Benefit from Our Extensive Experience
Welcome to the Avitage Production Resource Center. Here you'll find multimedia tutorials, FAQs and best practices to aide you in making your production experience the best it can be. Having produced thousands of web events for countless customers, we've seen it all and we want to help you benefit from our expertise.
If you have questions that aren't answered here or in the documents below, please contact us at 508-522-8090.
- Self-Guided Tour of the Avitage Library
- Creating a Multimedia Program
- Using Avitage Audio Services
- Using the Avitage Self-Service System
- How to Narrate Slides
- Uploading PowerPoint® to Your Personal Library
- Updating Slides in Your Personal Library
- How to Batch Replace
- How to Podcast using Avitage
- Recording Audio
- Recording Audio with the Self-Service System
- Delivering Software Demonstrations
- Preparing PowerPoint Slides
- Creating Flash® Files
- Conducting Webinars
- Podcasting with Avitage
Audio FAQs - Speakers, scripts, telephone lines, editing... |
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Can I use a speakerphone, cordless phone, cell phone or VoIP to record my audio? | ||
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In order to produce the best possible audio, we highly recommended that you do not use any of these. A traditional handset or headset telephone on a land line will give you the highest-quality recording. | ||
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Can I record the audio myself? | ||
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Yes, you can narrate your own audio in the Avitage Library. Please refer to Recording Audio with the Self-Service System Best Practices or the Using the Avitage Self-Service System tutorial. | ||
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Where should I record my presentation? | ||
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Select a quiet location with telephone access where you will not be easily interrupted or distracted. | ||
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Should I use a script? | ||
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We recommend you prepare a script or, at the very least, a detailed outline of what you will be presenting. | ||
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What if I make a mistake during the recording session? | ||
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If you're working with an Avitage technician to pre-record your audio, you can simply pause, catch your breath and say "take two" (or something similar) and we will edit out the mistakes. | ||
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| Software Demonstration FAQs - Modules, script outlines, application sharing... | |||
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Should I break apart my demo or deliver one linear demo? | ||
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We strongly encourage the practice of modularity. An effective demo should be thought of in terms of multiple short modules that focus on a particular feature or task. | ||
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What resolution should my screen be set at for application sharing? | ||
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It's best to have your screen set to no less than 1024x768, but 1280x1024 is ideal. | ||
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Should I begin with an introduction or just jump right into the demonstration? | ||
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It's a good idea to begin with a title slide introducing yourself and the presentation you're about to give. A second slide with an agenda outlining the demo is recommended, as well. These opening slides will give the larger Flash video files time to load, resulting in a quicker playback. | ||
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What if my application takes a long time to load? | ||
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When you pre-record your demo, any waiting or compilation time can be edited out. | ||
For more helpful hints and advice, please refer to Delivering Software Demonstrations Best Practices. |
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| PowerPoint FAQs - Size, layout, images, fonts... | |||
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Can I use animations and slide transitions? | ||
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Animations, builds and transitions are not converted into the webcast platform. If you want to show these, you should break the content out onto multiple slides. | ||
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How can I test the legibility of a slide? | ||
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Try viewing your slide at a reduced size, between 30-50%. If the text is hard to read or if the graphics appear too crowded, you should redesign the slide. | ||
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How big should my fonts be? | ||
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In general, try to make your text as large as possible, at least 20 points for bullets and 16 points for graphics and tables. | ||
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What if my presentation has custom fonts? | ||
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If you use custom fonts in your slides, be sure they are sent to Avitage with the final presentation. | ||
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Can I use photos in my slides? | ||
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Yes, we recommend you use plenty of visuals in your presentation to keep your audience engaged. | ||
For more helpful hints and advice, please refer to Preparing PowerPoint Slides Best Practices. |
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| Flash FAQs - Filetype, size, exporting... | |||
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What filetype should I export from Flash? | ||
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Files must be exported in Flash .swf format. Flash .flv or other types of video will not function in the Avitage Flash player. | ||
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What is the playback frame rate in the Avitage Flash player? | ||
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The Avitage Flash player is set to a playback frame rate of 24 frames per second (fps). Slower frame rates will play in the player, but the run time will be off. | ||
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Should I send Avitage one large file or lots of small ones? | ||
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We recommend delivering demos in modules, rather than one linear presentation. When you export, make sure you export each individual section as its own Flash file. | ||
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What should my file resolution be set to? | ||
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File resolution is important for achieving the best possible playback of your presentation. You should record your demo at a resolution of no less than 1024x768, but 1280x1024 is ideal. | ||
For more helpful hints and advice, please refer to Creating Flash Files Best Practices. |
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| Webinar FAQs - Speakers, scripts, editing... | |||
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What do I do if I lose my network connection during the presentation? | ||
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You can continue delivering your presentation by having the Avitage technician advance the slides for you. | ||
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Can I use a speakerphone, cordless phone, cell phone or VoIP to record my audio? | ||
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In order to produce the best possible audio, we highly recommended that you do not use any of these. A traditional handset or headset telephone on a land line will give you the highest-quality recording. | ||
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Should I plan to start a few minutes late to accommodate straggling attendees? | ||
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No, be prepared to start on time. Don't keep your audience waiting. | ||
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When do I introduce my feedback form? | ||
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Near the end of your presentation is the best time to introduce your feedback form, as participants will not be able to complete the form until they exit or the session ends. | ||
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Should I plan to answer questions at the end? | ||
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If you want to invite viewers to ask questions, tell them how they should submit their questions, e.g., via email or IM. | ||
For more helpful hints and advice, please refer to Conducting Webinars Best Practices. |
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| Podcasting FAQs - Episodes, software, audio... | |||
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Can I use the audio-only option in Avitage to create podcasts? | ||
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Yes. Your Avitage Library provides the ability to create and deliver podcasts. | ||
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Do users need any special software or plug-ins to read podcast content created in Avitage? | ||
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No, users can access your podcasts through their standard aggregators or feed readers, as they normally do. | ||
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If I make a mistake in a podcast episode, how do I go back and fix it? | ||
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You can't!! Once published, an episode cannot be edited or deleted. That's why it's especially important to double (or even triple) check the content before it is distributed. | ||
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When I create a new episode, how are users notified? | ||
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Once subscribed, as with any podcast, users are notified of each new episode as it is published. | ||
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Can I create a podcast using slides that don't have any audio? | ||
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Podcasts are audio only, as such, all slides are ignored in the final compilation. Only audio files will be assembled into your published episode. | ||
For more helpful hints and advice, please refer to Podcasting with Avitage Best Practices or the How to Podcast using Avitage tutorial. |
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If you have questions that aren't answered here or in the documents above, please contact us at 508-522-8090.
781.522.8000
1432 Main Street, Waltham, MA 02451
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