00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:05.120
Hey everybody, I want to take a second to tell you about Snagit 2022.
00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:12.480
I don't have time to go into all the details about Snagit 2022, but it has a variety of options for fast and easy-to-use video creation.
00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:17.440
It's got new ways to work across devices and platforms with the new cloud library.
00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:23.600
And your purchase or upgrade includes your first year of maintenance and the newly updated Snagit certification course.
00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:32.320
With 20 plus videos of Snagget how-tos, certification is a great way to help you speed up your workflows, unlock potential, and get your work done faster.
00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:36.159
So check out Snagget 2022 today at Snagit.com.
00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.560
And now back to the podcast.
00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:48.960
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you are, wherever you're watching from.
00:00:49.039 --> 00:00:50.719
We're so glad that you're with us today.
00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:53.759
We're glad that you're listening, whether it's live or on the podcast.
00:00:54.159 --> 00:01:02.640
We're just happy that you're here and joining us because we have, as always, as always, another great guest and another great topic for you here on the Visual Out.
00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:09.120
Today we are going to be talking and continuing our series about creating instructional video.
00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:10.959
Because why instructional video?
00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:17.359
Because it's such an important piece of the whole training learning landscape, especially with this last year that we've had.
00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:26.239
Everyone going remote, having lots of ways, needing a lot of ways to reach out to still continue the learning process inside your organization or to your customers.
00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:35.519
We want to make sure that you're up on best practices, things that you can do, and hear from so many great experts on thought, their thoughts about creating tutorial videos.
00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:37.200
And today is no exception.
00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.920
We've got a fantastic guest, so let's just go ahead and jump into the introduction for her.
00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:47.280
And I'm gonna, I should have asked Ashley her how to say properly her last name.
00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:51.599
I'm sure it gets, you know, as US folk, we slaughter everyone's name.
00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:53.040
But Ashley Shizan.
00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:54.719
Uh did I say that right, Ashley?
00:01:54.879 --> 00:02:02.480
I we'll she'll nod or nod later on, is an award-winning e-learning developer and senior e-learning developer at Trilantent.
00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:04.239
I probably said that wrong too.
00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:14.800
She authored two books on Articulate Storyline and holds a master's of education from Memorial University, Newfoundland, which is one of I love Munn University, so we can talk about that later.
00:02:14.960 --> 00:02:19.520
She is one of the amazing people in the learning and development community who keeps giving and giving.
00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:27.759
You can find her often sharing tutorials and other content she's created to help people learn about using tools like Articulate Storyline and others.
00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:34.719
So with that said, uh what help me welcome such a wonderful person and individual, Ashley, to the Visual Lounge.
00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:35.919
Hey, Ashley.
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:36.879
Hi.
00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:39.199
How much did I slaughter it?
00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:40.800
I I know I totally killed it.
00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:45.919
Last name's great, and I'm the senior e-learning developer at Treliant.
00:02:46.319 --> 00:02:50.719
Treliant, you know, I I think I ask you about every one to two years.
00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:55.039
Hey, how do you pronounce it again for for our team who uses one of one of their products?
00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:59.039
And it's like, we'll never, I'll, I'll never quite get it right, but oh well.
00:02:59.280 --> 00:03:00.800
Least of my concerns today.
00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:07.599
Well, Ashley, we're so glad that you're here and grateful that you're part of our instructional uh video series.
00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:18.639
Before we get into the questions and chatting some more, is there anything else that we should know about you to help us to kind of get oriented around who you are and and what you're about?
00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:20.080
Oh gosh.
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:28.960
Um, so I've been a self-proclaimed articulate uh ambassador for years and years.
00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:32.639
I've been using articulate software for a long, long time.
00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:48.560
And so for me, in the lens of video production, it it's probably uh I'm probably most well known for all of the screencast tutorials that I've I've done that are a bit more informal.
00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:56.560
And uh yeah, so so I think that's probably uh what folks might know me most for.
00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:58.240
Absolutely.
00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:01.360
Yeah, and and I know that like you're prolific.
00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.919
You create a lot of tutorials, it seems like.
00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:09.199
I think was it recently that you did like a whole month of like 30 days of uh video tutorials?
00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:17.839
Yeah, so I I do that mostly to keep myself honest and uh and set some set some goals for myself.
00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:24.399
Um, but yeah, I usually do a screencast a day in any given month every now and again.
00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:37.519
And so I think over on the um the YouTube channel and website, I think the website has m more than a hundred, probably about 150 videos, but on the YouTube site there's about a hundred of them.
00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:38.800
Holy cow.
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:46.240
So so so it's safe to say that you you've at least got some experience in this area of creating some instructional video, right?
00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:51.120
Then that's just that your your personal videos, I'm sure.
00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:59.600
So before we jump into the video side though, I want to make sure we're talking uh some foundational stuff here, because I want to so let's talk a little bit about instructional design.
00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:13.360
Because I think it's you know, we're talking about creating tutorial videos, and and I I think in some levels video is a video of video, but we're applying a unique perspective to it here, and and I know that's what you're doing in your the videos that you just talked about.
00:05:13.920 --> 00:05:26.319
So for maybe those people who aren't familiar with instructional design, could you give us a quick what is it and what what would you say you're bringing to the table as you start as an instructional designer who's creating video?
00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:38.240
So I think the the the longer bit of instructional design because it's it's a I feel like it's a job title that has a lot of mystique.
00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:41.360
A lot of people don't really know uh what it is.
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:57.439
So my short form answer is I try to make training and learning uh suck less uh because oftentimes I feel like self-paced learning and um and e-learning gets a bad rap.
00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:00.959
And so um that's my short response.
00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:43.040
But then the the bigger response is really that instructional design is is a field that uh takes into consideration the all of the teaching best practices, teaching and learning best practices when it comes to um deciding if training is even the right decision, when um deciding how to structure content and what delivery mechanisms are going to be used, um, how you're going to um create and share the training, and all all of the little bits and pieces that go from analysis right through to evaluating the end product.
00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:44.639
Yeah, for sure.
00:06:44.959 --> 00:06:48.399
So let's one of the things I want to talk about.
00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:54.399
Okay, so you talked about you know deciding if something needs to be a video, something, you know, kind of that format decision.
00:06:54.720 --> 00:06:56.639
Can we talk kind of at a high level?
00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:00.800
What's the process you go through to start making some of those decisions?
00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:08.879
Because I think it's really easy for me as someone who works for a company that has a tool that does video to say, like, oh, of course you should make video.
00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:15.600
But the ri I know the reality as an instructional designer, it's not always the right medium, it's not always the right decision.
00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:32.800
So I'm curious for you, what are some of the questions maybe you ask yourself, or what are some of the kind of signals that you pick up on and say, like, yeah, this actually would make more sense as a video as opposed to a job aid, a handout document, you know, whatever else you could choose to do as kind of a medium or format.
00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:49.839
Yeah, so for me, I I kind of look at it from a practicality standpoint of um, for the, for example, the videos that I create on Articulate Storyline, it's a tool that people do things with.
00:07:50.079 --> 00:08:07.680
And so I can explain how to do something in text and and put that to paper, um, but it might not be as meaningful as if you were to watch me do um a specific task or or use the tool.
00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:11.279
So I always kind of go at it from that lens.
00:08:11.519 --> 00:08:24.639
Um, additionally, if you were talking about video creation in other formats, not just instructional videos, I would kind of look at, okay, well, what are what's the goal that we want to accomplish uh with this?
