Storyline 360: Adding Audio
In this user guide, we'll explore several ways to add audio to Storyline 360 courses. Choosing Default Playback and Recording Devices Importing Audio Files Recording Narration Converting Text to Speech Adding Background Audio Controlling Background Audio With Triggers Using the Background Audio Volume Variable Importing Slides from Other Content Sources Making Audio Accessible Create Sound Effects with AI Assistant Add a layer of realism to your audio content with AI-generated sound effects. Learn how to use AI Assistant to level up your course authoring game. Choosing Default Playback and Recording Devices Before you importor record narration, you'll want to choose your default playback and recording devices. Go to the Insert tab on the Storyline ribbon, click the Audio drop-down arrow, and choose Options. Select a speaker for your default playback device. Select a microphone for your default recording device and set your recording volume. Click OK to save your changes. Importing Audio Files First, do either of the following: In Slide View, go to the Insert tab on the ribbon, click the Audio drop-down arrow, and select Audio from File or Media Library. In Form View, go to the Question tab on the ribbon, click the Audio drop-down arrow, and select Audio from File or Media Library. Browse to the audio file you want to insert and click Open. Storyline 360 supports these file formats: AAC AIF AIFF M4A MP3 OGG WAV WMA Recording Narration First, do either of the following: In Slide View, go to the Insert tab on the ribbon, click the Audio drop-down arrow, and select Record Mic. In Form View, go to the Question tab on the ribbon, click the Audio drop-down arrow, and select Record Mic. The Record Microphone window opens. If you have a script you want to use, click the Narration Script button, which reveals the text from the Notes panel. (Learn more about adding slide notes.) When you're ready to begin recording, click the red Record button. When you've finished recording, click the Stop recording button. You can preview your recording using the Play/Pause and Rewind buttons. If you need to record your narration again, just click the Record button to start over. If you want to delete your narration altogether, click the Delete button. If you change your mind about recording narration and would prefer to import audio instead, click the Import audio file button. Browse to the audio file you want to insert and click Open. If you want to edit the audio you just recorded, click the Edit audio button to launch the built-in audio editor. Learn more about editing audio. Click the Save button to add the newly recorded audio to your project. (Also, be sure to save your overall project file to retain the changes you just made.) Converting Text to Speech Speed up course development byconverting text to speech right in Storyline 360. For example, use the text-to-speech feature to quickly narrate a course for stakeholder review or to localize narration in different languages. You can even choose the voice and language to make sure every word sounds right. In Slide View, go to the Insert tab on the Storyline ribbon, click the Audio drop-down arrow, and choose Text-to-Speech. When the Insert Text-to-Speech window appears, select a Language from the first drop-down list. This ensures that your words are spoken with the correct pronunciations. Then choose a Voice from the second drop-down list. You can hear what a voice sounds like by clicking the Preview Voice button next to the list. Type or paste your script into the text-entry field. Or, if you want to use your slide notes as your script, just click the Copy from Slide Notes button. Tip: You can convert up to 10,000 characters at a time. If your script is longer than that, break it into smaller chunks and generate more than one text-to-speech audio clip. Then place the audio clips back to back on the timeline so they play in sequential order. If you'd like to add closed captions to your text-to-speech narration, mark the Generate Closed Captions box in the upper right corner. Learn more about text-to-speech closed captions. Click Insert to complete the process. Storyline 360 will convert your text to narration, and it'll appear as an audio clip on the slide's timeline. The conversion process is fast, but lengthy scripts will take longer to convert. Learn more about working with text-to-speech narration. Adding Background Audio Set the right tone for your course with a background playlist that keeps learners engaged. Learners can toggle background audio on and off as they prefer. Here's how to add background audio to your course. Go to the Insert tab on the Storyline ribbon and click the Audio drop-down arrow. Then hover over Background Audio and choose Create Playlist. When the Background Playlist window appears, click the plus sign drop-down arrow, and select Audio from File or Media Library to upload your audio. Learn more about background audio. Controlling Background Audio With Triggers As of November 2023, you can control the background audio for each slide using triggers to play, pause, or stop the playlist. For example, you might want the audio to play when learners click a button. Here's how to create a background audio trigger. After you've added background audio, click the Create a new trigger icon in the Triggers panel, or go to the Insert tab on the ribbon and click Trigger. Select a media action (play, pause, or stop), then fill in the related parameters, such as the playlist and object. Choose when you want the action to happen. Optional: You can add conditions to your trigger so it only occurs in certain circumstances. Note: If you pause or stop the background audio and then jump to another slide, the background audio won't play on that slide. If you want the background audio to play on another slide, create a trigger that plays the background audio when that