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HELP: How To Record Video Interviews Where I Can See Their Face On My Computer Desktop?

by magentawave
10 replies
Hi,

I need to record some online video interviews and I am wondering if it would be possible to do it this way...

1) I want the persons face to be on my computers desktop live while I am interviewing them. We need to hear each other but its not necessary they see me during the interview.

2) I want the entire process for the person I'm interviewing to be as easy and simple as possible, which hopefully means that they won't have to download anything. Let us assume the person I'm interviewing is extremely NON-techie.

3) I will record the interview from my computer desktop with Screenflow (or Camtasia) using my computers web cam so the finished video will show my talking head on my desktop right next to their talking head. It will be like a side by side interview.

Does anyone know how I can do ALL that?

Thank you
Steve
#computer #desktop #face #interviews #record #video
  • Profile picture of the author Hackbridge
    Originally Posted by magentawave View Post

    Hi,

    I need to record some online video interviews and I am wondering if it would be possible to do it this way...

    1) I want the persons face to be on my computers desktop live while I am interviewing them. We need to hear each other but its not necessary they see me during the interview.

    2) I want the entire process for the person I'm interviewing to be as easy and simple as possible, which hopefully means that they won't have to download anything. Let us assume the person I'm interviewing is extremely NON-techie.

    3) I will record the interview from my computer desktop with Screenflow (or Camtasia) using my computers web cam so the finished video will show my talking head on my desktop right next to their talking head. It will be like a side by side interview.

    Does anyone know how I can do ALL that?

    UPDATE: I just saw a page (its a non-affiliate link and I have nothing to do with these guys) where they did exactly what I want to do: Health Business Confidential

    Thank you
    Steve
    An idea I had before I had a look at the healthbusinessconfidential link, is for both interviewer and interviewee to record themselves and then for the videos to be (somehow) shown side by side.

    I hope you find what you are looking for. I'm sorry I can't help any more than that.

    Brian
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    • Profile picture of the author magentawave
      Thanks for your reply Brian.

      It appears to me that the two guys in the interview at Health Business Confidential were doing a live chat and one of the guys recorded his desktop using Screenflow (cuz I can see the Screenflow icon in the top right) with the setting to record himself using his built-in iSight camera...and that is how he got both of their talking heads to be side by side.

      At this point I want to assume that the people I will be interviewing are totally NON-techie's and don't know how to record themselves and would be freaked out to have to download something. :confused: And since the only payment for their interview will be a DVD of the interview, then I don't feel right about pushing them to set up a bunch of stuff on their end, you know what I mean?

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author AmyBrown
    Are you sending them the webcam or are you assuming that the non-technical people have a webcam but don't know how to use it?

    Personally, while technically possible it sounds like more trouble than it's worth for this project.
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    • Profile picture of the author magentawave
      Originally Posted by AmyBrown View Post

      Are you sending them the webcam or are you assuming that the non-technical people have a webcam but don't know how to use it?

      Personally, while technically possible it sounds like more trouble than it's worth for this project.

      Hi Amy,

      I am hoping that the people I interview already have a webcam. If they don't then I might just have to do an audio interview for a CD and possibly transcribe it for an ebook/physical book.

      Actually, I doubt that technically this is a big deal but I'm just hoping some nice person here with the know-how can explain to me how I can do an online video interview with an extremely non-technical person that has a web cam on their computer. What it comes down to is to just set up a chat with someone where they have their web cam turned on. So part of the challenge is that I have never done a video chat (cuz I just pick up the friggin phone!) so I should figure that out first and then the rest should fall into place. Once I get my interviewee's happy face on my desktop, then it will be a no-brainer on my end to record the interview with Camtasia or Screenflow with my own webcam turned on. Then its just a simple task of putting both of our faces next to each other in the timeline when I edit it.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Andy Jenkins
    @magentawave,

    If you're on a Mac, use Skype and an app from ecamm.com called Skype Call Recorder. If you're on a PC, use the Pamela app from pamela.biz

    Both apps record both sides of the audio and video streams during a skype call, and split them out into individual files that can then be edited to your taste.

    I've used them both a dozen times and they work well.
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    • Profile picture of the author magentawave
      Originally Posted by Andy Jenkins View Post

      @magentawave,

      If you're on a Mac, use Skype and an app from ecamm.com called Skype Call Recorder. If you're on a PC, use the Pamela app from pamela.biz

      Both apps record both sides of the audio and video streams during a skype call, and split them out into individual files that can then be edited to your taste.

      I've used them both a dozen times and they work well.

      I would be using a Mac although I could use a virtual machine running Windows if I had to.

      So lemme get this straight...

      1) I call their computer using Skype.
      2) They turn on their web cam so I can see their happy face on my desktop.
      3) I turn on Ecamm so I can record both the audio and the video.

      Is that correct?

      Since I will have their face on my desktop during the interview (because they will have their web cam turned on), how do I get my face on the video side by side with their head? Is that where I would use Screenflow or Camtasia with my web cam turned on?

      Thanks
      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author magentawave
        An update for those that are interested in doing online interviews...

        I found a site that with my one initial experiment seems pretty good so far. Its called TinyChat Tinychat - Free Chat Rooms & audio video conferences and seems to be much simpler than Oovoo. I recorded the session using Camtasia for Mac.

        Steve
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        • Profile picture of the author Dominic
          What about me,i use IMCapture for Skype.It's prog for record audio and video calls.I like this simple prog.
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  • Profile picture of the author darrin_cooper
    It's a lot easier with a one stop application such as Oovoo.com
    You just both need to sign up for an account.
    It does recording, as well as you can do the head to head screen viewing concept.
    There are a few other services like this out there. And also, Oovoo.com is free.
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    • Profile picture of the author magentawave
      @Andy Jenkins

      Thanks Andy! I can see you wearing the viking cap in your Warrior photo there so I'm assuming that was at Frank Kerns Mass Control gig here in San Diego. I remember you getting up there and talking to Frank. :p


      @Darrin Cooper

      Thanks Darrin! Oovoo looks pretty cool because they have a new feature that allows the other human to not even have to download anything. Yeah, they can call you directly from their web browser after you email them your oovoo link. Web Video Call I will experiment with this because this might be exactly what I've been looking for.

      Thanks
      Steve
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