Once you have chosen your topic, created your course outline, and planned your content it's important to start planning your video production. Don’t worry if you’ve never recorded an online course. We have resources for you along the way!

Step 1: Determine the type of videos you’ll record:

Once your course content is planned (you have validated your course topic and completed your course outline), it’s time to record. You can record yourself (talking head), record your screen (screencasting), or do a mix of both. The type of course you’ll record will determine the equipment you’ll need.

Step 2: Gather the audio and video equipment you need.

You may even already have some equipment at home! Take a look at our recording equipment recommendations for suggestions for microphones, cameras, and screencasting, and editing software for various budgets.

Step 3: Set up your recording space.

Once you have recording equipment it's time to find a quiet place to set it all up and get ready to record. Get tips for setting up your recording space to deliver high quality audio and video, plus get a behind the scenes look at other instructors’ recording setup, and learn hacks for better A/V quality.

Step 4: Send us a Test Video.

Once your recording space is set up, it’s time to test it out! We have a team ready to give you feedback to ensure you meet our recording quality standards. Learn more about submitting a Test Video.

Step 5: Edit your course.

After you’ve completed recording your course content, it’s time to polish your videos before uploading to Deeplearning.

Insider tip: Learn the recommended course creation process directly from the Udemy Instructor Team and from some of our experienced instructors by taking the Official Deeplearning Course, How to Create an Online Course.

FAQs

How do I decide what type of recording I’ll need to do for my course?

Let your course content be your guide! Based on your content you should pick the video format that will provide the best visual accompaniment to your message. If you're teaching coding or a technical course, you'll probably want record your screen while you talk (also called "screencast"). If you don't have to show slides or a screen to demonstrate what you’re teaching, filming yourself is probably your best bet (also known as "talking head"). You may even want to show slides with an audio voiceover, which is a great way for your students to visualize complex concepts.

How much money do I need to spend on equipment?

This depends on what equipment you may already have and how much you'd like to invest. Most smartphones can record HD video. You might consider using an external microphone since the built-in microphone on most smartphones and computers don’t provide high quality audio. Before you purchase any equipment (see our recommendations), test what you already own and experiment with your setup.

How does the test video process work?

Once your recording space is set up, you can submit a 1-3 minute test video to get personalized feedback on your recording quality. Once your test video is received, Udemy’s review team will provide you with feedback on the quality of your audio, video, and delivery. While this is not a requirement, it’s highly recommended so that you can feel confident that your recording quality is sufficient for Udemy. If you change your recording setup at any time, you can submit another test video.