Video Conferencing Basics:
5 Keys To Master Recording Video At Home

We’re not striving for perfection, but we do want to stand out and be professional. If you plan your video setup ahead of time, your home video shoot will run smoothly and you’ll come out with better content. With these video setup basics, you’ll be ready to record video with more confidence and a professional touch.

Top 5 Keys To Recording Video At Home

1. Equipment. The basics with equipment for any video shoot are a camera, tripod, microphone, and lighting. For a video conference call, this translates to a computer, whatever you place your computer on, computer audio, and lighting.

• Take Your Webcam Setup To The Next Level. With a webcam you can use the one built into your computer if it’s high enough quality or you can buy a separate HD webcam and connect it to your computer. The most important things to keep in mind with a webcam is it’s at least HD quality and works well capturing your movement. You want to ensure that your webcam is set up at eye level because it helps mimic an in-person conversation and it’s much more flattering for you. Instead of just placing your computer on a desk, grab a box or stack of books and add that extra height. Taking this extra step really elevates your video, literally and figuratively.
• Go Beyond Your Standard Microphone. You can always use the built in microphone in your computer, but that will capture all the noise around you. So when your kids are calling for you or your dog running around your desk, the computer microphone will pick up that noise for everyone to hear. That’s why it’s best to get a great microphone that you can plug into your computer, so your audio quality will be strong and it’ll only capture your voice. I personally use the Blue Yeti Microphone. All you have to do is plug it into a USB port, and you’re set to go.
• Lighting Is Everything. Proper lighting can truly make a difference in the quality of your The key is to evenly light your face and your space. Natural light is always best. So if you can face a window, that’s a great way to bring in light. But you’ll most likely need additional lighting so you’re not limited by your office setup or the time of day you’re recording video. You can bring in a couple lamp stands to place behind your computer or you can go the extra mile and purchase lighting just for your video calls. At the least you need two lights: one directly behind the webcam to light up your face and one to the side to light up your background.

2. Space. You need to be mindful of the area you choose for your video conference calls. It doesn’t need to look like a high end office, but it does need to look like you’ve selected the space on purpose. A home office is ideal, but you can make a section of a living room, bedroom, or even your basement look great. You just have to make what appears on camera look great, so no need to have an entire room set up just for video conferencing. Personally, I record my video blogs and video conference calls in the corner of my home basement, so you really can make any space look great.

• Control The Noise. The space you have for your videos needs to be as quiet as possible. Make sure there is no music playing in the background and there is no noise from outside traffic or heating and AC units. Also, you should avoid recording video in a room that echoes. If your office space does echo, then bringing in a rug and fabrics to absorb the noise helps reduce the vibrations of your voice bouncing off from the walls around you. Of course, using a microphone attachment for your computer will help as well.
• Minimize Visual Distractions. Next you need to think about your background. People often forget about what’s behind them in videos, but now I’m making sure you don’t. Your background is important because you don’t want to have any distractions for your viewers. At the least you need to reduce clutter and avoid having windows or mirrors behind you. You want to be aware of what is around you in the video frame, so that you stand out from your background. Make sure you don’t have items sticking out of you like a poll of a lamp stand or glare from your lighting on a picture frame. Eliminating distractions like this can really elevate your video in a simple way.
• Keep Your Background Simple But Have Fun. You can go as simple as a plain wall behind you or an organized bookshelf. If you’d like to take your background to the next level, you can incorporate your company branding with colors and objects. You’ll see I have a lighter background with pops of my brand colors like aqua green, cobalt blue and deep purple. On my bookshelf, I even have a couple items that reference video like a wooden camera. Small touches like this can make your videos more engaging, feel more personal, and appear more professional.

3. Framing. Properly framing your camera is one thing that will separate you from the amateurs. It only takes a little extra thought, but it goes a long way to make you look more professional. Framing takes in the account of your comfort and your viewers comfort, as well as how you carry yourself throughout your presentation.

• Give Yourself “Breathing Room.” The “breathing room” is the spacing around you within the shot people see you on video. You want to give yourself a little head room and empty space around your body, so there’s space for you to use your hands and arms when speaking. This breathing room also makes it more comfortable and inviting for your audience because it gives off a conversational feeling with the audience being in the camera’s position. It’s best to position yourself in the center of the shot and slightly angle your body.
• Mimic An In-Person Interaction. Your goal is to mimic an in person interaction with your video, and that’ll make your video more successful. You don’t want your camera shot zoomed in close to your face because that would be uncomfortably close and you don’t want the camera zoomed out so far that the person watching won’t feel welcomed to listen to your message. Having the webcam at eye level is a huge part of making the video call feel more conversational because we naturally connect with our eyes. Open body language is important because it’s showing you’re welcoming your viewers to listen and chime in.
• Keep EVERYTHING Within Frame. If you’re presenting during your video conference call and you plan to reference an object or pick something up, make sure your viewers can actually see what you’re talking about. It would be quite odd for you to talk about a picture behind you without it being within the frame because it makes you look as if you’re not aware of your video setup and your viewers have to work more with envisioning what you’re talking about. In the end, your message will be lost and you don’t want that.

