Best Practices for Recording Media

Canvas offers many opportunities for adding video or audio to a course. If you are unfamiliar with recording audio or video with a computer, read these tips to get started.

For Video

• Avoid backlighting (i.e. windows or lights behind you).
• Frame your shot close and tight versus wide and far.
• To create smaller file sizes that look better once compressed online, keep the webcam stationary.
• Look directly at the webcam as much as possible to address your viewers, not at your computer screen.
• For longer videos, it helps to write out a script ahead of time to reduce stumbling.  This will also make it easier to add subtitles later.
• If possible, position yourself away from bare walls to minimize shadows.

For Audio

• Use a quiet room (no A/C, fans, traffic, and avoid rooms with a lot of echo typically caused by tile, cement, hardwood, etc.).
• In the audio settings make sure your desired device/mic is selected (sometimes software defaults to a computer’s inferior built-in mic), and adjust the input level to avoid distortion caused by too much volume.
• Be as close to the mic as possible and try to maintain the same distance throughout, talk toward it at all times, and try to be consistent with how loud you talk. For best results use a headset mic or dynamic mic that is more focused (reduced background noise).
• If your software has post-processing options for recorded audio, consider using a “normalize” function before saving to elevate your overall volume level as much as possible without overpowering the signal.