Instructional Video

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Instructional Video

• Peyton R. Glore
• Macon State College
• SSCEL 10/1/05

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Why use video?

• Show information quickly and concisely
• Add a sense of realism
• Teach concepts too dangerous or expensive for
  users to experience personally
• Show places, people, animals or events that the
  user may never have the opportunity to see

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Why use video? (cont)

• Emphasizing recording video from your desktop
• Works great for demonstrating software
• (Teaching or training)
• Show a method or technique
• Walk the user through the steps
• Show the final product

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Who is the video for?

• Determine your audience
• What is their skill level?
• How will they view the movie?
• CD/DVD
• Streaming
• Download

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Is file size a concern?

• Yes!
• There is always a limitation on storage, either
  media or hard drive
• Size should be considered if the video is to be
  streamed or downloaded
• You dont want to tie up the users connection all
  day to download a 2 minute movie

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File size (cont)

• Resolution, or movie size, plays a big part in
  the file size
• How much space do you need to demonstrate your
  point?
• What size screen will it be played back on?

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Resolution

• Are you using a window?
• Are you going to use you entire desktop?
• If so, what is your current resolution?
• You may want to change your screen resolution in
  order to capture the entire desktop

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Resolution

• Consider your audience when choosing your capture
  size
• Smaller movies can be played on larger screens
  without significant loss
• Not the other way round

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Is audio necessary?

• No, but it is nice
• Benefits the user to hear the instructions while
  watching the actions
• This is called reinforcement
• Make sure you have a microphone
• Set your input level (for the mic)
• Turn your speakers down to reduce feedback

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What is feedback?

• Feedback is what happens when sound being
  produced by the computer is being fed back into
  the computer
• This creates a loop
• Click the icon to hear the sound

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What are you going to cover?

• Regardless of the subject matter, you will forget
  something
• Write notes or a script!
• This will ensure that you cover key points
• If you normally talk fast, reading the script
  will slow you down

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What are you going to cover? (cont)

• Break the information into small segments
• Shoot for 3 to 7 minutes each
• Benefits
• Recording shorter segments means you are less
  likely to make mistakes
• Shorter segments are easier for the user to
  remember

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Tips for recording

• Try to limit the background noise its
  distracting to the user
• Check your microphone recording level make sure
  it is loud enough
• Relax
• Be prepared to make mistakes
• No big deal

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Windows Media Encoder

• Download the most recent version of the software
  from the link on the class page
• Demonstrating as I record the lecture will not
  work, so I will talk you through the set up steps
• You will be on your own to actually record

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WME set up
Click New Session
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Choose the type of video you want to make and
walk through the wizard
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You need to save the profile before you can
continue
Choose the type of screen capture the entire
screen or just part
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Modifying the profile

• After you create the basic profile through the
  wizard, you can modify it to ensure the desired
  output

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Change the location for saving the file
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Modify the compression methods to make the files
smaller
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Forcing the compression into 123 Kb per second
for storage. This works well for streaming as
well. This is the method I use for recording
class lectures.
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Select audio parameters
Select video parameters
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My application

• Record lectures live in class
• Insert anecdotes
• Students ask questions
• Online traditional students watch lectures

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File size compared to movie length

• 19 MB - 40 mins
• 15.5 MB 46 mins
• 35 MB 57 mins
• 25 MB 60 mins
• 32 MB -56 mins
• 25.5 MB -74 mins
• 21 MB 52 mins
• Average 16 MB 41 mins
• Total 292 MB 736 mins (nearly 12.5 hours!)

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What is in those movies?

• Content varies based on subject
• Longer , smaller movies audio over slides
• Shorter, larger movies audio over application
• Movies with lots of color and actions increase
  file size

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Contact Info

• If you have any questions about this or other
  Interactive Digital Media
• Email me at pglore_at_mail.maconstate.edu
• I am compiling tutorials at http//facultyweb.maco
  nstate.edu/pglore
• Feel free to visit