The Visual Lounge

Do you want to save time in the editing chair? Who wouldn’t? A lot of our video editing time is spent tidying things up. Getting rid of “ums,” “ahs,” and little pauses can feel tedious and time-consuming. But there is a better way – using Audiate. Rather than editing with waveforms in Camtasia, you can use Audiate’s handy text-based editor to clean up your videos much faster. In fact, we recently...

Everything needs a refresh eventually…and that includes e-Learning!  Jonathan Hill, Head of E-Learning at Entain, believes it’s personality and humor that e-Learning often lacks. But why is it so important?  Jonathan joins Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, in this episode of The Visual Lounge to discuss challenging traditional workplace learning.  He explains...

If you want your learning content to have the best possible impact on your audience, there’s only one thing for it...you need a solid strategy in place!  Whether your go-to learning method includes videos, images, or something else entirely, starting out with a strategy is the best way to ensure you’re choosing the right medium to deliver training.   Treion Muller, CEO and Founder o...

It happens to the best of the best, even those people who have been making videos for years. A creative slump can feel impossible to get out of sometimes.   You might lack inspiration or motivation, or self-doubt might have crept in, making any creative work an uphill battle. If that sounds familiar, then this episode of The Visual Lounge is for you.  Host Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s L...

How do you ruin a tutorial video? More importantly, how do you fix it? We’ve got you covered by providing strategies to fix common tutorial pet peeves in this episode of The Visual Lounge! We have an awesome panel of experts, including Andrew DeBell, Senior Learning Experience Strategist at Atlassian, Cara North, Founder & Chief Learning Consultant at The Learning Camel, and our Instructional...

Instructional design is not easy and, for that reason, getting feedback is essential. Making sure you’re on the right path and proving the efficacy of your work is so important in working towards a successful career. Ask fellow professionals, follow your customers and watch them use what you create. Gauging people’s opinions on what you build can sure be uncomfortable, but it’s worth it in the end...

How effective are your videos?  There’s only one way to find out – by digging into the numbers. Video metrics can tell you if your video is effective, reaching the right people, and performing how you want. That way, you’re not left guessing if your video strategy is on the right track.  Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning and Video Ambassador, talks us through the importance of different...

Drumroll…Snagit 2023 is here! And with it comes a host of intuitive new features and some new and improved fan favorites. In this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce sits down with Paul Donahue, Senior Technical Product Manager, and Emmie Musser, Senior Portfolio Marketing Manager at TechSmith, to get the latest. Emmie and Paul take us behind the scenes of Snagit 2023 to share details of the...

Before you start creating video content, there are a few things you need to know. Whether you are starting at the beginning, or have plenty of experience behind you, this is a must-listen for anybody creating educational video content. TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, Matt Pierce, is joined by Tiffany Taylor, Director, EDU Success & Education at Handshake, on this edition of The Vi...

Thumbnails and titles are the bait that reels viewers into YouTube content. Not only are they great for SEO, but they also define your brand and catch the audience’s eye. But what makes a good YouTube thumbnail? And how do you write a great title? In this week’s episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce, TechSmith’s Learning & Video Ambassador, is joined by Paul Wilson, freelance e-Learning de...

What makes a great video script? Whether you’re brand new to scripting or want to brush up on the best practices, there’s so much to unpack from this episode of The Visual Lounge. TechSmith’s Content Marketing Specialist, Ryan Knott, joins the show to share his advice on best practices, what to do vs. avoid, how to nail your tone, and so much more. If you’ve never scripted a video before, it’s eas...

Successful presentations require planning and focus…and one specific part of your presentation that needs a great deal of both is visuals. Visuals play a significant part in how presentations come across and so it’s important to remember a few things. In this week’s episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador, explores how to use effective visuals to enhance presenta...

We've had a great break, but we're coming back soon with new shows, new guests, and some new ideas and approaches. This episode is a short one to give you some of those details. Some of the changes you can expect in future episodes include some new formats to the interviews, slightly shorter shows (in most cases), and a variety of other small tweaks to hopefully make watching & listening to th...

