Think about giving a presentation. Whether it’s a lecture, training session, or a demonstration, it’s often nerve-racking. Multiply those nerves by 100 if there’s a camera in front of you. You may feel self-conscious or camera shy, or you might not know how to create the best-looking video, especially without access to a fancy camera or recording studio. Rest assured, it’s easier than you think.
With our personal capture software, My Mediasite Desktop Recorder and a few best practices, you can easily create a studio-level environment from the comforts of your home or office.
We sat down with one of our senior sales engineers for an inside look at how to make your videos look like the pros. Follow this sound advice and you’ll be confident to step in front of the camera in no time!
Know your story
Talking to a camera is very different than talking to an actual person. It can be much more intimidating and takes some getting used to. Before you present, make sure your content is well-rehearsed, spelled correctly, and has all the important information it needs. It’s easy to tell when someone doesn’t know their material when they use filler words such as “um.” People who know their content allow the words to flow as they go.
Don’t date the content
Try and avoid referencing dates and days because the viewer wants the presentation to feel as timely and relevant as possible regardless of when they watch. They won’t feel as engaged if it feels like the presentation was filmed on a different day. It might not seem like a big deal, but the viewer may feel disinclined to watch further.
Don’t be afraid to create a make-shift setup
Good lighting and a simple background can transform any space into a video studio. If your recording area doesn’t have the professional polish of a typical studio, that’s OK! There are cost-effective and easy solutions to make it better. You can buy background kits for $100 for a clean, polished look in your videos. Lighting kits also help illuminate your at-home studio for around $80.
Audio is also very essential to a good setup. Unfortunately, you cannot fix bad audio so it’s essential to get it right the first time. Your laptop audio may be good, but it’s wise to invest in a webcam microphone or even better, a headset microphone to enhance the quality of your audio. Mediasite Desktop Recorder is a great option, and it’s super easy to use.
It’s all about those camera angles
When it comes to setting up the camera, your choices are critical … very critical. It‘s a fine line between setting up the camera too high, too low or just right. Make sure you’re even with your audience. You want them to feel equal and at ease with you. Use things as simple as shoeboxes to elevate your camera.
Eliminate all outside distractions
Whether you are at home or at an office, there are bound to be outside noises and intrusions while you are recording a session. Remember that now viral BBC interview from a few years ago? A professor’s kids casually wander in during it, followed by his wife crawling on the floor to try to remedy the situation. It’s funny now, but that could be your worst nightmare if you’re giving a professional presentation. Hang a do not disturb sign, take the dog outside, avoid areas with children; whatever you need to do to create a quiet environment. Also make sure that wherever you are, there are no weird mechanical noises that could interfere.
Editing is your friend
You don’t have to stop mid presentation to re-record if something happens. If something needs to be rerecorded, simply pause for about five seconds, don’t say anything and continue. You can use the wave forms in the Mediasite editor to determine where you stopped speaking and cut it out of the entire video – piece of cake! [Read: How to Edit Your Mediasite Videos Like a Pro]
If you want to learn more about how you can create professional-looking videos without the studio, register below.
