Just like any video you produce, you'll want to practice good technique. Just because you're showing a website or software application does not mean you can ignore the rules.
Timing and pacing are extremely important. Make sure you script your action wisely. Your mouse becomes the focal point now. Script out the operator's actions carefully. Time the movements to pace with a narrator, if there will be a narrator. Pacing can be enhanced with music or even the sound of clicking and typing.
Another great trick, which has been in the video editing playbook for years, is compressing time. Let's say you're capturing an instructional video of a website. You want to show users how easy it is to upload a picture to a blog using your web application. Everything is running smoothly. You paced the action perfectly with the mouse movements and narration. But, when your operator clicks on the Upload button, you get about 5 seconds of wait time for the web application to actually upload the photo. You see where I'm going with this? In your editing software, you can compress this time down to a second (or less if you'd like) by simply cutting out that wait time between the click of the button and the "Upload Successful" confirmation message. Movie magic is not just reserved for the sound stage. Use your editing tricks throughout an on-screen production to make the experience better.
Yes, screen-capturing solutions have come a long way, but the techniques that make a great presentation are the same.
Contributing Editor Mark Montgomery is an independent video producer and editor.
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