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Once you’ve chosen your topic, created your outline, and planned your content it’s time to start planning your video production. Don’t worry if you’ve never recorded yourself before. We have all the resources you need along the way.

Step 1: Determine the type of videos you’ll record:

Once your course content is planned and you’ve been approved, it’s time to record. For the parts where you’re simply explaining but not taking an action on your build, you can record yourself (talking head), record your screen (screencasting), or do a mix of both. Once it comes time to build you’ll need to set up your shop or area to film while you work with proper lighting. Think through this one because safety is always our number one concern. 

Step 2: Gather the audio and video equipment you need.

You may even already have some equipment at home! Take a look at our recording equipment recommendations for suggestions for microphones, cameras, screencasting, and editing software for various budgets.

Step 3: Set up your recording space.

Once you have your recording equipment it’s time to find a quiet place to set it all up and get ready to record. Get tips for setting up your recording space to deliver high-quality audio and video, plus get a behind-the-scenes look at other instructors’ recording setup, and learn hacks for better A/V quality.

Step 4: Send us a Test Video.

Once your recording space is set up, it’s time to test it out! We have a team ready to give you feedback to ensure you meet our recording quality standards. Learn more about submitting a Test Video.

Step 5: Edit your course.

After you’ve completed recording your course content, it’s time to polish your videos before uploading them to Hammerly.

Insider tip: Learn the recommended course creation process directly from your Hammerly Mentor or take a course from a highly reviewed instructor.

FAQs

How do I decide what type of recording I’ll need to do for my course?

Let your course content be your guide! Based on your content you should pick the video format that will provide the best visual accompaniment to your message. Most of the time setting up your filming station to record your cuts or woodworking and then applying your talking head at the bottom or audio over top is the most common.

How much money do I need to spend on equipment?

This depends on what equipment you may already have and how much you’d like to invest. Most smartphones can record HD video. You might consider using an external microphone since the built-in microphone on most smartphones and computers don’t provide high-quality audio. Before you purchase any equipment (see our recommendations), test what you already own and experiment with your setup.

How does the test video process work?

Once your recording space is set up, you can submit a 1-3 minute test video to get personalized feedback on your recording quality. Once your test video is received, our review team will provide you with feedback on the quality of your audio, video, and delivery. While this is not a requirement, it’s highly recommended so that you can feel confident that your recording quality is sufficient for our community. If you change your recording setup at any time, you can submit another test video.