Zoom Presenter AV Tech Checks – Are you ready for your close-up?

Virtual events aren't going anywhere any time soon and as companies have shifted to a full-time remote workforce over the last two years, most people have figured out how to join and participate in virtual meetings. While most meetings don't require you to turn on your camera, which can save you from a bad hair day or even getting dressed for your work day, there are many occasions when you have to start your video and smile at the camera. So, when the time comes for you to turn on camera, unmute your mic and share your big presentation in a virtual meeting on Zoom or Teams or any virtual event platform, are you ready for your close up? 

As follow up to my last two posts, Build your own Micro Studio and Your Virtual Production Home Studio – There's No Place Like Home, this post shares a checklist my team and I created for our Zoom presenters to help prepare them for virtual stage. We usually schedule a day or more of tech checks with each our presenters before the virtual events that we produce. The tech checks usually take only 15-minutes depending on the level of knowledge and comfort our presenters have with Zoom.  

Zoom Presenter AV Tech Check List

 

Internet Connection

• Use Zoom app not web browser (keep app updated)

• VPN off (it consumes too much bandwidth)

• Wired Internet preferred vs. Wifi (tether to mobile as last resort)

 

Communications

• Zoom controls (video, audio, chat)

• Host will ask to unmute/turn on camera (Host can’t turn on their cameras and need to ask)

• Intercom for communication with production team behind the scenes

 

Clock

• Timer counting down amount of time to present (available for produced events)

 

Audio & Video

• Video - controls, on/off

• Audio – sound check, use computer audio, USB mic or built-in mic vs. telephone

 

Content

• Share content using Zoom share or with video capture card 

• Pin “slide” window to see any Zoom video full screen for your local view

 

Background

• Virtual or physical background

 

Lighting

• Natural or artificial lighting (even lighting)

 

Camera framing

• Camera angle and eye contact (head and shoulders in view with camera at eye line)

Your Virtual Production Home Studio – There's No Place Like Home

Photo credit: Room Rater @ratemyskyperoom

As follow up to my last post, these pro tips come by way of @NewscastStudio from an April 2020 column There’s no place like home – your home studio simplified by Angry Badger Productions. While we've all been doing non-stop virtual meetings now for over two years – and most of us have our office or home  virtual production studio set up – there's always room for improvement. In this blog post, Angry Badgers' Director of Photography shares his Pro Tips for setting up your virtual production home studio or "at least to make improvements in your current set up."

The top ten topics are:

1. Color Temp - keep lights the same color temperature
2. Illumination Level - you should be the brightest part of the picture, use soft light, watch out for backlights
3. Camera Sensitivity/Dynamic Range - make sure you have enough light so your picture isn't too grainy
4. Contrast Ratios - don't over light, keep lights at medium brightness
5. Manual Controls - use manual controls, don't just use auto settings 
6. Camera Support and Placement - get camera a few degrees above eye line, that's the most flattering, stack books, boxes or anything you have to get the right angle
7. Monitoring - keep an eye on your stream, monitor on an iPad or other device
8. Framing and Composition - stay centered in the frame, use rule of thirds, keep background simple
9. Connectivity - use a wired ethernet cable directly to your router so you don’t have to rely of Wi-Fi, it's a more stable connections
10. Prompter - use an iPad or another laptop below the camera, printed scripts and index cards work too

Gear tips:

• Three-light kit with stand
• Compact light with great features from Moman
• Super compact light with great features from Supon
• A simple Joby GorillaPod works well in the home

@NewscastStudio The trade publication for broadcast production, including broadcast technology, engineering, production tools, set design, gfx, augmented reality and virtual.

#WFH Look better-Check out our #lighting #Protips for #homestudio from #AngryBadger via @newscaststudio https://t.co/exiBZFoJqi pic.twitter.com/O0hTeUBbDz

— Kathryn Mosher-Boule (@kmosherboule) April 17, 2020