Using Video to Communicate Technology

Deirdré StraughanCommunity Manager, SmartOS and illumosJoyent

About Me

• Technical communicator:

• Book, articles, documentation

• Web sites since 1995

• Videoblogging since 2004

• Joined Sun Microsystems 2007, began using video for technical communication

• Spoke at FISL 2009 about video

• Now employed by Joyent as SmartOS and illumos community manager - itʼs still about communication!

Why Video?

•Efficient information transfer

•Effective learning

•Getting to “know” people

Efficient Information Transfer

• Engineers are too busy to write!

Effective Learning

Getting to “Know” People

Whatʼs Important in Video

•Body language

•Facial expression

•Visual stimulation

These elements result in:

• Increased learning bandwidth

• Increased attention

Body Language

Facial Expression

Visual Stimulation

Tips & Techniques

Filming Conference Talks

Constraints:

• limits on what you can carry

• limits on where you can set up

• the lighting is terrible

• you only get one take

The big question:

•how to capture all the action, both slides and presenter?

During Filming: The Wide Angle Shot

Framing Your Shot

• “Medium” shot: frame the speaker from the hips up• leave ample room for gestures• ...but then how do you get the slides in?

Post-Production Solution: Video Inset

Post-Production Solution: Slide Overlays

You Donʼt Always Need the Slides!

Shooting a Live Video Stream

Beyond the Conference Presentation

Show Floor Interviews

Screencasts

Screencast + Speaker

Projection + Whiteboard

Wildlife Photography: Filming Shy Geeks

Problems:

• may not have been in front of a camera before

• may be intimidated by professional studio

Solutions:

• use a familiar environment

• take your time

• arrange an interview eg by a tech writer

Interview Format

On the Street

In My Living Room

Team Introductions

Technical Product Launches

Historic Opportunities

Shouting in the Datacenter

Professional Video vs What I Do

Professional What I Do

planned/scripted unscripted (by me)

controlled location/studio at event site

recorded in takes recorded live, in real time

camera close to the action camera may be far away

intrusive unintrusive

large, expensive equipment small, cheap equipment

production team one person

strangers community memberslow post-production,distribution published very quickly

expensive cheap

What Are Others Doing with Video?

Whatʼs the Future?

The technology of creating and publishing video will continue to get better and cheaper and easier to use.

It will be used in ways we canʼt even imagine right now.

As Chris Anderson of TED says:

“the rise of online video could turn out to be as significant as the invention of print... online video is driving astonishing innovation in thousands of different fields ranging from the ultra-niche to the sharing of truly world-changing ideas.”

Where to See More

•wiki.smartos.org

•youtube.com/user/deirdres

•my blog: beginningwithi.com

•search for “Videoblogging Manual”

•@deirdres

The Faces of Sun

Appendices

Equipment

• Camera: Canon Vixia HV30

• Rode Videomic

• Tripod

• Electric adapters

• Firewire cable