Better Screencasting with Screenflow Pro

Nearly four years ago I created my first screencast about using iCal calendars in Google Calendar. At the time I used Wink (free) which is a fun tool and has some interesting features, but it's also a bit limited and time consuming to build the videos. Then I started using Camtasia from TechSmith (~$800), which is also a decent tool but is only compatible with Microsoft and isn't particularly fun to use.

Life with iShowUHD Pro

When I moved to a Mac a year ago I started using iShowUHD which costs $30 or $60 (I went for the $60 version) but has a lot of different options that are pretty confusing. I used iShowUHD to do a few short screencasts and then used it to record a live webinar so that we could share the webinar after the fact. It's impossible to redo a webinar - you've got people on the line who don't want to call back in, etc. And unfortunateley, iShowUHD failed to record the video. The audio was recorded fine, but the video stopped working after 10 minutes. I mailed support, upgraded to a newer version and the problem persists. So, I decided to look around for alternatives.

Screenflow: Screencasting Nirvana

I tried out the demo version of Screenflow ($100). The interface is drastically simpler than any of the other tools. It records everything and lets you zoom, rotate, re-arrange, etc. in its editing tools. The editing tools are perhaps one of the best features. They are enormously simple and yet very powerful. I've long wanted to do slow-motion and fast motion in iMovieHD, but it's simply not possible (this depends on your version of MacOS/iLife).

And now screencasting is fun again. I've got some of my favorite old tools from Wink that I can use, an easy recording and editing environment, great simple effects and I'm churning out videos for Mastering Drupal. If you've got suggestions on other tools, please let me know! As this story has shown, it pays to look out for new software.