Screencasting is something I have talked about extensively before and indeed something which I develop on an almost daily basis. I think it’s safe to say that I am fairly well educated on the concept, that said however there is always room for improvement and learning new techniques and practices is something I am always willing to indulge in. Screencasting as a phenomenon has gained great popularity in recent months both as an educational tool where perhaps some of it’s greatest strengths lie but also as a general mechanism for communication. Support sections of websites, collaborative projects and viral marketing now all use screencasting to better facilitate projects on a daily basis. While there are snippets and information to be obtained on the concept at various locations on the Internet, up until now there really hasn’t been a standard point of reference for those interesed in the concept or who wish to learn more.

The Screencasting handbook then is just such a guide, a comprehensive introduction to the world of screencasting with exploration of many of the fundamental concepts and practical advice on the production of screencasts with a variety of leading screencast development applications. The book is written by Ian Ozsvald co-founder of the screencast tutorial site ShowMeDo and founder of the professional screencasting company ProCasts. Ian has taken an interesting and new media centric approach to the creation and distribution of the book, interested parties can purchase the book from the Screencasting handbook website for a reduced cost at the moment as the book is not yet complete. Certain chapters are finished and already there is a wealth of information in place, but distribution is iterative with new releases being made available to paid users as they become available. The book is currently distributed in PDF format.

Screencasting is something which must be approached in a logical sense, much planning is needed before the recording phase and even more post production may be required before the screencast is complete. The Screencasting handbook thankfully follows a logical approach to the concept first making clear to readers what exactly screencasts are and how they may be used. From there various software applications are explored such as ScreenFlow & Camtasia studio with supporting chapters on developing screencasts in a given amount of time. The conflict of approaches between the “Making A Screencast In The Next 30 Minutes” and “Making A Screencast In 1-2 Days” is testament to the complexity involved in the production of professional industry standard screencasts as opposed to short quick means of communication or demonstration. Both are valid uses and both are explored here but it is a nice counter balance in terms of expectation and work involved. Subsequent chapters look at post production, distribution and the hardware requirements for successful screencast production such as microphone selection.

Even in it’s incomplete form the screencasting handbook makes for very informative and engaging reading for those interested in screencast production. The book caters for novices and experts alike and even those who consider themselves well exposed to the concept should find something of interest here. As an academic I find any resource that furthers the knowledge of educators in the terminology and creation of screencasting worthy of investment but I also appreciate that screencasts have many other outlets and others will find worth in investing here. The book to date is an excellent resource and I look forward to it’s completion in the coming months. I suggest anyone interested in screencasting or who makes use of screencasts with any degree of regularity investigate further. More information can be found at the books Google group here.