Getting the most of out Zoom and Descript

Get the most from your Zoom recordings by configuring it to record the best video feeds to suit your needs. Depending on your desired finished production, this guide provides various Zoom settings and configurations to streamline your editing process in Descript.

Looking for an easier way to meet and record?

Rooms (Descript’s conferencing tool and recorder) lets you meet, record, and collaborate—all in one place. It’s simpler, faster, and fully integrated. Learn how to use Rooms.

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Using a single combined video track

This is ideal if you prefer a simple, straightforward production where a single combined video track is used throughout. It minimizes the need for switching between different camera feeds or visuals and allows for easy editing without managing multiple video files.

Recommended Zoom Configuration

If you only intend to use a single video feed, decide how you want your speakers and screen sharing to appear and choose one of the following:

These settings are not accessible via the Zoom app. Please update them from your Zoom account on the web: Zoom cloud recording settings.

  • Record active speaker with shared screen: When screens are not shared, video shows only the active speaker. During screen sharing, the shared screen is prominent and the speaker appears in a small preview.
    Zoom settings: active speaker with shared screen
    Zoom example
  • Record gallery view with shared screen: Grid view when idle, prominent screen during sharing.
    Zoom settings: gallery view with screen share
    Zoom gallery view example
  • Record active speaker, gallery view, and shared screen separately: Keep this unchecked if you only want one feed.

What this means in terms of editing

This is the simplest editing path. Only one video feed will appear in Descript’s editor by default. You can then layer visuals, transitions, and focus on script-based edits.

Learn more about AI Actions.

Using multiple camera views

If you want more flexibility in your video production—like switching visuals between gallery view, active speaker, and screen share—enable multiple Zoom feeds.

Recommended Zoom Configuration

Select all video feeds you might want in your final production.

These settings must be configured on Zoom’s website: Zoom cloud recording settings.

  • Record active speaker with shared screen:
    Active speaker setting
    Example feed
  • Record gallery view with shared screen:
    Gallery view setting
    Example gallery
  • Record all feeds separately: Gives the most control in Descript.
    Separate feeds setting

    This gives full flexibility in Descript, but may require combining layers during editing.

    Combined view

What this means in terms of editing

Descript will show the broadest view by default (e.g., gallery + screen share). Use the Properties panel to switch video sources for any scene.

If you’ve added scenes, changes will apply only to that scene. Otherwise, the change affects the full composition. Learn more about scenes.

Swap using the Multicam card

  1. Select the scene in the script or timeline.
  2. Click the video layer in the scene editor.
  3. Open the Properties panel and scroll to the Layer list.
  4. Select the alternate source from the Multicam card.
    multicam.png

Swap using the right-click menu

  1. Select the scene and layer.
  2. Right-click the video in the scene editor.
  3. Select Change source and choose the alternate video feed.
    Right-click menu for change source