specific slide's timeline starts. Using the Background Audio Volume Variable As of November 2023, you can customize the background audio experience even further. Fine-tune the volume with this built-in percentage-based variable: Player.BackgroundAudioVolume : The volume of the background playlist in percentage Using the background audio volume variable is easy—it works like any other variable in Storyline 360. Learn more about working with variables. Importing Slides from Other Content Sources When you import slides into Storyline from Microsoft PowerPoint,Quizmaker, or other Storyline projects, audio resources from the external content are also imported and available for editing. You can also import Engage interactions, but their audio resources can't be edited in Storyline 360. Making Audio Accessible Audio accessibility promotes inclusivity and enhances comprehension for all learners—especially for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, have cognitive disabilities, or are non-native speakers of the course language. Check out these tips for making audio accessible: Let learners explore content at their own pace with an adjustable playback speed. Speed control allows learners to slow down content, making it easier to understand. Closed captions help all learners fully engage with and comprehend your content. You can import or create closed captions right in Storyline 360. Position captions at the top or bottom of your slides and customize the foreground and background colors to maximize readability. Provide text transcripts that include both the speech and non-speech sounds for any audio content. To display transcripts, you can use text boxes, layers, markers, or slide notes. Use plain language in your audio content and descriptions. Straightforward and clear language helps your audience easily read and understand the information. If you have background audio, enable the background audio toggle. Giving the option to mute background tracks reduces distractions and helps assistive technologies navigate content effectively. Plus, the “Lower background audio volume when slide audio plays” setting is enabled by default for accessibility. You Might Also Want to Explore: Editing Audio Using the Audio ToolsStoryline 360: Managing a Project’s Assets with the Media Library
Manage all the assets for your project in one place with the media library. It keeps track of images, characters, audio clips, and videos in your course, so you can easily add, remove, replace, reuse, and export them. See every slide and layer where an asset is used and jump to each location instantly. You can even edit assets with third-party apps and save your changes directly to Storyline. Watch this video demo, then check out the details below. Opening the Media Library Importing Assets into the Media Library Searching, Sorting, and Filtering Assets Renaming Assets Previewing Assets Managing Alternative Text Managing Closed Captions Adding Private Notes to Assets Jumping to Asset Locations in Your Project Using Assets on Slides and Layers Replacing All Instances of an Asset Replacing a Single Instance of an Asset Editing Assets in Third-Party Apps Reimporting Updated Assets Opening an Asset’s Original Folder Location Exporting Assets Deleting Assets Opening the Media Library The media library is always close at hand. Here are three ways to open it: Go to the View tab on the Storyline ribbon and click Media Library. Right-click an asset on any slide in your project and choose Show in Media Library. Go to the Insert tab on the ribbon, click the drop-down arrow below Picture, Video, or Audio, and then choose Media Library. (Using this method, the media library will automatically close after you insert an asset into the slide.) Across the top of the media library, you’ll see asset tabs, a search field, and filtering options. There’s an asset list on the left side of the window that includes metadata for each asset. And the details pane on the right lets you preview assets, jump to each location where assets are used in your project, and manage assets (insert, replace, edit, export, and delete). You can keep the media library open as you work in the Storyline editor. You can even move the media library to a separate monitor so it’s always available while you’re building your course. Importing Assets into the Media Library There are two ways to add assets to the media library. One is to build slides using the Storyline ribbon, and the other is to import assets directly into the media library. Use the Storyline Ribbon to Insert Assets and Slides When you use the Insert tab to add images, characters, audio clips, and videos to slides in your project, those assets automatically appear in the media library so you can reuse them later. (Tip: Icons don’t show in the media library.) And when you use the Slides tab to import slides from other sources, such as Content Library 360 and PowerPoint, assets on those slides automatically appear in the media library too. (Note:Screen recordings don't show in the media library. You can find your screen recordings by going to the Slides tab on the ribbon and clicking the Record Screen drop-down arrow.) Use the Import Buttons in the Media Library You can import assets directly into the media library, so they’re available later when you need them. Click the Import button in the upper right corner of the media library to add new assets. If the media library is empty, you can also click theAdd button on each asset tab to import assets. Import images from your computer or Content Library 360. Import photographic and illustrated characters from Content Library 360. Import audio files from your computer or record narration with a microphone. Import videos from your computer or Content Library 360, or record videos with a webcam. Tip: You can select multiple media files at the same time using Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click, then