If you own a business and want to create video content for the web, then a screen capture program should be one of your main “go to” software tools. If you’re using a PC, a popular program is Camtasia, from TechSmith. For Mac OS X, ScreenFlow is your best option. And don’t forget Jing, also from TechSmith. It’s a simple screen capture tool that you’ll find very handy.
ScreenFlow is a beautiful piece of software for the Mac, from Telestream. I’ve been using it for years, and this morning I received an email notice that they have released a new version — ScreenFlow 5. One of the most interesting new features is that ScreenFlow now allows you to record your iPhone screen. This will make it very easy for app developers to create video demos.
Screen recording software is very simple to use. Press the record button, and it will give you a countdown. Then it will begin recording your entire screen, or just a part of it. Once the recording is finished, you can adjust the in and out points, and you can also crop the video so only part of the screen is displayed. You can also make multiple screen recordings, and then edit them into a single video.
I mainly use ScreenFlow to make demo videos that help my customers. It records HD video from your computer screen and webcam at the same time, as well as audio from your computers and from external microphones. It also serves as a basic video editor. It’s not as powerful as a stand-alone video editing app, but it does some tricks that make it very useful.
I would recommend it for business owners as a basic tool for creating video content for your website, blog, or social media.
Here are a few things you can do with ScreenFlow:
- Add text and titles after you have finished your recording
- Add photos and music to your video
- Use the ScreenFlow tools to highlight or zoom in on a part of your screen
- Create a highly visible mouse pointer
- Add a sound effect and graphic each time the mouse is clicked. You’ve probably seen the familiar expanding red circle in some instructional videos
- Upload your finished video directly to YouTube or Vimeo
- Edit MP4 video from your smart phone without converting it
Here’s an instructional video I made with ScreenFlow.
If you have any questions about using ScreenFlow, I’d be happy to help. I can also work with you to take a basic screen recording and turn it into a polished video.
I’m a videographer and editor based in Abbotsford, British Columbia. I create video promos for businesses as well as providing event video services.
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