This is a presentation I gave Oct 2014 at Information Development World in San Jose. For more information, see idratherbewriting.com or more specifically, this post: http://bit.ly/1sWgdo2. That bitly link contains the audio recording and the slides with the media embedded.
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Perfecting Audio Narration in Instructional Videos
1. Perfecting the Audio Narration
in Instructional Videos
By Tom Johnson
idratherbewriting.com
October 23, 2014
2. The Traditional Model
Write a script
or outline
Review and
approve the script
Voiceover talent
records audio
AV specialist
produces it
Project manager
wants changes
3. The Traditional Model
Write a script
or outline
Review and
approve the script
Voiceover talent
records audio
AV specialist
produces it
Project manager
wants changes
16. Ways to sound natural
• Use contractions
• Avoid long introductory clauses
• Read the conceptual paragraphs, but wing the
action steps from an outline.
• Keep sentences somewhat short
• Imagine saying it to another person
17. Use dual monitors to adjust
“When writers are able to talk
their text into a computer, speech
errors may suddenly appear in
writing. But other things may also
happen. Writing, as some
linguists and computer experts
suggest, may change form and
become more speechlike, more
like a talking text than we now
know, but yet not “speech writ
down.” There is also the
possibility that what will emerge
will be a “friendlier” text than
could or would be produced by
the pen or typewriter.” (Horowitz
and Samuels, intro) – Peter Elbow,
Vernacular Eloquence
18. Lynda.com and scripts
“I do record my screen and narrate simultaneously, as
do all of the authors at lynda.com. I personally rehearse
each movie before recording, but even then, it's not
always a perfectly smooth recording. All recordings,
once completed, move onto our editors and testers
before any customer ever sees them. So, while I try my
best to get each movie captured in a single take, there's
more happening behind the scenes long after I've
completed my part.”
— David Rivers, trainer on lynda.com
20. Keep the script short
Percentage of video completed
Length of video
“ideal run-time for
web video 2.5 – 4
minutes” —
Video2zero
21. Audience attention span
“Most [users] don’t
have the tools or
narrative capabilities to
hold the attention of an
audience for any real
span of time.”
— Brooks Andrus
37. 5. Smile
“As Ekman and Friesen
researched the different facial
muscular movements, they began
to realize that just making the
facial gestures affected their
emotional state. For example,
making an angry facial expression
caused their heart rate to start
beating faster and their hands to
get hot. When they made
expressions of sadness or
anguish, they started feeling bad
inside.”
— Malcolm Gladwell
42. How do you read and drive the
mouse simultaneously?
Hey man, I don’t have
lizard eyes. How can I
focus on two things at
once?
43. My Recording Process
1. Record demo and script simultaneously.
2. Separate out audio track and import it
into Audacity.
3. Note timing on script.
4. Re-record the audio script keeping in
mind the pauses.
5. Line up the original recording with re-recording.
45. Contact Information
Tom Johnson
Idratherbewriting.com
tom@idratherbewriting.com
@tomjohnson (Twitter)
46. References
• Ryan Trimble. Librivox.
http://ia600305.us.archive.org/2/items/les_mis_vol01_0810_librivox/lesmiserables_vol1_00_hugo_6
4kb.mp3
• Michael Allen Such a Voice Video Clip. Youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_6fpMBcFCc
• Harlan Hogan audio clip. E-Learning. http://www.harlanhogan.com/Demos.shtml
• Video2zero time graph. http://video2zero.com/ideal-length-for-web-video/
• Chip from Tampa audio clip. Librivox.
http://ia700506.us.archive.org/3/items/aesop_fables_volume_one_librivox/fables_01_00_aesop_
64kb.mp3
• Lisa Greenawell audio clip. Suchavoice.com.
http://www.suchavoice.com/Page/Sample_Voice_Over_Demos
• Bill Bryson. Audible. A Short History of Nearly Everything.
http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B002V0KFPW&qid=1348701545&sr=1-1
• Dan Levine on Smiling. Technique Tips. Suchavoice.com.
http://www.suchavoice.com/Page/Technique_Tips
• Drew, Peter. Cadence quote. from peter drew --
http://www.peterdrewvo.com/html/finding_the_natural_rhythm_in_.html
• “Conversation.” Photo from Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/sepblog/3676361977/sizes/m/
• Raise Your Voice! Acting http://raiseyourvoiceacting.com/tag/voice-over-exercises/
• Pause/Play Button. Flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/dominicotine/7862424222/sizes/c/
• Lizard eye. Andi Jetaime, Chameleon. Flickr. http://bit.ly/10eFFMc
• Urban Bikers Tips and Tricks, 3rd edition. “Dogs.”
• Chris McQueen. Tips for Voice Overs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6hXoU426Hc
Notes de l'éditeur
------------------------
Microsoft clipart (pen)
Istockphoto (mic)
http://video2zero.com/ideal-length-for-web-video/
Lack of inflection defines the reading voice.
Compare normal conversation with actors on TV.
Inflection adds more emotional appeal to voice.
Activity: measure pulse in neck, then make most angry expression possible; now make happiest expression possible. Notice a difference in pulse or actual mood?