insert them all at once. Is the media library compatible with other versions of Storyline? The media library is fully compatible with Storyline 360 build 3.22.17236.0 and later. It’s also compatible with Storyline 3 and earlier versions of Storyline 360 if you don’t import assets directly into the media library. To maintain compatibility with these versions of Storyline, add assets to your project via the Insert and Slides tabs on the ribbon, and your assets will automatically appear in the media library. In other words, you can manage assets in the media library and maintain compatibility. You just can't import assets directly into the media library. For example, after adding an image to your project via the Insert tab on the ribbon, you can reuse, replace, andedit that image in the media library. Your project file will still be compatible with Storyline 3 and earlier versions of Storyline 360. Searching, Sorting, and Filtering Assets Let’s examine how assets are organized in the media library and how to find what you need. Switch Asset Tabs Use the asset tabs across the top of the media library to manage images, characters, audio clips, and videos. The media library remembers which asset tab you had open when you last saved a Storyline project and displays that same tab the next time you open the media library. Search Use the search field at the top of the window to find a specific asset by name. The search field is contextual, so it searches only the assets for the tab that’s currently selected (images, characters, audio, or video). The search results are dynamic and update as you type. Pro Tip: Give your assets recognizable names andkeywords to make searches quick and easy. Filter By default, the media library displays all the assets for your entire project. You can narrow your focus to a specific scene, slide, or question bank by using the drop-down list in the upper right corner to filter your assets. Sort You can sort the asset grid by any column, such as asset names or modified dates. Click a column header to sort by that column. Click it again to reverse the sort order. Renaming Assets Rename images, characters (and poses), audio clips, and videos in the media library so they're organized and easily searchable. In the media library, double-click an asset name to make it editable. Type a new name, then press Enter or Tab. When you rename an asset in the media library, the new name displays in the timeline panel everywhere that asset appears in your project. Previewing Assets Select an asset in the list on the left side of the media library, then use the details pane on the right to preview it. When you’re working with an image or a character, hover over the preview image to zoom and pan around it. You can also click the preview image to see a larger version of it. It’ll fill the media library window. Click it again to close the asset. When you’re working with an audio clip or a video, click the play/pause button to preview the asset. Pro Tip: You can make the preview area in the details pane smaller when you need more room to work with the notes field. Hover over the lower boundary of the preview area, then click and drag the boundary to resize the preview area. Managing Alternative Text The media library makes managing alt text so easy. Select any image, character pose, or video in the asset grid on the left, then enter alt text in the details pane on the right. That’s it! Alt text will be updated wherever the asset is used throughout your course. You can add different alt text to each instance of an asset using the Size and Position window. When you do that, the media library displays a drop-down list in the details pane with all versions of alt text for the selected asset and how many times each is used in your course. If an asset has multiple alt texts and you want to make them all the same, you can do that too. Just select the alt text you want to use from the drop-down list (shown above), then click the Apply to All button next to it. Managing Closed Captions Easily manage closed captions for all of your project’s audio clips and videos in the media library. You can see, at a glance, which assets have closed captions. The media library displays caption icons for assets that have captions and dots for assets that don’t. Add Closed Captions to an Asset Click the dot in the asset grid (the dot changes to a plus sign when you hover over it), or click the Add captions button in the details pane. Then choose how you want to add captions from the menu that appears. You can add captions using the built-in editor, or you can import captions from a file that was created elsewhere. Manage Closed Captions for an Asset After adding closed captions to an asset, you can edit, replace, export, or delete them. Just click the caption icon in the asset grid or the Edit captions button in the details pane. Then choose an action from the menu that appears. If an asset is used more than once in your project and has different captions for each instance, the media library displays multiple caption icons in the asset grid and a drop-down list in the details pane, as shown below. To manage multiple captions for the same asset, click the captions icon in the asset grid, select the captions you want to work with, and then choose an action from the menu that appears. Or, select the captions you want to work with from the drop-down list in the details pane, click the Edit captions button beside it, and then choose an action. When an asset is used multiple times in your project, you can quickly apply the same closed captions to all instances of the asset by clicking the Apply to all action on the menu shown above. What a timesaver! Adding Private Notes to Assets Want to add notes to an asset? It’s easy! Select an asset in the media library and enter your notes in the details pane (up to 2,147,483,647 characters). Notes are