00:08:24.800 --> 00:08:43.200
Do we want to provide um a video-based scenario so that um the learner will have a some real-world context and be able to go through a scenario and make decisions based on what they they've watched?
00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:49.440
Um, so I think I think it's pretty practical, my my mindset.
00:08:49.679 --> 00:09:02.960
Um I I think you could have job aids for pretty much anything that you could do uh in video, but sometimes it's it's a lot easier to show something instead of tell.
00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:04.240
Yeah.
00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:05.440
No, absolutely.
00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:08.639
And I so I love that kind of that line of thinking, right?
00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:10.240
Like, is it gonna make more sense?
00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:17.039
I I I know I like to ask myself, like, it would it benefit if someone if I could show someone like looking over my shoulders.
00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:20.240
Um, I think that just is is is great advice.
00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:25.120
I think this is all just kind of helping us level the playing field as we start thinking about making video.
00:09:25.519 --> 00:09:32.559
So um, you know, you talked about the articulate videos that you make and and you're making those on your own to just be so generous.
00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:35.919
Um is is that typically what type of videos you're creating?
00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:42.480
Is kind of the like the step-by-step how-to, or are there other types of videos that you like to that you you dive into as well?
00:09:43.679 --> 00:09:48.320
Most of my uh storyline tutorials are are pretty targeted.
00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:50.879
Hey, we're gonna, I'm gonna show you how to do a thing.
00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:52.639
And they're very step-by-step.
00:09:52.799 --> 00:10:03.279
I do also have a few videos where I'm walking someone through a a fully developed, like, hey, this is a thing that I built, and here's how I got here.
00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:06.879
Um, more of a, I guess, a stream of consciousness.
00:10:07.120 --> 00:10:09.919
And um We call that we call that the director's cut.
00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:12.639
You're you're director's commentary, right?
00:10:13.440 --> 00:10:25.200
And and then I also um when I was doing the screencasted days, I there were there were some days where I just kind of wanted to turn my own brain off and build something.
00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:30.240
And so what I did with those videos was was kind of create time lapses of them.
00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:33.039
And I think I was calling them relaxing time lapse.
00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:46.240
And I would put kind of music or an audio track to it and speed up the clip speed and and just allow it it's interesting because some of those are some of my most watched videos.
00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:55.360
Uh so I don't know if people are putting me on in the background, just like I put other YouTube videos on in my background when I'm just trying to zone out.
00:10:55.919 --> 00:10:57.759
Oh, that's that's super interesting.
00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:05.279
Uh, I know there's a there's a name for them, um, but typically we've seen them as videos for people doing Photoshop.
00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:11.679
Uh, and they call them speed edits, like they're making some beautiful, some beautiful creation, and it's like it's just that those time laps.
00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:14.320
So that's that's really interesting that that's what people are watching.
00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:19.840
Because and and I don't, you know, it'd be what I'm curious like the value that they pers they get from it.
00:11:19.919 --> 00:11:21.279
Is it just because it's relaxing?
00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:24.720
You got you know, you got some chill music or something, or or what they get from.
00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:41.440
I don't know because for me, I mean, I I guess you could follow along a little bit from from those videos, but for me from an instructional perspective, I don't know how much you could follow, how much I could follow along with with a time lapse.
00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:46.879
So I think it's more just having something on in the background to zone out to.
00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:50.159
Um at least that's what I would watch those videos for.
00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:56.240
But yeah, I'd be curious if if anyone has watched those videos of mine, what do what do they get out of them?
00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:58.720
What do they what do they find enjoyable?
00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:00.559
Yeah, absolutely.
00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:10.159
Uh so Ashley, you you we kind of kind of high level, we've established what videos how you're getting to choose, you know, like decide that it should be a video, things like that.
00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:13.279
Let's say you're gonna make a tutorial video, how to video.
00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:15.440
Let's can you walk us through your process?
00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:18.240
Like, so you've decided, yep, we're gonna make a video.
00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:19.759
What does it look like?
00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:25.120
What steps are you going through to help you to actually get that to that end state?
00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:27.519
You're you know, do you have a certain workflow that you use?
00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:29.039
Are there certain steps that you like?
00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.200
I always do this, I never do that.
00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:33.200
What does that look like for you?
00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:43.200
Yeah, so I I uh I think it's kind of been a little fast and loose with me in terms of workload workflow and process.
00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:59.039
Um, however, through the years I have found some a kind of system that works for me where I do have a a notes doc that I have a list of uh video ideas that I want to eventually film one day.
00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:07.600
And so I'll usually wrap something from there, or if if something comes up that uh is a bit more timely, I might pick a topic.
00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:14.799
So choose a topic, and then I usually it it's it's one of two ways.
00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:35.279
So if it's something quick and easy, I'll just open up the uh the tool that I'm using, like articulate storyline, open that up, um, get Camtasia on, do a new recording, and I'll just take the user through what I want to show that day, and then I'll stop the recording.
00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:55.360
I usually will trim the top bit, and uh, because there's usually a little bit of like startup time, so I'll trim the top bit and then I'll trim the bottom bit um just ahead of where you see me stop the recording, and I will kind of edit together those.
00:13:55.440 --> 00:14:05.519
Then I'll go through, do a little bit of further editing of um like the audio and um maybe some visuals if necessary.
00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:08.639
Um, and then I'll I'll export.
00:14:08.960 --> 00:14:31.759
The other option is that I it's a more complex build in Storyline, and so I will build out the a fully functioning version of the file so that I have that and take notes, kind of make a script for myself so that I make sure that I hit all of the key components of that video.
00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:35.919
I'll record it and then I'll go through in.
00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:49.919
Usually those longer videos have a bit more editing of my yahs, ums, all of my kind of um I guess extraneous verbal cues to myself.
00:14:50.080 --> 00:15:05.679
So I'll edit out some of the annoying parts about the video to me, and then I'll go through and do um some audio leveling, cut the background noise out so that I you're not hearing my dog bark in every single video.
00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:09.360
And and then uh finish up and export.
00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:17.440
Okay, so this is gonna lead to one of those those great debates of uh I noticed you didn't mention that you script you don't script.
00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.080
It sounds like you just talk through it.
00:15:20.559 --> 00:15:21.840
I'm I'm curious.
00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:43.600
If you were gonna go make a tutorial on, I don't know, Salesforce, maybe, maybe you're an expert in Salesforce, I don't know.
00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:48.960
It'd probably be something you'd would you would you consider writing a script, or is is that why you're making that choice?
00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:50.399
Absolutely.
00:15:50.639 --> 00:16:08.879
I mean, even for the longer videos uh that I do, I I do have some format, some form of a script to kind of follow and just keep me keep me on top of uh what I want to show so that I'm not kind of going all over the place and um looking as though I don't really have a focus.
00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:25.679
Um and also for um some of the other videos that I've created for courses, I've I've scripted those out just so that they're they're very concise and targeted and um not as loosey-goosey.
00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:26.639
Right.
00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:29.039
No, that that makes makes total sense.
00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:38.720
And I I I think one thing I've I appreciate about just your description of the process is uh I feel like a lot of us can get caught up in how the complexity of video editing, right?
00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:48.799
Like it's it's it's a task and there's lots to do, lots of things you could do, but like you just kind of it sounds like you just keep it very simple, which is I think very appealing.
00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.159
Absolutely.
