The use of PowerPoint has become widespread. When combined with a Lightboard and OBS, PowerPoint slides become interactive.
I’ve provided a sample PowerPoint deck here, that you can download and use as a template.
This is how to include PowerPoint slides in your video.
First, do your PowerPoint slides:
Design your PowerPoint slides. Remember that everything that is colored black will disappear – so if you import graphics or charts, you need to choose the colors carefully.
Export the slides…
… as PNG files …
… each slide goes to a separate file …
Select where you want the files to be exported.
You’ll get a system message letting you know where they went (confirmation).
If you look in Finder (File explorer on a PC) you’ll see the separate files as Slide1.png, Slide2.png, etc.
Next, import the slides into OBS:
Go into your OBS window.
Down at the bottom, you’ll see “Sources”
Click on the “+” – and then select “Image Slide Show”
Name your collection of images. I used “Demo PowerPoint”. I suggest you name it something more specific. (Yes, you can rename it later, but why create more work for yourself?)
Click “OK”.
The “Properties” window will then open. Note: this window looks like that’s all there is, but there’s really more things hidden down below. Expand the window, or scroll down within the window to be able to see everything.
Change “Slide Mode” to “Manual (Use hotkeys to control slideshow)”
Then where it says “Image Files” – click the “+”
Select “Add Files”
Select your files to include (that you exported from PowerPoint, above)
Presto, your slides are included.
You’ll notice two things:
- You might not like the size or placement. You can fix that by moving/resizing the red rectangle
- They’re not transparent.
Let’s make them transparent.
Right-click on the PowerPoint source (at the bottom); a menu will open up. Select “Filters”:
You’ll see this window.
Select the “+” down at the bottom.
Select “Luma Key”
Accept the suggestion for the name of the filter (it doesn’t matter).
Click “OK”.
You’ll notice that the background of the PowerPoint slides has now magically “gone away”. Don’t change anything else, just click “OK”.
Presto – resized/moved, and transparent PowerPoint slides!
You can make the slides visible/invisible by selecting the “eye” in the Sources box.
Now, to use the slides during a presentation:
Are your slides visible? You can make the slides visible/invisible by selecting the “eye” in the Sources box.
In the Sources window (at the bottom) – select the PowerPoint presentation, and click on the “Gear” to open the Properties dialog box.
You can also do this by double-clicking on the “Demo PowerPoint” line in the Sources box.
In the Sources window (at the bottom) – select the PowerPoint presentation, and click on the “Gear” to open the Properties dialog box.
The first slide will be highlighted.
Step through your presentation by using the up and down arrows on the right-hand side, next to the Image files listing.
