Descript Tutorial for Beginners - Learn Descript in 20 Minutes
TLDRThis tutorial offers a comprehensive guide for beginners to master Descript in just 20 minutes. Starting with setting up a new video project, it guides users through recording, transcribing, and editing their own video introduction. It covers essential features like the workspace view, scene management, audio effects, and AI-powered tools like eye contact and green screen. The tutorial also introduces the concept of layers and elements, and concludes with publishing and sharing the final project, encouraging viewers to take the Descript Mastery course for further expertise.
Takeaways
- 🎬 Start a Descript project by creating a new video project on descript.com and uploading or recording your video.
- 🔍 Use the workspace view to manage all your projects and begin editing with the 'New Project' button.
- 🎥 Record your screen and voice for projects using the built-in recording feature and select the appropriate camera and microphone.
- ✂️ Edit your video by trimming gaps, adjusting the start and end points, and removing unwanted sections with the ignore or delete functions.
- 🔊 Enhance audio quality with the 'Studio Sound' effect to reduce background noise and adjust the intensity to suit your voice.
- 📝 Make rough cuts by manually removing unnecessary lines from the transcript and refining the script with the 'Edit for Clarity' feature.
- 👀 Apply 'Eye Contact' to make it appear as if the speaker is always looking at the camera, improving viewer engagement.
- 🖼️ Utilize scenes to separate different parts of your video, allowing for distinct settings and effects within a single project.
- 📑 Add text elements like titles to your video for an introductory scene or to highlight key points.
- 🌿 Use the 'Green Screen' effect to remove the background and overlay different stock media or images.
- 🔗 Publish your project by exporting it for download or sharing it via a web link, and consider publishing to platforms like YouTube.
Q & A
What is the first step to start a new project on Descript?
-The first step to start a new project on Descript is to go to the Descript website, navigate to the 'New Project' button in the top right, and select 'Video Project'.
How can you record a video project if you don't have one ready to upload?
-You can record a video project by clicking on the 'record' button, ensuring your camera and microphone are set to the desired input, and then starting your recording.
What is the purpose of the 'Studio Sound' audio effect in Descript?
-The 'Studio Sound' audio effect in Descript is used to clean up the audio by removing background noise, such as from an air conditioner or traffic.
How do you edit the video to start speaking immediately without a pause?
-You can edit the video by selecting the boundary of the pause before speaking, and then dragging it to the right to tighten the gap, ensuring the video starts as soon as you begin to speak.
What is the 'ignore' function in Descript and why is it recommended over 'delete'?
-The 'ignore' function in Descript allows you to remove parts of the transcript and video without completely deleting them. It is recommended over 'delete' because it maintains awareness of the removed content, allowing you to restore it if needed.
What does the 'edit for clarity' feature do in Descript?
-The 'edit for clarity' feature in Descript uses AI to remove filler words, digressions, and obvious cuts, improving the overall clarity of the video script.
How can you adjust the pacing of the video by modifying the timing of words or phrases?
-You can adjust the pacing of the video by clicking on a word or phrase and dragging it to the left or right on the timeline to shorten or lengthen the pause before it.
What is the 'eye contact' feature in Descript and how does it work?
-The 'eye contact' feature in Descript uses AI to make it appear as if the speaker is always looking at the camera, even when they were originally looking away during the recording.
What are 'scenes' in Descript and how can they be used to isolate parts of the video?
-Scenes in Descript are like slides in a PowerPoint presentation. They allow you to isolate parts of the video for separate editing without affecting the rest of the project. You can create a new scene by adding a forward slash in the transcript.
How can you add text elements to your video in Descript?
-You can add text elements to your video in Descript by going to the 'Elements' section, selecting 'Text', and then customizing the text's properties such as color, size, weight, and font.
What is the 'green screen' effect and how can it be applied in Descript?
-The 'green screen' effect in Descript uses AI to remove the background of the video, allowing you to replace it with any other background from Descript's media library.
What are the options for publishing a project in Descript?
-In Descript, you can publish a project by exporting it to a web link, which allows you to share the project online, or by downloading it to your computer for offline use. Additionally, you can publish to platforms like YouTube or podcast hosts.
Outlines
🎬 Starting a New Video Project on Descript
This paragraph introduces the process of starting a new video project on Descript. It begins with accessing the workspace on Descript's website, where all projects are managed. Users are guided to create a new video project by clicking the 'New Project' button and selecting 'Video Project'. They can either upload an existing file or record a new one using the 'Record' button. The script assigns a task of recording a 1 to 3 minute video introducing oneself, which will be used throughout the tutorial. The paragraph also covers the transcription process, scene creation, and basic interface navigation, including the timeline and properties bar.
🎥 Editing Audio and Using AI Features
This paragraph focuses on audio editing and utilizing AI features in Descript. It starts with applying the 'Studio Sound' effect to clean up audio by removing background noise. The user can adjust the intensity of the effect to avoid sounding robotic. The paragraph then moves on to editing the script manually by deleting or ignoring unwanted parts. The 'Edit for Clarity' AI feature is introduced, which helps remove filler words, retakes, and unnecessary digressions. The user is also shown how to tighten pauses and cover up filler words in the transcript to improve the pace of the video.
👁️ Adding Eye Contact and Creating Scenes
This paragraph delves into enhancing video engagement with AI-powered eye contact and organizing content with scenes. The 'Eye Contact' feature is used to make the speaker appear as if they are constantly looking at the camera. The concept of scenes is introduced, where each scene is like a slide in a PowerPoint, allowing for independent editing of different parts of the video. The paragraph also covers how to add text elements, such as a title, and adjust their properties like color, size, and font. Additionally, the user is shown how to handle errors that may occur with AI features and how to retry them.
🌟 Customizing Video Scenes and Publishing
The final paragraph covers customizing video scenes and the process of publishing the project. It starts with adding a green screen effect to remove the background, allowing for the addition of different stock media as a background. The user is guided on how to change the layer order to ensure the speaker appears in front of the new background. The paragraph concludes with instructions on how to publish the project, either as a web link or by downloading it. The user is also encouraged to share their project link with the creator for a discount on a Descript Mastery course, highlighting the educational aspect of the tutorial.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Descript
💡Workspace
💡Transcription
💡Scene
💡Canvas
💡Timeline
💡Studio Sound
💡Ignore
💡Eye Contact
💡Green Screen
💡Publish
Highlights
Introduction to Descript for beginners in 20 minutes.
Accessing the workspace to start a new video project.
Instructions on uploading or recording a project.
Tutorial assignment: create a 1-3 minute self-introduction video.
How to stop and process a recording in Descript.
Transcription feature and editing the transcript title.
Understanding the Descript interface: transcript, scenes, canvas, and properties.
Using the timeline to edit video and audio.
Adjusting the boundary of a selected portion in the timeline.
Layer properties and changing the playback speed.
Applying the 'Studio Sound' effect to clean up audio.
The process of ignoring parts of the transcript for editing.
Using 'Edit for Clarity' to automatically remove filler words and retakes.
Manually editing the script for a rough cut.
How to shorten word gaps and tighten up the pace of the video.
Adding eye contact effect using AI in Descript.
Creating and editing scenes within a Descript project.
Adding text elements and customizing their appearance.
Using the green screen effect to remove the background.
Changing layer order to place yourself in front of a new background.
Publishing and exporting the final project.
Invitation to the Descript Mastery course with a discount offer.