Writing the script for your videos can be confusing and boring. But you don’t have to waste tons of time or energy to finish your script. In this episode , Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , an d Justin Simon talk through different templates and examples of scripts that will help you create high-quality videos. Templates: Justin's Script Template Andy's Script Template Matt's Script Template Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here . You can also find u...
Mar 19, 2021•30 min•Ep. 38
How can video templates speed up your video creation process? Templates are a powerful way to structure your videos. They help you avoid repeating the same edits over and over again and can streamline video creation between teams. If you’ve never considered using a video template before, this episode of The Visual Lounge shows you what you could be missing. Listen to hear host of The Visual Lounge and TechSmith’s Learning and Video Ambassador, Matt Pierce, explain how to use Camtasia to build te...
Mar 17, 2021•56 min•Ep. 37
Which microphone should I use? This is one of the most common questions we receive about making videos. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon help you get the best bang for your buck and spend more of your time actually making videos rather than scouring the web looking for the best equipment. We also have a blog post where we compare and contrast a few different microphones if you want to hear comparisons and read our thoughts there as well. Do you want more tips on creati...
Mar 12, 2021•28 min•Ep. 36
When your customers, learners, or users run into issues, finding the information to move forward can waste precious time. In fact, this lost time can also have a wider knock-on effect throughout your business. So, how can you help your customers get the guidance they need? Context and microlearning strategies are just some of the ways you can support your users and help them find success. Asif Rehmani, Founder and CEO at VisualSP, joins Matt Pierce in this episode of The Visual Lounge to share w...
Mar 10, 2021•46 min•Ep. 35
The quality of your audio in your video is critical. It’s the first thing people will notice. And if it’s bad, people will stop watching. We've collected our top strategies and tips for recording better quality audio for your videos. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon talk through how to improve the sound quality of your videos without needing to go buy a bunch of new equipment. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here ...
Mar 05, 2021•24 min•Ep. 34
When you create instructional content, which media do you use? Perhaps you have a favorite type of media that you turn to time and time again, or maybe certain media types resonate better with your audience. But, with new innovative technologies working their way into our media, how can these be used for learning and development? And, which ones are best for your audience? Betty Dannewitz has over 18 years’ experience in the learning and development field. She’s a talented instructional designer...
Mar 03, 2021•45 min•Ep. 33
If you're regularly making videos, it's never a good idea to skip the prep work. But organizing video files can be a nightmare and there are lots of different options to do it. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon walk you through what's involved in the process before you hit record. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify ....
Feb 26, 2021•30 min•Ep. 32
How effectively are you communicating with your remote workforce? Remote communication is now more widespread than it’s ever been. Many people now have to communicate digitally, using virtual tools enabling written communication such as email, and audio and visual communication like video calls. But remote communication can bring new challenges. Ideas can get lost in virtual translation, and people can be indifferent to taking action. So, how can you ensure that your communication is clear, moti...
Feb 24, 2021•50 min•Ep. 31
Do you ever feel like you're just winging your way through the video creation process? One way to solve this is to set video goals and objectives before you start making your video. In this episode, Matt Pierc e, Andy Owe n, and Justin Simo n take a look at how to set clear video goals, define objectives, and what the best practices are for planning your videos before you press record. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here . You can also fin...
Feb 19, 2021•26 min•Ep. 30
Are you looking for a video workflow to streamline your video creation process? Creating videos can be overwhelming – especially if you’ve never made one before. But building a video workflow can help you understand how to complete each part of the process and help you on your way to making better videos. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, TechSmith’s Video Producer, Andy Owen, and Global Content Manager, Justin Simon, join Learning and Video Ambassador Matt Pierce to share their video workfl...
Feb 17, 2021•55 min•Ep. 29
Facing your first time in front of the camera can be scary. If you’re looking to create internal communications, social media clips, or professional-looking YouTube videos, getting in front of the camera is the best way to connect with your viewers. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon walk through exactly what to do to get comfortable in front of the camera. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here . You can also find us...
