This software suite was initially released in 2002 by TechSmith. It’s for creating video tutorials and presentations recorded directly from a computer screen using screencasting or a Microsoft PowerPoint plug-in. Although the program originally only included screen capture capabilities, it has evolved to include a wealth of post-processing tools as well.
There are two separate elements to the program:
Located on the Media PC Desktops at Strozier and Dirac Libraries
Often we record a little extra at the beginning and end of a recording. To remove the extra content, drag the end of the clip “in.” This is called trimming. If you trim too much, drag the clip back to restore your video.
It’s good to note that any edits you make on the timeline, won’t affect your original recording in the media bin.
Drag the red or green handle on the playhead to select the area to remove, then click the cut button to remove the section. A stitched line appear, showing you where the cut was made.
If you make a selection and want to bring the playhead back together, double click the playhead.
Record Your Screen
To start a recording, click the Record button at the top of the tools panel. This opens the Camtasia recorder, which by default, is set to capture everything that happens on your screen.
Finish Recording (Windows)
When you’re finished recording, click the Camtasia recorder icon in the taskbar, then the stop button. If you need to re-record, choose delete to start over.
Quick Tip: Press “F10” to stop a recording, or “F9” to pause/resume a recording.
Finish Recording (Mac)
To finish the recording, click the Camtasia icon in the Apple menu bar, then click “Stop Recording.” Or, if you need to re-record, choose “Start Over.”
Quick Tip: Press “CMD+OPTION+2” to stop a recording, or “CMD+SHIFT+2” to pause/resume a recording.
Zoom & Pan with Animations
Zoom your video
Select Animations in the tools panel and switch to the Animations tab. Click and drag the Scale Up animation to the clip you want to zoom. This adds an animation to the clip, with a default zoom already applied.
To preview the animation, click and drag the playhead.
Customize the zoom
To change when a zoom occurs, click and drag the animation arrow. To adjust the length of an animation, click and drag either end of the arrow.
To adjust the zoom, make sure the clip is selected and the playhead is after the animation arrow. Then, adjust the scale in the properties panel to change the zoom and reposition the screen recording on the Canvas to focus on what’s important.
Pan your video
To pan a clip, drag the Custom animation to where you want to pan. Then reposition the screen recording on the Canvas. The clip smoothly animates from one location to the next.
Animations
Visual Properties
To understand how animations work, we have to start with visual properties. An object’s visual properties are made up of position, rotation, scale and opacity.
In Camtasia, all of these are adjusted with pixel-perfect accuracy in the Properties panel, under the visual properties tab.
Animations
An animation is a change from one set of visual properties to another – a bridge from a beginning to an end. In Camtasia, animations appear as arrows directly on top of a clip
When you first add an animation, it won’t appear to have changed anything and that’s because it’s transitioning between two identical sets of visual properties
Animating Visual Properties
To animate an object’s visual properties, select the media and put the playhead to the right side of the animation to change the visual properties of the end state. And likewise, put the playhead anywhere on the left side to change the animation’s beginning state.
The length of the animation arrow determines how long the change will take, or the speed of the animation.
Add Media
As you build your project, add media by clicking and dragging the media directly to the Canvas. To modify text, double click an annotation and type on your keyboard.
The Properties Panel
To adjust the style or fine tune media on the Canvas, use the Properties panel. This panel displays the properties for the selected media, and organizes them into tabs. The first tab is an object’s visual properties and the following tabs change depending on the type of media selected.
In this example, an annotation is selected, so the second tab displays the annotations text properties and the third displays options for the style of the annotation.
Export & Share
When you’re ready to export or share your video, click the share button in the upper right corner of the editor, then select a destination.
Select "Local File" to save the project as a video file on your computer. The other options export to web services, which require you to sign in to an account.
It’s no secret that video based training materials are on the rise.
And the first step when creating instructional videos is to plan out your topics and make a solid plan.
Start by choosing a topic that is focused on a specific task, workflow, or piece of content that your viewers need to learn. Consider the most common or critical tasks that they struggle with and start there.
Make sure your topic is narrowly focused. Videos with a single, focused topic are easier to create and often make for more successful instructional content. Don’t hesitate to break up a video into multiple topics if you need.
Some common examples of step by step training videos include:
Once you've chosen a topic, create a storyboard to help visualize what you want to show. This doesn't need to be fancy, and some simple sketches or images will work just fine.
It’s also a good idea to write a script or basic outline of what you’d like to teach. Something as simple as a set of talking points is a good way to make sure nothing is left out when you record the video.
