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Toggle Sidebar Home > Resources and Links > Workshops > CIT2007 - Effective Video Tutorials

CIT2007 - Effective Video Tutorials

Jonathan Ross jross(@)abtech.edu - Instructor, Digital Media Technologies Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College

(disclaimer - many of the video tutorials will be focused on Adobe Flash. Why... just because I teach Flash the most, and it ISN'T easy software to learn.)

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Why people use books

1. The standard (common) way of doing it - books have been around a long time.
2. They are real... tangible.
3. Have online content (BB and WebCT - not Moodle)
4. Good/accurate info? (debate)
5. Easy way out? (I know this is not the case)

Some books

1. Just right? - Adobe Flash CS3 Revealed
2. Too much? - Web Collection Revealed Standard Edition: Adobe Dreamweaver CS3, Flash CS3 & Fireworks CS3
3. Too little? - Flash Pros

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Why NOT use books (for creativity/tech training)?

1. The standard (old) way of doing it - books have been around a long time
2. can be expensive... have to change books often
3. Some books are designed for classes... some are not (wiley.com Flash books)
4. Focus on tools... not workflow. Feature Creep rampant.
5. Skills often spoon-fed... too many directions. Too detailed.
6. Sometimes not written by industry professionals - ie, pro designers
   1. Methodology is different than yours
   2. Low-quality projects with awful design - or dated projects that people know...
   3. students can't use book projects as portfolio items
   4. Lack of creativity!!!
      1. course.com/downloads/preview/1-4283-1963-8_02.pdf#page=42
      2. course.com/downloads/preview/1-4283-1963-8_03.pdf#page=33
      3. Adobe-Flash-Professional-Classroom-Book
      4. www.oreillynet.com/pub/au/1829
7. Need any more reasons?

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Student Samples

From the book

1. websites - websmx.com/dme/booksamples/
2. Flash Files - websmx.com/dme/booksamples/Flash/

Without the book (using videos)

1. websites - websmx.com/dme/dmesamples/?dir=./websites
2. Flash Maps - websmx.com/dme/dmesamples/?dir=./Flash/Maps

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Why videos?

1. Entertainment value (but is it passive learning?)
2. No more 2hr-long in-class tutorials.
   1. Prepared more... better-thought out
   2. Concise
   3. Can rewind and play again
3. You are in control (Ok... I admit I am a control freak!)
   1. of content, presentation, and workflow (sequencing of skills)
   2. what they learn
   3. Sequencing of skills
4. Better retention?
5. Faster learning of skills?
6. Better quality student projects?

Is it just a trend?

1. # of sessions at CIT on creating screen-recorded videos?
2. Online videos - movielibrary.lynda.com/html/modListing.asp?vid=74
3. NEW! Video training books - www.pearsoned.com/pr_2007/100407.htm

Who is doing it?

1. jobsearch.monster.com/Search.aspx?q=video+training

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Types of Videos

list from: video.ucf.edu/bestpractices/webuse/

1. Informational
2. News
3. Personalization/Introduction
4. Promotional
5. Testimonial
6. Tutorials/Training
7. Virtual Tour

My list....

1. Informational (history, documentary, theory...)
   1. www.films.com - Art Brut: Outsider Art, Outsider Artists films.com/Subject.aspx?psid=0&SubjectID=2
   2. Archive.org - lots of old videos
   3. Victor Borge, The History Of Piano - youtube.com/watch?v=EDJQE3ppdOU
2. How-To (whatever subject - vague with no specific outcome?)
   1. www.videojug.com
   2. youtube.com/results?search_query=howto+play+piano&search=Search
3. Tutorials (specific... goal-oriented)
   1. www.lynda.com
   2. movies.atomiclearning.com/k12/home
   3. www.freeflashtutorials.com/
   4. www.entheosweb.com/Flash/video_tutorials/default.asp
   5. www.gotoandlearn.com/
   6. www.video-tutes.com/packages/FDesign1.php

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Creating Videos

First... Go in with a plan

1. What is the purpose of the video? Will it help my class?

Two basic ways to prepare...

