Presentation Recording Options

This comprehensive guide provides you with all the information you need to get started with screen recording, including necessary tech equipment, preparation tips, several free and easy-to-use screen recording options, and instructions for using each option. 

You're free to record with whatever tool you like. The only firm requirements are about the final file and how you share it:

• One single video file: .mp4 is strongly recommended, and .mov is also acceptable.
  • Please DO NOT submit a slideshow with separate clips on each slide, or a PowerPoint, PDF, or ZIP.
• Hosted on Google Drive, shared so that Anyone with the link can view.
• Matches the length specified in your project prompt.
• Submitted using the "Submit Project" button on your dashboard.

The two most common reasons a submission can't be graded are that the link points to a folder (or a slide deck) instead of a single video file or that the sharing permissions will not allow our graders to open it. The checklist below catches both — please don't skip it.

Before you submit — Checklist

• Did you watch and listen to your full video from start to finish?
• Is your audio clear throughout? Our graders need to be able to hear you.
• Does your video match the length specified in the prompt?
• Does it include everything the prompt requires, including your face, your ID, and your slideshow (plus a references slide if you used sources)?
  • For group submissions, all members' faces and IDs must be shown.
• Is your submission a single video file — not a slideshow with separate clips, and not a PowerPoint/PDF/ZIP?
• Does your link open the video file itself, not the Drive folder it sits in?
• Did you test your link in a private/incognito browser window to confirm it plays without asking you to log in or request access?

How to submit: Upload to Google Drive and get a shareable link

This step helps determine whether your video can be graded, so please follow it carefully.

1. Go to drive.google.com and click New → File upload, then select your video file.
2. Wait for the upload to fully complete before doing anything else.
3. Right-click the uploaded file and choose Share.
4. Under General access, change Restricted to Anyone with the link.
5. Make sure the role is set to Viewer.
6. Click Copy link.
7. Test it: paste the link into a private/incognito browser window. It should play immediately — no login prompt, no "request access" screen.
8. Submit that link using the "Submit Project" button on your dashboard.

Two things to double-check:

• Share the file, not a folder. Make sure you copied the link to the video file, not to a folder that contains it.
• Don't restrict access to a single email. Our graders each use their own email address, so access can't be granted only to projects@quantic.edu. The "Anyone with the link" setting above ensures that any grader can open it.

How to record your presentation

You can record with any tool you like. The requirement is only that you end up with a single video file (.mp4 recommended) that you can upload to Google Drive. Below are a few free, reliable options that produce a downloadable file. (Tools that only give you a streaming "share link" instead of a file will not work for grading.)

Feel free to use this Quantic Powerpoint template for your slides.

Option 1 — PowerPoint or Keynote (easiest if you're presenting slides)

This is the simplest path because it's a single tool from start to finish, and it exports an .mp4 directly with your video capture built in. Select a platform below (PowerPoint or Keynote), then follow the relevant instructions.

PowerPoint:

1. Open your slide deck.
2. Go to the Slide Show tab and click Record (or Record Slide Show). Turn your camera and microphone on — your webcam appears as an overlay.
3. Present through your slides. Your narration and camera are captured.
4. When finished, go to File → Export → Create a Video, choose a quality, and save as .mp4.

Keynote (Mac): Use Play → Record Slideshow, then File → Export To → Movie to save the video.

Note: Google Slides cannot record-and-export to video on its own. If you build your deck in Google Slides, use one of the screen recorders below.

When you've finished exporting your .mp4 file, upload the .mp4 to Google Drive (see the section above).

Option 2 — Zoom (familiar to most people)

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
2. Start a new meeting (just yourself).
3. Click Share Screen and choose your slides or the window you want to record.
4. Click Record, and choose Record on this Computer — not to the cloud. (Cloud recordings produce a link instead of a file and can't be graded.)
5. Present your presentation.
6. Click Stop Recording, then End Meeting. Zoom converts your recording to an .mp4 and saves it to your computer (the Documents/Zoom folder by default).

Then upload the .mp4 to Google Drive (see the section above).

Option 3 — OBS Studio (free, powerful; best for longer or more polished recordings)

OBS Studio is a free, open-source recorder for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It has a bit of a learning curve but gives you full control.

1. Download and install OBS Studio from the official website.
2. Open OBS. Set your output format to MP4: go to Settings → Output → Recording Format and choose MP4 (OBS records to .mkv by default, which we don't recommend). While you're in Settings, under Video, set the Output (Scaled) Resolution to match the Base (Canvas) Resolution, and consider setting FPS to 30 for cleaner image quality.
3. In the Sources panel, click + and add a Display Capture (your screen) and a Video Capture Device (your webcam). Drag and resize each so your face and slides are both visible.
4. Test your microphone and webcam — you can watch your mic level in the Mixer panel.
5. Click Start Recording, deliver your presentation, then click Stop Recording.
6. Open File → Show Recordings to find your .mp4 (default location is your Videos folder).

Then upload the .mp4 to Google Drive (see the section above).

Option 4 — Canva (browser-based, nothing to install)

1. In Canva, go to Create → Screen Recorder (under Quick Actions).
2. Turn the camera and microphone on so you capture your face along with your screen.
3. Click Record, present, then click Finish.
4. Download the recording as an MP4.

Then upload the .mp4 to Google Drive (see the section above).

Equipment and preparation

You'll need:

• A computer or laptop with enough free storage for the recording.
• A microphone: your built-in mic is usually fine, but an external mic improves audio quality.
• A webcam: you're required to be visible on camera; most laptops have one built in.
• An internet connection to download recording software and upload to Google Drive.

A few tips before you record:

• Plan your presentation. Write a script or talking points to guide you.
• Do a dry run. A practice pass helps you speak more smoothly and confidently.
• Check your tech. Confirm your mic and webcam work and your recorder is set up the way you want.
• Find a quiet spot where you won't be interrupted.

Quantic does not provide recording-platform accounts. The tools above are suggestions, not requirements — the important thing is that you end up with a single video file on Google Drive.