Quick Tip: Talking Picture

Creating a fun, talking picture using Google Slides and Screencastify is a simple and engaging project. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can bring a picture to life. Let's use an orange slug as an example.

Step 1: Insert a Photo

Search and Insert: In Google Slides, use the "Search the web" option to find a photo of a slug. Scroll through the options and select an image that would be suitable for adding a mouth, like an orange slug.

Step 2: Prepare the Slide

Full-Screen Layout: Click the explore button in the bottom right corner and choose a full-screen layout for a better display of your image.

Step 3: Add a Mouth

Open Mouth: Add an oval shape to represent an open mouth. Give it a black fill color and an orange outline to match the slug’s lips.

Step 4: Create Slide Variants

Duplicate Slide: Duplicate the slide. On this duplicate, change the mouth to a partially closed one using a moon shape. Rotate and position it correctly. Delete the original oval shape. Now, you have one slide with an open mouth and another with a closed mouth.

Step 5: Record Your Presentation

Record with Screencastify: Open Screencastify to record your desktop and microphone. Put Google Slides into present mode and use the arrow keys to switch between the open and closed mouth slides while speaking:
- "Hey there, yes, I'm a slug. But there is another kind of slug. That slug is part of a web address that identifies a particular page on a website. In the address learninginhand.com/slug, the word 'slug' is a slug."

Step 6: Finalize Your Video

Editing Video: Exit presentation mode and stop the recording. Trim the start and end of the video in Screencastify to remove any unintended footage. Once done, you can either share it directly via a shareable link from Google Drive or download the talking picture as a video file.

Keywords

Google Slides
Screencastify
Talking Picture
Recording
Slug
Animation
Presentation

FAQ

Q1: What tools do I need to create a talking picture?
A1: You need Google Slides for creating the images and Screencastify for recording your screen and voice.

Q2: How do I make the mouth of the picture move?
A2: You create two slides - one with an open mouth and one with a closed mouth. During the presentation, use the arrow keys to switch between slides to simulate talking.

Q3: Can I share the talking picture video?
A3: Yes, after recording and editing, you can either share a link from Google Drive or download the video to share it via other platforms.

Q4: How can I match the mouth color to my image?
A4: Use the shape fill and outline tools in Google Slides to customize the colors to match your image. For this project, we used orange for the slug's lips.

Q5: How do I edit the recording?
A5: Use Screencastify’s editing tools to trim the start and end of the recording, ensuring a polished final product.