my-process

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Bryan Witherwax

Dec 14, 2010 - 1:49 PM

Thank you SOOO MUCH for this, I was scripting but I was not pre recording and that will be so much easier and the export tips were great as well. This helps me understand the settings as they pertain to the export. This was a wonderful and informative video thank you so much for making it. Thank yo

Ryan Eash

Dec 14, 2010 - 3:10 PM

You're welcome, Bryan. I'm glad you found it helpful. Best wishes with your Camtasia projects.

julio lobos

Dec 27, 2010 - 5:40 PM

Very helpful, but I cannot help to ask you about the audio gear (i.e: mike etc) you are using. Your sound is superb and since I am about to start CS recording it will save me a lot of time and trouble if you help me with that.

Thanks,

julio lobos

Dec 29, 2010 - 5:50 PM

Ryan,

12.43" - The example refers to the audio and the recording getting eventually out of sync. To solve this you pause both, audio and recording, and drag the former back to where it needed to be. Does this mean that so far you have NOT yet positioned the recording stuff on the Camtasia timeline?

15" - Here you acknowledged that your (camrec) Camtasia recording is quite a bit longer than the Audacity audio recording. A justification follows but I still don´t get it. How come? Audacity editing was not aimed precisely at guaranteeing that both parts would be/start in sync at the outset of the CS editing process?

Thanks for your patience,

Julio

Ryan Eash

Content Owner

Jan 4, 2011 - 5:20 PM

Julio, Thanks for your comments and questions. Please send me an email so I can try and help you. r.eash@techsmith.com Thanks, -Ryan

Ankur Jain

Jan 15, 2011 - 7:44 AM

Excellent. One of the best videos from Camtasia! I have sent you some questions via email Ryan.

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 23, 2011 - 12:17 AM

Hi Ankur, Yes, I got your emails...and it was a pleasure talking with you. Thanks so much for all your positive feedback. Hope things are going well with you.

Take care!

John Gardner

Jan 17, 2011 - 4:50 AM

I have created quite a lot of videos so far but, having watched this, I changed my method to try out yours. Works really well and I'll use that in future. Thanks very much Ryan.

R.Eash

Jan 27, 2011 - 9:05 AM

You're welcome...and I appreciate your comments, John. I'm glad the video was helpful.

Heather

Jan 20, 2011 - 6:05 PM

After using Camtasia for a couple years, I'm excited to see the process I've evolved to is actually what you describe here. Makes me feel like I'm actually doing something right! Far from my first attempts that ended up with very choppy clips in the timeline. One question... why do you use Audacity instead of record using Voice Narration in Camtasia? Do you find it provides better results? I do everything else you say, except I use the Voice Narration to lay down the audio first. Thanks!

Ryan

Content Owner

Jan 27, 2011 - 8:49 AM

Thanks for your comments/feedback, Heather. Very cool that our process is very similar. My best answer to why use Audacity and not Voice Narration in Camtasia is, "because it's what we started using 4 years ago...and it's worked great for us." :) I know, kind of a lame response. For me, I've found it to be a little easier to do my editing and "tweaking" of my audio in Audacity than doing this on the Camtasia timeline. Audacity is designed specifically for audio recording and editing, and the clean user-interface just makes this process simple. With that said...if you are getting really good results using the Voice Narration feature, I wouldn't change a thing. Do what's comfortable for you and simplifies your process. Another reason may be because we record our audio in a recording booth, on a separate computer. So, just launching Audacity on this machine makes it really quick and easy...then edit right there...and export out as a WAV file. Hope this helps. r.eash@techsmith.com

Lynda

Feb 17, 2011 - 6:52 PM

I'm with you Ryan. Have been using Camtasia for 4 years and always record my audio in Audacity :-)

