Setting Up Your Space to Record Video Like a Boss

One of my huge loves is to record video. Truth be told, I love to talk. I enjoy supporting other entrepreneurs and I also like to impart words of wisdom from my journey — I’m an information junkie and I really feel helpful when I share. I’ve always loved photography and art (I wanted to go to art school, but my mom said I wasn’t allowed) so things like framing and lighting came naturally to me. I’ll go into more detail about that in a bit.

I was doing a training a few months back sharing how I have my video staging area set up when one of the participants shouted, “Oh the FAMOUS background!” I had no idea it was famous, but that surely made my day because that meant it was brand recognizable.  In all honestly, sometimes I’m too lazy to grab my computer and head downstairs, but the lighting is so much better and the background is much more colorful than in my office.

Lighting is the most important thing when taking video. I think when something is visually easy on the eyes, people stay more engaged. Here are some examples of video I’ve taken in different places around my house.

Record Video – In My Front Office

Lighting comes from the side where the window is and is a bit yellow because of the other room lights. It’s not horrible, but it could be better.

Record Video – In My Kitchen

Dark and shadowed, light glares in my glasses.

Record Video – In Front of a Window

Overexposed.  My shirt is actually orange with white pineapple print and you can’t even tell!  I did this on my phone so the video is portrait instead of landscape.

Record Video – In my Basement Setup

Good white lighting and crisp colors.

A Short Note about Framing

If you notice in all the landscape photos above my head is almost to the top of the frame. Many people are tempted to center their head in the middle of the frame. That’s not good positioning because it will feel like you’re squashed down in the video, like you’re peering over a table. Then there’s a lot of air space above too. Besides the fact that if you are using your hands, it will be hard to have them in the frame if it’s too low.

Additionally, the angle of your camera is important. Whether you’re using your computer or a selfie stick, have the angle come from slightly above. It allows your eyes to be more open (which creates more trust) and people will get the feeling that you’re looking at them directly. When you have the camera below you, you get the nostril shot and double chin shot — who wants that?

Tools of the Trade

The must haves are a couple of soft white umbrellas.  When I bought my kit, I got umbrellas with a backdrop then bought an additional bookshelf backdrop like these kits below.

My Actual Basement Setup

Using a Selfie Stick to Record Video

It used to be that recording on Facebook with your phone was landscape, but recently they switched to portrait. I’m guessing it’s to match Instagram. After all, they own Instagram. I realized that my selfie stick was hard to hold sideways. I had to use two hands and it was very awkward. So I got this tripod swivel adaptor and it works like a charm now!

(yes my selfie stick is branded!)

For Your Desk and Travel

I’d recommend my friend Elizabeth de Moraes’ Video Glam Cam Kit — It’s been seen at the Grammy’s Gifting Room! Just click the photo below to find out more and to get it.

Get the details and join the 3 Day Free Book Profit Challenge at bit.ly/bookprofitchallenge.

Vickie Gould is a book coach, best selling author, and speaker. She believes that everyone has a story to share and a journey orchestrated for their positive growth — and that those experiences should be written in a best selling book.

Vickie helps entrepreneurs to write, self-publish and leverage their own business books to share those stories, grow their following, create more impact and turn readers into clients through her Easy Writer Program, one-on-one coaching and her free Facebook Group, Write Your Biz Book.

She has written 10 best sellers such as Easy Writer (⬅️grab it for 40% off). She has helped nearly 100 others to become best selling authors as well. Get her cheatsheet called, “5 Secret Strategies to Write Your Book Quickly” at: bit.ly/5secretstrategies.