Making a video course?

What do you want to do with the course? Use it as lead magnet, sell it...?

If you have a good enough webcam(like the Logitech C920) you can do it that way. Or use your phone.

What most people don't know when starting to create content is that sound is more important than the video and normal headphones don't produce a great quality.

Anyway if you are on a budget just go do it with what you have. Better to have it done and start using it than worry about the tools.

If you're just starting out talking over PowerPoint slides is a great way to do it. Read off your script and edit out mistakes or re-take sections if you mess up, listeners will never notice.

Yes, you can just use your webcam and screen capture. I think a lot of people over complicate their videos. As long as the quality is 720+, then go for it.

Camtasia is a pretty cool program to put it all together. Use elance to get an intro and outro video if you want.

Your first video isn't going to be perfect. Perfection will come as you get better. i know it's the most intimidating part right now but just aim to get it done and out there. It'll only get better form there!

All the best

Thank you all for the much needed motivation. I feared I was overthinking the whole thing. I'm going to record it and just run with it and as I expand my classes ( intended to use a coaching material ) then I can prefect it.

Thank you all again!

Chimica

Audio is the most important part of your video course. I suggest you go for 'Blue' Microphone.

Depending on your content, you may want to do a web cast or just power point slides.

Next you need a software - Camtasia (very good) or CamStudio (free and good too)

That's all you need.

For doing video courses and screen capturing, Camtasia. You spend up front for it but you can use it over and over to spiral up your courses into the future.

Leilani Sniffen.

There's 2 types of video you should start with:

1. Talking head video (thats where you're in the video)
2. Screen capture video (that's where you record what you're doing on your computer screen).

TALKING HEAD VIDEO
I always like to have a little bit of talking head video at the start of a video course, because it adds that personal element. It lets students know that I'm a real person.

I believe its so important in today's marketplace to let the customer see you. They have a plethora of choices, and they want to feel safe before and after they choose to buy your course.

Showing yourself on video will definitely help them feel safe in their decision to buy your product, as they can see you're a real person.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
To do talking head video here's what you'll need:

1. camera - a good web cam is fine (I recommend the logitech c920 or c930e, I use the c930e) or if you want to go for better quality with a more professional look with the background blurred out, use something like a dslr camera with a 50mm lens.

2. lights - its a good idea to have some lighting to make your video look good. Some expensive led lights or fluorescent lights are all you need. Search Google for 3-point lighting, to get an idea of how to set them up. (i use the Amaran Aputure 528 range)

3. audio - THIS IS SO IMPORTANT - in fact even more so than bad lit video. People will not tolerate bad audio. Its had to understand and very frustrating for the end user. Use an external mic, not the one built into the camera or your computer. Use something like a Blue Yeti (that's my mic and its sound quality is amazing). If you want something more professional, something like a Heil PR40 (usually used for podcasting, but also great for voice over video and talking head video)


SCREEN CAPTURE VIDEO
If you are going to be showing people how to do something, then its a great idea to record your computers screen and show exactly how to do that something.

To record you computers screen you'll need:

1. Screen capture software. For Mac I recommend Screenflow, and for PC the industry standard is Camtasis Studio.

However, here's a FREE cheat for MAC users.

If you open up QuickTime Player. Then go to File and New Screen Recording. You can now record exactly whats going on on your computer screen for FREE.

The benefit of Screenflow and Camtasia Studio is the editing aspect.

Once you've recorded screen capture video, you'll most likely want to edit it, cut bits out, add in your talking head video etc... You can do these things in these 2 softwares.

Finally you'll want to use those software to export your video as mp4 ready for your customers to view.


Good luck in putting together your video course

First of all, it's hardly a dumb question. Video creation is a skill, and like any other skill, you have to start somewhere, and keep practicing so you can improve.

You've already instinctively identified the important components: You are starting off with a script and a plan, using your webcam (traditionally called "A-roll") and the screen captures ("B-roll"). The script helps you to plan and structure your work. (As I'm sure you've already suspected, good video doesn't just "happen".)

The most important part of your video is relaxing to allow your true personality to shine through. Your audience will be far more forgiving if they can relate to the real you.

You're going to make mistakes; it's part of the process. When you flub, do what I do, which is to simply breathe, pause a few seconds, and then start back from the beginning of that particular sentence. This approach makes it easier to cut and edit later.

Which reminds me, I still have an older copy of Sony Vegas Movie Studio 6 I could sell you. It doesn't have all of the latest bells and whistles, but if you're just starting out, you honestly don't need them. You shouldn't have to spend $300 just for a simple video editor. Let me know.

I agree with the others about audio usually being the most important part of video, and the most over-looked as well.


The better your audio content is, the less you have to worry about the video part. And, if the audio is good, you can use it as a podcast that expands your marketing options.


I would probably start with PowerPoint. Just break it down into slides and take it slide by slide. Don't get over-whelmed. Just make a single slide at a time.

Awesome advice ... Thank you all for the much needed resources and push of motivation to make an awesome sounding video.

Thanks!

You could use a simple camcorder from Walmart. Then just speak naturally, and convert the large rendered video into a small flash format (SWF or FLV). Then repeat and upload to Youtube or your site or wherever.