00:16:50.320 --> 00:17:01.759
Um I think when I first started um my blog, I very quickly found out that um the people that were coming to my website were coming, were people like me.
00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:08.079
They were other instructional designers, they were e-learning developers, they were people looking to get into the field.
00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.960
Um, and so they were really coming for the content.
00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:18.400
And I already knew that I loved working in um the software tools that I use.
00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:23.359
So I I have written a couple books on Articulate Storyline.
00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:32.240
I do feel pretty comfortable um doing those casual, um just open it up and do it type videos.
00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:42.880
But but yeah, once I started posting a lot of screencasts, people were really coming to the website to get the um the training, even though it was very informal training.
00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:49.440
It I mean, it could be a novice topic one week and then you'd see something more advanced.
00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:56.400
It wasn't really structured in a sequential type of um type of order.
00:17:56.880 --> 00:18:11.279
But uh yeah, I think because I was producing all of this kind of free content and I didn't have a whole lot of time to develop the content because I was working full-time and doing my graduate studies full-time.
00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:20.559
Um, I was just kind of doing the fast and loose approach uh and just kind of kind of do it, get it done, put it up there.
00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:42.240
Um, and so in recent years I've taken a I've tried to get a little bit more, um, I won't say professional because I really feel like even today they're they're not super professional quality, but I I did try to like add an intro animation so that there's at least some finesse to them.
00:18:42.400 --> 00:18:50.480
Um, and and I've tried to become a little bit more um adept at using Camtasia to to do my recordings.
00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:57.279
Well, I'm sure if we asked the audience to tell us whether they think your videos are professional, I'm sure they would say they are.
00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:02.319
So, Ashley, if you're if you're okay, I want to I want to read a couple comments and get to some of the questions the audience have put in.
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:03.680
They've been putting great stuff in here.
00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:08.960
So, first comment comes from HM on YouTube, says, Hi, Matt Pierce, and hi special hi to Ashley.
00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:12.160
Ashley is one of my favorite on Udemy.
00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:13.680
She's a great and honest trainer.
00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:15.920
So kudos to you, Ashley.
00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:18.000
Thank you, HM, for that comment.
00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:23.599
Uh Ibrahim on Facebook says, I enjoy the fact that you don't lump things together in your videos, Ashley.
00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:28.160
I mean the objective for each video lesson slash idea is quite clear.
00:19:28.319 --> 00:19:31.039
So let's can we talk about that for a second?
00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:38.000
Because I think that's something that happens a lot, is um, you know, we talked about having a a reason for a video, right?
00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:48.640
Like we're gonna choose a video for a specific purpose, and videos, as we learned last week with Jonathan Halls should have an objective, and objectives tell you what to keep in the video or what to get rid of the video.
00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:53.039
So for you, how do you make sure you've got the focus right on the objective?
00:19:53.119 --> 00:20:06.079
And you're not too broad hitting too many things, or you're not like, you know, and maybe I don't know if you can be too narrow, but do you have any kind of thoughts on the process that you use or things that would help maybe others as they're setting their own objectives for videos?
00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:10.880
Yeah, so I try to keep my my videos very brief.
00:20:11.119 --> 00:20:20.960
Um, I do, like I said, I do have a few longer form form videos that people have requested, and so I've I've built those out and I enjoy doing those as well.
00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:31.359
But I find the very like quick to the point um style of video format is much easier for me to build out.
00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:41.119
It's not, I'm not covering so many different topics and jumping all over the place in the tool that um users can't follow around what I'm doing.
00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:45.519
Um, so I just like to keep them, I try to keep them under two minutes.
00:20:45.680 --> 00:21:07.039
If I get much further over that, I I mean, now that I've ported them all over to YouTube, I can see when the watch times drop off as well, which is super handy because I can look at that analytic and say to myself, you know, this is what I I covered in this latest video, and but people are dropping off around halfway through.
00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:16.559
So maybe I should only talk about maybe I should have done a dedicated video on topic one versus having both topics in the same video.
00:21:17.119 --> 00:21:25.119
Um, so getting feedback like that kind of helps guide how long I want to keep videos.
00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:35.119
Now, when I was working in higher ed, I used to advise faculty members who were tasked with putting their courses online.
00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:47.920
And I worked at a university that um I think was the regional um the first distance learning uh university in the region.
00:21:48.160 --> 00:22:03.599
And so they had a television channel that when I was a kid, I remember putting on channel 32 and watching lectures, um, and and they had a lot of Faculty members who were very keen on creating video.
00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:15.920
So when they moved over to the online model, they really struggled, some of them really struggled with, okay, well, I just want to record my lecture.
00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:21.599
And we we kind of had to have a discussion and say, okay, well, what do you want to achieve with that lecture?
00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:31.759
Because I'd like to have your videos under five minutes in length each, or like under 10 if we have to push it.
00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:44.400
But really, if you do an hour and a half lecture, your students are uh are going to be zoning out because nobody's going to focus on a video for that long, or very few students are.
00:22:44.720 --> 00:23:09.920
So it was all about advising them on the efficacy of the videos that they were creating, because I wouldn't want to waste my time as a professor recording an hour and a half lecture that nobody listens to, or your students write the exam and are failing because content covered in a video wasn't really retained.
00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:25.920
So I think it's all about kind of being targeted, being mindful of whatever your learning objectives are, and keeping chunking appropriately so that you're not overloading their brains.
00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:28.960
Yeah, I that's I what great advice.
00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:30.559
The the chunking piece, right?
00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:32.720
Because it's you can always create another video.
00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:38.559
Like you, if you've got an hour and a half worth of content that you have to deliver, you can always break it up and allow people to go through it.
00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:41.759
And it's uh, you know, there's probably pros and cons to both.
00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:51.519
You know, people have to click on another video, but that's you know, going back, especially as a student, I you know, going back to find something so much easier in a five-minute video than it is an hour and a half video.
00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.759
There's that one thing I don't remember.
00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.039
Right, right.
00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:59.519
And then you have to sift through and or timestamp and take notes.
00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:00.319
Oh yeah.
00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:00.880
Oh yeah.
00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:08.319
Well, and I remember you know, if we go back far enough, which is now seems like it's long ago, like I remember we had a requirement at TechSmith, four megabytes.
00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:12.400
That was the max size for a video that we were gonna post onto our website.
00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:16.319
Uh now those days are long gone, but still it's uh it's being mindful.
00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:21.759
I'm I'm guessing Eastern Canada, not everyone has high-speed bandwidth or internet.
00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:29.200
Uh, so having being mindful an hour and a half is gonna be a lot harder to play for some people than three minutes or five minutes, depending on your audience.
00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.000
Exactly.
00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:35.759
Yeah, no, that's a that's a great point because we um we do have a lot of rural communities here.
00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:49.359
And going back to that university role that I was in, um we we did have some stubborn professors who who were dead set on needing to have their lectures as videos.
00:24:49.599 --> 00:25:03.920
And so our big argument against doing that was for accessibility because a lot of a lot of students um were living in more rural areas that didn't have high-speed internet, they may not have had even dial-up.
00:25:05.039 --> 00:25:19.920
And uh, and so to try and stream an hour and a half long lecture was just not going to happen, or or even joining online um like online classes.
00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:22.000
It was it was just tough.
00:25:22.480 --> 00:25:22.960
Yeah.
00:25:23.359 --> 00:25:26.319
Well, I I think actually this leads into our next question from our audience.
