Camtasia Studio 6: The Essentials

Learn Camtasia by doing via this step-by-step workbook

Humans, as a species, think not with words, but with pictures. If asked to close your eyes and picture three, without being specific, it is a good bet that things such as three cupcakes, three bowls of ice cream or three tubs of money would flash in your mind’s eye. Maybe a large numeral 3 appeared in your mind’s eye—not the word “three,” but a picture.

We all think in terms of pictures not words. For this reason, learning material need to contain pictures that quickly explain a concept that could take many paragraphs to describe. Of course... a picture isn't as good as a demonstration. And that's where Camtasia comes in.

Using Camtasia Studio 6, you can quickly create visual demonstrations of just about anything (computer software or soft skills training) and post your completed lessons on the Web or burn them to a CD. Your lessons can include videos of actions taken on your computer, animation, audio, quizzes and surveys.

This book will introduce you to the essential Camtasia Studio 6 skills you need to know to get up and running with Camtasia as quickly as possible.

Note: Camtasia does not come with this book. The software can be purchased directly from TechSmith.

To complete the lessons presented in this book, you will need the following software and hardware: Camtasia Studio 6, Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista, Microsoft DirectX 9 or later version, 1.0 GHz processor minimum/Recommended: 2.0 GHz (for PowerPoint and camera recordings), 2.0 GB RAM, 115 MB of hard-disk space for program installation.

This book includes the following eLearning and Camtasia Studio 6 concepts:

Module 1: eLearning and Camtasia

In This Module You Will Learn About

• Education Through Pictures, page 2

• Camtasia’s History, page 3

• Planning eLearning Projects, page 4

• The Development Process, page 5

• The Power Scale, page 5

• Budgeting Considerations, page 6

• The Camtasia Studio Interface, page 8

• The Clip Bin, page 12

• The Preview Panel, page 13

And You Will Learn To

• Open a Camera Project, page 8

• View Panels, page 10

• Explore the Clip Bin, page 12

• Preview Project Assets, page 13

Module 2: Recording Videos

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Display Resolution and Recording Area, page 16

• Rehearsals, page 17

• Recording The Screen, page 23

• Cursor Effects, page 27

• Annotations, page 30

And You Will Learn To:

• Rehearse a Script, page 17

• Set Camtasia Tools Options, page 19

• Select a Recording Area, page 23

• Record a Video, page 25

• Record a Video with Cursor Highlights and Clicks, page 27

• Add a System Stamp and Caption, page 30

Module 3: Videos, Images and PIP

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Adding Video, page 36

• Images, page 40

• Picture in Picture (PIP), page 42

And You Will Learn To:

• Import a Camrec Video, page 36

• Add a Video to the Timeline, page 38

• Import Images, page 40

• Add an Image to the PIP Track, page 42

• Create a Watermark, page 46

Module 4: Title Clips, Transitions and Callouts

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Title Clips, page 50

• Transitions, page 55

• Callouts, page 59

And You Will Learn To:

• Create a Title Clip, page 50

• Add Slide Transitions, page 55

• Set Transition Duration, page 57

• Add a Text Callout, page 59

• Modify Text Callout Properties, page 62

• Control Text Callout Timing, page 64

• Add a Rectangle Callout, page 67

• Add a Highlight Rectangle, page 69

Module 5: Audio

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Importing Audio Files, page 72

• Recording Narration, page 75

• Splitting, page 81

• Volume Controls, page 84

• Silence and Audio Enhancements, page 86

And You Will Learn To:

• Add Background Music to a Video, page 72

• Fade Audio In and Out, page 74

• Record Voice Narration, page 76

• Split a Music Clip, page 81

• Lower Audio Volume, page 84

• Replace Audio with Silence, page 86

• Remove Noise, page 87

Module 6: Produce Videos

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Production Basics, page 90
• Watermarks, page 105

And You Will Learn To:

• Produce a Video for the Web, page 90

• Produce an AVI for CD Distribution, page 96

• Edit Preset Values, page 98

• Add a Watermark to a Produced Video, page 105

Module 7: Focus, Markers, TOCs and Flash Hotspots

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Focus, page 110

• Markers, page 118

• TOCs, page 120

• Flash Hotspots, page 127

And You Will Learn To:

• Add a Zoom-n-Pan, page 110

• Alter a Zoom-n-Pan’s Start Time, page 112

• Add a Zoom-n-Pan Keyframe, page 113

• Change Video Dimensions, page 115

• Apply SmartFocus, page 116

• Add a Marker, page 118

• Add a TOC, page 120

• Customize a TOC, page 123

• Replace a Background Image, page 127

• Add a Transparent Hotspot, page 128

• Set Flash Hotspot Properties, page 129

Module 8: Flash Quizzes and Surveys

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Quizzes, page 134

• Surveys, page 144

And You Will Learn To:

• Add a Quiz and Multiple Choice Question, page 134

• Add a Fill In the Blank Question, page 137

• Produce Part of a Video, page 138

• Edit Answer Details, page 141

• Add a Survey, page 144

• Set Quiz Production Options, page 147

• Set Quiz and Survey Results via Email, page 150

Module 9: Theater and MenuMaker

In This Module You Will Learn About:

• Theater, page 154

• MenuMaker, page 158

And You Will Learn To:

• Create a Web Menu Playlist, page 154

• Customize a Web Menu, page 155

• Create a CD Menu, page 158

• Customize a CD Menu, page 161

"Camtasia Studio 6: The Essentials" Book Specifications:

ISBN: 1932733345 | Spiral Bound | Page Size, 8 1/2 x 11 inches | Number of Pages: 182
Retail Price: $35.00