Presentation Video Production Guide

Before you record

Prepare readable 16:9 slides with a clear title, methods, findings, and conclusion. Use a headset or quiet room, face the light, and make a short test recording. Leave space on the slide for your camera if you plan to show yourself.

For asynchronous oral presentations, aim for 15-20 minutes unless your conference specifies otherwise. A good export target is MP4 (H.264 video, AAC audio), 16:9, 1080p, 25-30 fps. For a live or hybrid talk, follow the session's actual time limit instead.

1. Record directly in PowerPoint

Simplest choice when you want to re-record one slide without repeating the whole talk.

1. Open the presentation in the PowerPoint desktop app. Check the slide order and save the PPTX.
2. Select Record (or Slide Show > Record, depending on your version). Turn on your microphone and, if desired, your camera. If your version supports Insert > Cameo, place the camera window where it does not cover slide content.
3. Record the slides and narrate while each slide is visible. Pause briefly when changing slides. Preview the first slide to confirm that audio and camera are captured.
4. Re-record any slide that needs correction. Then choose Export in the recorder, or File > Export > Create a Video, select Full HD and recorded timings/narration, and save an MP4.

Cameo and the Record window vary by PowerPoint edition. If camera recording is unavailable, a clear voice-over with legible slides is preferable to a poor webcam overlay.

Official references: record a presentation, Cameo availability, and export a video.

2. Record with Zoom and PowerPoint

Useful when you want your camera over the slides and prefer presenting in one continuous take.

1. Update the Zoom desktop app, open PowerPoint locally, and start a meeting with camera and microphone enabled. Confirm that Record to computer files is available for your account.
2. Select Share > Screens > Microsoft PowerPoint. In current Zoom versions, choose an In front or similar layout to place yourself over the shared slides. Some older versions instead offer Share Screen > Advanced > PowerPoint as Virtual Background; use it if available.
3. Move and resize the camera image so it does not hide labels or results. Make a brief test and check what the local recording actually contains.
4. Select Record > Record to this computer. Present, stop the recording, then end the meeting and wait for Zoom to finish converting the local MP4.

Use a computer recording when the presenter-over-slides layout matters: Zoom notes that a cloud recording may show the slides and video as a normal screen share instead. If virtual-background sharing is unavailable, share the slideshow normally and record that layout.

Official references: slides as a virtual background and computer recording.

3. Record with OBS Studio and PowerPoint

Best when you need precise camera placement or want to control multiple sources.

1. Open your PowerPoint slideshow in a window. In OBS Studio, run Tools > Auto-Configuration Wizard if this is your first recording.
2. Create a scene. Add Window Capture for the slideshow on Windows/Linux, or macOS Screen Capture on Mac. Fit the slides within a 16:9 canvas.
3. Add Video Capture Device for your webcam, where supported, and place it over an empty slide corner. Check the microphone meter in the Audio Mixer; test a few seconds of recording.
4. Select Start Recording, present the slides, then select Stop Recording. Open the file from your OBS recording path and verify picture and sound.
5. If OBS saved an MKV file, use File > Remux Recordings to create an MP4. Keep the original until you have checked the MP4.

OBS recommends MKV for recoverability if recording is interrupted. Remuxing to MP4 is fast and does not require recording again.

Official references: OBS quick start and recording and remuxing.

4. Record with Canva or Google Slides

Both services offer presentation recording with a camera and microphone. Their controls and availability may vary by account and device.

Canva

1. Open your presentation on a computer, choose Present > Present and record, then enter the recording studio.
2. Allow camera and microphone access, select the devices you want, and make a short test before recording.
3. Record your presentation, select End recording, and wait for processing to finish. Download the video or copy its viewing link.

Canva may create a public-view link for a recording. Check its sharing settings and remove that link if you do not want public access. For PPAVI submission, use a link that reviewers can open, or download the MP4 and upload it to YouTube or Google Drive with viewer access.

Official guide: record a talking presentation in Canva.

Google Slides

1. Open Slides in Chrome or Microsoft Edge and choose Rec > Record new video (if available for your account).
2. Allow camera and microphone access, check the selected devices, and record while presenting your slides.
3. Save the recording to Google Drive. Check that the file is shared with the people who need to review it; recording availability depends on your account, and each recording is limited to 30 minutes.

If recording is not available in your Slides account, use PowerPoint, Canva, Zoom, or OBS instead. For the PPAVI video field, submit a YouTube link or a direct Google Drive video-file link with viewer access, not a Drive folder link.

Official guide: create a recording in Google Slides.

Check and submit the result

1. Play the entire exported MP4. Confirm that slides are readable, audio is clear and synchronized, the camera is not covering text, and the start/end are clean.
2. Upload the video to YouTube with visibility that permits viewing, or put the video file on Google Drive with viewer access for anyone with the link. Test the link in a private browser window. A Drive folder link is less reliable than a direct file link.
3. After your abstract is accepted and any required payment is complete, open Submit Presentation in your PPAVI conference submission and paste the YouTube or direct Drive file URL into the video field. Save and reopen the submission to verify the link.

PPAVI currently accepts a video URL in this form, not a direct MP4 upload. Organizers may process an accessible Drive video into YouTube later. Keep your original MP4 until publication is confirmed.