00:25:26.559 --> 00:25:35.279
Hemingway, who's on YouTube, says, How to create instructional videos in a low budget and a quick time, particularly for developing countries like Ethiopia.
00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:43.759
So, I mean, we're talking you know, I know Eastern Canada is probably very different infrastructure than maybe Ethiopia has, but there's similarities there, right?
00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:48.880
Like you've got different types of instrument infrastructure that's you know may or may not be adequate.
00:25:49.599 --> 00:26:01.039
And for the record, and I Ashton, I believe you know this, I I have lived in Eastern Canada, so I know some of those rural communities, and they are quaint and lovely and beautiful, but there's not a lot there.
00:26:01.519 --> 00:26:07.440
So uh, you know, maybe you've got now more uh when I was there, there was really no cell coverage anywhere.
00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:10.880
So it didn't, you know, cell phones were car phones, remember those?
00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:19.279
Uh so I'm I'm curious, you know, thinking about I so I think if we take your model that kind of you're doing this kind of easy, we'll call it easy breezy, right?
00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:24.480
Like you're not stressing too much about you you know your topic, you're putting it in, focusing on one thing.
00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:39.839
Any other advice you would give to Hemingway here about creating videos that would work for that kind of maybe low infrastructure or low budget situations, especially, you know, given that you need to get the information out to your audience somehow.
00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:50.720
Yeah, I mean I think from a low infrastructure perspective, it would my my biggest piece of advice would be to keep it keep it concise, small and concise.
00:26:50.960 --> 00:27:00.880
And um you don't necessarily need um like big fancy recording, uh big fancy recording setup.
00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:14.559
I mean nowadays I'm sure that the microphone and camera on my phone um is is doing more for me than say the microphone and camera on my my MacBook, right?
00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:20.000
So I think that we can do quite a lot with what we have available to us.
00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:38.319
Um but in editing those videos, I think you could you could do a long form a long form video, but then edit it down into smaller bits so that yeah, it might have all been one big piece.
00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:55.920
Um but giving consideration to the infrastructure and possibly bandwidth, you're at least making an effort to to kind of be conscious of that and uh conscious of the users who might be trying to view the the video.
00:27:56.400 --> 00:28:11.680
Um so yeah, I would I would edit them down, and then you can do a lot of like really creative things like um create a video that also incorporates imagery, so it's not necessarily just a giant video at the end of the day.
00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:22.960
You might have say a minute of video that you're supplementing points with um imagery or on-screen text and kind of editing that in in post.
00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:26.559
Yeah, I think that's I mean, that's great advice.
00:28:26.640 --> 00:28:33.680
Um as you're talking through that, you made me think uh it used to be these pod, they were like Apple had created a podcast with images.
00:28:33.839 --> 00:28:36.799
They don't do this anymore because it it was kind of a failed format.
00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:40.400
But the the real killer for video is the number of changes, right?
00:28:40.480 --> 00:28:46.559
Every time you have a change, the codec codec which interprets the video has to process that, right?
00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:48.319
So that's where file size comes from.
00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:50.480
So and and then just the amount of data.
00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:59.359
So for instance, you mentioned camera, like if you can get away without not using a camera and use something like a screen, it's gonna typically, depending on the size of your core, it's gonna be smaller.
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.880
So I think there's lots you can do.
00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:09.519
You know, you can turn your PowerPoint presentations into videos, uh, use the movement and that that video judiciously, it sounds like, is really great advice.
00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:10.160
So thank you.
00:29:10.480 --> 00:29:17.920
Yeah, and you can also um when you're editing your video, you don't have to choose the Cadillac of export settings.
00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:33.119
So you can play around with um your settings as well just to see how how you can get to a point where you're satisfied with the quality and you're also uh creating smaller file sizes.
00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.920
Yeah, and then always check with your end users, right?
00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:37.440
Can they actually do this?
00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:48.079
I I think there's uh as a a friend of mine, and I think Ashley, you might know Sam Rogers, always talked about, you know, it doesn't matter what format it is, if they can't view it at the end, it doesn't matter.
00:29:48.240 --> 00:29:57.839
It could be the world's best video, but if that uh and he always used credit union, but that credit union branch can't see it out in their because they don't have good internet, it it doesn't work.
00:29:57.920 --> 00:30:00.559
And so sometimes video in that case might not be the solution.
00:30:01.119 --> 00:30:06.960
Um Kathy, Kathy Stevens from Texas is asking, is there something such as templates for different videos?
00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:11.279
Uh Ashley, I'm I'm curious, um and well let me just first take Kathy.
00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:12.720
Yes, there are templates you can use.
00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:16.480
I know Camtasia has different templates, but Ashley, do you ever use a template?
00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:24.640
I know you mentioned like a bumper at the beginning of your video, but do you templatize like your kind of the style, or are you just kind of going with what feels right at the time?
00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:38.640
I haven't templatized the style, but I did uh grab, I'm pretty sure a free bumper off of uh TechSmith has a lovely library of assets uh for use with their their products.
00:30:38.799 --> 00:30:48.799
And so I did grab a bumper and customized um once you have it in there, you can customize it to whatever branding you have or want.
00:30:49.359 --> 00:31:00.160
Um so I feel like that has kind of elevated the videos, at least in in my per from my perspective, because it makes it a little less fast and loose for me.
00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:04.079
I I need to consider, oh, okay, I'm gonna toss my bumper in there.
00:31:05.359 --> 00:31:20.559
Yeah, and I and I would just add, I I I think from a templating standpoint, I I don't know, there it does seem like we've seen some bad practices develop with like, oh, the first thing we're gonna do is we're gonna read to you the learning objectives, right?
00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:23.359
Like we've seen that we've seen that kind of play out in the instructional design world.
00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:26.799
Like, in this video, you're gonna learn the following three items.
00:31:27.599 --> 00:31:43.920
And you know, so I so my advice to Kathy, I guess, would be is you know, find a structure uh a story structure or you know, uh an understanding of structure that's gonna work for conveying that message and and use it to help you build, but don't necessarily feel beholden to it.
00:31:44.000 --> 00:32:00.960
And I think I love what you're doing, Ashley, just giving that a little bit of branding, a little bit of kind of uh a little bit of polish at the beginning just to help people know probably I I'm guessing it helps them know who you are, what your brand is, and you know, then they can come to expect all the wonderful things that you already share with with us, right?
00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:06.400
So uh one last question here from audience, and we'll move on to a couple other questions I have.
00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:10.960
Uh Lemuel over on who's watching over on YouTube, thanks to everybody, of course, for watching.
00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:15.359
How how does user experience and user interface in a video differ?
00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:20.400
I'm not sure I necessarily understand the question, but we'll pose it and see where we can get to.
00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:24.400
So if user experience and user interface in video.
00:32:25.039 --> 00:32:27.119
Uh any any thoughts?
00:32:27.680 --> 00:32:31.599
I'm I'm not quite sure where where they're going with that one either.
00:32:31.759 --> 00:33:01.920
I mean, unless they're um referring to the the typical CI I think of that more as using video interface in something like e-learning, where you're taking um elements that are very um memorable or or people recogn recognizable rather, um, like the play pause, the previous next, or fast forward rewind, or closed caption symbol, and you're putting those in your e-learning.
00:33:02.400 --> 00:33:08.160
But um, I'm not really sure uh where they're going going the other way.
00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:09.519
Right.
00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:10.160
Yeah.
00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:15.039
Well, we'll just say Lemuel, if you're still watching and you want to put some clarification in there, we can come back to it.