only stored in your Storyline project file and visible in the media library. They don’t get published with your course, so learners won’t see them. Here are some ideas for using the notes field: Keep track of copyright, source, and attribution details. Enter keywords to help you find assets later. (Notes are searchable.) Store transcripts for videos and audio clips. Describe how assets are to be used. This is helpful when you’re creating a template or working on a project with other e-learning developers. (Articulate 360 Teams subscribers can create a library of shared team slides in Storyline 360. When you share slides with your team, notes in the media library get shared too.) Pro Tip: You can make the notes field bigger by shrinking the preview area. Hover over the lower boundary of the preview area, then click and drag the boundary to resize the preview area. Jumping to Asset Locations in Your Project Want to know how many times you used a particular asset in your course? And how to quickly find every location of that asset in your project? The media library makes it so easy! Select the asset in the list on the left side of the media library, then use the details pane on the right to find its use count and location data. Click the left and right arrows to cycle through the carousel of asset locations. Each location displays the slide number, slide title, and a description of the location, such as base layer, slide layer, or object state. Click the magnifying glass icon to jump directly to the location of the asset in your project. Unused Media Library Assets Get Uploaded with Storyline 360 Team Slides Articulate 360 Teams subscribers can collaborate on projects by creating a library of shared team slides that the whole team can access right from Storyline 360. When you share slides with your team, all media library assets get shared too, including assets that aren’t used anywhere in your project. This is a great way to share assets with your team. For example, you might import company logos, product videos, and other brand elements into the media library so your team has quick access to them as they’re building courses. When you download team slides into an existing project, only the assets used on those slides get imported into your project. On the other hand, when you start a new project using team slides, all the assets that were originally shared with those slides get imported into your project, including unused assets. Using Assets on Slides and Layers Reuse media library assets as often as you’d like throughout your course. Here’s how: Go to the slide or layer where you want to insert a media library asset. Select an asset in the list on the left side of the media library. (Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple assets at the same time.) If an asset has multiplealt texts and closed captions, select the ones you want from the drop-down lists in the details pane. Click the Insert button at the bottom of the details pane to add the asset(s) to the current slide or layer. You can also use the Storyline ribbon to add media library assets to your course. Go to the slide or layer where you want to insert a media library asset. Select the Insert tab on the ribbon and click the drop-down arrow below Picture, Video, or Audio. Then choose Media Library. Select an asset in the list on the left side of the media library. (Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple assets at the same time.) If an asset has multiplealt text and closed captions, select the ones you want from the drop-down lists in the details pane. Click the Insert button at the bottom of the details pane to add the asset(s) to the current slide or layer. Replacing All Instances of an Asset The media library makes it brilliantly simple to replace every instance of an asset with another asset all at once. First, select an asset from the list on the left side of the media library. Or, right-click an asset on a slide in your course and select Show in Media Library. Then click the Replace button at the bottom of the details pane and choose a replacement option. Here are your options, depending on the type of asset you’re replacing. Image: Replace an image with a picture file from your computer or a Content Library 360 photo. Character: When you replace a character, the Content Library 360 character browser automatically opens where you can choose another character, expression, and/or pose. For photographic characters, you can replace individual poses, but you can’t replace an entire character group and all of its poses simultaneously. For illustrated characters, you can replace individual poses, or you can swap an entire character group and all of its poses with another illustrated character all at once. Audio: Replace an audio clip with an audio file from your computer or by recording narration with your microphone. Video: Replace a video with a video file from your computer or a Content Library 360 video, or by recording a video with your webcam. Replacing a Single Instance of an Asset You can replace all instances of an asset as described above, or you can replace a single instance of an asset without changing the others. Here’s how. Replace an Image Right-click the image in your course and scroll to Replace Picture. Then choose to replace the image using a picture file from your computer, a Content Library 360 photo, or an image in the media library. (If you use the media library, select a new image and click Replace Image in the details pane.) Here’s another way to replace an image: Select the image in your course and go to the Format tab on the Storyline ribbon. Click the drop-down arrow beside Replace Picture and choose one of the replacement options. Replace a Character Right-click the character in your course and scroll to Replace Pose. Then choose to replace the character using the Content Library 360 or the media library. (If you