This documentation describes how to independently produce a welcome message on you computer.
In order to properly record a welcome message the following is required:
- A laptop or desktop computer.
- A Webcam if you plan on creating a video of yourself. Most laptops will have an integrated webcam. An external webcam will be required for a desktop computer
- Camtasia Studio installed on your computer. It can be downloaded from the Software Centre
- A headset or external microphone is recommended for best results. This would be a requirement if a desktop computer is used.
- A Script is strongly recommended. This will speed up recording and dramatically reduce the amount of edits you need to make in your video. It can be written out word for word or be bulleted, depending on your preference.
Tips Before Recording
- If you are in a room with a window, position yourself so the window is behind your recording device
- Sit within three to five feet of the recording device allows for optimal audio quality (wireless headphones work great if available).
- Record in a quiet setting with a solid backdrop.
- Using a script and doing a run through without recording will result in less retakes and a more confident performance.
- Line the camera up with chest/throat for a levelled recording.
- Open up Camtasia and choose New Recording
When the recording window opens, select the sources that you would like to record. The screen will be recorded by default. Clicking on the Camera icon will enable webcam recording
If a PowerPoint Presentation will be used, the slideshow can simply be presented once recording has begun. Please pay attention to which screen is recorded if multiple screens are used.
- When you are ready, select the Record button and begin recording your message. You can pause or end the recording from the Camtasia recording bar.
- Once the recording has been stopped, Camtasia will open with your recording
The level of editing required will depend on if anything needs to be edited out in the middle of the recording:
If only the beginning and ending needs to be trimmed
- Mouse over the yellow highlighting of the beginning or ending of the video until the mouse turns into two arrows.
- Drag the box to the starting or ending of your video.
- Pull the entire video back to the beginning of the track (0:00:00;00)
If content in the middle of the video needs to be edited
- Drag the playhead of the clip that needs to be cut out.
- Pull the red marker (right of the playead) to the end of the clip that needs to be removed
- Pull the green marker (left of the playhead) to the beginning of the clip to remove
- Press backspace or delete on the keyboard to remove the clip
- Pull the video block to the right back to fill in the black space left by the deleted clip
- Repeat the above steps for any other clips that need to be removed from your video
To prevent any data loss it is recommended that the project be saved before any extensive edits are made. This can done from the File menu.
When you are ready to export your video:
- Choose Share >Local File
- Choose MP4 only (up to 1080p) and follow the prompts to export the video
If your course is supported by Arts and Science Online, please email asomm@queensu.ca for further instructions
If your course is not supported by Arts and Science Online, it can be uploaded to the Queen's Streaming Service and shared in your course.
These instructions cover the basics on using Camtasia. Please see the Camtasia Tutorials page for more information on using Camtasia.