Recording Tips

Follow these tips to improve your Camtasia recording.

General Recording Tips:

• Practice, practice, practice
  Practice is the key to creating professional videos. It takes practice to learn how to move the cursor or open applications so they appear in the recording area. Also, practice to get the positioning of the Web browser or application just right.
• Be patient
  A one-minute video can take two or three minutes to record for an experienced user while a beginner may need 30 minutes or longer to get it right.
• Clean-up
  Camtasia records anything on your screen. Clean up your Web browser and desktop by closing or removing nonessential applications, browser toolbars, and desktop and dock icons. A plain background on your desktop is better than busy wallpaper.
• No pop-ups!
  If you do not want to record pop-up windows, make sure to turn off pop-ups by using a pop-up blocker or your browser's built-in pop-up blocker.
• Make multiple short clips using Camtasia
  Then, import the short clips into Camtasia to join into a longer production. Use the same dimensions for each clip. Leave plenty of time for extra takes.
• Watch the mouse
  Normal mouse and cursor movement can appear jerky, hesitant, or too fast in the recording. To eliminate some of these issues, practice using the mouse around the screen in a slow, fluid motion.

Audio Recording Tips:

• Practice using a microphone
  Experiment with volume levels and different microphone placement. Six inches from the microphone is usually good to record full tones, but not too close that other noises interfere.
• Record in a quiet location
  Any microphone can pick up nearby noises. Most office areas have a lot of background noise that you may or may not notice. Take a second and listen. What do you hear?
• Block the computer's humming sound
  Build a small box lined with foam to put your microphone in as you record, use pillows or blankets to muffle the noise, or cover your head with the blanket.
• Use a script
  A script helps you produce the best audio by allowing you to avoid mistakes or saying "um" or "uh." If you do not want a formal presentation, an outline can help reduce some mistakes.
• Project and enunciate
  Speak as though you are addressing a small audience in a large room. Smile as you speak.

SmartFocus Recording Tips:

If you plan to add the SmartFocus action during the editing process, use the following recording tips to help SmartFocus predict where to apply the zoom effects:

• Slow down
  Use slow, deliberate mouse movements. Do not click around the screen too fast.
• Record clips longer than 30 seconds
  SmartFocus is optimized for recordings longer than 30 seconds. For shorter clips, you can manually add the Zoom In/Out effect.
• Hover the cursor where you want the viewer to look
  Keep the cursor still on the area of focus in the recording. For example, if you want the viewer to focus on a hyperlink, place the cursor on or near that area as you speak and then click.
• Do not talk with the cursor
  Do not move the cursor around the screen as you speak. Try to keep the cursor still in the area of focus in the recording.
• Keep the cursor close when entering text
  SmartFocus may not predict the correct action if you click in a text box, move the cursor to the other side of the screen, and then start talking. If you want the viewer to see what is typed into the text box, keep the cursor in the text box.
• Use the mouse scroll wheel (if applicable)
  Try using the mouse scroll wheel instead of clicking and dragging on the scroll bar. SmartFocus may zoom in on the scroll bar instead of the content scrolling. For example, use the mouse scroll wheel when scrolling long Web pages.