use the media library, select a new pose and click Replace Character in the details pane.) Another way to replace a character is to use the Character Tools—Design tab on the Storyline ribbon. Replace an Audio Clip Right-click the audio clip on the timeline (or right-click the speaker icon next to the slide) and scroll to Replace Audio. Then choose to replace the audio clip using an audio file from your computer, an asset in the media library, your microphone, or text-to-speech conversion. (If you use the media library, select a new audio clip and click Replace Audio Clip in the details pane.) Here’s another way to replace an audio clip: Select the audio clip in your course and go to the Options tab on the Storyline ribbon. Click the drop-down arrow beside Replace Audio and choose one of the replacement options. Replace a Video Right-click the video in your course and scroll to Replace Video. Then choose to replace the video using a video file from your computer, a Content Library 360 video, a video in the media library, or your webcam. (If you use the media library, select a new video and click Replace Video in the details pane.) Editing Assets in Third-Party Apps You’re going to love how easy it is to edit assets. Use the media library to open assets in third-party apps, such as Photoshop, and then save your changes directly to Storyline. This is called round-tripping, and it’s a huge timesaver! Edit Images Select an image in the asset list on the left side of the media library. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) at the bottom of the details pane and choose an app from the list of image editors installed on your computer. When the app opens, edit the image as you’d like. Save your changes and close the app. You’ll see that your edits were automatically saved to Storyline and all instances of the image in your project have been updated. The process for saving edited images to Storyline could be different, depending on the image editor you're using. Inmany editors, you only need to click the save button. In some editors, you have to save or export the image to the temp folder for your Storyline project and overwrite the original image. (The editor should automatically take you to the temp folder.) And in other editors, you might have to save a new version of the image, and then replace the original image in the media library with the new one. Edit Audio Clips Select an audio clip in the asset list on the left side of the media library. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) at the bottom of the details pane and choose an app from the list of audio editors installed on your computer. When the app opens, edit the audio clip as you’d like. Depending on the specific audio editor you’re using, you might not be able to save your changes directly to Storyline. You usually need to publish or export audio from the editor first, and thenreplace the existing audio clip in the media library with the updated audio file. Edit Videos Select a video in the asset list on the left side of the media library. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) at the bottom of the details pane and choose an app from the list of video editors installed on your computer. When the app opens, edit the video as you’d like. Depending on the specific video editor you’re using, you might not be able to save your changes directly to Storyline. You usually need to publish or export video from the editor first, and thenreplace the existing video in the media library with the updated video file. Why is the Edit button grayed out for characters? Characters can’t be edited in third-party apps. However, you canreplace one pose with another. You can even swap out an entire illustrated character group and all its poses for another illustrated character. And when you’re working with a character on a slide or layer (outside of the media library), you can use the formatting tools on the ribbon to change its brightness, contrast, picture effects, crop, and more. Reimporting Updated Assets The media library recognizes when there’s a newer version of an asset’s original source file on your computer—for example, when it’s edited outside of Storyline. When that happens, a yellow dot appears to the left of the file name in the asset list and a notification appears in the details pane, as shown below. If you want to replace the asset in your project with the newer version, click the Reimport button in the details pane. It’s that easy! Opening an Asset’s Original Folder Location You can open an asset’s original folder location right from the media library. This can be helpful when you need to edit the asset outside of Storyline, or you have similar images on your computer and aren’t sure which one you used in your project. Select an asset in the list on the left side of the media library, then click the Open Folder button at the bottom of the details pane. The folder will open and the source asset will be selected for you. Why is the Folder button grayed out? There are a few reasons why the Folder button might be grayed out or inactive. The original asset or folder was renamed, moved, or deleted. The asset was imported with a slide from another source, such as Content Library 360 or PowerPoint. The asset is a photographic or illustrated character. Exporting Assets Use the media library to export assets so you can reuse them in other projects. Export Images When you export images from the media library, they keep their original file formats and sizes. Select one or more images in the asset list. (Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple images.) Click the Export button in the lower right corner of the media library. Choose the folder where you want to save your image(s). Export Characters When you export photographic characters from the media library, they’re saved as high-quality PNG images. Illustrated characters are saved as