File formats & pre-recording guide
This guide points to resources and software you might use to pre-record your presentation if that is your aim; it explains how by uploading your recording to YouTube/Vimeo and entering the link in our login environment (Cocoa), your video can be made available to delegates on the website. (This page also specifies the accepted file formats which can be pre-loaded into Shindig, if that platform is being used.)
Pre-recording presentations
With the rise in NCN (nearly-carbon-neutral) panels within face-face (F2F) conferences and now the rapid increase in virtual conferences due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a significant portion of delegates will consider pre-recording their presentation - either for posting within the panel page in advance (asynchronous delivery) or for playing during the synchronous panel (deliberately or as a backup if bandwidth issues prevented a live talk) followed by a live Q&A.
This may be the first time you’ve been required to pre-record your presentation. Don’t worry as this is neither technologically complicated nor expensive! Recorded presentations may be simply a head-shot, or a narration for your slides, or something more visually complex. There are several online resources already available which can help you to prepare your recorded presentations. We acknowledge the excellent work done here by colleagues in the US, particularly the Society for Cultural Anthropology (SCA) and Society for Visual Anthropology (SVA) as well as the Disability Research Interest Group (DRIG) (part of the Society for Medical Anthropology) - all within the AAA.
For resources on how to create your recorded presentation, please read this guide but also see this year's Distribute website (and its excellent videos with full guidance on what to consider) and bear in mind that such formats should also try to be as accessible as possible - also see our accessibility policy.
We’d suggest the following options for pre-recording.
1. The talking head
The simplest option is to present without showing slides, while talking into (facing) one’s webcam. You require a webcam connected to your computer and some software to make the recording. Think about the quality of your audio: this might be enhanced by the use of a headset. Think about lighting: you need to be well lit in order for the video to be ‘lively. Do watch the #Distribute video guides as they cover this so well.
A variation: the talking head alongside slides (if the conference uses the Shindig platform)
It is possible to play your head-shot video on one podium in Shindig, while displaying your slides (PDF) on another podium. If you like this idea, you will need to make sure you clearly state ‘Next slide please’ during your presentation recording, so that the Shindig admin will know when to move the slides along, keeping them manually in sync with your video.
Technical/software proposals
The output should be an mp4 video file (see specifications above).
For those who already use the free VLC media player to run DVDs, videos, etc on their computer, this can be enabled to record. See: https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-record-your-webcam-with-vlc/
Alternatively and possibly the simplest method is to record yourself in a solo Zoom meeting (or Google Meet, etc). Enter your Zoom room, start local recording, and begin talking.
Windows users have a pre-installed app called ‘Camera’ that can record your webcam feed. It’s very straightforward. The minor complication is finding the recording afterwards (saved in the Camera Roll folder in the user’s Pictures folder by default). Camera saves the file as an mp4 - suitable for both upload to Shindig and your YouTube account (for embedding in the panel explorer).
Mac users can use Quicktime to do this.
2. A video of your slides together with your camera feed
This is still relatively simple. The video shows the slides taking up most of the screen with a smaller window of your face presenting, alongside, or superimposed on top (in a corner). You require a webcam connected to your computer and some software to make the recording. Again, make sure you watch the #Distribute video guides as they cover this so well.
If you have a recent version of PowerPoint you may have the option to both record a narration AND your webcam along with your slides. Once you've saved the finished file, export it as an mp4 video file for upload to Shindig.
Alternatively you could use Zoom (or Google Meet, etc) to do this: start a meeting (alone), share your screen with your slide show, and set the meeting to record to your computer. You can then present with slides and webcam captured in a nicely compressed mp4 video.
Technical/software proposals
The output should be an mp4 video file (see specifications above).
Aside from recent PowerPoint and Zoom, there are various free options which can record both your screen and your webcam. While you can search the web, we’ll outline two we’ve made use of, one simpler, one more complex.
Windows (simple): Navigate to https://www.apowersoft.com/free-online-screen-recorder in your browser. Click the ‘Start recording’ button on the left side. The first time you do this you will be prompted to download and install a small piece of launcher software. Once installed your browser will display a prompt to open the Launcher. Confirm and a toolbar will appear which allows you to decide what you will record, sound settings, whether to record your webcam (and which camera), and the file settings to use (see above). When webcam is enabled, you can drag and drop and resize the camera window to wherever you think it works best. Close the toolbar to close the programme.
Windows (more complex): use Open Broadcast Software (see below).
Mac users can use Quicktime to record both screen and camera feed simultaneously. See this straightforward guide. Alternatively you might sign up for a free mmhmm account which provides a fun way to achieve the same ends, easily.
3. A recorded narration alongside your slides
(if the conference uses the Shindig platform)
If you don’t possess a webcam or don’t wish to be seen while presenting, you could record an audio file instead. Your recording can run on a stage podium alone or alongside another podium displaying your slides. In the latter case, remember to record instructions (‘Next slide please’ for the Shindig admin) so they can keep slides and narration in sync when presenting them. Again, think about the quality of your audio: this might be enhanced by the use of a headset. Watch the #Distribute video guides as they have good hints.
