Frustrations Creating Video Tutorials

18 Nov

Posted by User Image Jay as Miscellaneous

Okay, so for this new ebook I want to create video tutorials as part of an upsell package.

My general philosophy on upsell packages is that they should be unique content that makes using the original product much easier for the customer. So those customers that are willing to pay for the upsell package get an easier experience than those who don’t. For my ebook, video tutorials made a lot of sense.

Unfortunately, the freely available products for creating video tutorials fall just a bit short of being as convenient as they could be. My biggest problem is that I’m often demonstrating using a variety of applications, which require dynamically zooming in to show detail. The paid products will do that, but the free ones don’t, at least not so that I can work with them.

Another problem is me…I’m a perfectionist, and it’s nearly impossible to get through even a short video segment without making some sort of mistake. I know that I need to move on and get over it, but I keep wanting to redo the video to fix the mistake (and of course I’ll make a different mistake).

Obviously my talents don’t run to creating videos! I’ll keep at it, though, and get them done.

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9 Responses

On Stage Lighting (Who am I?)

November 18th, 2008 at 9:19 am Quote
1
Hey Jay,

All of us looking for new conent channels eventually look to creating video content. This brings new promotional channels, like YouTube, and the possibility of improved personal connection with your audience.

However, making videos (even screen dump tutorials) is harder than it looks. Even A listers like Aaron Wall at SEObook don’t always get it right (Aaron has made a few “talking head” videos which IMO could knock his percieved value as he is not a presenter).

I am also putting the video content on the back burner until I can spend time improving my skills or justify paying someone else to do it for me.
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Jay (Who am I?)

November 18th, 2008 at 9:53 am Quote
2
I think I’d do better at a talking head video (since teaching is what I do in my day job) than at the video-demonstrations of software and procedures.

Paying someone to do it for me is getting more and more attractive, but as you say, hard to justify. We’ll see if the frustration level reaches a point where it becomes easier to justify!
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Caroline's Debit card loans (Who am I?)

November 19th, 2008 at 4:01 am Quote
3
Sometimes you just have to pay to get the tools you need.:)

Being a perfectionist is a problem, you find you change some things so many times they end up worse than they were when you started. The trick is to know when to stop.

One way I do this is if I feel I am getting a bit picky about something I leave it and do something else then come back to it the next day with a fresh perspective.
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Graham Cox (Who am I?)

November 20th, 2008 at 2:56 pm Quote
4
I think Internet marketing through videos is definitely on the rising and no longer a new method to reach out the audience. Some of the sites like Youtube have thousands of videos just being put to promote their website or some sort of things.
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Connie (Who am I?)

November 27th, 2008 at 1:43 am Quote
5
I’m working on learning to make better videos too. I have to learn the art of editing which to me is very difficult. I end up laughing because I make so many mistakes in my videos. Maybe I should just leave them in and do a blooper edition.
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Leslie (Who am I?)

December 9th, 2008 at 8:08 pm Quote
6
This is exactly what I’m trying to get into actually. I just started a program that teaches you how to add video to your blog professionally and it convinced me to get into it. There is soooo much that can be done where that is concerned. I decided to run out and buy equipment, lighting and so on and build a Home Video Studio in my basement, lol.

I hear what you are saying about being a perfectionist. I have that same problem. However, then I look around the net at people who are doing very well with videos on their blogs and realize that they have a bunch of mistakes, but it doesn’t necessarily take away from their blogs. My recommendation would be the following:

1. Plan out a simple outline of your videos. For this I am using a free program called Free Mind. You can google it and find it.

2. Write out your script. If you are a perfectionist, this will really help.

3. Get teleprompter software and install it on your computer. You can google that too.

4. I went out and bought some construction lights and bounce them off the ceiling. It makes a world of difference in the quality of the video.

If you’re a teacher, then the presentation will be the easy part. Just keep it simple and you should be fine. I’m also a teacher (highschool science and math) so the presentation is the “easy” part.

Best of luck. Don’t give up on video. It’s a great thing!
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Jay (Who am I?)

December 12th, 2008 at 12:15 pm Quote
7
Hi Leslie, thanks so much for the tip about telepromter software! I never even considered that, but it makes so much sense. I think that tip alone will help my efforts considerably, along with writing out the script. I’d been approaching this like a classroom setting (where I ad lib a lot) rather than a speech, but I think the speech model (write it out and practice it first) is a better one.
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Leslie (Who am I?)

December 12th, 2008 at 12:21 pm Quote
8
Not a Problem. Actually, I think it’s best to look at it as a combination of a classroom setting and a speech. If you are trying to provide people with information, teaching is the way to do it. But the script really does help even though you are teaching. I just did my first video and it was not the best, lol. However, I didn’t follow my own advice. I just wanted to test out my webcam and I put something together really quick. It ended up seeming like I was just rambling, lol. I’ll be writing scripts from now on.
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3.0
Galin Terry (Who am I?)

January 13th, 2009 at 9:31 am Quote
9
I think video is one of the great tools that help to connect with your audience. Sometimes a professional, well-done video may replace a long story in written form. By the way, for me it is more interesting to watch either to read.
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