5. screencasting

What is screencasting?

Screencasting is simply recording your computer screen. It could be a software or game demo, a guide to a website or a how-to video. Screencasts commonly involve some sort of a voiceover, which can be added during the recording or later on in the editing or post-production process.

Video Guide to screencasting:

Complete summary of the video (with screenshots!)

GETTING STARTED

What You Will Need

Laptop/Computer
Screen Capture Software (for PCs we recommend Screencast-o-matic, for Macs you can use Quicktime X)
Microphone (e.g headset mic)
Webcam (optional)
A quiet room!

Before you press Record

Prepare your content (e.g. script, PowerPoint slides)
Select the right software for the job – i.e. one that minimizes the amount of work needed and provides a video in the format you can use

Recording

Select an appropriate working area on your screen (do your viewers need to see toolbars, menus, etc?)
1920x1080 or 1280×720 is a good target area
Record a short test to make sure your microphone recording is clear and loud
Increase your font size if necessary (Ctrl & + in most browsers and applications)
Have your applications, windows, and/or webpages open and minimized to save unnecessary recording time.

TIP: Try to avoid silences. Use any “downtime” (e.g. spinning hourglasses, slow webpage loading) to preview your next steps or recap what you have done so far.

TypeS of Screencast

Demonstration – record your computer screen and narrate the action (e.g. demonstrating a process in Excel):

Static content – film a slideshow and narrate various images, video or text that appears:

Animation – use moving images and narration to illustrate a process or concept (this can be as simple as using PowerPoint animation):

Plain Text – show a small amount of text or a single image on the screen with a black or white background to create an impact (must be narrated for AODA purposes):