A variation: recorded narration together with slides exported as a single movie
PowerPoint offers the option of adding your narration to your slide show. You run through your slides while giving your presentation and this is saved in the file. You then have an option to export as an mp4. (The latest versions of PowerPoint have the option of adding the webcam image overlaying the corner of the slideshow. See option 2 above.)
Technical/software proposals
Provide the recording as an mp3 audio file (see specifications below).
You can make an audio recording using your mobile device or your computer.
If recording a narration in a PowerPoint presentation, you must export the finished file as an mp4 video file. Native PowerPoint files cannot be uploaded/displayed within Cocoa or Shindig. Without narration they can be exported as a PDF (which are uploadable).
Windows users have a pre-installed Voice Recorder app. See this page. This saves as m4a format, so you’ll then need to convert this using a free online audio converter (Zamzar or Audio converter - there are many others). Alternatively this Free Sound recorder can record directly to mp3, and also works on Mac.
Mac users can use Quicktime to record audio. Or this Free Sound recorder also has a Mac option and can record directly to mp3.
Smart phones have in-built voice recorders and most of these can output mp3 files. So simply put your headset on, set your phone to record and work your way through your slides (Next slide please) and your presentation. No complicated software required!
4. A slightly more complex visual production
While it undoubtedly requires more time and more complicated software, recording your presentation allows you to bring in more than just your voice, face and slides: you can mix in photos, audio and video files. The software we’d recommend is free and works on both Windows and Mac. Search the web for brief tutorials. If reasonably computer literate it may take 60-90 minutes of research and testing to become sufficiently proficient in OBS to make an interesting production.
Technical/software proposals
The output should be an mp4 video file (see specifications above).
Download the free Open Broadcast Software (OBS) to your PC or Mac. In OBS you can specify which sources to capture (desktop, applications, webcams, etc.), set it to simply capture your screen, your screen and webcam (arranging these as you wish), or set up a variety of ‘scenes’ each of which captures one or more sources (video and/or audio).
With no scenes configured, and one or two sources selected, start recording in the main view. If using a set of scenes then use the Studio view to setup and preview your transitions. There is an audio mixing deck which allows you to adjust levels.
Remember to check output settings (as per above). Do not record directly to mp4, but to OBS's native format (more robust if there's a crash); and then use the Remux feature within OBS to convert this to mp4 once it's finished.
Post-production
Adding captions to video
If you are recording your presentation or utilising video within your presentation we would suggest/ask that where possible, you enable or add captions to widen accessibility. See the captions section of our accessibility guide for guidance. This is not as complicated as it sounds.
What do I do with my pre-recorded files?
Slides PDFs should be uploaded in advance of the event, as per instructions from the conference organisers, so that they can be pre-loaded into Shindig/the panel.
Audio/video files should be similarly uploaded if this is the intended mode of presentation, part of your presentation, or a back-up in case of bandwidth issues with a live presentation.
If you wish your recorded presentation to be available to delegates in advance, during and/or after the conference, upload it to your own YouTube/Vimeo account (can not be set to private, although unlisted is fine), then enter the video URL into your paper details in our online environment (Cocoa). The video will then be embedded in the paper/panel page on the website, below your abstract. To see what this looks like see this guide.
File formats for Shindig
Slides
Those wishing to show slides within Shindig will need to provide these as a PDF, two weeks ahead of the conference. These can be easily generated from within PowerPoint and Keynote. Slides should be set to screen display (as opposed to a paper size) and landscape in orientation.
N.B. When presenting slides in Shindig, you can only go forward or back, not skip to a specific slide. Your presentation should not include animations or embeds as those will not work in the PDF files.
Audio files
Those wishing to play audio files within Shindig will need to provide these as an MP3 file, two weeks ahead of the conference. The mp3s can be created with any settings, but Shindig advises using ‘stereo 44.1KHz’. Even at very high bit rates the file will be far smaller than the 500MB maximum file size we can upload to Shindig. Nevertheless we’d advise picking a compression setting that gives a reasonable balance between quality and file size.
N.B. You can only go forward or pause, not skip to a specified time, when presenting these in Shindig. So you may need to supply multiple cut files to achieve your ends.
Video files
Those wishing to play video files within Shindig will need to provide these as an MP4 file, two weeks ahead of the conference. Videos should be 480p or up to 720p, encoded using the H264 codec and the audio should be: AAC/MP3/OPUS. Ideally the file size should be below 500MB, so pick a setting that gives a reasonable balance between quality and file size. For example a 14 minute recording at 720p with 5Mbs bitrate would be ~300MB and within our capacity. (Larger files can be uploaded to Shindig, however it takes a long time and is unnecessary with standard presentations.)
N.B. You can only go forward or pause, not skip to a specified time, when presenting these in Shindig. So you may need to supply multiple cut files to achieve your ends.