How to make an instructional video? (Please help me)

This depends on too many factors to give any worthwhile answer.

I made a video on how to use the WF editor that took about 5 minutes. If I were instructing people how to do open-heart surgery it may take a little longer.

Brent

"Talking head" instructional videos (taken of you speaking to a camera) we've done with everything from a DSLR camera to a more recent smart phone camera...obviously the DSLR takes a better video. Make sure you use one with a mic jack so you can record sound more clearly with a wired or wireless lavalier microphone.

Ideally you break your instruction into max 10-min modules where you stay very focused on specific step of the instruction which you begin by outlining, get into the content and then finish by either summarizing what they can do with the information and/or what is coming up next

You can then take the raw video from your camera or phone and edit them on your computer using any number of editing options - I find Windows Live Video is fine for most of my editing needs (adding intro's including additional sound tracks such as intro music if you want, clipping or combining sections, and then rendering to format such as mp4 or streaming format if it will be viewed online)

On the other hand, if your instructional video is mainly screen captures - tutorials of software or websites, etc... then you can use software like Camtasia to capture the screen along with your voice as well as editing and rendering functions all built-in.

What other questions do you have?

By the way, in terms of process...our process is typically this:

1. Research market to get the right topic, format, title and content
2. Develop a course outline - can do this in MS Word or Powerpoint
3. Develop the content in MS Powerpoint (we have also converted many instructional print products like books, ebooks, etc...into course format which end up being either screen capture charts OR transcripts/outlines for talking-head videos)
4. Get the set right - so that if you are capturing multiple modules over a number of days it stays consistent
5. Typically the recording of the course happens over 1-3 days for us...most of my courses are between 1-3 hours total, anywhere from 6-18 modules - though we also do instructional videos one at a time for various membership sites which may be just a 10-15-minute video on a given day
6. Editing takes 10-15 min for each video (once you have any intro clips, royalty free music, images, etc... you need)
7. We then upload them to either one of our membership platforms (which we often use Amazon Cloudfront/S3 to host), YouTube, Facebook, Udemy or Vimeo (this decision depends on many things...)
8. Always a good idea to include some downloadable transcripts, charts, etc... which enhances the experience

Without knowing what the instruction is about it is difficult to provide you with the best response.

Software Use?: Screencast (capture) showing the app and explaining how to use it.
Academic Topic: A mixture of screencasting (for references online) and webcam shots of instructor OR slideshow instead of presenter. (Microsoft, Open office / ONLINE: Emaze, Prezi - my favorite)

I also use browser based add-ons that facilitate drawing on a web page, highlighting text, annotations, adding colored or highlighted text (I even made a jpeg of a blackboard so I can type on a blackboard some notes for the audience ), colored arrows / pointers, etc.

I also use a browser tiler add-on so that I can present web pages or computer based jpeg or other files in a browser, in a sliding form (like a sliding blackboard so you can show various resources simply by sliding the window over like in lecture hall).

To bring this all together, I use Wirecast with its Remote Desktop presenter so that I can use 2 computers at the same time and present resources from both easily.

Wirecast is a studio level broadcast / streaming solution - so I have the latest tricks of the trade and can stream (on my $8,000 laptop) to about 5 different live channels and record simultaneously to my PC almost instantly. Recording only isn't a problem.

Screen capture only?: I use Cam Studio (FREE).

I guess with a bit more info about your particular need, I can perhaps delve in a little deeper.

So, what's the problem? Do you have an iPhone? There is everything you need.
Just take it in your hand and tell everything you need.
You don't need anything else.

Another way: write a script and hire a freelancer you will make a doodle-video. This is, probably, the most popular type of instructional videos nowadays.

1. Slideshow video is the simplest one. Just provide images of your step-by-step stuff.
2. Use MS-Powerpoint is the easiest one.
3. Depend on your skill. But generally it will take about 3-5 minutes per slide. And if you can get a matching template... it can go quicker.

Check out Walkme.com. New tutorial builder that's gaining popularity. Have no personal experience with the product.

Your video doesn't have to be professional. Just has to provide value. I use screencast-o-matic to make instructional videos, and edit after. Takes me about 30 mins from start to finish.

Why not tell the person that tasked you to do this that you have no idea on how to do it. And they need to purchase the software and hardware. Then everyone in the office can learn together

al

Free version of www.screencast-o-matic.com

And use Open Office with simple powerpoint. That's how I do it. Write out script and have it to side and read it but read it in a very relaxed, 'unrehearsed' manner

You can get some good ideas here:

https://www.wikihow.com/wikiHowTo?se...uctional+video