How to Use a Flip Video to Record Voice Overs

Flip Video camcorders are not only good for capturing movies on the go, they make handy sound recorders too. The quality of the Flip Video sound input isn't as good as you'd get from a professional microphone, but it's far better than you'll get from a built-in laptop microphone. If you don't have an independent microphone for your PC, then the Flip Video is great for recording voice-overs for your home movies.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Flip Video Camcorder
• QuickTime Pro for Mac or Windows
• Script or cue cards for your voice-over
• Video editing software to combine your recording with your video

Recording and Extracting

1. Find a quiet place to record your voice-over so that there's no background noise in your recording. Practice reading your script, or cue cards, a couple of times.

2. Press the "Record" button on your Flip Video and read your script or cue cards. The video footage you capture doesn't matter because you'll discard it later.

3. Upload the video file to your computer using the Flip Video's built-in USB connection.

4. Open the movie file in QuickTime Pro. Go to the "File" menu and select "Export."

5. 
    

   Change the "Export" option to "Sound to AIFF" and change the "Use" drop-down menu to "Default Settings."

6. Combine the soundtrack you just created with video footage in your video editing software, and your voice-over is finished.

Tips & Warnings

• These same steps will work for a photo slideshow as well, provided your slideshow software has sound integration capabilities.
• Don't speak too closely into the Flip Video microphone or you'll get noise, or feedback, in your recording.