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 23, 2011 - 12:20 AM

Thanks Lynda! :) Holler if you ever need anything. r.eash@techsmith.com

Ankur Jain

Jan 26, 2011 - 11:32 AM

@Heather: I had a similar question in mind and was doing the same before watching this video. As an experiment, I carried out a sample recording on both Audacity and Camtasia voice narration. I did this in a single sitting to make sure my voice "sounds" the same. While Audacity sounded very natural, camtasia narration had this slight echo spread across all my narration. Try for yourself and let us know if you too feel any difference. You can connect with me here http://twitter.com/ajonit

Ryan

Jan 27, 2011 - 9:03 AM

Thanks Ankur for sharing your test results. That's really interesting. @Ankur and @ Heather: If interested, here's something you can do to try and improve the original audio quality when recording with Voice Narration in Camtasia. http://www.screencast.com/t/GaTGwdEy2 Thanks again for your comments/feedback.

David Counsell

Feb 17, 2011 - 7:52 PM

I've been using Camtasia for about 4 years and Screencast for a couple of years. One thing that's always bugged me about Screencast is that I couldn't upload a video with my Table of Contents - or at least I didn't think I could. In viewing this video, I noticed that if I place my mouse pointer over the screen, your table of contents comes into view - VERY COOL! How do you do this? It's probably something quite simple that I've been overlooking.

David Counsell

Feb 17, 2011 - 7:58 PM

I think I figured it out - watched a video on the "searchable" function and think I've got it now - sure glad I watched this tutorial to figure this out! Thanks!

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 22, 2011 - 11:23 PM

Great job on figuring it out, David. If you use the Overlay Controller and upload it to Screencast.com...you will get the result that you see above with this video. But, if you also create any video with a Table of Contents and upload it to Screencast.com...it will utilize this same controller. The search capabilities are only possible if you have Captions in your video, and if you check next to the "Searchability" box to make them available. http://screencast.com/t/nbe7XzHfeOS Thanks for your comments.

Jon Farnlof

Feb 17, 2011 - 8:10 PM

Very nice, very useful. Good to see a continuous approach. Two questions - how did you get the user zoom feature to work when my mouse strayed into or out of the media player - is that a Camtasia or Screencast feature? In fact the whole player control setup looked good, but not quite ExpressShow, did I miss something? Thanks for you help

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 22, 2011 - 11:27 PM

Hi Jon, This is a Screencast.com controller/player that's being used. If you use the Flash Overlay Controller in Camtasia Studio, or the ExpressShow with a Table of Contents, you will get this controller/player that you see above on Screencast.com. Hope this makes sense. If you have more questions...email me: r.eash@techsmith.com. Thanks!

Andrew

Feb 18, 2011 - 5:06 AM

Ryan, really helpful video, thank you. May I ask; on average how long does it take you to fully produce a 3 minute video?

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 22, 2011 - 11:41 PM

Great question, Andrew, and a very tough one to answer. :) I wish I could give you an exact number, but it really just depends. The reason it's tough is because there are a lot of variables that come into play. For example: writing the script, getting it reviewed, making edits to the script, recording audio, recording my screen, editing the video, producing and sharing it with my team for feedback, and if needed...make any edits and final production. Of course this is an extreme example, but it's actually my typical process for videos I create for our Learning Center. If I'm creating a 3-minute, unscripted video, then I can do that in probably a couple hours max. I usually call those "quick and dirty" tutorials. It all depends on what you want your final product to be, and what the video entails. Basic screen recording can be pretty quick...with practice. But if you are incorporating camera video, customizing images, etc...then additional time is needed. Hope this is helpful.

Henrietta

Feb 18, 2011 - 6:10 AM

Hi Ryan! My question is: what would be the difference, if the process is: 1. Write the script 2. Record audio and sceen at the same time 3. Edit an cut. The process you shared has a great result, but can't it be made as good with the more simple and time saving "straight" process?