EMF vector images. Click the triangle to the left of a character to reveal its poses. Select one or more poses in the asset list. (Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple poses.) Click the Export button in the lower right corner of the media library. Choose the folder where you want to save your character(s). Export Audio Clips When you export audio clips from the media library, they’re saved as MP3 files. Select one or more audio clips in the asset list. (Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple clips.) Click the Export button in the lower right corner of the media library. Choose the folder where you want to save your audio clip(s). Export Videos When you export videos from the media library, they’re saved as MP4 files. Select one or more videos in the asset list. (Ctrl+click or Shift+click to select multiple videos.) Click the Export button in the lower right corner of the media library. Choose the folder where you want to save your video(s). Learn More About Exporting Assets from Storyline 360 While this user guide focuses on using the media library, there are more ways to export assets from a Storyline project. Click here for details. Deleting Assets You can delete assets from the media library if they aren’t used anywhere in your project. Just select an asset in the list on the left side of the screen and click the Delete button in the lower right corner of the details pane. (The button will be grayed out if the asset is in use.) Want to delete multiple assets at the same time? Ctrl+click or Shift+click the assets you want to delete, and then click the Delete button. Why do some assets disappear from the media library when I delete them from slides? Great question! It depends on how you added the assets to your project. When you add an asset to a slide using the Storyline ribbon, the asset automatically appears in your media library. And if you later delete the asset from the slide, it also disappears from the media library. However, when youimport an asset directly into the media library, it’ll remain in the library until you delete it. If the asset’s use count is zero, you can use the Delete button to remove it from the media library.The Secret to Create Great E-Learning Videos
Videos let you show a learner what they need to know, not just tell them. And for soft-skills training, they’re invaluable for capturing the subtleties of personal interactions. In this e-book, we’ll share our expert tips on creating compelling videos and screencasts. Learn how to set up a professional-quality studio with simple, affordable equipment, including lighting you can find at your local hardware store. Get tips for speaking or narrating with a natural, authentic tone. Save time by effectively preparing your desktop for screen recordings. Enhance your videos with captions and interactions to make sure they communicate key points. You’ll learn how to: Find the equipment you’ll need on a budget you can afford Create the best environment for creating training videos Prepare to record your video Create screencasts efficiently Add interactions to your video5 Highly Effective Strategies for Creating Engaging E-Learning
Want to create more engaging e-learning courses, but aren't sure where to start? In this go-to guide, you'll learn how to attract—and keep—your learners’ attention. From demystifying visual design principles to uncovering the secret to building great interactions, this e-book shares the pro strategies you need to make more compelling, more engaging, and more effective courses. You’ll learn how to: Think like a visual designer so you can create beautiful e-learning Build interactions that help learners connect with your content Create learning experiences that foster exploration Produce videos that draw learners in Motivate learners with fun interactive games And much morePresenter 360: Adding Content Library 360 Media
Content Library 360 has more than 100,000 combinations of photographic and illustrated characters, expressions, and poses plus 6+ million high-resolution photos, illustrations, icons, and videos. You can access them right from PowerPoint, and they’re all royalty-free with no attribution required. To add Content Library 360 media to a Presenter 360 course, go to the Articulate tab on the PowerPoint ribbon and click Characters, Photos, Illustrations, Icons, or Videos. See the articles below for details on each media type. Presenter 360: Adding and Editing Content Library 360 Characters Presenter 360: Adding Content Library 360 Photos Presenter 360: Adding Content Library 360 Illustrations Presenter 360: Adding Content Library 360 Icons Presenter 360: Adding Content Library 360 Videos4 Easy Tips for Writing Great Training Video Scripts
When you think about your favorite movies or TV shows, they likely have one thing in common: a great script. A solid script sets up the story and characters, clarifies the setting and tone, and contains all the character dialogue. Moreover, it’s the blueprint for all the creative work that goes into every form of filmmaking, from the budget, location, and visual design to the costumes, makeup, and special effects. But don’t take my word for it … “To make a great film you need three things – the script, the script and the script.” – Alfred Hitchcock But what does filmmaking have to do with training? Most training teams don’t have access to a multimillion-dollar budget, nor to a multiyear production timeline, but that shouldn’t lead to scrimping on the quality of the training video script. In fact, you should take a cue from filmmaking pros and focus on nailing down a good script first and foremost, since a good script is absolutely essential for creating an effective training video. After all, a training video needs to do more than just entertain people; it actually needs to influence their behavior. So, how can you add “Hollywood-Level Screenwriting Pro” to your training skill set? I’ve pulled together the following four tips to get you started. 