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ENGL 317 (ISI)

How to Compose Slidecast Video Instructions

© Karen Thompson ● Department of English ● University of Idaho

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Table of Contents

About Slidecasts ................................................................................................................................................... 3-4 Decisions You Need to Make ............................................................................................................................. 6 Slidecasting Tool Options .................................................................................................................................... 7-12 Decide How to Work ........................................................................................................................................... 13 General Guidelines for Instructions .................................................................................................................... 14 Writing the Script .................................................................................................................................................. 15-20 Designing the Slideshow ...................................................................................................................................... 21-40 Delivery .................................................................................................................................................................. 41

About Slidecasts:

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A slidecast is a video consisting of a slideshow with voice-over narration.

Most slidecasts are embedded on web pages from host sites such as YouTube.

Slidecasts are used to:• Promote products or services,• Provide instructions to users,• Present test results to project team

members who are at different locations.

• These are just a few of the ways they can be used.

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Decisions You Need to Make

Audience and Task. Here are some ideas:• task related to your field of study,• take for a more general auddience,• unacceptable: dangerous, unethical, offensive,

illegal.

How You Will Create the Slidecast• See the next slides for options.

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Slidecasting Tool Options• You need a microphone, and the one in your

computer will be fine for this project.

• Your slidecast must be hosted on a site that allows users to play it without having to download the file.

• You will need to decide how you will create the slidecast from the following options. Please note the warnings.

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Option 1: Knovio (highly recommended)

• Signup for a free account .

• Create the slideshow in PPT or any other slideware program.

• Upload to Knovio and use the recording feature to add voice-over narration.

• Knovio allows you to easily record ONE slide at a time, a highly desirable feature.

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PLUS Knovio will host the file. You just submit the URL to the bblearn drop box.

Option 2: PC Users Only

• PowerPoint: create the slideshow, use the PPT recording feature to add voice-over narration, save as a movie file, and upload to a host site such as YouTube or Vimeo.

• MAC users. PPT has a bug in it that will strip your audio out when saving as a movie file. So, you can’t use it. There is no solution to-date.

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Option 3: Mac Users Only

• Keynote will work in the same way PPT does for PC users, but it’s not free ($19.99).

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Don’tfeellikebuyingKeynote?Seethenextslideforanotheroptionthat’sfree.

Option 4: All Users• Screencapture Tools. Strictly speaking, a screen capture tool

creates a screencast, but if you position the capture feature over your slideshow and position it so you can advance the slides as you record, it will preserve the animations and work the same as a slidecast.

• You will need to use a screencapture tool for projects 3 and 4, so it may be a good option to use for the slidecast, particularly, if you want to preserve animations. I recommend using Screencast-O-Matic or Jing.

• See tools and resources for more information.

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• Remember, this course does not accept video files (mp4, mov, etc.).

• Here’s why. You are practicing how to create and share these types of files as they are shared in workplace settings.

• So, if you choose to create a video file on your computer, be certain it is uploaded to a host site and will play without a user needing to download the file.

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Decide How to Work• Some people like to write the slidecast script

first and then design the slides.

• Some prefer to do the slides first and then write the script.

• Still others create the slides and write the script at the same time.

Do the process that works best for you.

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General Guidelines• Introduce the Task you will be showing the viewer

how to do.

• State Warnings before user begins task steps.

• State Tools/ Materials needed.

• Number and Name Each Step. Limit steps to one action at a time.

• Use Visuals

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Writing the Script

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You should be able to say the sentence in your script in a single breath.

Practice the principles of effective prose style when writing the script but adapt these for the ear by keeping sentences short.

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Explain the purpose of the instructions. May need to explain the benefits for viewers to understand purpose.

Title Slide Should be the Introduction

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Tell the viewer all tools and materials they will need in order to do the instruction steps.

Tools and Materials Next

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Warnings, Cautions, Hazards, Safety Information

Most of the time, these will need to be stated before the first step of the instructions.

Example

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WARNING: Glue is HOT! Place the gun directly on the item before pressing the glue trigger.

WrongRight

Steps

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Limit steps to one action per slide.

Closing

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Wrap it Up. Have a clear conclusion.• Remember to thank

audience for listening.

Designing the Slideshow

• Design slides for maximum visual interest.

• Any text should be limited to key parts of a step.

• The voice-over will explain each step.

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You will need a slide for each step.

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TitleSlide

Choose or Create Images• Emphasize visual appeal in your instructions.

• Illustrate the step with an image.

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Example: Tools and Materials• Glue Gun• Wire Snip• 18 Gauge Floral Wire• Ribbon• Holly• Glitter

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This image is a poor choice because the tools are in a single pile. A better visual choice would be one image per item on the list.

Do not choose source images that contain text (or edit text out).

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Use Consistent Type of Images

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These images are of different types. One is a line drawing and the other is a photo. Choose one type and stay consistent in using that type of image throughout your instructions.

Follow Canva’s Design Advice

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How to Wow with a Presentation by Canvahttps://designschool.canva.com/blog/presentation-design-101/

SeethenextslidesforCanva'sadvice.

Be bold.Keep text short.

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Your audience is not here to read but listen to you and be engaged visually with the material.

Remember, the lectures in this course are slidedocs,and meant to be read.

You are creating a slidecast video presentation, so design the slides for maximum visual interest.

Don’t do this.

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• It’s boring to use bullet points like this, and it inevitably leads to a speaker reader from slides.

Do this.

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• Your viewers will be more engaged if the text is not a bullet point and combined with a visual that has high impact.

Do this.

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• You want the pace to be lively. So, keep to one main point, so you are not staying on one slide too long.

Size type for maximum impact.

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• A common problem I see in student slideshows is text that is too small.

• Another common problem is contrast between text and background is too low.

Choose fonts that are interesting and suitable to the content.

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Keep layout balanced and aligned.

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Limit fonts to no more than two.

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If using photos of people, pick ones that look like real people being real.

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Limit number of colors to three and choose complementary colors.

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Or, choose one color and use a range of values (the level of color saturation).

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Use good contrast.

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If you use a template, avoid letting a template dictate how you design the slideshow.

Adapt it to follow the design principles in the prior slides.

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Delivery continue to apply these concepts when recording your voice-over narration.

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• Vocal variety: pitch, tone, volume, and rate.

• Pausing.

• Diction

Exercises to help you improve your speaking style can be found under Tools and Resources.