I have done the work so you don’t have to.

If you don’t have the time to watch today’s episode, no worries. Here is my advice if you need to record and edit your screen.

If you have a Mac – Use ScreenFlow
If you have a PC – Use Camtasia

 Today’s Episode Timeline

• 0:30 – A ton of people are getting into tutorials, and I want to help
• 1:21 – Other uses for screen recordings
• 1:30 - How to use Quicktime to record your screen
• 2:30 – The reason why I use ScreenFlow
• 4:00 – My list of programs from top to bottom
• 4:40 – Video recording with a Sony NEX-5N
• 6:10 – Why I don’t use Camtasia
• 7:00 – Advice for people using a PC
• 7:40 – Showing How I Edit in ScreenFlow
• 10:00 – Pulling all the files together
• 12:00 – Editing the entire episode together

ScreenFlow

ScreenFlow is my program of choice for Mac. It just works. This entire episode was recorded and edited using only ScreenFlow.

Recording & Editing

ScreenFlow is amazing because it is not only a recording program, but it will also let you edit video.

I make all of my Phlearn episodes using 100% ScreenFlow – combining an external microphone and a standalone camera. ScreenFlow records what it is on my screen, and allows me to edit everything back together.

I know it sounds like crap, but I actually think the editor in ScreenFlow is better than iMovie.

Here is what I mean by “better” – It does exactly what I want it to every time, and doesn’t bother me with stuff I don’t need. It works. It does not ask me to convert all of my files, or act up when I try to bring in external media.

Quicktime

Quicktime is great because it is FREE and it comes with every Mac Computer. If you don’t need to edit any video, and don’t need to add external media such as video from a camera, this is a great option.

File sizes tend to be on the big size, but that is not usually a huge deal, You can always export at lower quality.

Camtasia

If you own a PC, Camtasia is probably the best option for screen recording. I used it for 2 years before I switched to Mac, and was happy with it for the most part.

It did tend to crash somewhat randomly, which made me want to call the people who make it and kick them through the phone. After time I figured out that making multiple shorter recordings rather than one long recording helped out with that.

Camtasia for Mac is not nearly as good as it is for PC.

Your Experience

What would you use a screen recording for? Do you have any tips for people doing this sort of thing for the first time?