00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:18.319
We of course we're always happy to try to answer questions the best we can.
00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:21.519
Sometimes we don't have the context or the the meeting.
00:33:21.759 --> 00:33:24.160
Um so let's let's go into another question.
00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:36.799
So Ashley, uh you know, you you've been making videos for a while, and I'm assuming that you see other instructional designers, whether in your organization or people that you're working with just out kind of in in the in the world are making tutorial videos.
00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:43.599
What are some of the kind of uh we'll call them newbie mistakes that you think people make when they first start making videos?
00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:46.799
Maybe things that even you mistakes that you saw.
00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:55.039
Uh uh because obviously, you know, making video if you're new at it, it's there's a lot to learn, a lot of different steps and things to try to figure out.
00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:59.519
What are some of the common mistakes and what advice would you give to someone who's just getting started?
00:34:01.279 --> 00:34:10.480
For me, I think one thing that just drives me nutty is and I hear it in my own videos and it drives me crazy.
00:34:10.719 --> 00:34:29.199
So find a quiet place to record because I I've listened to videos where people are kind of going through and they're they're recording, but I can hear the traffic in the background, I can hear animals, I can hear people talking, like or maybe the TV.
00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:54.159
Um so we either go to a quiet place or make sure that when you're editing, you're doing the noise removal as part of that process, because as a learner, I do find that really distracting, and and I recognize in my own videos when I hear my dog barking as I play back, that um that might be a little jarring and distracting for for the learners.
00:34:54.480 --> 00:35:02.559
I also am not a huge fan of the um in this video, you're going to learn these three things.
00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:09.280
Um, as you were kind of explaining a moment ago, as it in response to the template in question.
00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:20.000
Um I think that you can you can convey things like learning objectives in a different method than including them in the actual video that you're recording.
00:35:20.159 --> 00:35:30.079
Um, like if it's a course, uh I would put it in the intro to the video, or if it's on a if it's on YouTube, I would put it in the down description bar.
00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:52.639
Um yeah, and I'm not sure there's really that many other other issues that I I mean there's little nitpicky design things like um when you add a a call-out or a marker on in your video um using just the the standard kind of Microsoft palette.
00:35:52.800 --> 00:36:01.679
I I feel like every time I see the orange and the green from that palette, it it makes a little cell of mine die.
00:36:02.400 --> 00:36:04.719
But I I think it's fine.
00:36:04.880 --> 00:36:05.519
They're fine.
00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:07.679
It's just not my preference.
00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:11.440
Yeah, well, I I think that's that's interesting.
00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:12.880
First with the sound stuff, right?
00:36:12.960 --> 00:36:14.559
I think that's fantastic advice.
00:36:14.719 --> 00:36:19.360
I uh we're we're big advocates of having good sound here, as anyone that's watched the show will know.
00:36:19.519 --> 00:36:22.639
We talk about getting, you know, the first thing you invest in is a microphone.
00:36:22.880 --> 00:36:24.079
But it is, it's so easy.
00:36:24.159 --> 00:36:31.679
I I I was curious though, with the way the world has been for the last year or so with the pandemic and everyone going home.
00:36:31.840 --> 00:36:36.400
Uh, do you think there's more allowance there uh than there has been for like home noises?
00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:44.719
Because and maybe you've you've been working remote for a while, so it's not a big deal, but uh, I think there's probably a lot of people who that's a new challenge, right?
00:36:44.880 --> 00:36:46.639
Like I used to work in an office.
00:36:46.719 --> 00:36:51.119
I had a studio, and now I work in my office pre-pandemic.
00:36:51.199 --> 00:37:03.360
We all saw the uh viral video of the I think it was a news reporter whose daughter had busted into his office and it was a big deal to kind of drag her out of there.
00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:26.480
I I think now um that everybody's or most people have had um a period of time where they've been working remotely, working from home, there they've been the pets, there've been the kids, there's been the uh spouse in their office or the the kid doing their homework uh noise, right?
00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:33.039
So I I do think that there is a lot more allowance for that, and and that's a really great point.
00:37:33.199 --> 00:37:47.360
Um, I mean, I think if you're explaining something very complex, like, I don't know, thermodynamics or something, something super intense that uh that most people don't understand.
00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:55.280
I feel like maybe you might want uh to be extra conscious of your quiet space uh just to help your learners process.
00:37:55.599 --> 00:38:17.679
Um but yeah, it would actually be really interesting to see the results of like a longitudinal study about like um like comparing noise level tolerance to noise levels pre-pandemic to post-pandemic, and and um I guess efficacy of learning environments.
00:38:17.840 --> 00:38:19.199
That would be really interesting.
00:38:19.519 --> 00:38:20.719
That'd be so interesting.
00:38:20.880 --> 00:38:28.400
I I will say that one of our guests a couple weeks ago, uh she's the vice president of marketing at TechSmith, came on and she talked about one of the noise challenges.
00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:32.159
She has dogs, and one of her dogs snores very loudly.
00:38:32.320 --> 00:38:40.079
In fact, I watched a video uh I think it was yesterday, that she had sent around to the team and you could hear the dog snoring.
00:38:40.239 --> 00:38:48.320
And it was just you know, for me it was just funny, and it was very endearing to the dog, because you know, well, what a lucky lucky pup getting the getting the snore.
00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:54.880
But but uh yeah, it would be really interesting to see that study if if things have changed, if we've let up and if that will change again, right?
00:38:54.960 --> 00:39:03.679
Like as things, you know, hopefully people are going back to kind of normal circumstances, or if we just have will now allow enough grace and tolerance.
00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:05.280
Uh but I I agree with you.
00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:13.360
It's so important to have good quality sound and and for complex things or things that you want to come across as like super uh polished, right?
00:39:13.440 --> 00:39:18.719
You you want to eliminate that the extra noise, you want to get rid of those things because they are taxing.
00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:28.800
I think that's the real thing, is it's taxing on your brain to hear the dog snoring or to hear kids screaming in the background or whatever, whatever your particular challenge is at this time.
00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:32.559
So okay.
00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:38.559
Um I think what's another question I wanted to ask you here, because uh this is such great stuff.
00:39:39.199 --> 00:40:00.320
Um we talked about kind of the the newbie kind of tips and things that you would tell just in general, uh as you've gone through and created now hundreds uh of videos have uh you know from a workflow perspective, um are there things that you've learned to let go of in terms of video creation?
00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:09.280
Are things that maybe you thought about video creation at the beginning when you're just getting started that now maybe don't seem as important or you've learned that you can you can get by without them?
00:40:09.679 --> 00:40:15.440
Because I think one of the things that again we talked about this overwhelming nature of like, oh gosh, it's so hard to learn video.
00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:22.559
Uh I'm I'm curious, kind of from that perspective, of what what have you realized you don't need to know or do to make a good video?
00:40:24.079 --> 00:40:33.039
I honestly I use I feel like far fewer functions that are available to me.
00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:36.800
Um, and that's because I'm I'm not a video producer.
00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:42.559
I don't really understand too much about the ins and outs of video production.
00:40:42.800 --> 00:40:52.880
When I was first thinking about doing these videos, I I was thinking, okay, well, my Mac has iMovie, and now I've got to learn that.
00:40:53.119 --> 00:40:55.920
And or what about Final Cut Pro?
00:40:56.079 --> 00:41:16.159
I was kind of weighing all of my options, and um, Camtasia was something that I had been familiar with because um I used to do a lot of screencasts to push out to my coworkers and um like explainer videos when when someone would have a question about something.
