Setting Up Your Virtual Studio

Over the last year, we’ve had no choice but to get used to the “new normal”.

Be that in our personal lives or in professional environments. One of the most distinct changes in our working lives has been communication, whether that’s how we’re communicating with clients or hosting meetings with colleagues.

Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, Google Meets and more have been adopted as the norm for meeting with our colleagues which throws up a new set of challenges. We’re now reliant on audio/visual quality, lighting, and broadband speed to allow us to look and sound our best, and get our core message across to our audience.

Being the global leading online video platform for investment professionals, we wanted to share some best practice to help you present yourself and your brand in the best possible way.

Location and Lighting

When choosing a location in your home or office, it’s always best to look for a location that has the most flattering light. Your light source could be a window or light fixture. You’ll want to choose a location with not a lot of echo and is brightly lit. We recommend you have a neutral background with a pop of colour (a plain wall with a lovely plant looks great). We suggest not filming in your bedroom however, if this is your only option, be sure to have any personal items hidden away.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do’s

• You’ll want to have a nice, natural, diffused light coming from in front of you. This is what we call the ‘Key Light’.
• We recommend you have your largest light source either right in front of you or at a 45-degree angle. If you do not have a natural light source or would like a stellar looking setup, we recommend having a ring light. If you can’t purchase a ring light, we suggest placing a lamp that has a white or daylight colour bulb in front of you.

Don’ts

• Never have a bright light source coming from behind you.
• Don’t have any light source directly over you, this will cause the light to cascade off your brow and will cause you to dark shadows around your eyes.

Sound

Headphones

We recommend using headphones or a headset. Either will provide you with the best audio quality. (Your computer audio may not be best if you have a large space that you are filming in).

Microphone

A separate microphone will also enhance the quality of your filming. However, an earbuds microphone will suffice if you can’t get a microphone.

*Note: Once you have installed your inputs (microphone, headset, earbuds), you may need to go into Zoom to change your input settings. You can access this in the audio tab in settings. Additionally, when choosing the space to film in, it’s best to make sure that noises such as a fan or air conditioner are turned off.

Green Screen/Backgrounds

If you choose to go with a digital image backdrop, we suggest using a green screen to enhance the quality of your image. The use of a green screen will limit the chances of image aberrations.

Basic Green Screen Setup:

• Set up your green screen behind your chair.
• Install backlights so that they are illuminating your screen evenly.
• Set up your Key and Back Light.
• If additional lighting is needed, you may need a fill light to add more light.

After setting up your green screen and lights, head into Zoom and enable in your video settings that you have a green screen. Note: If you or your company decide not to purchase a green screen but still wish to use a digital image background, it is recommended to place yourself in front of a clean bare wall.

Camera Placement and Positioning

When sitting in front of your webcam, you’ll want to be sitting at eye level. This will ensure that you are sitting up straight and looking into the lens when speaking. After placing your webcam at eye level, make sure that your body is in the centre of the frame and that you are an arm’s length away from your computer. If sitting at a desk or on a stand, be careful to not shake your desk or hit the stand, this may cause your camera to move too much which can become distracting. Ensure that your camera lens is clean, a quick wipe with a microfibre cloth will help.

Connectivity

We advise that your PC be hardwired to your Internet instead of using Wi-Fi. If you are using a tablet and can only use Wi-Fi, be sure that no one else is using the Wi-Fi and that you are close to the router to have a stable signal. Please ensure you have the most up to date version of the Zoom app installed. New features are constantly added to aid picture quality. If you’re part of an Asset TV interview our producers can run through settings with you ahead of the recording.

Look the Part

We recommended business attire or business casual. Wear whatever you would wear to film if you were in our studio. Even though you’re not in your office or our studio, we are aiming for professional quality videos, as your videos will appear on Asset TV or on your company’s website, where they will be alongside other content that was produced in a professional setting.

As the World Gets Back to Normal, Virtual is Here to Stay

The shift to virtual conferencing is clearly a done deal, not least because in-person events are on hold. But there looks to be a longer-term impact. The majority are finding significant benefits in virtual conferences. Take a look at our Virtual Conferencing Professionals Survey to learn more about why virtual is more than just a short-term solution. If you have any questions on any of this or want to see more of our virtual solutions, contact us at [email protected].