microphone isolation shield partially mutes extra sounds in the room and filters out the echo.
As a rule, it is placed behind the microphone. A pop filter suppresses breathing noises, softens
sibilant “s” and “sh” sounds, and blocks plosives like “p” “b”, and “t”, which can max out the
decibels and sometimes cause signal clipping. You will find a list of microphones,
a video showing how a voice sounds with and without an isolation shield, and an example
of how a pop filter works in our blog post dedicated to the topic. I will put a link to
it in the description. Be sure to check it out. Step number 3. Install screen recording
and video editing software In addition to a microphone, you’ll need
a recording tool. For the search term “screencast software download,” Google returns about 1,050,000
results. Among them are some reviews and developer sites where you can download the software. To
make it simple for you, we’ve selected three tools for different types of tasks. I will go
over them right after I am done with the steps. Step number 4. Prepare the room for recording
No matter how good a microphone is, it can’t completely block ambient background noise.
That’s why you need to prepare before recording and here are my three tips:
● Choose a small room for recording, because in a large room,
your voice will echo off the walls more loudly. ● Close the windows tightly, turn off phones,
computers, fans, and any other appliances. Make sure your chair doesn’t squeak.
● The room shouldn’t be empty; otherwise, the sound will be hollow,
as if you are sitting in the bathroom. If you plan to keep doing your own voiceovers
and screencasts, slowly build up the acoustic treatment in your recording area;
invest in something like a Whisper Room. If you don’t have a dedicated recording space,
put up heavy blankets, heavy curtains, anything you can to put mass between your recording space
and the outside world. Bryan Olson
voiceover artist Tip: Hang an “On Air”
sign on the door so that colleagues or kids (or both) don’t stumble into your session.
Step number 5. Prepare your voice for recording When recording a voiceover, you need to read the
text in a light and convincing manner. It’s difficult to do this if you’re distracted,
as you need to pronounce words correctly and decide which syllables to emphasize.
So, before recording, do some rehearsing – read the script out loud several times.
To ensure that your voice sounds good, do some vocal warm ups - you will find a link
to more tips in the description section. While recording, it’s incredibly important
to use the microphone properly. It shouldn’t be too far from your mouth,
because it will pick up more ambient noise, nor should it be too close, because it can pick up
unwanted mouth sounds and max out the decibels. Also, make sure the volume is adjusted properly,
so the final effect is a nice fat waveform with no signal clipping.
Breathing naturally is essential as well. No one wants to listen to a robot, even if that robot
has a beautiful voice. You want to sound like you’re talking with someone or teaching someone.
You aren’t just reading words from a page. You’re trying to make them come alive,
even with training material. Bryan Olson
voiceover artist Tip: Posture also
affects the quality of the recording, so keep your back straight. At the same time,
the belly should be distended and the chest pulled forward. Correct posture will help your voice
sound stronger and more expressive. The last step, Step number 6.
Record the screencast Here are some tips that will
help you make a high-quality screencast: ● Before recording, remove unwanted
objects from the shot. Nobody wants to see the toolbar with
the Start button if it’s not going to be used. ● Turn off pop-ups and messenger notifications,
so you don’t have to re-record the video after a message from your buddy pops up in the corner.
● Record screencasts at a resolution of 1280×720 px (720i). If you make the resolution any smaller,
the viewer won’t be able to see what is happening on the screen clearly
and there will be black margins around the video after uploading it to YouTube.
Screen recording at 640×480 resolution
Screen recording at 1280×720 resolution ● Take breaks. If you need to collect
your thoughts or drink some water, take a break.
Only first-class professionals can record a screencast on the first take.
The key is high-quality content. ● Record voice and screen separately.
This helps to avoid extra takes. For example, if you narrate a line incorrectly, you won’t have to
re-record what is happening on the screen. It’s sufficient to read the complex paragraph one more
time and sync it with the video. ● Remove unwanted video scenes.
The screencast should begin as soon as the viewer clicks on the Start button.
“Dead air” at the beginning and at the end of the lesson is a waste of time. Cut unwanted
clips (pieces of video or sound) mercilessly. How to Record a Screencast in iSpring Suite
If you opt for iSpring Suite Max, here’s what you need to do to record a screencast.
First, decide on the format of your video. iSpring allows you to create a screencast with narration
or a screencast with a webcam video, here’s how: A screencast plus narration
After installing iSpring Suite on your computer, you’ll see an additional tab
in PowerPoint. Click on Screen Recording. Then, in the Recording Settings window,
choose the Screen tab. Make sure your microphone is on.
Then, specify the size of the recording area: this can be a portion of the screen, the entire screen,
or the window of a specific application. As you record, there are a few things to
keep in mind to create a clean looking video. ● Hide your mouse cursor so it’s not distracting
to your viewer, or make sure the cursor is clear and visible if it’s a part of the tutorial.
● Pause if you make a mistake, so when you edit, it’ll be easier for you to find the places where
you’ve made mistakes and cut them out. ● Speak clearly and with the tone and
pace you have chosen for the video. A screencast plus a presenter video
If you’re going to record a screencast and a webcam video at the same time,
choose the Screen and Camera option in the Recording Settings window.
You can show both streams together, or easily switch between them.
After your recording is complete, you can edit it. Remove noise and unwanted video, glue video
fragments together, and add video effects. Tips for Creating Captivating Screencasts
Here are some tips and tricks that can help you make your screencasts
even better looking and more engaging: ● To add more clarity to your screencast,
complement it with other media. For example, you can add pictures,
infographics, and different video footage. ● Another way to make things easier for
viewers to understand and, at the same time, attract their attention to certain points,
is to create annotations, graphs, and captions. For instance, outline the steps
of the process that you demonstrate on the screen. ● To direct your viewer’s eyes where you want them
to go, spotlight mouse actions. With tools like iSpring Suite, you can highlight a cursor and
add click sounds. However, keep in mind that excessive mouse movements are distracting,
so hide your mouse when it’s not being moved. ● In order for your video to look professional,
connect the segments with transitions. The scenes should naturally flow from
one to the next, with no abrupt cuts. ● If you demonstrate an onscreen process
without any voiceover instructions, add some music to set the mood of your video tutorial.
To Sum Up Screencasting is a great solution that helps bridge the gaps
for globally connected workforces, teachers, students, software developers, and customers.
Making a screencast allows the person on the other end to hear your voice
and provides important context to your words. It’s not only effective but also
a simple instructional tool that you can jump into and start using right away.
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so go ahead and explore it! - > ссылка Take care and good luck with your screencasts!
Bye!