00:41:16.239 --> 00:41:47.360
Um so I was familiar with it, and since then, which is probably almost 10 years ago, I feel like I I I don't know, at least at least eight, um, I've kind of tried to pick up bits and pieces of of new things, like like educate myself a little bit in the tool, but generally I I kind of have blinders on and I'm very focused on okay, well, this is the video that I'm creating, I'm gonna do it.
00:41:47.519 --> 00:41:51.039
I don't really think much about um the medium.
00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:58.239
So I have played around with, I think at the beginning I was having my webcam on my recording.
00:41:58.320 --> 00:42:05.440
So down in the bottom of the corner, you would see like the little the little block with me explaining what we were doing.
00:42:05.679 --> 00:42:19.440
And I I think at that time I had thought that it was really important that the user see me explaining it, but I very quickly learned that nobody nobody really cares to see me, and neither do I.
00:42:19.599 --> 00:42:25.599
So it was it was a a good thing for all of us to just drop that from the format.
00:42:25.920 --> 00:42:39.760
Um, and then for the the quicker hit videos, I don't I won't be as concerned about the production value of like making sure it's as polished as possible.
00:42:40.239 --> 00:43:00.480
Um as I do for videos that are created for um like courses and workshops, those ones I'll I'll focus a little bit more on scripting out and editing thoroughly and taking out all of my ums, ahs, and uh whatever.
00:43:00.719 --> 00:43:11.199
Um and I'll also ensure that the export the quality settings are higher than just the the baseline ones.
00:43:11.440 --> 00:43:23.199
So I I feel like I'm probably not the best person to ask that question because I I really don't use the full functionality of the tool.
00:43:23.440 --> 00:43:32.559
Um so I kind of just focus on the video and do almost the bare minimum for what is involved in my video creation.
00:43:32.719 --> 00:43:39.280
Now, if I had a role that was very heavy in me creating these videos, of course, it would be a different story.
00:43:39.360 --> 00:43:47.519
Um, these are just kind of like a free situation that I I generate for from a content perspective to help people out.
00:43:47.679 --> 00:43:54.159
Um so if if it was part of my role, I would probably have have a different opinion.
00:43:54.719 --> 00:43:55.360
But you know what?
00:43:55.440 --> 00:44:03.679
I think that act I think it's a great answer, actually, because I think sometimes, and this is just Matt's opinion is we get so caught up on the bells and whistles.
00:44:03.840 --> 00:44:09.199
You know, and and uh and we talk about this in other places that uh throughout TechSmith actually in uh the Visual Lounge.
00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:19.599
If you didn't know, for folks that are listening, we have the other show that's the workflow show where Justin, Andy, and I talk about things and we talk about one of the shows we talk about transit actual about transitions, right?
00:44:19.679 --> 00:44:25.760
Like you there are, I think, 70 plus transitions in Camtasia now and in the current version.
00:44:26.239 --> 00:44:28.960
And there's no way you need to know all of those.
00:44:29.039 --> 00:44:33.199
You don't need to know, you don't even need to use but maybe one or two of them, right?
00:44:33.280 --> 00:44:48.880
And I think so sometimes in video editing people get so caught up on the the big functionality of all the things it can do when what you're saying is actually really smart when it comes to efficiency, comes to communicate you're you're focused on the communication, not on the effects.
00:44:49.119 --> 00:44:50.000
And those things are all good.
00:44:50.079 --> 00:44:55.840
I don't I don't want to say don't ever use them, because I mean we have we have I have I work for the company that has a tool that does those things.
00:44:56.000 --> 00:45:08.800
But I love it because it's I think that's sometimes instructional designers, leaders, whoever's making these videos get caught up on that piece of it, that they forget that the cut, a cut and a split is super powerful.
00:45:09.280 --> 00:45:15.039
A simple transition, and then like like you said, like maybe some bumpers, and and no one cares too much.
00:45:15.199 --> 00:45:20.239
Uh in most videos, if you say um or aw or uh you know, you stumble a little bit, right?
00:45:20.320 --> 00:45:22.639
Like it's very human and endearing.
00:45:22.719 --> 00:45:29.119
And and so I I think your advice is spot on, Ashley, that like just let's keep it focused, keep it focused and simple.
00:45:29.199 --> 00:45:34.639
And uh I think a lot of us will become better video editors just by doing that.
00:45:34.800 --> 00:45:42.719
And then I would imagine uh that when we do make the additional ad yeah, ads of whatever those effects are, that it makes it more powerful.
00:45:42.960 --> 00:45:44.159
That does that make sense?
00:45:44.719 --> 00:45:45.679
Exactly, yeah.
00:45:45.840 --> 00:46:08.719
And I think I think when you when you learn more about them and you know what you like when you strip it down to the the bare minimum, and then you know what you do like and what you don't like, you can kind of make a more informed decision about hey, is this going to be something that enhances this video, or is this the bells and the whistles?
00:46:08.960 --> 00:46:37.920
Um just like for me, knowing that I have a beagle and he likes to bark, um, being able to like have a function that allows me to reduce the noise uh in the background, that's a very important function for me to know, uh, versus oh, okay, well, I need to, I think I'll choose transition 45 today for this particular point.
00:46:38.239 --> 00:46:43.519
So I think it's really just about knowing what you want to get out of the video.
00:46:43.840 --> 00:46:52.239
And once you once you know those things, you can go back to your editing software and say, okay, well, how do I make that happen?
00:46:52.480 --> 00:46:57.280
And you can learn the functions that you need to do the job that you want to do.
00:46:58.159 --> 00:46:59.119
Yeah, for sure.
00:46:59.360 --> 00:47:05.679
So one one comment that's come in as we've been talking is uh graph graph I can't say it.
00:47:05.760 --> 00:47:13.199
Uh I'm I'm terrible with pronunciation, my tongue gets tied, but over on YouTube, Graphi Sitious, sorry, I really apologize.
00:47:13.440 --> 00:47:15.039
At least it's not just you, Ashley.
00:47:15.119 --> 00:47:20.320
Uh one thing I wish I knew, they say you don't have to talk constantly and uninterrupted.
00:47:20.400 --> 00:47:24.639
We feel like we need to fill gaps with words constantly, but it's not true.
00:47:24.800 --> 00:47:27.199
Help me relax and be more clear in my videos.
00:47:27.360 --> 00:47:43.440
I think what a great, what a just a great insight that uh, you know, I think there's different videos and different things and timing-wise you want to play with, but I I I I agree that not everything needs space, but I think if you don't have talking or something happening, you know, there needs to be something, right?
00:47:43.599 --> 00:47:45.039
Like a reason for not talking.
00:47:45.199 --> 00:47:54.559
Like if you come to this show and Ashley and I are just sitting not talking, that might feel that might feel awkward versus in a tutorial video, you can have something happening.
00:47:54.800 --> 00:47:57.760
Maybe you're saying what happened, what you want, and then you do it.
00:47:57.840 --> 00:47:58.880
So I think it's a decent.
00:47:59.519 --> 00:47:59.840
Exactly.
00:47:59.920 --> 00:48:09.760
Yeah, I think I think you can do some lead-ins and then say what you're gonna do, show what you're gonna do, and and um pace yourself that way.
00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:11.039
Yeah.
00:48:11.360 --> 00:48:15.119
Well, we're gonna we're gonna move on to our our final segment here, our speedruns.
