The Visual Lounge

TechSmith Corporation
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Visuals and videos are powerful, but creating them can feel overwhelming. Yet they are essential to creating content that impacts understanding, helps improve communication, and can save you and the viewers time and money.  The Visual Lounge is a place where we talk about creating and using visuals and videos for all sorts of communication. Whether you’re creating a course to help your organization roll out new software, an educator learning to better communicate with  your students, or a marketer helping your customers see the impact of your product, our conversations will help see how visuals can impact your work.  Listen in as Matt Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador, leads you through a variety of conversations with industry guests and experts. You’ll get practical advice and insights to help you to create better and more impactful images and videos.

  1. 3d ago ·  Video

    Stop Overexplaining: Storytelling Lessons from Robot Chicken with Mike Fasolo

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. "The idea is the spark, but the story is what happens after the fire starts."  It's easy to have an idea. It's much harder to turn that idea into something people want to watch, read, or listen to.  In this episode, host Matt Pierce sits down with Emmy‑winning Robot Chicken writer, novelist, and podcaster Mike Fasolo to talk about storytelling. They cover how to hook an audience fast and when to trust them to fill in gaps themselves.  Mike also shares how he cuts long-form livestreams down into short, punchy clips without losing the story, and what it takes to move from "I have an idea" to "I made the thing."  Key learning points:  Mike's approach to storytelling is to get in as fast as possible - skip the setup, find the hook, tell the story, and move on, trusting the audience to pick up on what's happening without it being spelled out. An idea on its own isn't a story. It becomes one when you find your character, work out what they want, put an obstacle in front of them, and make sure the outcome matters to the audience. When cutting a long video down into something short, Mike looks for what's most engaging to him first, then finds a cut point that works like a cliff-hanger, giving viewers just enough to want to keep watching. Important links and mentions:  Connect with Mike Fasolo on LinkedInConnect with Mike Fasolo on InstagramMike's personal websiteMike's weekly live stream on the craft and business of making comics, co-hosted with Buddy Scalera - Comic Book School

  2. Jul 29 ·  Video

    A Quick Video is Rarely Quick

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. “Could you just make a quick video?” It's not always possible. Even the shortest videos can be time-consuming without the right things in place. In this episode, host Matt Pierce goes solo to talk about what "quick" really means when it comes to video production, and why speed almost always comes with trade-offs worth understanding upfront. Matt also walks through the pinch points that slow creators down from unclear needs analysis to scope creep. He also gets into the underrated art of managing stakeholder feedback, and closes with a question every video creator should sit with - what does 'done' mean? Key learning points: Before any video work begins, complete your needs analysis. Ask yourself who the audience is, what outcome you're trying to achieve, and how you'll measure success. Skipping this step creates the "pinch points" that slow everything down later in the process.Not every message requires a full video. Sometimes a screenshot, step-by-step guide, or animated GIF will communicate the message faster and more effectively, so it's worth right-sizing the format before committing to a full production.Bring reviewers into one location, give them a specific focus for what you want them to look at, and identify a single person with final sign-off rights. This avoids the late-stage changes that come from too many voices weighing in at the wrong time.Important links and mentions: Screencast is TechSmith's platform for centralized video feedback, Matts preferred tool for timestamped comments and revisions.

  3. Jul 8

    Why Most Workplace Learning Doesn't Work (And What To Do Instead)

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. What is the difference between covering a topic and actually teaching it? The best L&D designers know the answer. In this revisited episode, Matt is joined by Jonathan Hill, award-winning learning manager and e-learning developer based in the UK. They talk about designing learning that really works, not just content that gets completed because it’s a requirement. Moving beyond the ‘click next’ slide mentality that holds e-learning back, Jonathan talks through how video changed his approach to design, and the key part sound plays in this. He also shares one of his most practical tools for working with subject matter experts - a simple reframe that helps surface what learners need to take away. And if you've ever wondered whether there's room for humor in compliance content, Jonathan has an interesting take! Important links and mentions: See if Jonathan can help you communicate your expertiseConnect with Jonathan

    Why Most Workplace Learning Doesn't Work (And What To Do Instead)