1. Scripted/Prepared... a production
2. Off-the-cuff - I never do this ;-)

Scripted/Prepared

1. PRO: brief, concise
2. PRO: higher production value?
3. CON: Dry, boring... sounds false, too formal
4. CON: takes more time

Off-the-cuff

1. CON: unorganized?
2. CON: lower production value?
3. PRO: less boring?
4. PRO: takes less time

The Tasks

1. Get a Device (webcam, camera, camcorder)
2. How to capture the video
3. How to edit the video
4. How to deliver the video

Capturing video

Capturing Methods

1. From a camera (download files)
2. From a USB (Webcam) camera
3. From a video camera (live)
4. From a video camera (tapped)
5. From your desktop (what we are doing)

Other option:
Using Stoik Capturer - download.com/3000-2169-10285947.html

Basic Setup

1. Get a decent microphone
2. Setup mic levels for best results (test a bit)
3. Use the right software for the results you want
4. Have a good time doing it

Some videos:
NIO_ScreenCapturing-Microphones.wmv
NIO_ScreenCapturing-WMEncoder.wmv

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Software Choices

Quick Intro...

1. Record, then produce
   1. Record as still images or as video
   2. Can add lots of features... zooms, notes, buttons, quizzes
2. Recording on-the-fly
   1. Must record as video
   2. Fewer addon features

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Software - Record, then produce

Most are in this category.

1. Camtasia - www.techsmith.com
   1. video based
   2. Lots of features!!
   3. funny... the Camtasia help is in text format!
2. Adobe Captivate - www.adobe.com/products/captivate/
   1. bitmap image based
   2. LOTS of features!!
3. Adobe Visual Communicator - www.adobe.com/products/visualcommunicator/
   1. network TV like templates
   2. great tools for Captioning
4. Camstudio (free) - camstudio.org/
   1. video based
   2. fewer features - easier to learn
5. Wink (free) -
   1. bitmap image based
   2. harder to learn

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Software - Recording on-the-fly

1. Windows Media Encoder (best in breed) - microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/forpros/encoder/
   1. best screen codec of them all (no, I am not a Microsoft fan... just realistic)
   2. PC only? Screen codec doesn't play on MAC at all (must convert for MAC users)
2. Adobe Acrobat Connect (Turbo Screen Sharing) - www.adobe.com/products/acrobatconnectpro/
   1. works through Acrobat
   2. PC/MAC/LINUX
3. any others???

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Just so you are not left out... how about PPT?

Using Powerpoint

1. Recording a narration - indezine.com/products/powerpoint/ppnarration.html, google.com/search
2. Record and broadcast - office.microsoft.com/en-us/powerpoint/HP030885111033.aspx
3. Convert PPT to video - sharewareconnection.com/titles/powerpoint-to-video.htm
4. Using Camtasia - techsmith.com/learn/camtasia/5/recording/record-power-point.asp

Other online tools - many which are very cool!

1. www.slideshare.net - or, add audio with www.slideshare.net/slidecasts
2. www.authorstream.com/
3. voicethread.com
4. show.zoho.com
5. www.myplick.com/
6. www.viddler.com

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Putting the videos online

1. File-based
   1. upload file to Blackboard or whichever (not preferred!)
   2. Using a CMS (better)
   3. raw FTP access and a file browser (fastest... I like Encode Explorer)
2. Using an online host (URL link to your file)
   1. youtube - small video size.... very low quality
   2. Viddler - best size and quality
   3. Stage6.com - high-quality divX
   4. options above for PPT

File-based Delivery

1. PPT
2. .swf files (Flash - all platforms)
3. .wmv/.avi (PC/MAC... be aware MAC cannot play the .wmv screen codec, but it is still the best format)
4. .mov/.mp4
5. .ram

Online Delivery

1. Whatever format they use.... don't worry about it if it works! Just use the link/code they give you.
2. About posting files... the smaller the files, the faster it happens (why comopress)

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Ok... something really cool for the heck of it...
edit the video directly on youtube with

1. youtube.com/ytremixer_about
2. studio.brightcove.com/library/faq/aftermix_faq.cfm

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Types of Video tutorials for classes

1. Theory (lecture)
2. Show-and-tell (basic how-to)
3. Outcome-oriented/project (best kind)

My Examples

1. (first... how they are delived) Lots of Photoshop - Tutorials folder >
2. Theory - Color Theory >
3. Show-and-tell - Flash Intros and Drawing >
4. Basic Tutorial - Motion Tweening with Flash >
5. More advanced Tutorial - Loading and Attaching _mcs >
6. Project - Pong Game >

Other people's:

1. Using viddler.com - www.viddler.com/explore/photozo/videos/5/
2. youtube.com - Flash CS3 - youtube.com/watch?v=QnLyFCMq4p4 (poor quality)
3. www.sitepoint.com/videos
4. For Blender 3D (using Real Media) - ocw.tufts.edu/Content/28/learningunits/353029
5. If there is time...
   1. Fully animated: admissions.kettering.edu/stickman/
   2. Fully animated: www.brainpop.com/

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Comments? Questions?