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Tips for creating a successful pre-recorded workshop session

Tips for creating a successful pre-recorded workshop session

Owned by Casey Cain
May 14, 2021
2 min read

In the interest of using the limited workshop time most effectively, the organizing committee has decided to offer an option for participants to pre-record sessions.  These recorded sessions will be for demonstrations and other types of presentations that do not require interaction with workshop participants.  If you have been asked to pre-record your session or you think that a pre-recorded session will be the best way to present your material, here are some tips for how to create the recording. 

Recording length and logistics:

  • Workshop presentations should not exceed 20 mins, 15 minutes is even better.  Even the most engaging tutorial or demo will not sustain audiences for much beyond that amount of time.

  • All final pre-recorded presentations must be in MP4 Format

  • Upload your file as instructed by X date so the recording will be available during the workshop and after.

Tips for creating an engaging presentation:

  • Create slides with a mix of bullet points, diagrams and graphics to help explain your points.  If you are recording a demo, frame it with a story to make it easier to understand.

  • You are encouraged to write your script in advance, but don’t just read it.  Practice what you want to say, so that it sounds natural.

  • Include a video of yourself in the frame (if you are showing slides or a demo) if you are comfortable with that.  It helps the audience feel more engaged.

  • Keep it short and to the point.

Tips for recording:

  • Record in a quiet place as much as possible.

  • Use either a good headset with the microphone close to the mouth or the default built-in microphone on the computer, if it produces acceptable audio.

  • Before recording the entire presentation, it is strongly recommended that you do a test to make sure everything is working correctly.

There are quite a few video conferencing tools available to easily record a presentation in one step. You are free to use any software that you prefer as long as you obtain a good quality recording and your final file is in the MP4 format.