  4. Jul 1

    What AI Can (and Can't) Do for Learning with Destery Hildenbrand

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. Riding the wave when it comes to the advancements in AI comes down to understanding one key distinction - AI generates, humans create. In this live episode, Matt was joined by Destery Hildenbrand, Learning and Development Consultant and Instructional Designer to talk about the impact of AI in L&D, keeping the human in the loop, and organizational readiness. He captures the fundamental truth about AI, it can access all the knowledge in the world, yet it doesn’t comprehend any of it. This is a huge limitation that makes the human element so valuable. Destery talks about the importance of planning where you fit while AI adapts and gains more capability. He goes into why nobody should fear AI taking over, it should be viewed as a tool and leveraged to buy more time for your unique creative input. Important links and mentions: Connect with Destery | Subscribe to Destery’s channel

    What AI Can (and Can't) Do for Learning with Destery Hildenbrand

  5. Jun 17

    What Educators Can Learn from Filmmakers

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. Is it time to move beyond the old pedagogical framework? Anybody over a certain age will conjure the same image with the phrase ‘educational film’ - death by talking head + PowerPoint. In this episode Matt was joined by Tiia Grøn, Senior Counselor and Video Producer, Nathalie Blomstereng, Senior Advisor and Learning Designer and Terje Bergli, Senior Tech Advisor, all joining him from UiT The Arctic University of Norway where the Tromsø Educational Film Festival was created. They talk about how the new generation of educators are redefining the framework through educator/filmmaker partnerships and how the diversity of formats, inspirational subject matter and international reach showcased at the festival illustrates that shift. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 02:24 Intro02:24 – 05:26 What is T.R.E.F.F and how did it begin05:26 – 06:54 The challenges of bringing film and learning together06:54 – 11:59 What lessons should educators take away11:59 – 15:22 What can filmmakers do to stand out at festivals15:22 – 17:39 What's next for T.R.E.F.F17:39 – 21:35 The T.R.E.F.F submission process21:35 – 27:22 Inspirations from this year's festival27:22 – 28:40 How to find out more about T.R.E.F.F28:40 – 31:26 Final takes31:26 – 32:22 Outro Important links and mentions: Submit your film in early 2027: Tromsø Educational Film Festival - FilmFreewayKeep up to date with this year’s results and next year’s submission: https://result.uit.no/treff/Follow T.R.E.F.F on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tromso.educational.film.festivalFollow T.R.E.F.F on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tr.e.f.f/Take a look at the University: UiT The Arctic University of Norway | UiT

    What Educators Can Learn from Filmmakers

  6. Jun 10

    Why Your Videos Aren’t Hooking People

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. You don't need better gear, a better location, or a better idea. You need to get out of your own way. In this revisited episode, Matt sits down with Aaron King, DeepSnap content creator, filmmaker, entrepreneur, and former professional athlete to talk about what it really takes to grab someone's attention before you've said a word. Aaron gets into why the things most creators obsess over are usually the last things that matter, and what to focus on instead. He also talks about his journey to content creation, including overcoming injury as a professional sports player and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Detailing what led him to move into his car and begin driving around taking pictures and creating. He emphasises the power of connection and manifesting creativity. Going on to explain how ‘just showing people’ gave him a new career path. Aaron's main take is to stop overthinking your content, just put something out there. Finished is always better than perfect. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 01:38 Intro01:38 – 03:08 Aaron’s key tip to improving your video content03:08 – 06:14 Creating good hooks and engaging opening clips06:14 – 11:16 Working with your environment for your backdrop11:16 – 15:11 How to use sound for relatability and brand identity15:11 – 16:17 Paying attention to your comments section16:17 – 24:23 Aaron’s journey to content creation24:23 – 25:30 Why finished is better than perfect25:30 – 28:39 Speed round questions28:39 – 29:25 Where to find Aaron29:25 – 30:28 Aaron’s final take30:28 – 31:26 Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Aaron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepsnap/Keep up to date with DeepSnap: https://deepsnap.comSubscribe to the DeepSnap channel: https://www.youtube.com/@deepsnapFollow Aaron on TikTok: DeepSnap (@deepsnap) | TikTok

