You’re working on an e-learning course and on one of your slides you have 36 seconds of voiceover talking about conducting safety meetings, but you only have 12 seconds of video showing a safety meeting in progress. What are some simple ways you can stretch that video content to match up with your voiceover narration?
Click to View Original Video
Pan and Zoom
I use Pinnacle Studio video editing software, but most other reasonably-priced products out there have pan and zoom effects. I was able to take that 12 seconds of video and copy it two times on the video timeline. I kept the original copy as is, to use it as an establishing shot showing the speaker and participants all together.
For the first copy, I started zoomed in on the right on one of the participants, then panned over to the left to two more participants. And for the second copy, I started zoomed in on the speaker, and then slowly zoomed out to include some of the participants in the shot.
Click to View Enhanced Video
Most people will never notice that they are essentially looking at the same footage three times in a row, and because of the way I approached the panning and zooming effects, it gave the whole thing a sense of composition and symmetry.
Take a Still Shot
Another very simple approach is to take a still shot of part of the video and then stretch that still shot to whatever length you need it to be. I have also added pan and zoom effects to those still shots to give them a little movement as one of my clients doesn’t like pictures to linger too long without anything more happening on the screen.
Click to View Still Shot With Zoom
Pinnacle Studio has a snapshot feature which allows you to get a still shot from video, or you can play and pause the video at the desired spot and use SnagIt to capture your still shot.
I hope these very simple methods help you to stretch your video content and keep things moving at an engaging pace for your learners. What are some methods you’ve come up with to stretch your video content? Feel free to share any ideas you have in the comments.
E-Learning With Dan 
Great tips, Dan! I need to use little video tricks like this more often. Thanks for the scoop along with your demos! 😀
Thanks Jackie, I thought although these are very simple techniques, some folks may not have thought to use them to stretch their video content.
Thanks Jackie, Although the techniques I talked about here are ones most people are familiar with, a lot of folks may not have thought to use them to stretch a small amount of video content.