In this blog post we will look at two practical methods of pre-recording a webinar.
Firstly, our preferred way using Screenity, and secondly, the default way using Zoom. Both platforms are free of charge and both provide excellent capabilities to pre-record high quality webinars.
In future posts we will look at the equipment needed to set up your recording space, in this blog we look at the very practical process of recording it.
Recording a Webinar Using Screenity
Screenity is a relatively new Google Chrome plugin that facilitates sceen recordings of Google Chrome browser.
You will need to install Screenity into your browser. Screenity is available at https://screenity.io/en/.
Step 1: Load your slides into Powerpoint online.
The single drawback with Screenity is that it can only record web browsers. To get around this restriction you can use the free online version of PowerPoint available here.
Upload your slides to PowerPoint and test to ensure they are displaying properly.
Step 2: Configure Screenity
There are a number of settings you will need to configure.
- Set your webcam or video input.
- Set your microphone or audio input.
- Set the screen capture area. This may involve changing the size of the power point display.
- Configure the video capture feed and ensure it is placed within the screen capture area.
Before you commence recording it is worth dong a few test runs to ensure that the inputs are working and you are happy with the quality of the resulting video.
Step 2: Record your Webinar
Once you are happy with the configuration, it is time to hit record. There will be a three second countdown.
At any stage you can pause the recording. You should be aware that should you move you mouse into the screen capture area it will appear in the recording.
Step 3: Download as an .mp4
Once you are finished, you’ll have a chance to review the final product before electing to download it as a .mp4 file.
Note that local recordings can consume significant storage space, so it is advisable to monitor your available storage capacity before you start recording.
Recording a Webinar Using Zoom
Zoom offers both free and paid plans, each with varying capabilities for recording meetings and webinars. The principal distinctions between the free and paid tiers include recording time limits, cloud storage availability, ease of sharing recordings, and access to advanced recording features. The free tier of Zoom provides excellent features to record and save a webinar to your desktop.
Recording a Zoom meeting for free is pretty straightforward once you know where to look. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to get you started:
Step 1: Check Your Zoom Settings
Before commencing it is always worth ensuring that Zooms settings reflect your preferences. Amongst other things, Zoom will allow you to adjust your exposure levels,
Before you start your webinar it is always worth testing your camera and your microphone to ensure they are both working and are in order.
Step 2: Start or Join Your Zoom “Meeting”
Open Zoom and select “New Meeting” Once you have started your “Meeting” you can arrange the appearance of your slides.
Our recommendation is to load your slides into Zoom. While Zoom provides the option to share your screen we have found the best results are produced by loadin th
Step 2: Click “Record” and Choose “Record on This Computer”
Firstly, go into settings and select the intended file save location.
To begin recording, locate the bottom of the Zoom window. As you are the host you will find a ‘Record’ button there.
Upon clicking the ‘Record’ button, paid account users will be presented with two options: ‘Record on this Computer’ and ‘Record to the Cloud.’ Free users will only see the ‘Record on this Computer’ option. Please select this option.
Step 3: Present and Record
Zoom will play an audio cue and a small ‘Recording’ indicator will appear in the top-left corner of the Zoom window once the recording commences. You can pause or stop the recording at any time using the controls located at the bottom of the window.
Step 4: Save Your Recording To Your Computer
Upon meeting conclusion or if you stop recording, Zoom will automatically process and save your recording to your computer. A pop-up notification will then appear, displaying the file location.
The saved file is not a complete recording however, as it requires the user to double click the file to convert it to a video file. The completed file will be an .mp4 format recording. You may want to double
Similarly, it is advisable to monitor your available storage capacity before you start recording as the finalised recording will take up considerable space.
Post-Recording Options
Once you have finished recording it is worth considering some brief post-production. Some good options to remove background noise and improve the audio are:
- iMovie for MacOS;
- Audacity for Windows;
- DaVinci Resolve (although this is quite technical).
We hope this has been helpful, please let us know if you have any other tips for recording a presentation and we will update this article.
