Episode Summary: What screencasting is, the exact software and gear used to make "over the shoulder" tutorial videos, and a 6-question recipe for planning one before hitting record.
What You'll Learn
- What screencasting is and why it's called "over the shoulder" video
- The exact software and gear used to make screencast tutorials
- A 6-question recipe for planning a good screencast before recording
- 10 real advantages of screencasting for online businesses
Ask Mike Anything: A Small Light for iPhone Live Streaming
Question: Any recommendation for a small light for an iPhone, for live streaming?
Answer: The LumeCube ($79) or the Manfrotto LUMIMUSE 8 LED Light ($89).
What Is Screencasting?
Simply recording the screen of a device — laptop, iPhone, or iPad — using dedicated software (a camera pointed at a monitor is the low-tech alternative). It's often called "over the shoulder" video, since it shares the screen exactly as the presenter sees it — a genuinely effective teaching approach.
Ways to use screencasting: training employees, briefing virtual assistants, explaining or teaching anything done on a computer or iDevice, and communicating with clients about a project (designers, especially).
How to Make Basic Screencast Videos
Screencast software: Camtasia (new favorite), Screenflow (used less now, but still good), or QuickTime (free for Mac users).
Gear for making screencast videos: a MacBook Pro, occasionally an iPhone or iPad, a Shure SM7B microphone, an Allen & Heath ZED 10 mixer, a Logitech C930 webcam, a Cowboy Studio Green Screen, Reflector (mirrors iDevices wirelessly — great software), and Adobe Premiere for final video edits when needed (not required).
Recipe for Good Screencasts
Tip 1: Preparation. Write an outline or detailed notes before pressing record — figure out exactly what the video needs to cover ahead of time.
Mike's screencast recipe:
- Who is this video for?
- What is the purpose of this video?
- What should the viewer learn or take away from it?
- What steps will be covered, and in what order?
- What's the simplest way to summarize the lesson, step by step?
- What should the viewer do after finishing the video? Include a call to action.
Tip 2: cover everything promised in the title and description.
Tip 3: be concise and to the point.
Advantages of Simple Screencast Videos
Read the complete show notes and resources on mikemurphy.ai.
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