In a recent webinar on writing scripts for video tutorials that I gave to the STC Tech Editing group for the STC last week, someone asked how to create screencasts for mobile apps. I thought it would be a good idea to respond in more detail in a blog post. Most likely your apps are designed for iPhones Continue Reading »
Category Archives: Video and Voiceover Techniques
PowerPoint Slides from Lavacon Presentation on Producing Professional Sounding Audio in Video Tutorials
I recently gave a presentation at Lavacon on audio voice over techniques for video tutorials. In case you’d like to view the slides, I uploaded them to Slideshare. Producing Professional Sounding Audio in Video Tutorials from Tom Johnson You can also download the PDF. Note: I have a few audio and video clips that I Continue Reading »
How to Create Video Tutorials — A Five Step Process
Today I received the following question about creating video tutorials: I’ve been asked to create a set of video tutorials for work. However, it has been difficult since I keep having to start over and re-record things whenever I make a mistake. In my search to improve the process, I came across your article “How Continue Reading »
Incorporating Elements of Speech into Writing
As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m making my way through Peter Elbow’s Vernacular Eloquence: What Speech Can Bring to Writing. Elbow’s wants to infuse techniques from speech into writing to improve the quality of writing. I want to infuse elements of speech into video scripts so they sound more like natural speech. The Continue Reading »
Keeping Scripts Fluid When Recording Video Tutorials
One of the first tasks in creating video tutorials involves writing a script. In informal situations, you can simply use an outline or wing it, but corporate settings require higher professional standards. I absolutely hate it when project managers get too involved in the video scripts. I’ve been on projects where the project manager decides Continue Reading »
Why Isn’t Spoken Language Easier for Writers?
One question I’ve often wondered is how technical writers can feel so comfortable stringing together words on paper but be completely inadequate when it comes to vocalizing the same text in a script, such as reading for a video tutorial. We talk often about voice and tone, and consider ourselves, as writers, experts in understanding Continue Reading »
The Perfect Voice — Professional or Authentic?
One trend I think we’ll see more and more is the decrease of professional voiceover actors in screencasts when those voiceover actors are merely reading a script they don’t understand. As an example, watch some of the tutorials at lynda.com. The narrators may not be professional voiceover actors, but they are subject matter experts. You can tell Continue Reading »
Podcast: Developing a Personal Voice in Audio (Intermountain-STC event)
Download MP3 Download the PowerPoint PowerPoint in Zip file (in case you have trouble with the above) Length: 60 min. A while ago, our chapter held a half-day eLearning event, and I presented a version of my Developing a Personal Voice in Audio presentation (similar to what I presented at the STC Summit in Dallas). Continue Reading »
Podcast: Ten Voiceover Techniques (PodcampSLC)
Download MP3 Length: 45 min. A couple of weeks ago I presented on voiceover techniques to an audience of about 35 people at PodcampSLC. I should have researched my audience a little more before the presentation because, from what I could tell, most people were there to learn how to start a podcast rather than Continue Reading »
10. Breathing Correctly
The final tip in my list of techniques for developing a personal voice in audio is to breathe correctly. This is actually the hardest technique for me, so I have saved it for the end. Strangely, in normal conversation, most of us don’t have any trouble breathing. But when we start recording voiceovers, we start Continue Reading »