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 22, 2011 - 11:51 PM

Hi Henrietta, You can definitely still get a great result by recording your audio and video at the same time...and it could probably save you time. If you can do that and get a result you are happy with, then I say go for it. The process I use is just what has worked well for me. It's difficult for me to read from a script and record my screen at the same time...and make it sound as natural as possible. My process is definitely not the only way to work with Camtasia Studio...so I encourage you to find the process that works best for you and keep practicing. I appreciate your question... Let me know if you ever need anything. r.eash@techsmith.com

Ken

Feb 18, 2011 - 9:45 AM

Hey Ryan, Thanks for putting this all together! Plenty of helpful about the process. Someone has asked about how long it takes to create a 3 min video,I hope to see the answer as well.

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 22, 2011 - 11:45 PM

Hi Ken, See my reply to Andrew above. If it doesn't help you, feel free to email me and I'll try again. r.eash@techsmith.com Thanks for your comment. **Andrew, you can email me, too, if needed. I used up all my characters above. :)

Don Walker

Feb 18, 2011 - 9:57 AM

Thanks Ryan!
This is a very good video and so enlightening to the world of ScreenCasting. I am just starting in this venture and what you covered in this video will help me greatly. My original direction was to not create a script because I thought the syncing of the video and audio would be such a pain. But your technique has cleared the fog away for me, “I can do that”. But I will have to revisit and watch your video a few more times to get a better understanding. Again, thanks for the encouragement and the "passed on" tips and tricks on building great ScreenCasts.

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 22, 2011 - 11:54 PM

Thanks a lot, Don, for your kind words. I'm really glad that you found the video helpful. Please let me know if you have any questions along the way...and I'll do my best to help you. r.eash@techsmith.com

Paul Vidas

Feb 18, 2011 - 4:31 PM

Nice to see how the pros do it! Thanks. I find that recording audio while inside my parked car in the garage works well. The acoustic insolation is relatively good. I just need to remember shut off the engine. :)

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 22, 2011 - 11:58 PM

Wow, a pro! I'm not sure if I see myself as a pro, but I really appreciate your kind words. :)

That's an excellent tip about recording audio in your car...thanks for sharing. And yes, another nice tip about shutting off the engine. :) That's awesome... Thanks Paul.

Brooks

Feb 18, 2011 - 5:39 PM

Ryan- It makes me feel good that what I was doing to create my videos is just like what you're demonstrating here and that I'm using Camtasia exactly the way you guys designed it. Kudos you Techsmith for making Camtasia for being very intuitive and user friendly. I guess the only thing I don't do (which I see you save a lot of time doing) is using the hot keys. I need to keep those in mind and try using them more often. One other thing- I agree it gets pretty tricky when trying to split the video/audio tracks without locking one or the other. I learned the hard way but thank goodness for the undo button and for backup versions!

Great job and you're right on to see that and end-to-end video helps us put all the pieces together. Thanks!

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 23, 2011 - 12:04 AM

Thanks for the thoughtful comments, Brooks. I really appreciate it.

If you haven't seen this Hotkeys tutorial yet, you can watch it here: http://www.screencast.com/t/NzZlNzJlZmIt Note that you can click on the "Attachments" tab below the video and download a PDF that lists all of the hotkeys in Camtasia Studio. I don't expect you to memorize all of them...but finding a few favorites can definitely help with reducing editing time. :)

And yes, the Undo button is one of my best friends in Camtasia Studio...I use it all the time. :)

Thanks again for your comments, Brooks.

Russ Moon

Feb 20, 2011 - 8:04 PM

Fantastic - struggling to get great audio with my Kodak Touchplay to provide myself the opportunity to insert live video into my Camtasia 7.0 videos. Using Audio-Technica microphone with lapel clip is this the best one ? Any tips on how to get the recorded audio to be louder upon playback. I was using the pause, time lapse redo the passage and clip technique so hurrah for no longer being a total newb. www.russmoonow.com Cheers, Russ Moon

Ryan

Content Owner

Feb 23, 2011 - 12:15 AM

Hi Russ. My manager just ordered me a new Audio Technica (AT-2020) microphone this week and I can't wait to start using it. So yes, I think you made a great choice. The lapel mic is also a great choice to use with your Kodak Touchplay camera. If your recorded audio is too quiet...then you can click the Audio Tab in the editor and adjust the volume level right on each audio track on the timeline. This video might be helpful: http://www.techsmith.com/learn/camtasia/7/working-with-audio-sample-project/

Another tip might be to do a quick test recording with your microphone, or with your Kodak camera, and then playback the video to make sure the audio level is good. That way you don't record the entire thing and find out later that the volume level was too quiet. Just a thought.

