3 Items To Create Your 'Video Home Studio'
We've said it before and we'll say it again: video is KING. Not only has video watch time gone up over the past few weeks, but so has the amount of video being produced! Some of it great, some of it...not so great. 😬 But the vast majority of it is being shot by us in our homes. From real estate to Saturday Night Live, home video is back!
But how do you make sure your videos stand out from the crowd? Even though YOU make your videos unique, QUALITY is still important! Below, we have three items that will help increase the quality of your videos. Even though we link to recommendations, it's important to research on your own. These were chosen based exclusively on Amazon prices and positive reviews.
Tripod
The easiest and arguably most important of these three items, a tripod does two main things. 1 - it steadies your shot! You now have a stable, consistent frame. 2 - it frees up your hands. Instead of holding your smartphone at arm's length, you can use both of your arms while talking, which helps make you more expressive. These range from $9 to $30 and some even double as a selfie stick, so look for what best fits your needs!
Desk Light
We've talked about this before, but lighting is one of the biggest components of high quality video. Even though our smartphones can shoot amazing footage, we need to make sure the lighting looks good so people can SEE you. Even though there are some cheap "three point lighting" setups, there are some lights you can grab that go right on your desk or table to brighten the room. Make sure to play around with it to see what looks best in the frame.
Microphone
It's important that we can HEAR you! Whether your house is a circus of kids and pets running around or you're trying to shoot outside on a windy day, a smartphone microphone is a great asset. Some are bluetooth, some plug right into your headphone jack. If you get a plug-in mic, make sure it fits your device correctly! The newer iPhones have those weird plugs now. 🤷♂️ P.S. - if you have a microphone built into your headphones, this works too.
And voila! Just like that, around $100, you've got a quality in-home studio. Lights, camera, ACTION!