A hotkey is a key or combination of keys that you push to run a command or operate a program. Use this tab to define the hotkey options used in the making of your recordings. You can change the default hotkeys to whatever you would like. There are three standard Recorder hotkeys additionally there are five advanced hotkeys which are accessed by choosing the “Advanced” button. The two most common keys that you will use are the F9 and F10 keys which are for starting/pausing the recorder and stopping the recorder, respectively

A software tutorial or presentation is much more than just plain screen recording; it is a composition in which you are investing a lot of effort, time, and creativity. Camtasia Studio uses a Storyboard to assemble videos that you may have made using Camtasia Recorder or from some other source as well as other forms of media such as still images. Collectively, the items placed on the Storyboard are called clips. .

The Storyboard eases your workload and makes the final video more than just than the sum of its smaller parts. The following are some helpful hints and tips for making the most of the Storyboard.

• The Storyboard view is primarily used by those who might want to use unedited clips when creating a produced video. When creating a video using unedited clips, you simply drag the desired clips from the Clip Bin to the Storyboard in the desired order.
• Add Transitions if desired, and then Produce your video.
• It is important to note that you cannot edit your clips while in Storyboard view. You must be in Timeline view in order to edit your clips in any way.
• On the Storyboard, you can join still images and video clips in any number and order you want to.
• The Storyboard lets you combine various multimedia elements such as video clips, still images, and transition effects.
• You can save the contents of the Storyboard as a Camtasia Studio project file so you can come back and work with the Storyboard at a later time.
• When working with clips on the Storyboard, you can undo/redo the positioning until you are completely satisfied with the video.
• To rearrange the elements while they are on the Storyboard, select a clip and drag and drop it to the new position.
• If you want to show an item more than once, you can repeatedly drag it from the Clip Bin onto the Storyboard.

Note: Only the clips that are on the Storyboard or Timeline will be included in the production of the video. If you have viewed a clip that is in the Clip Bin in the Preview Area, that file will not be included in the video production unless you drag it to either the Storyboard or Timeline.

A callout is a graphic that you can add to the timeline so that when the video is produced, the callout displays within the video. Callouts are used to "call out" an important object or process being shown on the screen. Combined with text they can give additional tutorial or instructional information. The following is a walk through on how to create a callout.

In the timeline view click and drag the play head (green triangle) where you want the hot spot to begin.

Under the task list, select Callouts…

Click the Add Callout link.

You can customize the location of your callout by moving the arrow around, changing the type of image displayed from a drop-down menu, resize the image by clicking and dragging, change the rotation of image, or even select your own image. Moreover, you can add text to the callout.

Another option under the callout menu is flash hotspots. A hotspot allows you to create an action such as a pause, a jump to another location in the timeline, or a link to a website that will open once clicked.

Under the “Flash Hot Spot Properties…” there are a few options. Here you can choose the video to stop at the end of the callout. For the video to continue there are the few actions that can be selected. Click to continue will be the most common one to use, which causes the video to pause and the viewer will need to click within the callout's boundaries for the video to continue. Click OK when finished.

If you want to make changes to the type of hotspot, you can change the shape and the visibility or transparency.

This option is ideal for clicking items within a specific region within the video. When making changes, you will notice that all of changes are being made visually in the preview box. The green rectangle containing the callout can be moved to the desired location and resized by clicking and dragging.

If you want to see the details of the hotspot, click the double arrows and you will be provided with information about the name, start time, stop time, and included text.

Click Finished to return to the main screen. The hot spot can also be stretched over the desired period of time and moved around in the timeline bar at the bottom after it has been placed.

Note: Interactive hot spots can only be used in the SWF flash format. Once the video is made and hot spots are placed you must go under file and select Produce Video As. Then, select to save the video under SWF flash format.

Make sure to also view these great video tutorials by TechSmith to extend your use and enhance your final presentation.

1. Add a Title Slide - create a title slide to introduce the overall presentation, a particular concept, or provide ending credits.
2. Add a Transition - create an effect between clips on the timeline
3. Apply Smart Focus - Zoom-n-Pan effects that allow you to emphasize certain screen movements by zooming in and out on the recording.
4. Custom Callouts - a supplement to the above section on Callouts
5. Draw on the Screen while Recording - add drawing effects to highlight particular areas of the screen
6. Quizzes and Surveys - add a multiple choice, true false, or short answer quiz directly into the presentation to test knowledge or gain feedback. Responses can be e-mailed directly to you.
7. Record a PowerPoint Presentation - create a narrated PowerPoint presentation using an add-in directly in PowerPoint