1. Identify the type of training video you need Training videos come in many different flavors, from purely demonstrative with short screencasts walking users through an app or highlighting product features to sweeping cinematic experiences with storylines and richly drawn characters. Sometimes training videos feature a narrator who tells learners what’s most important, while other times they follow characters as they navigate situations similar to what learners face on the job, allowing learners to draw their own conclusions about the key messages. There are almost endless ways to mix and match all the different flavors of training videos. But before you sit down to write anything, think about the best way to use video to achieve the outcomes you’re looking for. I find that searching YouTube for examples of different types of training videos can be a helpful way to get inspired if I’m feeling overwhelmed or just unsure where to start. 2. Draft a video treatment before the script Just as you would write a quick design brief for an e-learning course to flesh out ideas with stakeholders, writing a video treatment is a great way to present your ideas to the team before you start writing a full-blown script. A video treatment can be a simple one-page document that provides a high-level summary of the characters and key events in the story. An effective video treatment should be high-level enough for stakeholders to quickly read and comprehend, but detailed enough to paint a picture of the story and setting of the video. To break it down further, an effective video treatment should: Clarify the desired learning outcomes of the training video Provide the structure and key plot points of the story Highlight the characters and their roles in the story Help you pinpoint potential plot holes or areas of confusion before you start writing the script For these reasons and more, taking a few minutes to sit with the objectives of the training video and pull together a short treatment is not only a valuable creative exercise but also a smart strategy for avoiding time-consuming rework. If you’re not quite sure how to structure a video treatment or what to include, download this free templateto get started. 3. Keep your videos short and sweet Whether you’re writing an e-learning course or a training video (or both!), it’s always best to keep content succinct. Just as lengthy courses can wear down your learner’s attention, lengthy videos—no matter how well written—can do the same. I like to aim for videos that range from 3 to 8 minutes. Sometimes, however, a longer video is needed to support the learning objectives for the project; in those cases, try writing short scenes and transitions into the script. Doing so will make it easier to edit down a big video into smaller videos in post-production—and ensures your story doesn’t feel too choppy. 4.Keep it real One easy way to spot a poorly written video script is by dialogue that sounds robotic and forced. That’s not what you want! (Side note: there’s a terrible/delightful example of stilted dialogue in this classic example of a cheesy training video.) Avoid this error by writing content that’s meant to be heard and seen. Not sure what I mean? Here are some more scripting tips that can help: Write in a conversational tone. Read your dialogue aloud as you write it. As you hear the words, try swapping out formal language for informal language and phrasing (e.g., use “can’t” instead of “cannot”). Speak to the viewer. When your audience is watching your video, ready to learn, they expect to be spoken to rather than spoken at. That means writing in ways that are engaging and personal. For instance, avoid wordy third-person phrasing like, “Before we get started, viewers should note that the audio volume can be adjusted by clicking on the + or - icons” and try something more personal and direct, such as “You can adjust the volume of this video by clicking the + or - icons.” Use the active voice. Passive voice, particularly when spoken, sounds incredibly awkward. For instance, try reading the following sentence aloud: “The car was started by Tom.” Painful, right? Now read this rewrite aloud: “Tom started the car.” Aah! That’s so much better, isn’t it? Not only is the active voice version much clearer and easier to understand—it’s also shorter! Don’t use dialogue to describe things viewers can see for themselves. For example, avoid having the protagonist say things like, “The customer walked in looking angry” just as the actor playing the role of the customer walks in glaring. Not only is that painfully obvious and far-from-compelling dialogue, but it’s also an acting direction for theperson playing the role of the customer! Burying that direction in another character’s dialogue is confusing and may cause cast members to struggle to decipher their character’s moods and motivations. Summing It Up It can be challenging to write a video script that’s engaging and effective for learners and easy to follow for the video’s cast and crew—but it’s a challenge you’re sure to embrace with a little practice. By using the tips I’ve shared here, you’ll be cranking out a training blockbuster in no time! Liked these writing tips? You’ll find loads more on E-Learning Heroes. Here are a few of my favorites: More Than a Dozen Tips for Writing Awesome Audio Narration Scripts Top Writing Tips for E-Learning 4 Impactful Ways to Boost Your E-Learning Writing Skills What are your top writing tips and tricks? How do you keep things conversational when you’re writing dialogue? Share your ideas and experiences with me and the rest of the E-Learning Heroes community by leaving a comment below. Don’t have Articulate 360? Start a free 30-day trial, and come back to E-Learning Heroes regularly for more helpful advice on everything related to e-learning.6 Things to Consider When Using Audio in E-Learning
