People have asked me how I make my HOWTO movies, like [this one](http://pong.tamu.edu/~rob/movies/roms_project.mov). The good news is that it is ridiculously simple.
First of all, I use a Mac, which I think is the main reason it is ridiculously simple. If you are serious about making movies, and you don't already have access to one, go get one. An [inexpensive MacBook](http://www.apple.com/macbook/macbook.html) will do.
For the screengrabs, I use a program called [SnapZPro](http://www.ambrosiasw.com/utilities/snapzprox/). This lets me make a movie of whatever is shown on the screen, and saves an audio track through a microphone. I use a [MicFlex USB microphone](http://www.micflex.net/) from [MacMice](http://www.macmice.ca/) that has a flexible tube with a mice on the end that plugs into my laptop.
Then you just start up SnapZPro, and start talking. For advice on video and audio settings, I follow [Allan Odgaard's advice](http://blog.macromates.com/2007/recording-screencasts/#more-150), although not exactly. In particular, be sure to turn off the _Auto mic input gain_, you typically need the mic on near full volume to have the voice come over clearly.
If I feel fancy, I edit different screengrabs, intersperced with video from the built in iSight camera in iMovie, like the one shown [here](http://pong.tamu.edu/~rob/python/tutorials/making_grids_with_python.mov). Often I just do a single take, keeping the awkward pauses. Editing a movie takes more time than you think it will, and a single take is often good enough to get your point across. However, if you do this, make sure you sketch out a script for yourself first.
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