Documentation:Annotated Presentations/Tips

Tips for recording an annotated presentation using Camtasia

When you record a PowerPoint lecture, keep the following tips in mind:

• Use a PowerPoint add-in. (Only available in Camtasia Studio 8) The PowerPoint add-in toolbar lets you record your PowerPoint easily. Watch this video by TechSmith: Record a PowerPoint Presentation
• Recording a PowerPoint in a widescreen: by default, your PowerPoint slides will have an aspect ratio of 4:3. When you record slides like that in Camtasia, and upload them to YouTube, you might see black bars on the sides of the video. To prevent this, you'll need to change your PowerPoint slides' aspect ratio to 16:9.

Changing the aspect ratio of PowerPoint slides on Windows

1. Click on the Design tab, and select Slide Size.
2. Click Widescreen (16:9)

Changing the aspect ratio of the PowerPoint slides on Mac

Watch this video by Techsmith: Record a PowerPoint or Keynote Presentation. The video has best practices and tips for recording PowerPoint presentations.

1. In Microsoft PowerPoint, open the PowerPoint file that you want to change the aspect ratio of.
2. Go to File>Page Setup
3. Beside Slides sized for, select On-Screen Show (16:9) from the drop-down menu. Then press OK.

Improve your audio quality

A slight improvement in audio quality is equivalent to a much bigger improvement in video quality: people value sound over looks. One simple thing you can do is make a pop filter, using some stockings and a coat hanger, or you can get a bit fancier.