Fundamentals+of+Screencasts

Fundamentals of Effective Screencasting

1. Decide upon a clear purpose for your screencast.

 * ===Identify your audience as this can dictate many aspects of the quality and direction of your screencast.===
 * ===Just like a good lesson plan, consider what you want your audience to know or be able to do after viewing.===
 * ===Storyboard or pre-write your lesson. Double check the steps.===

2. Prepare the Stage

 * ===Think about what on your desktop you want to capture. Clear your desktop of distracting icons or windows.===
 * ===Just capture what you want to show - crop off any extra real estate.===
 * ===Don't capture more than a person can fit on their monitor. (no more than 1024x768, but 800x600 is safer).===

3. Tell the Story in Scenes

 * ===Identify the breaks, transitions, and connections within your screencast carefully.===
 * ===Remember that you can start over if you need to.===
 * ===Determine if you need multiple scenes (a video editing program)===

4. Careful Narration

 * ===Run through the cast with the script once or twice before recording.===
 * ===Slowly and carefully===
 * ===Follow the script. Don't confuse the message===