00:48:15.280 --> 00:48:24.719
Uh, but before we do that, Ashley, is there any other advice, wisdom, knowledge that you want to pour out on upon us before we go into the the speedrun questions?
00:48:25.679 --> 00:48:33.679
I think we've kind of talked a little bit about um how intimidating video production can seem.
00:48:33.840 --> 00:48:34.880
And yeah, it can.
00:48:35.039 --> 00:48:39.599
There's a lot of different um different considerations.
00:48:39.920 --> 00:48:47.920
I mean, when you're looking at just even microphones, there's a whole range of considerations you can have for microphones and and for your setup.
00:48:48.239 --> 00:49:05.039
But I think at the end of the day, if you just get in there and start um like just start doing the thing, um try to make your recordings, uh, create some videos, and then use them as a learning experience.
00:49:05.119 --> 00:49:15.519
Um, if you're if you're nervous getting into video production, and um record some videos, watch them back, take notes.
00:49:15.679 --> 00:49:22.320
What what did you like, what didn't you like, what would you like to improve upon the next time, and and then just grow from there.
00:49:22.559 --> 00:49:27.840
And um starting is really, I feel like the hardest part with almost anything.
00:49:28.079 --> 00:49:38.559
So as soon as you can get out there and start uh creating videos, I think you'll you'll be um up and on your way in no time.
00:49:38.960 --> 00:49:40.000
Yeah, I I love it.
00:49:40.159 --> 00:49:43.039
We often uh not all the time, but we often end the show.
00:49:43.119 --> 00:49:45.039
I I mentioned leveling up every single day.
00:49:45.119 --> 00:49:46.880
And I think that's to that point, right?
00:49:46.960 --> 00:49:49.679
Just start, you you'll get better as you do it.
00:49:49.760 --> 00:49:54.960
It's it's just like everything else, practice and intention, and you just build and build upon it.
00:49:55.039 --> 00:49:56.400
So Ashley, thank you so much.
00:49:56.880 --> 00:49:58.400
What a great, great answer.
00:49:58.639 --> 00:49:59.760
But now let's have a little fun.
00:49:59.840 --> 00:50:02.079
We're gonna move into our speed round.
00:50:09.760 --> 00:50:13.519
All right, as we move into our speed round, Ashley just a reminder, these are meant to be shorter answers.
00:50:13.679 --> 00:50:17.199
Quick, we're gonna go fast here just uh as we wrap up the show here.
00:50:17.360 --> 00:50:22.880
Some of these are I will say some of these are fun, some of these are uh are are on topic, but some are not.
00:50:23.039 --> 00:50:26.880
So number one, you can pick one.
00:50:27.119 --> 00:50:30.400
What's the one effect you would keep in your video creation?
00:50:33.119 --> 00:50:35.840
Would you consider noise removal uh an effect?
00:50:36.159 --> 00:50:36.960
Yes, absolutely.
00:50:37.119 --> 00:50:38.239
So noise removal.
00:50:38.639 --> 00:50:39.360
Awesome.
00:50:39.599 --> 00:50:44.239
When you're when you're not designing instruction or making videos, what are you typically doing?
00:50:45.119 --> 00:50:46.320
Oh gosh.
00:50:46.559 --> 00:50:49.280
Oh walking the dog.
00:50:50.079 --> 00:50:50.880
Perfect.
00:50:51.199 --> 00:50:52.960
The poochas need to be walked.
00:50:53.119 --> 00:50:55.519
Uh I know you you are a softball player.
00:50:55.599 --> 00:50:57.039
What position do you play?
00:50:57.679 --> 00:50:58.719
I rove.
00:50:59.199 --> 00:51:04.400
I don't know if that's a a common I don't know if that's a Canadian position.
00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:06.480
I don't know what that means.
00:51:06.719 --> 00:51:07.119
Yeah.
00:51:07.599 --> 00:51:10.880
It's like middle between the infield and outfield.
00:51:11.280 --> 00:51:11.599
Okay.
00:51:12.320 --> 00:51:13.280
A rover.
00:51:13.679 --> 00:51:16.639
That's also a thing in Newfoundland, but differently.
00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:20.400
Uh so question for you, where do you turn for inspiration?
00:51:20.559 --> 00:51:22.079
So, you know, we talk a lot about video.
00:51:22.239 --> 00:51:27.760
I think uh obviously a key thing is being inspired to to be a just a creator in general.
00:51:27.920 --> 00:51:30.239
What where do you go to get your inspiration?
00:51:31.199 --> 00:51:33.280
I like web interfaces.
00:51:33.519 --> 00:51:36.960
Um I used to go on Pinterest.
00:51:37.199 --> 00:51:47.679
I know this is long, a longer explanation, but like Pinterest and look up uh different graphic user interfaces and and say to myself, oh, that's really cool that somebody did that for a website.
00:51:47.920 --> 00:51:49.679
How can I build that in storyline?
00:51:49.840 --> 00:51:56.079
And I would just replicate what I had kind of made my muse in a different medium.
00:51:56.480 --> 00:51:58.079
Yeah, that's well, I love that, right?
00:51:58.159 --> 00:52:04.159
Like pull from things that are if it's if it's good design one place, it can be good design in another place as well.
00:52:04.239 --> 00:52:05.920
So that's that's a great answer.
00:52:06.239 --> 00:52:09.920
Uh maybe I should apologize for this question now.
00:52:10.079 --> 00:52:12.239
What's the most Canadian thing about you?
00:52:12.480 --> 00:52:16.000
I love and again, I'm coming from a place of pure love for Canada.
00:52:16.079 --> 00:52:18.400
Uh and my time, I spent two years there.
00:52:18.559 --> 00:52:21.679
I absolutely love Canada and everything it has to offer.
00:52:21.760 --> 00:52:29.360
So what's what's but you know, just like people from Michigan were quirky, we say, oop, or oop, let me just scooch air right there by you.
00:52:29.440 --> 00:52:32.480
Um what would you say is the most Canadian thing about you?
00:52:33.119 --> 00:52:44.000
I I have found a lovely uh Midwestern video that I'll have to I'll have to send your way after this that I fills my heart with so much joy because I can relate to it.
00:52:44.239 --> 00:52:47.920
But um I would say that I apologize too much.
00:52:48.559 --> 00:52:51.440
So I do say sorry quite a bit.
00:52:51.840 --> 00:52:54.239
So sorry for asking you that question.
00:52:55.760 --> 00:52:56.559
I love it.
00:52:56.719 --> 00:52:58.719
Uh I you know, just wonderful.
00:52:58.880 --> 00:53:04.880
Uh so what's one thing uh that would make everyone better at instructional design.
00:53:08.559 --> 00:53:20.400
I would say understanding structure and sequence, like we said chunking early early on, and I'm a very big supporter of reducing cognitive overload.
00:53:20.480 --> 00:53:24.880
And so I think um learning how to structure and sequence content.
00:53:25.280 --> 00:53:26.639
Yeah, that that's a great one.
00:53:26.719 --> 00:53:30.800
What a uh and we could probably have a whole conversation just about that.
00:53:30.960 --> 00:53:35.840
So if if people are watching, go go look that up and figure help figure that maybe reach out to Ashley.
00:53:36.000 --> 00:53:37.360
Uh two more questions here.
00:53:37.519 --> 00:53:40.400
Uh, this is also a very uh Canadian-focused one.
00:53:40.480 --> 00:53:42.320
Uh Poutine or Doner?
