VIDEO / CAMTASIA EDITING

THIS IS THE GENERAL PROCESS I USE WHEN EDITING VIDEO (note that Camtasia has a separate process)

All video editing work is done within Adobe Premiere Pro CC. Depending on the complexity of the project, some audio work may also be completed within Adobe Audition.

There are many types of video projects, each with different requirements, so the following is more of a general process showing you the steps I take.

STEP #1: REVIEW THE PROJECT SCOPE AND INTENT

The first step is for me to understand the scope of the project. This includes understanding the following:

• Timeline (when the project is due)
• Video type (informational, entertainment, talking head, etc…)
• Target audience
• Target duration
• Target Hosting platforms (YouTube, Vimeo, etc..)
• What type of content I will receive from you (mp4 videos, 1080p or 4k resolution, screen recordings, powerpoint slides, graphics, audio narration, music track, etc…)

STEP #2: DOWNLOAD / RECEIVE VIDEO and ANY OTHER MEDIA FILES

I can download / receive the recorded video files in a number of ways based on your preference. Some common ways for me to receive the video files are:

• Dropbox (most common)
• Google Drive shared link
• Server download link

STEP #3: REVIEW VIDEO FOOTAGE / AUDIO TRACK(S)

I typically scan through all the video footage to get a feel for what I have to work with. As I’m doing this, I start to visualize how I might start putting the various video segments together. I also begin to order the video clips and place in/out points on some obvious video segments I think would work well.

I also listen to the main music track and/or audio narration (if applicable) as this typically gives me a sense of the video style.

STEP #4: CREATE DRAFT VIDEO SEQUENCE

Once I’ve reviewed all the video footage and audio, I then start building a draft by laying in the video clips and other visual media that add to the intent of the video. I also lay in the music bed / track as well as any audio narration.

STEP #5: FINE-TUNING

Now that the order of the video clips is complete, I then fine-tune the timing of the various clips and other visual media. I also ensure that the video ends appropriately per the duration of the music track and narration track. Sometimes this may mean slightly altering the speed of the music or video clips to achieve perfect timing.

STEP #6: ADD TRANSITIONS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS (where appropriate)

Different types of videos require different types of graphics, transitions, and effects. 

• Add effects when appropriate
• Add transitions to beginning, end, or between media to create a smooth flow or indicate passage of time
• Add animation and motion to zoom in, zoom out, pan, rotate, tilt, scale, etc…

STEP #7: EDIT and ENHANCE AUDIO (if applicable – i.e. for narration)

For narration, care is taken to maintain a natural flow of conversation when unwanted audio segments are removed. I typically remove the following unwanted items from the audio:

• “um’s” and “uh’s”
• unwanted words and long pauses
• false starts
• Other items you request

STEP #8: EXPORT VIDEO TO TARGET ENCODING PROFILE

• A preview video can be send to you for review in the event further edits need to be made
• The final video can be exported to whatever settings you need depending on the hosting platform

STEP #9: VIDEO UPLOAD

• I can upload the edited video to wherever you’d like (i.e. your Dropbox account), or I can send you a download link so you can post the video yourself
• I will keep the edited and raw video files for 3 months on a secured NAS device in case you want further edits to that same video at a later time

THIS IS THE GENERAL PROCESS I USE WHEN EDITING CAMTASIA RECORDINGS

NOTE: Editing work is done primarily within Camtasia 9. However, depending on the complexity of the project, some work may also be completed within Adobe Premiere Pro CC (for special effects and edits) and Adobe Audition (to fix difficult audio issues).

STEP #1: REVIEW THE PROJECT SCOPE AND INTENT

The first step is for me to understand the scope of the project. This includes understanding the following:

• Timeline (when the project is due)
• Project Type (tutorial, training module, informational, etc…)
• Target audience
• Target duration
• Target Hosting platforms (YouTube, etc..)
• What type of content I will receive from you (TREC files, powerpoint slides, graphics, audio narration, music track, etc…)

STEP #2: DOWNLOAD / RECEIVE CAMTASIA TREC FILES and other supporting media assets

I can download / receive the recorded Camtasia files (TREC files) in a number of ways based on your preference. Some common ways for me to receive the Camtasia TREC files are:

• Dropbox (most common)
• Google Drive shared link
• Server download link

STEP #3: REVIEW VIDEO FOOTAGE & NARRATION TRACK

I typically scan through all the media assets to get a feel for what I have to work with. I also scan through the audio narration (if applicable). As I’m doing this, I start to get a feel for the flow of the video. 

STEP #4: CREATE DRAFT CAMTASIA SEQUENCE

Once I’ve reviewed all the video footage and audio, I then start building a draft by laying in the screen capture clips and other visual media that add to the intent of the video. I also lay in the music bed / track as well as any audio narration.

STEP #5: REMOVE UNWANTED SCREEN CAPTURE SEGMENTS

I will typically remove the following screen capture segments:

• False starts
• Long pauses with nothing happening on the screen (including no audio narration)
• Obvious Mistakes 
• Cursor “chaos” where the cursor moves in a distracting way and doesn’t support the training
• Other areas you want removed

STEP #6: REMOVE UNWANTED AUDIO SEGMENTS

Care is taken to maintain a natural flow of conversation when unwanted audio segments are removed. I typically remove the following unwanted items from the audio:

• “um’s” and “uh’s”
• unwanted words and long pauses
• false starts
• Other items you request

STEP #7 ADD SPECIAL EFFECTS AND TRANSITIONS (where appropriate)

• Add annotations (text, arrows, shapes, highlights, hotspots, and blur to enhance the video)
• Add transitions to beginning, end, or between media to create a smooth flow or indicate passage of time
• Add animation and motion to zoom in, zoom out, pan, rotate, tilt, scale, etc…
• Add captions if requested

STEP #8: NOISE REDUCTION

• Remove or reduce breath sounds
• Reduce sibilance (unpleasant tonal harshness that can happen during consonant syllables like S, T, and Z)
• Reduce plosives (low-end kaboom created when the voice talent pronounces a B, P or T sound)
• Remove or reduce background noise (computer fan, cell phone, creaking chair, etc…)

STEP #9: AUDIO ENHANCEMENT

• Apply EQ to bring out certain warmer voice frequencies and reduces “boxy” or harsher voice frequencies
• Apply Compression to reduce the dynamic range so that lower volume words will be heard as effectively as louder words
• Normalize audio to change the overall volume (similar to gain) while keeping the dynamic range the same

STEP #10: ADD MUSIC INTRO / OUTRO

Typically, you will already have picked out the type of music you want for the intro and outro. If requested, I can also select appropriate music, but keep in mind this will require additional time.

• Add intro music with fades
• Add outro music with fades

STEP #11: EXPORT MP4

• Camtasia videos can be exported as MP4 only, or embedded with the Camtasia player
• All Camtasia videos are exported as an MP4 at 1920x1080p unless otherwise specified

STEP #12: CAMTASIA PROJECT UPLOAD

• I can upload the completed Camtasia video to wherever you’d like (i.e. your Dropbox account), or I can send you a download link so you can post the video yourself
• I will keep the edited and raw files for 3 months on a secured NAS device in case you want further edits to that same Camtasia video at a later time