    Why Your Videos Aren’t Hooking People

  7. Jun 3

    Building Educational Videos for YouTube That Work

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. When you solve your own learning problems, you can accidentally build the resource everyone else was missing. In this episode, Matt sits down with Taim Dawod, a medical doctor from Norway who started a medical education YouTube channel in his first year of med school. Taim gets into his background studying anatomy and the problems he faced with the delivery of the learning. He goes on to explain the techniques he developed to solve those problems and how that led him to becoming a full-time content creator. He also talks about his view on the traditional lecture format in university teaching, and where it falls short for many students. He points out the gaps that are created through disjointed delivery and the importance of ‘the why’ when communicating complex topics. Taim’s main take is that everybody has something valuable to teach. There is someone out there that will benefit from what you have to say, and you will continue to sharpen your own knowledge along the way. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 01:42 Intro01:42 – 05:42 Taim’s medical background and journey to content creation05:42 – 08:14 Outsourcing vs. the journey of doing everything yourself08:14 – 11:13 The benefits of keeping consistent11:13 – 15:11 Communicating complex topics15:11 – 17:59 Visual mediums and the art of being concise17:59 – 19:10 The importance of ‘the why’19:10 – 21:34 Open education award and why learning should be free21:34 – 23:28 Helpful take away from Tromsø23:28 – 24:43 Taim’s final piece of wisdom24:43 – 26:50 Where to connect with Taim and upcoming book release26:50 – 27:35 Taim’s final take27:35 – 28:51 Outro Important links and mentions: Subscribe to Taim Talks Med: https://www.youtube.com/@TaimTalksMedFollow Taim on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taimtalksmed/Taim’s video on Sepsis and Septic Shock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVy_7shA3RM&t=117srb.gy/uoikzb

    Building Educational Videos for YouTube That Work

  8. May 20

    The Real Role of Instructional Designers After AI

    Drop us a message! We'd love to hear from you. When content generation becomes fast and frictionless, do learning specialists need to be involved at all? In this episode, Matt sits down with Tim Slade, Speaker, Author and Founder of The eLearning Designer's Academy who discusses the human vs. the automated in instructional design today. Tim acknowledges that as content generation has become easier and faster, audiences are developing digital media fatigue and how as creators we can aim to overcome this. Tim emphasizes that 'the human’ exists in ensuring that what we are ‘churning out’ is the right thing to solve the problem - should we make this? Why? What changes if we do? He argues that one part of the work still can't be automated, sound judgment. The conversation also gets into how most people tend to use AI for practical reasons, and how the online discourse leads audiences to believe they are somehow ‘behind the curve’ in their AI skills. Tim dubs AI a ‘replication tool’ and discusses the issues that arise from getting carried away with the capabilities available to us. The Instructional Design Handbook by Tim Slade is available for pre-order through May 29th. Pre-orders include a hardcover signed edition with a dust jacket. 10% off when you use TECHSMITH as the coupon code. Learning points from the episode include: 00:00 – 01:03 Intro01:03 – 03:13 Latest book release: The Instructional Design Handbook by Tim Slade03:13 – 05:55 Becoming an intentional Instructional Designer05:55 – 07:56 What Instructional Designers need to know for success07:56 – 10:55 Improving the human piece10:55 – 13:20 Connecting theory to practical application13:20 – 14:30 What can ID professionals take away from the book14:30 – 18:25 Why AI doesn’t fit into everything we do and content fatigue18:45 – 20:57 AI as a replication tool and the problems in getting carried away20:57 – 24:22 Practical uses of AI24:22 – 25:48 AI skills are having a clear vision that you can explain25:48 – 27:51 Book release details and where to find Tim27:51 – 29:15 Tim’s final take29:15 – 30:21 Outro Important links and mentions: Connect with Tim: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sladetim/Join The eLearning Designer's Academy: https://community.elearningacademy.io/welcomeCheck out Tim’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2CE3YBPX53oeKVsiTbhX2w?sub_confirmation=1

    The Real Role of Instructional Designers After AI
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
20 Ratings

About

Visuals and videos are powerful, but creating them can feel overwhelming. Yet they are essential to creating content that impacts understanding, helps improve communication, and can save you and the viewers time and money.  The Visual Lounge is a place where we talk about creating and using visuals and videos for all sorts of communication. Whether you’re creating a course to help your organization roll out new software, an educator learning to better communicate with  your students, or a marketer helping your customers see the impact of your product, our conversations will help see how visuals can impact your work.  Listen in as Matt Pierce, Learning & Video Ambassador, leads you through a variety of conversations with industry guests and experts. You’ll get practical advice and insights to help you to create better and more impactful images and videos.

Information

  • Creator
    TechSmith Corporation
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    294
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Visual Lounge
  • Show Website
    The Visual Lounge

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