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Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

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Re: Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

#64

Sorry to be that person but are there any free/OSS alternatives to the ones mentioned here? Mainly for macOS?

Not a direct alternative per se, as it is meant for coding, but https://syphon.github.io/ - I used to use this years ago and it worked great then for screen captures.

Re: Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

#65

Anyone a recommendation for Windows? Something simple and lightweight? (Screenstudio is Mac only)

I record these videos for my workplace on windows.

We use Loom + Davinci Resolve - it's nowhere near as smooth as screenstudio

Re: Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

#66

That one is ScreenStudio - it's a great product! I'm a founder at Yarn (YC W24) – we're building in this space and launching on HN soonish. We often see teams combining ScreenStudio with products like iMovie, AfterEffects, or Veed. Other products in the space to check out are Tella.tv, Kite, or Descript. For more advanced motion graphics, you'll often need a freelancer or agency. Feel free to drop me a message (email…

ScreenStudio looks nice. And thank god a pay once app.

Re: Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

#67
Arcade looks genuinely great, so thanks for posting this question.

Several folks have already mentioned that the real value of screen capture tools is to create assets that can be used by a person whose job it is to explain abstract concepts to an audience. I would go so far as to say that if you're a founder, hiring someone who is really good at product videos is something you should 100% outsource even if you're talented with storytelling and motion graphics. It's a distraction from your key priorities, and you don't have enough distance from the subject matter to be objective about what's okay vs great.

I'd like to add that it's really debatable that a video where someone rapidly zips around an interface that they haven't used is actually something people want to see. I suspect that on its own, such a video is often not the huge win that it might seem.

Also, if a process is really easy (press a button, enter a credit card) then you can bet your ass people will soon be tired of seeing the same presentation with different marketing copy.

Things that were absolutely novel at one point include: agent chat widgets in the bottom right corner, presentations that tween and zoom on every slide, infinite scroll newsfeeds, captchas. All timeless things people love more and more every day, right?

Re: Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

#68

Arcade looks genuinely great, so thanks for posting this question. Several folks have already mentioned that the real value of screen capture tools is to create assets that can be used by a person whose job it is to explain abstract concepts to an audience. I would go so far as to say that if you're a founder, hiring someone who is really good at product videos is something you should 100% outsource even if you're ta…

To miss the sarcasm:

If the agent chat actually works, I like it.

Re: Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

#69
post #65

Anyone a recommendation for Windows? Something simple and lightweight? (Screenstudio is Mac only)

I record these videos for my workplace on windows. We use Loom + Davinci Resolve - it's nowhere near as smooth as screenstudio

With which of these 2 software can you do the "zoom in", "move mouse cursor", and "zoom out"?

Re: Ask HN: How do people create those sleek looking demos for startups?

#70
I tend to use TechSmith Camtasia. It will do all that stuff, and also lets you add all kinds of active overlays and effects.

ScreenFlow is also good.

But it's still a lot of hard work, making these. I suspect that AI tools can help, but, in the aggregate, it still needs a skilled eye and hand, to make stuff look good, and not obnoxious.

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