Register for the Level Up Event by TechSmith here: https://bit.ly/3oBpi9l Looking to Level Up your video creation game? We have the event for you! Come hear more amazing speakers like Adam Avermascu, Tiffany Taylor, Dee Kapila, Matt Pierce, and more! Whether you’re making product demos, software marketing videos, explainer videos, onboarding videos, tutorials, or other screen recordings, this even...

Creating your first video can be a daunting experience, and this week’s guest has to do it in front of the entire The Visual Lounge audience! In this week’s episode, we’re joined by return guest Kassy LaBorie, Founder and Principal Consultant at Kassy LaBorie Consulting, LLC., as she navigates the ins and outs of creating her own video. Matt takes her through some editing basics, such as cutting,...

Looking to take your video and image content to the next level? Well, you’re in the right place! Matt Pierce, Learning and Video Ambassador at TechSmith, is joined by eight industry experts on this episode of The Visual Lounge. From embracing video imperfections to keeping things consistent and double-checking image attributions, these guests have a lot of helpful advice to offer. Joining this epi...

Mistakes – everyone makes them, but most of the time we try to hide them. What should we be doing instead? Acknowledging that we’re not perfect while looking for ways ‘level up’ in every single video we make. That’s why in this episode of The Visual Lounge, Matt Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador, explores the six top mistakes he still makes in his videos. Matt doesn’t just point out the blun...

Getting started with video creation? Then one of the most basic things you need to master is how to choose the right types of videos and images to get your message across. With that in mind, Matt Pierce, Learning and Video Ambassador at TechSmith, talks about the ABCs of making videos in this episode of The Visual Lounge. As he tells us, video creation isn’t as hard as some people make it out to b...

Camtasia 2022 unlocks even more great features and capabilities than ever before. Joe Dearman, User Experience, and Brooks Andrus, Product Technical Manager at TechSmith, hopped on to this episode of The Visual Lounge to share their favorite features, what to expect from Camtasia 2022, how its “epic cursors” work, and much more. Joe and Brooks take us behind the scenes of Camtasia’s development an...

Introducing video content to your arsenal is not an easy task. It’s a gradual procedure, and mistakes will certainly be made along the way. But that’s OK. In this episode, master virtual trainer Kassy LaBorie joins Matt Pierce on The Visual Lounge for a step-by-step tutorial on how to create her first video for her business. From the early planning stages to nailing your script (or deciding whethe...

Video creation skills aren’t “built in a day.” Like everything else worth learning, it's a gradual process that you’ve got to embrace every step of the way. To share the story behind his stellar video creation skills, Jeff Batt, Learning & Development Specialist and Founder of Learning Dojo, joins The Visual Lounge. He takes us back in time to where it all started to talk about his humble begi...

Whether you’re an L&D professional, video creator, or a software developer, your industry has probably been bitten by the hybrid work bug in one way or the other. This isn’t a challenge we can master overnight, but all it takes is the right information to get you moving in the right direction. Michelle Massey, VP of Community Outreach and Customer Operations at TechSmith, joins Matt on this ep...

Microphones, lights, and cameras —the trifecta of good video creation. But this time, we’re focusing on lighting and all the amazing things it can do for your videos. Here’s the thing about lighting, it doesn’t just affect picture quality. It also sets the mood and tone for any video you’re creating. So, if you’re looking for pointers on how to use camera lighting to your advantage, this episode o...

Leveling up your videos is sometimes all about getting back to basics. When creating live training or pre-recorded learning content, there’s one question you should ask yourself - what is your on-camera presence like? In the learning industry, your on-camera presence is key to getting your message across. But what if you’re not a natural in front of the camera? Don’t worry, the truth is most peopl...

When it comes to creating learning video content, the key to success is in how engaging it is. A video can have all the right information and be clear and comprehensive, but unless it’s compelling, it can fall flat with the viewer. A compelling video keeps viewers engaged, and that means any message you want to convey is much more likely to stick. But what’s the secret to creating compelling instr...