Creating training videos can seem complicated when you look at the quality of videos being produced today.
You see professional cameras, studio lighting, sophisticated animation, AI-generated videos, screen effects, and advanced editing. It is easy to assume that you need a large production setup to create good training videos.
The good news is that you don't.
A training video has a different purpose from an entertainment video. Your main goal is to explain something clearly and help your audience learn. For that, you can create high-quality training videos with a relatively simple setup.
In this article, we will look at the essential equipment and software you need to get started.
1. What Does a Training Video Setup Consist Of?
A training video is essentially a guided explanation.
Think about how you would explain an idea to a colleague or a friend. You might draw something on a piece of paper, point to a particular part of the drawing, show them an example, or open a document on your computer.
You don't need a film studio to do that.
A training video works in much the same way. You need a way to explain your ideas, a way to show what you are talking about, and a way to record and edit the explanation.
There are many ways to put these elements together.
You could have:
- A presenter speaking directly to the camera
- Slides with a voiceover
- A digital whiteboard with your explanation
- A screen recording of software or a website
- An overhead camera showing something you are writing or demonstrating
- A combination of slides, screen recordings and video of the presenter
There is no single format that every training video has to follow.
The important thing is to choose a format that allows you to explain your subject clearly and that you can produce consistently.
For most people creating educational content, a simple setup can be built around four basic elements:
A way to record your voice and video + a tool for creating visuals + a screen recorder + a video editor.
In many cases, some of these functions can be combined into the same software.
2. What You Need to Record Your Video
The first requirement is a way to record yourself explaining the subject.
Microphone
For training videos, clear audio is more important than having an expensive camera.
Your audience may forgive an ordinary-looking video. Poor or distracting audio is much harder to tolerate.
You can start with:
- A good headset microphone
- A USB microphone
- A wireless microphone, if you are recording away from your computer
You don't necessarily need an expensive studio microphone when you are getting started.
The important thing is that your voice should be clear, easy to understand and free from distracting background noise.
Camera or Webcam
Whether you need a camera depends on the type of training videos you want to create.
If you want to appear on screen while explaining your subject, you can use:
- Your computer's webcam
- An external webcam
- A smartphone
- A dedicated camera
But you don't have to appear on camera throughout the video.
For many educational videos, the main visual can be a slide, diagram, software demonstration or screen recording while your voice provides the explanation.
This means you can start creating useful training videos even if you don't have a sophisticated camera setup.
A Quiet Recording Environment
Your recording environment also matters.
You don't need a professional studio. A reasonably quiet room with limited background noise is often enough.
Once your microphone and recording environment are good enough, you can focus your attention on the most important part: what you are showing and explaining.
3. What to Use for Visuals and Animation
The second major part of a training video is the visual content.
This is where a slide creation program becomes extremely useful.
You can use:
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Google Slides
- Canva
- Other presentation or visual-design software
PowerPoint is particularly useful because a slide doesn't have to look like a traditional presentation slide.
You don't need to fill it with a title and bullet points.
Instead, think of a slide as a blank visual canvas.
You can use it to create any diagram, infographic or chart and apply animations if required.
For example, if you are explaining a process, you could build a diagram that shows each step.
If you are explaining a complicated idea, you could reveal different parts of the diagram as you talk.
If you are comparing two concepts, you could create a simple visual comparison rather than explaining everything verbally.
Keep the visuals connected to your explanation
The purpose of these visuals is not to make the video look impressive.
They should help the viewer understand what you are saying.
A simple diagram that makes a difficult idea clear is often more useful than an elaborate animation that looks impressive but adds little to the explanation.
You can also use animation when it helps show:
- Movement
- Sequence
- Change
- Relationships
- Cause and effect
- Different parts of a process
The amount of animation you need depends entirely on your subject.
4. What to Use for Screen Recording and Editing
The other essential tool is a screen recording program.
A screen recorder allows you to record what is happening on your computer screen while you explain it.
This gives you much more flexibility than using slides alone.
For example, during one training video you might:
- Explain an idea using a PowerPoint slide
- Switch to Excel to demonstrate something
- Open a PDF to show a source
- Visit a website
- Demonstrate a piece of software
- Show an example video
- Return to your PowerPoint presentation
This variety can make your explanation much richer.
It also gives you an opportunity to show real examples rather than simply talking about them.
Video editing
After recording, you will usually want to edit the video.
Basic editing might include:
- Removing mistakes
- Cutting unnecessary sections
- Removing long pauses
- Adding titles or labels
- Adjusting the timing of visuals
- Adding images or other supporting material
- Combining different recordings
It is useful if your screen recording software also includes video editing because you can record and edit within the same program.
One example is Camtasia, which combines screen recording and video editing in one application.
You can record your screen, capture your webcam and microphone, bring in your PowerPoint visuals, and then edit everything together.
But Camtasia is not the only option. The important thing is to find a screen recording and editing tool that fits your workflow.
A Simple Setup Is Enough to Get Started
You don't need to build a professional video production studio before you create your first training video.
A simple setup can be enough:
For recording:
A microphone and, if required, a webcam or camera.
For visuals:
PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva or another visual creation tool.
For screen recording and editing:
A screen recorder that also gives you basic video editing capabilities.
For example, a simple workflow could use PowerPoint for creating visuals and Camtasia for screen recording and editing.
That is the setup we have used for many of the training videos created for the Presentation Process YouTube channel and our courses.
The exact software you choose is less important than having a setup that allows you to explain your ideas, show useful visuals, record your presentation and edit the final video.
Once you have those basic pieces in place, you have everything you need to start creating training videos.