Thanks for your comment, Russ.

David F

Feb 25, 2011 - 11:29 AM

Wow!! A great tutorial. I have been using CS for almost 3 years and like several others, I am so happy to see that I am pretty much creating vids the same way. I did have a "da-huh" moment though. I do my voice-overs in Audacity and export as .wav files but then when I do the screen capture, I would just reread my script at the same pace. Never thought of playing the voice-over...da-huh. I'll try that on the next project. One thought for other users about the F9 key, when you pause it, you can move the pointer anywhere on the screen and when you start back up, the pointer "remembers" where it was when it paused. THAT IS VERY USEFUL. One more thought. You can also "speed-up" a segment, instead of waiting for a download to complete in 10 secs you can speed it up and complete it in 2 secs if you want. Last thing, on my scrript, I add columns for clip titles/locations for audio and video to keep track of where I put them.
Again, great video, very useful, even for the experienced.

Ryan

Content Owner

Mar 2, 2011 - 1:47 PM

Thanks, David, for the extra tips. Great stuff!!

I'm curious how you "speed up" a segment in your editing. Do you use the Clip Speed feature? I actually cut out the part in the middle, and then use a Gradient Wipe Transition (of about 0.5 or 1 sec) right where I made the cut to show the process from start to end. Clip Speed should technically do the same thing...maybe even better...so I'm just wondering what process you use. Thanks again for your feedback...much appreciated. -Ryan

Kate

Mar 10, 2011 - 10:37 PM

Hi Ryan, Thank you for such a great video. I have created a number of training videos without sound for people that usualy would be in a noisy warehouse. I just used callouts. The idea was to take a couple of these videos at a later stage and add voice to produce a slightly different video for use by people in an office environment. So my process will be a bit back to front in that i will be adding audio last! Hope it works out ok.
I watched your video more than once a picked up some great tips, thanks again.
Most of my videos are around the 5minute mark and it takes me anything from about 7hrs to maybe 10!!! I have nice graphics and hotspots etc but I think i need to speed up just a bit!
Thanks for the shortcuts list, i think i need it.

Ryan

Content Owner

Mar 23, 2011 - 3:54 PM

Hi Kate,
Thanks for leaving a comment. I think you'll be fine with adding your audio after recording. It's just a matter of practicing, and I'm sure in time you'll find it to be pretty simple. I know of others who follow this same process...recording their screen video first, and then adding voice narration later in the editor. Let me know how it goes...if you'd like. Thanks again! -Ryan

Shin

Mar 16, 2011 - 9:01 PM

I actually record my video first and then record the audio. I found that the software I record is slow and if I try to match video to audio, it just seemed to be harder. Matching audio to a basic edited video works better for me. I'm also curious about how well the clip speed changes produce. i ran into some trouble with that when making some early videos and haven't tried it again. Are there production settings I should be aware of when editing clip speeds of certain portions of the video?

Andy

Apr 7, 2011 - 9:02 PM

Hi, disappointed to find out that only the Mac version of Camtasia allows one to filter the brightness, contrast, etc. PC users less important for some reason? Any plans for a new release that would have that functionality? If so, when might that come out? Thanks, Andy

Maha

May 2, 2012 - 3:13 AM

Hi Ryan, Thank you for such a great video. I have created a number of training videos, but many of the parts were missing. Now with your help and guidance I can say that my videos will be complete now.

Maha from http://www.wcchimique.net

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