Step 5: Record Video (& Edit As Needed)

Lights, Camera, Action!

Record the video using your preferred video recorder.

Quick Tips!

  • Make sure to have your script ready as it helps you organize and deliver a concise lecture.
  • Remember that your script becomes your closed-captions. You may need to add non-textual description if needed.
  • Smile! Even when your students can't see you on-screen, voice over professionals often recommend that you smile while you narrate. Smiling injects a touch of warmth and charisma in your voice. Just a few touches here and there can make the entire tone of your voice noticeably warmer.
  • Audio Description (see Technical Script below for an example): if it is essential for students to know how to navigate in a specific way in Canvas or understand a complex image, remember to describe what is on the screen to help orient your students. You may want to:
    • Describe "the lay of the land" - What is the name of the page or site? What are the important buttons or tabs' titles? Where are these navigation links located - upper right hand corner? Lower left hand corner of the page? 
    • Avoid stating, "click here," or "click this next," as this is not very descriptive. Students may need to view the video several times to catch mouse movement if it is a screen-cast. It's much easier to walk students through technical actions with specific directions.
  • If you make a mistake, pause for five seconds, and then repeat the line or section without stopping the recording. Most screen-recording programs allow you to remove and delete unneeded content when you are done. 

Technical Script Example 

Hello, I'm Liezl! Today I am going to show you how to register for an Amara account.

When you click on the link provided on the page called, "Amara Support," in the Canvas course, the link will bring you to Amara's homepage.

You will want to first register. In the upper-right hand corner, click on the "Register" button. A window will pop-up asking you to type in your new credentials. Once you've created your screen-name and password, select the 'Submit' button. You will then be taken back to the homepage where you can check if the video you want to use  already has community-contributed captioning via Amara.

You just learned how to register for an Amara account! In the next clip, you will learn how to check in Amara if your video has captions. Thanks for watching! 

 

Edit As Needed

After recording, you can begin making edits as necessary. For example, you may need to cut out several takes to help keep to the time frame of your script.