Author: Craig Sheil

Proper Way of Recording on a Device

Did you know that there is really only one way you should record video? I know we have all been victims of a video that we are watching that does not span the entire screen. You know what I am talking about. A tall vertical, skinny picture with black regions on either side of the video.

For some reason it does not seem intuitive. Not sure if it is because when we are recording a person, they are normally standing up which is why we tend to record vertically, instead of horizontally. Regardless of the reason, you should ALWAYS record video when your device is horizontal.

There is a very easy trick to help you remember this. Think of a TV…a TV is more horizontal then vertical. Therefore, you device should ALWAYS be horizontal.

In fact, if you have ever used the app called Capture (made by YouTube) on your mobile device, you have noticed that the app will not allow you to capture any video unless you actually rotate the device so that it is horizontal. Below is a picture of what it looks like when the device is not horizontal.

Happy Videoing!

Change Background of Google Documents

So, did you know that you could change the background of a Google Document? To be honest, it never even crossed my mind and I have been using Google for years! I knew that you could change color of text and cells in a Google Spreadsheet, but never the entire background of a Google Document.

Below are the steps to help make this become a reality for you…

Why Might This Be Good?

  • Embedded Google Documents on Google Sites would be easier to find and read.
  • Colors of documents could indicate type of document (practice, assessment, information, etc)

Good to Know…

  • If you are going to print, might not be a good idea to have a color background
  • If you are going to choose a color, choose one that is very light so that the text can be read