How To: Create Engaging Videos

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Outline and Script Creation

Outlining or storyboarding ideas is helpful to ensure an organized finished video. After creating the outline for the assignment then create a script. Though producing a script is tedious, it will provide video that will come out great (no missed lines, less "ums," "ahs," and "uhs", and fewer blank stares). Google Slides and Microsoft Office PowerPoint are a great starting point for both the outline and scripting process (they are also free for FSW students to use!). For instance, each slide can list brief talking points (outline) and what is said can be placed in the speaker notes section for each slide (script). If you are more extemporaneous with your speech you may want to try Web Captioner while you record and fix the automatic transcript. There are advantages to both tools:

• Google Slides provides a tool that will "type" the speech in the speaker notes section from a microphone or webcam, so more time can be spent getting thoughts out and then editing text after.
• Microsoft Office PowerPoint can export Presentations to a video file that can be uploaded to Canvas, YouTube, and other video hosting platforms.
• Both products offer beautiful templates and easy controls for editing.

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Google Slides

Below are the steps for using the speech-to-text tool called "Voice type speaker notes..." in Google Slides. To use this feature it is best to use the Google Chrome browser, the computer must have a microphone or webcam (built-in or plugged-in), and the browser needs permission granted to access the microphone. For further information on voice commands and set-up, please consult the Type with your voice" help document.

1. Log into the FSW Portal
2. Under the box "Apps for Students" select "Google Docs"
3. Select the three horizontal line icon, for the Main Menu, next to the Google Docs logo to change the app to "Slides"
   
4. Start a new blank presentation by selecting the "Blank" slide with a yellow plus symbol on it.
   
5. Within the new "Untitled presentation" select the "Tools" menu option
6. Select the "Voice type speaker notes..." option from the menu or use the keyboard shortcut
   
7. A floating window with a microphone icon will appear and can be dragged to any area within the presentation window.
   
8. Select the microphone icon, a browser alert will ask for permission to use the computer's microphone, select "Allow".
   
9. Begin speaking toward or into the microphone and the speech will be typed within the speaker notes section below the current slide. The quality of transcription will depend on the environment.
10. After each slide, select the red microphone within a red circle icon to pause the typing.
11. Advance to the next slide and select the microphone icon again to continue speaker notes.
12. While editing the presentation, the file is automatically saved
13. Select the text "Untitled presentation" to give the file a meaningful name to find it later.

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Microsoft Office PowerPoint

Any PowerPoint Presentation file can be converted to a video file for upload to a video hosting service such as Kaltura for embedding into Canvas Assignments. The steps listed below show how to export the PowerPoint Presentation:

1. Open or download the PowerPoint file (typically .pptx or .ppt)
2. Select the "Slide Show" tab
3. In the "Set Up" section select the "Record Slide Show".
   
4. Select "Start Recording from Beginning..."
   • The presentation mode will appear, and each click will trigger an action
   • Speak and practice the slideshow presentation at a natural pace
   • Upon completion select "Yes" to keep the timings
5. Save the Presentation
6. Select the "File" tab
   
7. Select "Export"
8. Select "Create Video"
   
   • Ensure the "Presentation Quality" is at the highest setting
   • Use the Recorded Timings from the rehearsal
9. Select the "Create Video" button
10. Choose a location to save the video and wait for the file to Export.
11. Then upload to Kaltura to share with the course (ensure the automatic captions are accurate).

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Recording Tips

• Choose a quiet room and place a sign on the door, so others know not to disturb.
• Turn off any window air conditioners or fans.
  • These make loud ambient noises in the background.
• Keep the microphone close to the person speaking, approximately 4 inches away from the speaker's mouth.
  • Record a quick sample of talking to ensure the microphone is not muffling the sound and recording properly.
• Before recording, check the settings to ensure video will be captured or recorded at the best possible quality.
  • 1080p and 720p are the most common options for HD video capture, text within HD videos will be easier to read by viewers.

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Uploading Videos to Canvas

If Kaltura is enabled for the Canvas course, then "My Media" and/or the "Media Gallery" will be available options within the course navigation menu. The "My Media" section allows for videos to be uploaded to a private area and can only be seen by the uploader. The "Media Gallery" is a course-specific shared space for others to view uploaded videos. "My Media" items can be placed as an assignment submission if the text entry box is an available option. Submissions for the entire class to see will need to be published in the "Media Gallery" for the individual course. Kaltura provides a Capture application that is capable of recording presentations, screencasts, webcam video, and only audio. This tool easily integrates with the "My Media" area of Canvas and is available for download to Windows and Apple computers.

To record with Kaltura Capture follow these steps:

1. Navigate to a Canvas course
2. Select "My Media" from the navigation bar, if available.
   
3. When selected for the first time, Canvas will request Authorization for the Kaltura app.
   
   • Select "Authorize"
4. The "My Media" area will load after authorization.
5. Select the "Add New" button.
   
   • To upload pre-recorded videos use the "Media Upload" option, to record new video content select the "Kaltura Capture" option and download the Desktop application.
6. After downloading, installing, and linking the Kaltura Capture application any video captured will be available to upload to the "My Media" area.
   • TIP: Give the videos logical file names, tags, and descriptions for easy locating later.
7. Once the video content is hosted within the "My Media" area it can be used for submission within Canvas courses.
   1. To share with an entire class, publish the video to "Media Gallery" by selecting the "Actions" drop-down menu and selecting the "Publish" option. Select the course to place the video within. Once publish is selected it will not allow the video to be private again without deletion and re-upload.
      
   2. To submit a private video to the assignment submission, go to the assignment, select "Text Entry", and within the Rich Text Editor select the "Embed Kaltura Media" icon. Finally, select the video and submit.
      

NOTE:

• Canvas also provides other options within the Rich Text Editor to use video embed codes, by selecting the "Insert" menu and then selecting "Embed."

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Fixing Kaltura Captions

Videos uploaded to Kaltura are automatically captioned, but they are not as accurate as human transcription. The Kaltura REACH v.2 platform allows easy editing of captions within Canvas, read the Kaltura Captioning Support Article for additional information.

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