Home Video Recording Studio on a Budget | Rosewood Marketing

If you have ever thought of setting up a home video recording studio, now is the time! Since COVID-19 has hit and stuck around, content plans have had to be reworked, or even put aside. With these tips, you can set yourself up right from the comfort of your own home.

Having the right equipment is going to make a huge difference for your home video recording studio setup. Luckily, we can help you find the basics at almost any price point.

At Home Video Equipment Checklist for Beginners:

Phone Camera or Web Cam
Camera Tripod
Lighting
- You can totally get away with natural lighting, however, for those overcast days, an LED ring light can make all the difference.

TRICK: You can find LED light rings & tripods in one!

Audio: Having a good microphone will give you good audio to work with. Some reliable audio options on a budget are the BOYA BY-M1DM Dual Lavalier Microphones (Clip-on Mic) / Emiral Smartphone Microphone (Shotgun Mic) + an Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter for Apple users with an iPhone 8 or above.

TIP #1 – Choose an Appropriate Setting

Use a nice space in your home to make your backdrop not only beautiful but full of personality! Having a set of props that reflect your brand image will not only make set up easier but also keep your videos more consistent. A tall plant and a trade show banner work in a pinch!

TIP #2 – Keeping Consistent Lighting

Having good lighting makes all the difference in videos. Lighting helps to keep the camera focused on what you are shooting, and not on re-adjusting to the lighting. Whether it is natural or artificial lighting, you want to make sure your subject is facing the light, and that the light is smooth. We don’t want any harsh shadows…unless that’s what you are going for.

Because sunlight is constantly changing, investing even a little into some artificial light will be well worth it. Google the “Three-Point Lighting System” to see the setup we use and recommend to all our clients.

TIP #3 Adding a Second Camera

Adding a second camera can add some dimension to your content. Whether it’s a second phone or a second video camera, getting some different shots can increase the “professionalism” of a video. If your subject is shot from the front, try adding your second camera 45 – 90 degrees from your primary camera. When editing, you can take footage from both angles, leaving you with a more dynamic video.

TIP #4 – Floor Markers

Setting down markers on the floor will allow you to take snack breaks in between takes…but in all seriousness, setting down markers will help you stay consistent in the long run. When working at home, sometimes you are the producer, director, stylist, lighting, and camera operator all in one. Having place markers on your floor will help you stay consistent. It will also help you with continuity while editing.

TIP #5 Check 1..2..3..

Tip #5 but Rule #1: You’re going to always want to do an audio check. There is nothing worse than filming an amazing video, then finding out during editing that the audio wasn’t very good. A solid tip for any at-home studio is to figure out what your space’s baseline audio sounds like, and then fix that. A great example is an empty room that tends to echo; we can fix this by putting some furniture in it to help absorb the sound. Another great example is knowing what goes on outside of your space. If the garbage truck comes every Wednesday at noon, then it is probably not the best idea to try to film during that time.

TIP #6 Prep B-Roll Shots to Cover Any Mistakes

B-Roll footage is what is outside of your main set up. Examples of B-Roll could be closeups of a prop, or of someone’s hand. Having B-Roll can help you hide any filming mistakes. You can cut to some B-Roll instead of using the original footage.

TIP #7 Practice

Be kind to yourself, practice makes perfect. Your first video isn’t going to look and sound like your 5th, 10th or even 50th video. You’ll learn your own tips and tricks along the way!

Remember, if you aren’t up to filming in-house content, you can still book your professional photos and videos with the Rosewood Team. Commercial photo/video shoots are still permitted to operate during the pandemic.