00:53:44.400 --> 00:53:44.880
Neither?
00:53:45.199 --> 00:53:53.039
Donaire, because it was uh I'm from Halifax, and so it's the uh it originated in Halifax.
00:53:53.199 --> 00:53:58.239
It's I think Nova Scotia's food, um, but Poutine's also amazing.
00:53:58.559 --> 00:54:04.800
Yes, and uh I I've you know for those who don't, I think what should we describe what Donair is real quick a donair is real quick?
00:54:04.880 --> 00:54:12.079
Because I don't think it's had not I not lived in Dartmouth, which is right across the bay from Halifax, I wouldn't know what it is.
00:54:12.880 --> 00:54:35.599
Yeah, so so a doner is kind of like a Greek gyro, um except it's it's like a spiced meat that's shaved off of a spit and um served on a warmed-up pita with usually tomato, onion, and doner sauce, which is the important thing.
00:54:35.760 --> 00:54:50.960
Uh the donor sauce is in Nova Scotia is served with garlic fingers, people put it on their pizza, um, and if you look up the recipe, it'll turn you off.
00:54:51.039 --> 00:54:55.920
But yeah, it's it's like a condensed milk uh garlic sauce.
00:54:56.079 --> 00:54:58.639
It's it's kind of a little strange.
00:54:58.960 --> 00:55:11.840
But if you if you move from outs out of the Maritimes and are living, say in Ontario or out west, people long for garlies and donair sauce.
00:55:13.760 --> 00:55:15.760
Or if they move back to Michigan, they do too.
00:55:15.920 --> 00:55:20.159
So okay, last question here, and it gets uh get it gives you a chance to flip the table.
00:55:20.320 --> 00:55:22.480
What's one question you'd like to ask me?
00:55:23.039 --> 00:55:24.079
Oh my gosh.
00:55:24.320 --> 00:55:33.119
I when are we going to get together to do our uh blog post or videos?
00:55:33.440 --> 00:55:38.400
We were we were going to do something a long, long time ago, and when's that gonna happen?
00:55:38.800 --> 00:55:45.840
You know, uh let's let's I don't know exactly when, but let's figure that out and do something because I think and hey, does this count?
00:55:46.079 --> 00:55:47.679
Because this is a good start.
00:55:48.079 --> 00:55:48.320
Sure.
00:55:48.639 --> 00:55:48.880
Right?
00:55:48.960 --> 00:55:50.159
We'll we'll we'll figure something out.
00:55:50.320 --> 00:55:53.840
But uh Ashley, it is just wonderful to to spend some time with you.
00:55:53.920 --> 00:55:58.480
You know, I I normally we get to see each other at at a variety of different conferences.
00:55:58.559 --> 00:56:08.239
It's always wonderful to to see you, and it's uh we've all missed that, so I'm looking forward to hopefully things will continue to get better and we'll be able to catch up in person.
00:56:08.320 --> 00:56:14.320
Maybe uh, you know, Halifax just really needs a really good learning conference so we can go get some donaires together.
00:56:14.800 --> 00:56:18.239
Uh that would be that would wow, wouldn't that be wonderful?
00:56:18.480 --> 00:56:21.039
But thank you again for just sharing your wisdom, your thoughts.
00:56:21.199 --> 00:56:27.599
I hope everyone watching today has has benefited as as much as I have because I, you know, this is the best job in the world.
00:56:27.679 --> 00:56:33.519
I just get to sit and learn and ask questions and and benefit from from people that are wonderful like you.
00:56:33.679 --> 00:56:35.760
So thank you once again, Ashley.
00:56:36.320 --> 00:56:37.920
Thank you so much for inviting me.
00:56:38.079 --> 00:56:40.960
I'm I'm so happy to be uh a participant.
00:56:41.360 --> 00:56:47.119
So, real quick, where where should people, if they have questions, they want to see some of your work, where should they they find that information?
00:56:47.440 --> 00:56:52.239
Yeah, so they can absolutely head on over to Ashley Shasson.com.
00:56:52.400 --> 00:56:57.360
Um the link is under my name here on the broadcast.
00:56:57.840 --> 00:57:03.199
And I cross-post most all of my video tutorials to the website.
00:57:03.440 --> 00:57:06.559
So if you don't want to go to YouTube, you can find them there.
00:57:06.880 --> 00:57:12.639
And um I'm always happy to chat on LinkedIn or Twitter at AMD Chasson.
00:57:13.199 --> 00:57:13.840
Yeah, awesome.
00:57:14.000 --> 00:57:15.760
Well, thank you so much once again, Ashley.
00:57:15.840 --> 00:57:18.239
We appreciate your time and your your wisdom.
00:57:18.320 --> 00:57:23.519
And we look forward to seeing more of your videos uh on YouTube as well as the other places like your website.
00:57:23.599 --> 00:57:27.840
So and we posted those in the different chats so people can get to those there as well.
00:57:28.000 --> 00:57:29.119
So thanks again, Ashley.
00:57:29.360 --> 00:57:29.920
Awesome.
00:57:30.239 --> 00:57:31.199
Thank you.
00:57:32.320 --> 00:57:32.880
All right.
00:57:33.039 --> 00:57:37.440
Well, before we go, we've got one last thing I want to just mention real quickly because it's super cool.
00:57:37.599 --> 00:57:38.719
We're super excited about.
00:57:39.039 --> 00:57:44.800
I've got exciting news that TechSmith has actually been given an award.
00:57:44.960 --> 00:57:45.519
That's right.
00:57:45.679 --> 00:57:54.559
Uh we've earned TechSmith Camtasia the name the Employee Training Solution of the Year by Remote Tech Breakthrough Awards.
00:57:54.719 --> 00:58:08.000
So, Breakthrough Awards is an independent market intelligence organization that evaluates and recognizes outstanding technology companies, products, and services empowering remote work and distributed teams around the globe.
00:58:08.079 --> 00:58:19.039
And if you're not familiar with Camtasia, go check it out because it can definitely help in those circumstances, as we've learned today about the ability just to make videos and then have people watch them pretty much wherever you might be throughout the world.
00:58:19.199 --> 00:58:22.639
So, congratulations to the Camtasia team for all the hard work.
00:58:22.880 --> 00:58:30.000
You know, I wish I could say that I had a major part to play in it, but I just I get the chance to work with awesome people who make this awesome technology.
00:58:30.159 --> 00:58:32.719
With that said, thank you again for tuning in.
00:58:32.800 --> 00:58:38.239
You can find us on any of our favorite platforms, YouTube, on your podcast platforms, wherever you might be.
00:58:38.480 --> 00:58:50.079
If you do have a chance and you want to take a second to give us five stars on the Apple Podcast or give us a thumbs up on YouTube or whatever platform, however they manage that rating system, please do.
00:58:50.159 --> 00:58:53.679
It helps us to know what we're doing right and if you like the content.
00:58:53.920 --> 00:58:57.440
You can also always email us at the Visual Lounge.
00:58:57.599 --> 00:59:01.760
Oh, let me try that again, at the Visual Lounge at TechSmith.com.
00:59:01.920 --> 00:59:09.119
And wherever you are, whatever you might be doing, if you're making videos, images, we encourage you just to take some time to level up every single day.
00:59:09.360 --> 00:59:14.800
Until next time, we'll see you next week with number three in our series, Kara North coming on the Visual Lounge.
00:59:14.880 --> 00:59:15.920
We'll see you then.