Feb 12, 2021•32 min•Ep. 28
Creating great educational content is one thing. However, creating videos that contribute to improving an organization's performance is a different ball game entirely. So, how can educators create better videos and educational content that contribute to business outcomes? This is the main topic of this episode of The Visual Lounge, where award-winning author and Workplace Performance Strategist, Ajay Pangarkar, joins Matt Pierce for a deep dive discussion about understanding the business outcome...
Feb 10, 2021•47 min•Ep. 27
For a lot of people, they want to make a video, but don't have a clue how to start. The best way to create videos is to develop a simple, repeatable workflow. In this episode, Matt Pierce , Andy Owen , and Justin Simon talk through video workflows that will let you create videos faster. Do you want more tips on creating videos? You can easily watch and search past episodes here. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify ....
Feb 05, 2021•30 min•Ep. 26
When you hear the word “comic”, do you think of your favorite cartoon strip, superheroes and graphic novels, or instructional content? Thinking outside of the box can often help instructional design content connect more successfully with users. Kevin Thorn advocates bringing external inspiration into designs and using creativity to communicate. His preferred educational visual is the instructional comic. Kevin is an award-winning eLearning designer and founder of NuggetHead Studioz. He joined Ma...
Feb 03, 2021•45 min•Ep. 25
How can you help your videos reach more people? You’ve spent a lot of time and effort creating a great video, and you’ve just published it. What’s your next step? Is it to move on and start planning your next video? Or is it to get that video in front of as many people as possible? Repurposing your video, or any content you create, is a fantastic way to help more people find and engage with your content. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Amy Woods joins host Matt Pierce to reveal how you can...
Jan 27, 2021•46 min•Ep. 24
How can an audio-first workflow optimize your tutorial videos? Creating tutorial videos using an audio-first workflow is one of our preferred methods at TechSmith. The editing process is often more straightforward, flexible, and easier to control than any other method. But, as tutorial videos are primarily visual content, people often don’t think to start creating them using audio. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce walks you through a step-by-step guide to creating a high-value t...
Jan 20, 2021•42 min•Ep. 23
How do you create a successful online course? Online courses are incredibly popular and effective ways to provide learning solutions. However, creating a course requires a very different approach from any other type of instructional content. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Emily Weiss joins Matt Pierce and shares the secrets behind creating successful online courses. Emily is Head of Partner Marketing at Thinkific, an all-in-one online course platform. She works with top course creat...
Jan 13, 2021•56 min•Ep. 22
Good tech isn’t just for Christmas. If you’re unsure what to get the video creator, audio editor, or remote worker in your life (or want to level-up your own content creation) we’re sharing our ultimate tech gift guide. In this bumper episode of The Visual Lounge, host Matt Pierce is joined by members of the TechSmith team to share the best tech gifts for creating better videos, images, and more. Find out how you can improve your communication with better audio, change your focus with a backgrou...
Dec 23, 2020•54 min•Ep. 21
Effective virtual instructor-led training is more vital than ever before. But converting training from a physical space into a digital one can present some challenges. Shannon Tipton specializes in converting instructor-led training from in-person to virtual environments. She is the founder of Learning Rebels, has over 15 years experience in corporate learning leadership, and joins Matt Pierce on this episode of The Visual Lounge. Listen as she shares her methods and advice for ensuring effectiv...
Dec 16, 2020•52 min•Ep. 20
Are you an educator exhausted with online learning? Pivoting your skills from in-person to a virtual environment comes with its challenges in any industry. But for training and education, the transition isn’t always straightforward, and there’s a lot of pressure to succeed. But don’t despair! There are many tools that can help educators confidently deliver online training, teach successfully, and avoid burnout. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce is joined by Education Innovator an...
Dec 09, 2020•43 min•Ep. 19
How can a simple exercise help develop your skills, find gaps in your learning, and motivate you to progress to the next level? It might sound too good to be true, but the simplicity of the “maturity matrix” is what makes it so effective. Anyone, from teams to individuals, can use them to help grow any skills – that’s right, any skills. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, join host Matt Pierce as he interviews guest Phylise Banner, Learning Experience Design Consultant, about this innovative t...
