At first glance you may assume that not much could possibly go wrong when recording screencasts seeing as they are just video recordings of your screen. However that isn’t exactly true.
The fact of the matter is that there are actually lots of common mistakes that can affect the screencasts you record. However the good news is that most can be avoided quite easily, and you should definitely make it a point to avoid some of the more important mistakes:
Capture frame that is too small
If you’re only interested in recording the content on part of your screen, it may seem like a good idea to set a small capture frame that only encompasses it. The problem with that however is the resolution of the screencast will be determined by the size of the capture frame.
In short if you set a small capture frame, you’ll end up with a low resolution video that has poor definition and may even look pixelated. That is why as a rule of thumb you should try to record in as large a frame as possible, and maximize the window or app you want to record.
Numerous apps and background processes left running
The more apps and background processes that are left running, the greater the risk that issues could crop up when you record screencasts.
One of the most common issues is poor performance due to the drain on your processing power and RAM, and that can cause delays and stutters that will be recorded in your screencast. Another is notifications or other pop-ups that appear while the recording is ongoing and get in the way.
To ensure this isn’t an issue, you should tackle the mistake at its root and make it a point to close apps and background processes you don’t need before you start to record the video.
Lots of clutter in the recording frame
Clutter can make your screencast look messy, and far less professional than it should. The most common areas that often look cluttered are the desktop, taskbar, and system tray.
Before you start recording you should check each of these areas and try to de-clutter them as much as possible to make your screencast look clean.
Stray mouse cursor
Have you ever watched screencasts where the mouse cursor constantly moved around the screen for no apparent reason? A stray mouse cursor that is moving around can be very distracting for viewers – and can really get in the way.
The best way around this problem is to always be mindful of your mouse cursor and where it is located. If your screencast doesn’t require it, you should try to keep it out of view or even use tools to hide it such as Cursorcerer for macOS or AutoHideMouseCursor for Windows.
At a minimum you could just make sure the cursor is tucked away in a corner and does not move.
If you want you can visit this link to see how to record a video on Mac from your screen. It should help guide you through the process, and ensure fewer mistakes are made.
Overall it shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid most mistakes now that you’re aware of them. In the long run you should find you’re able to record better screencasts that have fewer issues when you do.
