You don't need a professional studio to create high-quality content. Your phone, web camera, and computer microphones are often powerful enough for most academic projects.
Below are the essentials. You can conduct research on the best options and outcomes.
Camera
This captures your visual information.
- Webcams: Built into most laptops and great for recording presentations directly at your desk. You won’t be able to capture “B-Roll” as easily, so you might plan your video with stock footage instead.
- Smartphones: Recent generations of smartphones from all brands have improved their camera quality and can be used to record yourself. You may want to get a small stand to hold your phone while recording. You will need to transfer your video files to your computer through the OneDrive app (with your UCCS credentials), Google Photos/Drive, Apple Photos, or other drop box system. Do not try to email your video files to yourself, as they are often too large.
- DSLR/Mirrorless Cameras: Offer the highest quality and manual control but are expensive. Your projects and research videos likely don’t require a camera compared to the other options (webcam or smartphone). If you do plan on buying a camera for yourself, consider “vlogger” or “streamer” models.
Microphone
Clear audio is often more important than perfect video. Your audience will forgive grainy visuals more easily than hard-to-understand audio.
Consider these options:
- Built-in Mics: Convenient, but they pick up room noise and can sound distant. You can record video and extract the audio from your webcams microphone for a podcast project. For your school research projects, the built-in mic is likely quality enough, and you can improve the outcome by turning off any fans, music, TVs, and other room noise. You should sit within a few feet of your microphone to improve the pickup.
- USB Microphones: A great upgrade for desktop recording. They plug directly into your computer and offer much clearer sound.
- Lavalier Mics (Lav Mics): These small microphones clip onto your shirt and are excellent for recording a single speaker, as they isolate your voice. Many LAV mics will plug into your computer, just as they do a camera, to record your audio matching your webcam video.
- Headphones: Most new generation Bluetooth headphones and earbuds have solid microphones built into the system (for when you talk on the phone). Wired headphones also have microphones, and you may need to hold the mic clip closer to your mouth.
Lighting
Good lighting ensures your audience can see you clearly and creates a professional look.
- Natural Light: A large window is a fantastic, free light source. Face the window so the light illuminates you. Do NOT place the window or light source at your back because it will cause a shadow in your camera.
- Ring Lights: Affordable and easy to use, these provide soft, even light for a single speaker at a desk. You can find models that clip onto your computer to improve the lighting in your webcam or surround your phone.
- Three-Point Lighting: The professional standard using a key light (near the face), fill light (surrounding the room), and back light (addressing shadows) to shape your subject. You don’t need to purchase a full L.E.D. set of lighting for your project though. Instead use a ring light as the key, a window as the fill, and a desk lamp as your back light to move shadows.
Tip: Record your video during the day.
Even if your window light isn’t very big or strong, having the natural light in your space is easier to work with than the harsh “big light” of your room when it is dark outside.
Use the Library
You can reserve a study room here in the library to record. Most study rooms have large windows for your lighting, thick walls for sound dampening, and neutral paint for the background. You can set up your camera or computer on the tables to stand back and capture more of your body while speaking.
If you are nervous looking into the camera or feel awkward recording audio alone, print out a picture of someone that makes you feel comfortable. Place the picture just above and behind your camera so you can look at their face. You can print out your picture using the library machines and your Paw Prints account.