Dec 02, 2020•54 min•Ep. 18
If you’re a beginner video creator, it can take time to develop a scriptwriting strategy that suits your style and helps you create better content. But there are ways to streamline and improve your process if you’re just getting started. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, we discuss how to write a video script – even if you’re not a scriptwriter (or video producer!) Listen in as TechSmith’s Video Producer, Andy Owen, and Global Content Manager, Justin Simon, join podcast host Matt Pierce and ...
Nov 25, 2020•56 min•Ep. 17
Digital communication can often straddle the space between problem and solution. For example… Problem: You’re a live speaker, but all live events are canceled. Solution: Pivot to virtual speaking and utilize technologies and tools to continue your career in a new way. Problem: You’re unsure about how to transition from live speaking to virtual speaking. Solution: Get some advice from the experts (listen to find some!). In March, TechSmith collaborated with the one and onl...
Nov 18, 2020•57 min•Ep. 16
Can simplified user interfaces revolutionize your visual instructions? You may not have heard of simplified user interfaces (otherwise known as SUI) before, but there’s a good chance you’ll have seen them. Companies like Dropbox, Microsoft, Adobe, and Google use SUI graphics to help their audience navigate their software. But what are SUI graphics, and how can they improve your users’ experience? Instructional content and SUI expert, Anton Bollen joins Matt Pierce in this episode of The Visual L...
Nov 11, 2020•54 min•Ep. 15
Does your informational content take too long to create? If you create visual instructions, like a job aid or a step-by-step guide, you’ll know that gathering the information is just part of the work. The other part is making sure that you display the information so users can effectively learn from it. It can be time-consuming to design your informational content, especially when you might not need a whole new design. Templates are a great way to optimize the way you create your informational co...
Nov 04, 2020•37 min•Ep. 14
What is help content? You don’t have to be a technical writer to create content that helps people use your product. Your content just needs to help your customers help themselves. Customer education content helps customers to solve problems and perform the tasks they need. Providing this content is an essential ingredient for ensuring the success of your product with your customers. There are ways to create effective help resources, and in this episode of The Visual Lounge, Michele Wiedemer shar...
Oct 28, 2020•46 min•Ep. 13
Video is one of the best ways to reach an audience, but it's also one of the most intimidating content forms to create. If fear is holding you back, maybe you just need to “press the damn button.” It's not easy to get started with video. It might feel daunting at first, but there are many reasons why that shouldn't stop you from creating video content. If anyone has the best advice for creating video, it's Brian Fanzo. Brian has been sharing live videos since 2013 and is an entrepreneur and keyn...
Oct 21, 2020•51 min•Ep. 12
If you're looking for a learning solution to help empower your employees, you might have considered investing in a training course or eLearning materials. But have you considered the benefits of job aids for your business? Job aids can be instrumental in helping employees complete tasks effectively, and as business owners know, empowering employees with the information they need is an integral part of running a successful business. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, discover how job aids coul...
Oct 16, 2020•36 min•Ep. 11
With so much video content online, how do you get viewers to watch your videos? Once you've won that battle, how do you keep them watching to the end? If you've ever seen your watch-rates plummet and wondered why, or if your videos are struggling to get traffic, brushing up on your video consumer behavior knowledge could help you find some solutions to your video-viewer problems. Understanding video-viewer behavior can help you create more attractive videos that keep people watching lo...
Oct 14, 2020•39 min•Ep. 10
The pivot from face to face interaction to online interaction is happening across many industries, and nowhere is it more evident and universal than in education. As teaching continues to move online, how can you ensure that you’re continuing to provide an effective learning experience through this very different medium? When it comes to available technologies, you must make sure that you’re both resilient to the changes they bring and accepting of them. There are ways that technology can ...
Oct 09, 2020•42 min•Ep. 9
