---
title: "Adding the Human Element in Screencasts"
date: 2009-12-08
description: "$( document ).ready(function() { // Handler for .ready() called. $("
canonical_url: https://idratherbewriting.com/2009/12/08/adding-the-human-element-in-screencasts/
---
# Adding the Human Element in Screencasts
> Screen video alone is not enough. You need to humanize your content by getting in front of the camera and engaging your audience. And no, I'm not talking about long-winded monologues either. Several 5-7 second talking-head elements can go a long way toward winning over and maintaining the interest of your audience. Let people see your face and don't be afraid to be emotive / loose. Let them see the twinkle in your eyes and the smirk on your face. As social creatures its how we empathize and bond with each other.

Brooks starts his videocast just this way. He gets in front of the camera.

Brooks makes some other good points as well, such as shifting camera angles every 2-8 seconds to keep the audience's attention. But I want to focus on this opening personal element a bit.

Last week, after [posting about the Harrison Clarity videos](https://idratherbewriting.com/2009/11/16/the-most-interesting-visio-tutorials-you-will-ever-see/), some people at Microsoft called me to get some feedback on other experimental videos. Here are some of the videos they wanted me to watch:

- [Top Templates](http://blogs.msdn.com/inside_office_online/archive/2009/12/01/watch-top-templates-with-doug-ron-award-certificates.aspx)

- [Office Casual](http://blogs.msdn.com/inside_office_online/archive/2009/06/04/office-casual-how-to-twitter-in-outlook-with-twinbox.aspx)

- [A Writer's Guide to Office](http://blogs.msdn.com/inside_office_online/archive/2009/09/22/writer-s-guide-single-space-your-lines-in-word-2007.aspx)

- [Office Intervention](http://blogs.msdn.com/inside_office_online/archive/2009/11/10/office-intervention-break-me-out-of-mail-jail.aspx)