7 things to check before filming yourself online

Are you wondering what you need to be aware of before stepping in front of the camera? You probably have lot of questions like what should you wear? How can you optimise your lighting? Or maybe you aren’t sure how to position yourself correctly in front of the camera?

If so, this checklist is the one for you.

At Podymos, we think that everyone can produce high-quality video, no matter their background or experience. So, we’ve created a list of 7 points to be aware of that will ensure all your videos add value to your brand and most importantly your audience.

1. Camera

Before even stepping in front of your webcam, it’s important to ensure your internet connection and webcam can stream high-quality footage (1080 p).

It’s even better if you have a 4K camera as some software, like Riverside FM, can save your footage locally so you don’t lose any quality and then upload it to a secure platform for editing.

2. Internet connection – upload speed

The higher your upload speed the better, however, any speed over 5 Mbps (Megabits per second) will be suitable to stream 720p and 1080p footage.

Before starting filming, check your upload speed by visiting SpeedTest.net and clicking Go.

3. Lighting

A bright room is ideal.

The main light source, which is normally a window, should be in front of you.  If you don’t have a window in the room, then an up lighter will also work, but natural light is always best.

Why is this important? Well, if the main lighting is behind you, to the right or to your left, it’ll darken the footage, making it difficult for your audience to see your facial expressions.

If you’re a regular when it comes to filming online, you may already have a ring light that you can put in front of you. If not, and you want to purchase one, there are many options and they come in many shapes and sizes, but we have listed a few below that we’ve used.

1. Flexible ring light and camera holder
2. Laptop ring light

4. Backdrop

A clean backdrop is always best with a few well-placed features such as photographs, awards, certificates or logos on the wall. This can be at work or at home.

Digital backgrounds are not ideal as they often cut the presenter’s image in unpredictable ways, which can be distracting for the audience and impact the professional look for your final footage.

5. Audio

You may find your computer or webcam audio feed works just fine, however if not, you can use external earphones or a microphone to improve quality.

There are many options available. We’ve listed a few below that we use ourselves when filming or speaking online.

1. Wireless earphones: Apple AirPods (You’ve very likely heard of these before)
2. Microphone: Rode NT-USB

6. Clothing & glasses

You may not think about your clothing choice too much before stepping in front of the camera, but it can make quite an impact.

Plain colour clothes are always best, and bright clothes can really stand out, adding a pop to your video.

On the other side, stripes or cheques should be avoided as they can cause strobing in the final footage which can be distracting for the audience.

If possible, it’s best not to wear glasses during filming as your computer screen can reflect in the lenses. If you do need glasses, try to mitigate any reflections during set up.

7. Other media sources

To ensure no audio or screen interferences during filming, we recommend all other media devices and programs are turned off.

Yes, this includes putting your phone on silent and closing all applications on your computer so there is nothing to cause distraction.

Now this is all done, you’re ready to go!

Videography with Podymos

Do you want to communicate more effectively with HCPs and patients? Do you want to be able to deliver high-quality videos as part of your larger multichannel marketing strategy? You’ve come to the right place.

Podymos is a healthcare marketing agency, specialising in downstream Medical Device marketing.

We’re more expensive than non-specialised agencies and freelance teams because we only work in the Medical Device space so we have specialist knowledge and experience that other agencies may not be able to offer you.

If you want high-quality, compliant campaigns that help achieve your business goals, we’d love to hear from you. Simply leave us your contact details below and we’ll get back to you very soon for a no obligation chat.