1. Navigating the Screencast Tool Jungle
by Rick Teplitz

2. Contents
 About Screencasts
 Screencast Use Cases
 The Tools (with demos)
 What I don’t Like
 What to do with your Video
 Converting Existing Training into Video
 Questions
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3. Why Video?
 Has already become an integral part of today’s content
 Customers /users are looking for it
 Sometimes saying it with video is more effective than
saying it with words
 Its international, even if not translated, it provides a
visual which reaches a much wider audience
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4. About Screencasts
 Digital recording of computer screen, also known as a
video screen capture, often containing audio narration
 Used for recording webinars, providing video training,
instruction, website demos, marketing, and more
 Can be found on pretty much every website
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5. Types of Screencasts at My Company
 New Hire Training Videos
+ Condensed 1 hour sessions into 15 minutes
+ Sessions could be accessed from anywhere in the world, at any
time
+ Videos uploaded to internal streaming server
 Feature Training Videos
+ Prepare training for Sales Engineers and Support that describe
features and how to troubleshoot them
+ Videos uploaded to internal streaming server
 Knowledge Base Videos - for Customers
+ Short videos of 3 minutes or less
+ Illustrate procedures
+ Looking to supplement or replace basic procedures in online help
with video
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6. The Tools

7. TechSmith Camtasia (7.1.1) Studio
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8. Camtasia Features
 Basic screen recording utility that enables adding
elements on top of the video
 Can record PowerPoint presentations together with video
of the presenter
 Good for shorter videos, longer videos need to be made
in segments, no note utility to help when recording
 Does enable “splitting” video into segments
 Has call outs, drawing objects, transitions, picture-in-
picture, and “zoom-n-pan”
 Has wide range of output options, youtube, mobile
devices, MP4, etc.
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9. Adobe (v6.0) Captivate
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10. Captivate Features
 Hybrid of PowerPoint and Flash, allows creating modular files,
files can be easily changed and updated
 Good for longer videos, training, etc. because its easier to
manage content
 Automatically adds named callouts and mouse movements
 Standard tools, drawing on slides, voice recording, notes,
buttons
 Can create effects like motion paths, scaling and rotating,
color changes, etc.
 Library of drawing objects
 Enables creating quizzes for testing how much users have
learned , including using advanced interactions
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11. Articulate Storyline
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12. Articulate Features
 Is a hybrid of Camtasia and Captivate
 After recording, can import as a single video file like
Camtasia, or as slides like with Captivate
 Library of personas and gestures
 Built in the PowerPoint API, familiar PowerPoint environment
 Can import PowerPoint presentation with animation and
keeps all items intact
 Don’t need to manually add text items or align them as you
need to do with Captivate for text slides
 Saves about 30% of production time
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13. What I don’t Like
Camtasia Captivate Articulate
• No “text” slides, have • No “default text slides. • Can’t export to MP4
to record PowerPoint Have to manually add (video file) directly,
• Can’t add audio while text boxes and align cumbersome
watching video (can’t them workaround. Only
time it and line it up) • Working with imported their proprietary
• No area for notes, PowerPoint formats
need to type of presentations is • Doesn’t support
separate script awkward, having to motion paths
• Cannot pause while open in PowerPoint for • Timeline isn’t smooth
recording audio every change when editing
• Not easy to determine • Support for motion
duration of a paths is limited
screencast
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14. Preparing Videos

15. Converting Existing Training into Video
 Reasoning: Had one trainer training all new hires,
different time zones, etc.
 Wanted to automate part of process and preserve his
knowledge
 Record training sessions using Camtasia
 Can then remake them with Captivate or Articulate for
more professional video
 Great way to capture knowledge from SMEs then create
professional looking training
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16. Overview of Video Preparation Process
Preliminary Recording / Recreate
Add Notes / Script
Record Audio
Review Project / Line Up
Add Drawing Objects
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17. Tips
 When recording with Camtasia, pause (F9) often to
check on your script, then continue recording
 Practice narration. Speak slowly and clearly
 Don’t record voice with others in the room (keyboard,
mouse clicks, etc.)
 When recording voice on different days, listen to one or
two slides to match voice level and pitch
 In Captivate, recommended to rebuild PPT slides in
application, or import presentation and simply highlight
items
 If slides were animated, delete animated objects form
PPT and add in Captivate individually
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18. What to do with your Video
 Upload to Youtube
 Send by e-mail (not very convenient)
 Upload to video hosting/streaming server such as
Kaltura, then embed if supported or send link
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19. Bonus – Creating Knowledgebase Videos with
Camtasia
 Video prepared internally for Support
 Provides step by step instructions on how to prepare for,
and record using Camtasia
 See YouTube video Creating Knowledgebase Videos with
Camtasia v7.1
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20. Questions
rico129@hotmail.com
@ricktep