Camtasia SmartFocus™ Recording Tips

Apply Camtasia SmartFocus™ during the editing process in Camtasia Studio. SmartFocus automatically generates Zoom-n-Pan keyframes for clips on the Timeline.

When recording in Camtasia Recorder version 5.0 or later, SmartFocus collects data about the actions completed and the cursor movement in the recording. SmartFocus predicts where to add Zoom-n-Pan keyframes in the recording, saving you the time it takes to manually add Zoom-n-keyframes.

If you plan to apply SmartFocus during the editing process, use the following recording tips to help SmartFocus predict where to apply the zoom effects:

Slow down. Use slow, deliberate mouse movements. Do not click around the screen too fast.

Record at full screen dimensions and produce at smaller dimensions. SmartFocus is ideal for cases when you need to record at full screen or large dimensions, but want to produce the final video at smaller dimensions (640 x 480 or smaller is recommended). For example, if you record a full screen application and then produce the final video for distribution on an iPod, the full screen recording is not viewable at iPod dimensions (320 x 240) without zooming.

Record clips longer than 30 seconds. SmartFocus is optimized for recordings longer than 30 seconds. For shorter clips, you can manually add Zoom-n-Pan keyframes.

Hover the cursor where you want the viewer to look. Keep the cursor still on the area of focus in the recording. For example, if you want the viewer to focus on a hyperlink, place the cursor on or near that area as you speak and then click.

Do not “talk” with the cursor. Do not move the cursor around the screen as you speak. Try to keep the cursor still in the area of focus in the recording.

Keep the cursor close when entering text. SmartFocus may not predict the correct action if you click in a text box, move the cursor to the other side of the screen, and then start talking. If you want the viewer to see what is typed into the text box, keep the cursor in the text box.

Use the mouse scroll wheel (if applicable). Try using the mouse scroll wheel instead of clicking and dragging on the scroll bar. SmartFocus may zoom in on the scroll bar instead of the content scrolling. For example, use the mouse scroll wheel when scrolling long Web pages.