Collect any equipment, supplies, props, or tools you need for your video. For the example, in the video above, we used a tripod, a smartphone, and a smartphone clip to keep the camera steady.
Next, stage your recording space and make sure the area is well lit. Place your camera on a tripod and position it as close to your subject as possible, while still getting everything you need in the shot. Being close to the subject will help you get the best possible audio when recording with a smartphone camera.
When the scene is set, use your storyboard and script to guide you through each step.
If you are recording your screen now is time do that. The Camtasia video editor makes it simple to record your video content and add it directly to the timeline.
With your footage recorded, you’re ready to jump into Camtasia. Open Camtasia and create a New Project.
There a few ways to bring footage into Camtasia.
If you record your screen, Camtasia will automatically bring up a new project or add your recording the existing project you're working on.
If you recorded with your smartphone, we suggest using TechSmith Fuse, which is a mobile app that lets you send images and video from your mobile devices directly to Camtasia and Snagit.
You can also transfer the media to your computer, and then import it by clicking the plus sign in the media bin and selecting Import Media. Then choose the files to add to your project.
With all of your media in Camtasia, drag clips to the timeline and position them in the order you want them to appear in the video.
Trim excess portions of a clip by mousing over the edge and dragging. Cut from the middle of a clip by placing the playhead where the cut should begin, dragging the playhead to select the portion of the clip to remove, and then clicking the cut button.
An intro sequence is a great way to brand your videos and display some initial information like the title and the series the video is a part of.
To do this, create some space at the beginning of the timeline by holding shift on your keyboard, and dragging the playhead. Then, open the media bin and select the Library tab. From the Motion Graphics - Intro Clips folder, drag an intro clip to the timeline.
Customize your intro clip by selecting it on the timeline and then editing the text and shapes in the properties panel. Enter text, choose a font, and change any colors or other settings for the shapes and text. If you don’t need one of the text boxes, you can double click to select it, and then hit delete.
When you have the video the way you like it, you’re ready to produce and share!
Click the Share button and choose Local File to export the video file to your computer. Or, use the other options to send your video to the web for instant sharing with others.
If you want to learn how to make tutorial videos or other instructional videos it all begins with with great planning.
Start by spending some time getting to know your audience. Learn how they use your product and find out where they struggle. Then use that information to choose a tutorial topic that will best help your target group.
Once you have your topic, create a storyboard to outline and visualize what you plan to show in your video.
Here are a few tips to help you write a script.
Use words you’d use in everyday conversations. This will give your script a smooth, natural feel.
Don't just tell viewers what’s going on, show them. Instead of simply saying what's happening on-screen, let those actions speak for themselves and use this time to add context with the voice over or narration.
Practice, practice… and then practice again. Read your script aloud and see how it flows. If you find yourself getting tripped up, go back and make sure you’re using natural language.
Finally, get some feedback. Find someone who’s not afraid to tell you what they really think and send them your script. This might seem scary at first, but once you get used to receiving feedback, it becomes an essential part of the scripting process.
Start by getting your hands on the best microphone you can find. Even a middle-of-the-road mic will provide much better sound quality than the one built into your computer. Then, find a quiet place to record.
The Camtasia video editor makes it simple to record your voice over with with built-in voice narration.
When you’re ready, record the script and make sure to speak slowly and clearly. If you make a mistake, don’t start over. Simply pause and start again right before you made the mistake. You can always remove mistakes when you’re finished.
The next step is recording your screen video. Start by cleaning up your desktop, closing any applications you don’t need, and turning off any notifications that might pop up.
Open the application you want to record and walk through exactly what you want to show your viewers. This will help you get those smooth cursor motions and, in the end, you’ll have less editing to do. When you’re ready, open the Camtasia recorder and record your screen.
Remember, if you make a mistake, simply pause... and then start right before the mistake. You can always edit it out in the end. You’ll want to make sure the screen recording software you use has built-in video editing.
When you’re finished recording your screen, it’s time to get all hack and slash with editing.
To start, cut out mistakes and trim extra footage from the ends of your recording. When finished, bring in your audio narration and any other media needed for the project.
With your audio narration on the timeline, use clip speed and extend frame to sync the pace of your video with your narration.
For example, if you need more time to explain a concept, split the clip and use extend frame to freeze the video. Or if you want to speed up a boring part of your recording, add clip speed, then drag the handles to speed it up.
The last step in creating a tutorial is to save the video. Think about where you want this video to live and choose a share destination.
As an extra last step, we recommend sharing your video with a few people to get feedback. This is a great way to make sure your message is clear, and your video is accomplishing your goals.
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