4. Content. Great content is what keeps viewers engaged.  The messaging being shared is also the main purpose of the video conferencing call.

• Focus On Value. Make sure to include only what is necessary in a video and to not have the video conference call longer than it has to be. This applies to even in-person meetings. There’s no true rule of how long or short your conferencing should be. It really depends on the purpose behind the meeting and what frame of mind your viewers are in when hopping on the call. As a presenter, you want to establish rapport with your viewers but you never want to stuff a video with fluff or content that doesn’t serve your viewers in some way. Before the video conference even happens, make sure to write down bullet points on what you’d like to cover as the presenter or what you’d like to contribute as someone joining the meeting.
• Have A Call-To-Action. With every type of video, you always want to close with a call-to-action, even for video conference calls. There’s a reason why you’re all connecting so you need to seize the opportunity to give the next steps. You can share this as a full group next steps or share it individually. It all depends on what the purpose of the video conference call is.
• Take & Share Meeting Notes. It’s very helpful to have someone designated to take meetings notes and let everyone know you’ll be sharing them afterwards. This way everyone on the call can focus on the content and not worry about taking notes the entire time. If everyone is truly present, then you’ll have higher quality interactions. With virtual meetings and brainstorming sessions, it’s particularly important to free up that brain power and attention.

5. You. During these challenging times, we’re craving that human connection even more and that’s why going on camera is so important. You are the key to great video conference calls.

• Be Your Authentic Self. Going on camera and looking into a camera lens may not feel natural, but everyone on the call is in the same position. Relax and breathe. If video conferencing is new for you, then it’s most likely new for your colleagues and clients. We’re all human, so we understand that we may fumble our words sometimes and have technical difficulties at first. The goal is to be yourself so that way you and your viewers can get the most out of the call and even enjoy the process.
• Dress As If You’re In Person. This may seem obvious but those comfy house clothes can be very tempting when you’re not venturing out into the office like you normally do. Whether the call is for a high end client or a casual daily check in with your colleagues, you want to dress appropriately. To take your wardrobe to the next level, keep in mind that clothing doesn’t always look the same on video as it does in person. It’s best to stick with solid colors or simple patterns because intricate patterns or stripes can add an illusion of movement that’s not there which can be distracting. As long as what your viewers see on video looks great, then you’re all set.
• Get Into The Right Mindset. Remember, everyone wants the video call to be a positive experience. No one wants to waste your time or their time. Enjoy seeing and hearing your colleagues or clients, afterall you all chose to do this via video instead of email communication. Once you’re used to it, video conferencing can be really fun because you’ve gone beyond the screen separating you all.

Video conferencing will feel a lot easier and, dare I say, even fun when you implement these tips. When you take into consideration your equipment, space, framing, content, and you the video calls will automatically be better than they were when you just got started.

Bonus Quick Video Conferencing Tips!

Give Yourself 5+ Minutes to Log On & Get Settled. Just setting aside a little time to get your computer ready to queue up the video call and grab a coffee or water will help you feel more ready for the video conference call.

Let Family Know You’re Busy. It’s easier said than done, but letting your partner and children know that you’ll be busy during this specific time and can’t tend to their needs. They need to know that you’re connecting with other people and not just combing through emails or browsing the internet.

Be Ready to Mute Mic When Needed. When your family still interferes, that’s when you have to be ready to hit the mute button quickly so you minimize disrupting the call and address the situation.

Remember We’re All In The Same Situation. Working from home is very new to some people and it’s quite a challenge (especially during these times). Don’t be too hard on yourself if your child runs in on the call or your dog decides to chime in with barking. It happens and others may find it as much needed comic relief.

Use This As An Opportunity to Connect On A Personal Level. Many of us are going stir crazy with social distancing setting in, so seeing and hearing people outside of your household is a great distraction from what’s happening now. Chatting over a video call is much nicer than just emailing back and forth, and it’s often more effective with getting tasks done faster.

Even though hopping on a video conference call is now the new normal, it doesn’t quite feel normal yet. Having a set process will take away the overwhelm and set you up for success. Part of creating a process for you to replicate over and over is mapping out a strategy for your conference calls and videos, so you’re focused on delivering great content that’ll then give you the results you’re looking for. This involves defining the goals, messaging, and timing and deadlines of scheduling and delivering the video presentation, whether it’s in the form of a live video conference call or pre-recorded video.

All this information will give you a great starting point for taking your video conferencing (and video in general) to the next level. When you follow these tips, keep it simple so it’s easy for you to replicate over and over again.