Adding audio to e-learning—like ambient noise, narration, or sound effects—can be a fun way to create a more immersive learning experience, add context, or provide helpful cues to learners. But there’s a fine line between effectively using audio and misusing it. If misused, audio can be a nuisance, overwhelming, or cause important pieces of information to be lost. For example, if you play background music loudly throughout a compliance course, it might distract people from the course content. The key to effectively using audio is to determine whether it will truly add value. And although trying to figure out if you should use audio might seem a little overwhelming at first, don’t worry! By considering these six things, you can quickly determine if audio is a good fit for your course. 1. The Kind of Course You’re Creating Think about the type of project you’re developing. By considering the context of what you’re designing, you can quickly decide what type of audio—if any—best fits the situation. To illustrate this, let’s take a look at some concrete examples: Course Type Type of Audio Value Add? Software simulation Sound effects that play when learners complete certain actions. Yes. It could provide learners with a sense of satisfaction. Gamified course Subtle background music. Yes. It could create a fun atmosphere. Course on communication Audio clips of conversations. Yes. It could help make the content feel more realistic. Technical training Voice-over narration. Yes. It could reduce on-screen text and make complex topics easier to understand. Compliance course Background music. No. It could distract from the main course content. Anti-harassment training Sound effects that play when learners complete certain actions. No. It could clash with the tone of the course topic. Task simulation Voice-over narration. No. It could distract learners from what’s on screen and make it difficult for them to perform the simulation. 2. The Timing of Audio Usage Just because you’ve decided that a certain type of audio could add value to your course doesn’t mean you should use it throughout the entire project. When it comes to audio in e-learning, in most cases less is more. To make sure audio doesn’t interfere with learning, take care not to include it at times when learners really need to focus. For example, background music that plays throughout an entire project is rarely a good fit because it tends to distract learners as they’re trying to absorb the content. However, it might make sense to use background music on the introductory slide to set the tone for the course. Since typically this isn’t a place where learners are processing key information, it shouldn’t take away from the learning experience. 3. The Audio Control Features Your Learners Need Even though the device your learners are using to take the course will likely have system volume controls, if you decide to include audio it’s helpful to give learners the option to adjust the course volume independently. You’ll also want to make sure your course has controls that allow learners to rewind or replay audio in case they need to revisit important pieces of information. This allows learners to adapt the learning experience to best suit their needs. If your course can’t or won’t include these controls, it’s best to avoid including audio. 4. The Speed of Your Learners’ Internet Connection Although many of us have access to speedy wi-fi, not all learners do! Adding large audio files to a project can cause a course to load slowly, especially for learners accessing it over a slow or spotty connection. If there’s a chance your learners will be located in rural settings or areas with slower internet speeds, be mindful of the amount of audio you add and the file size of each clip. You might be better off minimizing or skipping the use of audio so it doesn’t delay the time it takes to launch or move through the course—which can frustrate learners or cause them to tune out. 5. Your Learners’ Environment This one might seem like a no-brainer, but it’s often overlooked: think about the setting learners are likely to be in when taking the course. If they’re going to be accessing the course on a noisy job site or with clients, audio likely isn’t a good fit because it will be challenging for learners to hear it. If you know learners are going to take the course in a quiet and controlled environment and have access to speakers or a headset, then audio could be a more viable option. 6. The Accessibility Features Learners Need Many of the points we’ve already discussed are related to accessibility—like having proper controls in place—but there’s another consideration that’s important to keep in mind to ensure all learners can benefit from the course content, regardless of ability: text versions of your audio content. Whenever you include audio (or video for that matter!) you should also include closed captions and a transcript so no one misses out. Captions and transcripts benefit learners with permanent disabilities—like hearing loss—and situational disabilities—like those taking the course in a noisy cafe. It’s definitely something you won’t want to skip! Wrap-Up Now that you know what to consider when adding audio, you’ll be able to decide when it makes sense to use it in your course. For the projects that could benefit from it, explore some creative types of audio you can use in your next e-learning course by reading this article: 5 Ways to Use Audio in E-Learning. And to learn even more about using audio in e-learning, take a look at these helpful articles: Audio Basics for Online Course Design E-Learning Audio Tips from an Expert Tips for Using Sound Effects in E-Learning Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest e-learning inspiration and insights directly in your inbox. You can also find us on LinkedIn and X (Formerly Twitter).
