Help the Vidiots!

[m42]

I’ve recently encountered a slew of poorly constructed how-to videos. Although the information can sometimes be quite useful, it can occasionally be overshadowed by obnoxious background noise, ultra low volume, the vertigo inducing camera movement.

What tools do you use to create help and how-to videos?

What advice do you have for people who want to record and distribute their own how-to segments?

[corneo]

I have a couple of instructional video's on my site because of my demographics (mainly middle age people) I have to make them because they will never figure out how to add photos or anything.

I grab friends who know nothing about computers and read the directions to them and see if they understand it. If I come to a part they don't, I make it more simple. After we are done, I make the video using the updated script.

The one problem I do have is I have to update the videos because of site changes mainly. It's the same directions. It just looks different and that is enough to throw people off.

To give you an idea of what I mean. I had a member who computer crash and he IM'd me on "how do I make my email work." I made a video with step by step for him.

[3ncryptabl3_lick]

The key here is production quality.

If you want good audio, use lapel mics. It will help cut out background nose. Wired or wireless, whatever the budget can afford really. They can be bought at Radio Shack pretty cheaply.

Camera movements should be kept to a minimum, if at all. Shoot in segments. Shoot the master as a wide shots on a tripod of the host doing their shpeal, then get pick-ups like close-ups or other angles as needed after you have your master.

If you can manage a two-camera shoot, use one to get the wide shot and use the second camera to move in and out for close-ups and other angles.

In editing, work your magic.