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Advanced video for teaching

Owned by Eoin Meade
Last updated: Jan 18, 2022
6 min read

Why use this guide?

You may want to create content that requires more complex editing (e.g. comprises multiple video clips from different sources about which you would like to have flexibility as to how / where they appear in your finished clip) and/or, these videos are likely to have a longer useful life and may only require revising/refreshing every 2-3 years (e.g. where content is foundational or historical to the discipline).

Examples of content types might include:

  • Pre-recorded lecture content that brings together multiple sources (so, bespoke recordings combined with personal historical recordings or previous public events);

  • Including guest speakers alongside main course lecturer;

  • Producing content that requires switching between different recording set-ups or modes of speech (e.g. between addressing the viewer directly and narrating a demonstration or annotated example)

  • More narrative film, that combines desk/office based recordings with external/location recordings. 

Hardware and Software Requirements

Hardware

At a minimum, you will need to have access to a computer with a webcam and microphone; you may find you have these built-in, but this will depend on the computer.  For better audio quality when recording, a lavalier or tie-clip microphone or a desktop USB podcasting microphone are recommended.

LSE Press and Communications Film and Audio unit have produced a handy guide to filming yourself using a smartphone; this could be another easy means of capturing basic video recordings

Software

There are a number of software options that are officially supported by the LSE Eden Digital Team within the LSE Eden Centre, and for which email support is provided by contacting eden.digital@lse.ac.uk. For anything more than just basic editing, the Eden Digital Team recommend that colleagues use Shotcut.

Shotcut is a free, open source, cross-platform video editor for Windows, Mac and Linux. It includes support for a wide range of video formats, provides native timeline editing (so no need to convert files to a particular format before editing) and supports resolutions up to 4k.

Shotcut will shortly be pushed out to all colleagues as part of the School build for Windows PCs and should be available for Mac users soon within the LSE Self-Service app. In the time 

Sourcing Content

At this time, the Educational Recording Agency licence that provides education institutions with access to TV and film recordings for teaching use, does not allow for clips from recordings provided by them to be incorporated into new works. If you wish to incorporate small amounts of footage from a third-party, it should be possible to do so under the ‘fair dealing’ provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 but it is best to consult a copyright expert to assess each particular case; your LSE Subject Librarian or the British Universities Film & Video Council should both be able to provide assistance here.

Recording Content

Where to record

  • Find a quiet space where you are unlikely to be disturbed and where there is no background noise (e.g. traffic passing, washing machine etc.)

  • Ensure that the space is well lit. A north facing room is ideal as the light will always be soft and diffuse. If recording outside, head for somewhere with some shade (under a tree is ideal); you will be softly and evenly lit without any of the heavy shadows that can come from direct light. Try not to have the sun or any significant source of reflected light behind you (e.g. from windows) as the camera will struggle to expose the scene correctly and you will likely appear in silhouette.

  • In art, photography and filmmaking we talk about the figure-to-ground relationship: how well a subject is differentiated from the background. This includes overlapping shapes, colour and contrast between elements in the frame. Try to keep this in mind when recording, wherever you are. If possible, try to position yourself in the frame so that you are clearly differentiated from your background. Avoid fine weaves or patterns as this can cause problems on screen.

Adjusting audio levels

To optimise the clarity of your recording, you may need to adjust your audio levels before you begin recording. How you do this will depend upon which system and software you are using:

Should I use a script?

  • This depends on how you will use it. Writing a script will help you focus the content to essential points, avoiding rambling and making videos shorter. A script can also help with editing captions or be used as a transcript (some students prefer reading to watching). However, it is better not to read off a script as it diverts eye contact away from the viewer, producing a flat and lifeless delivery.

  • Having written a script will allow you to create prompt notes that you can dot around your screen that will help you remember the essential points you need to make.

  • Using prompt notes rather than a detailed script will produce a more natural and engaging delivery.

  • If you stumble or make a mistake, it is better to carry on and correct yourself as you would in person.  If, at the end, you feel unhappy with the delivery, you can always do another take.

  • For convenient editing, when you stumble and want to continue on the same take but do it again, you can put an audio/visual marker in, like clapping your hands, so you can quickly jump to where you need to make cuts.

Where should I look?

  • To avoid talking down or up to your audience, you should position the camera so that it is at eye-level.

  • Many webcams (including those built-in to laptops and all-in-one PCs) will include a tally light to indicate when the webcam is active. This is usually located next to the camera itself and so is a good place to look when recording; it will appear to your audience that you are making eye contact and addressing them directly.

  • If using a mobile phone to record, use the front-facing, or ‘selfie’, camera to check your position in the frame while recording.

  • If you are using notes, instead of looking at your notes while speaking, try pausing, consulting your notes, bring your head back to the speaking position and then continuing. You can easily edit out the sections where you pause to consult your notes.

Recording to make editing easier

However comfortable you may be with self-recording, it is nevertheless good practice to anticipate having to edit your recording and there are a couple of simple steps you can take while recording that will make your edit that much smoother:

  • Record each section of your video in sequence. While Shotcut allows you to quickly order and re-order your clips, it is advisable to keep your footage well organised. Recording in sequence gives a logical structure to your clips, irrespective of how many takes you might do of each section (e.g. Intro files 1-6, Ch.1 files 7-10, Ch.2 files 11-15 etc.).

  • Each time you stop-start recording, try to add some kind of visual to indicate which ‘take’ you are recording.  This will allow you to find the beginning and end of each take much more quickly when you come to edit.  Similar to the clapperboards traditionally used on film sets, this could be as simple as holding up a finger/fingers in front of the camera to indicate the number of the take.  As you go, make a note of any takes that you feel are particularly good and then when you are editing, you can simply delete those that you do not wish to use.

  • Once you hit the ‘record’ button, leave a few seconds before you start to speak. Similarly, after you finish speaking, allow a few seconds to pass before you stop recording.  These ‘handles’ at either end of your recording will make it easier for you to trim you video without clipping any of your actual speech. 

Editing Content

Sharing Content

When you are happy with your content you can share it with students through your Moodle course. 

 

 

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