Workshop Presenter Upload

tips for a great recording

1) Audio

Great audio is the most important part of a good video. Studies have shown that viewers will turn off a video with bad audio much faster than one with bad picture quality. For workshops especially, what they hear is more important than what they see.

• Sit close to your microphone.
  The closer you are to your microphone, including the one on your phone or laptop, the more easily it can pick up what you’re saying.

• Consider an external mic
  Audio is so important we recommend an external microphone (especially since you are likely to make many other videos these days). This Here are some suggestions:

  • Best for iPhone (Lightning adapter) - Shure MV88 ($129)

  • Best Lav for Laptop (or Phone) - Rode SmartLav+ ($79)

  • Best Budget Lav Mic - POP voice Pro ($14)

  • Another Good Lav Mic (w/ Lightning or USB-C) - Galvanox Lav Mic ($24)

• Film in a quiet room with little echo
  Be sure to film somewhere quiet, without buzzes, whirs, clicks, or clacks in the background. Also, be aware of the echo. Fabric helps reduce bouncing sound waves, so consider placing pillows or blankets directly behind the camera to absorb extra sound.

• Project your voice
  It feels natural to talk quietly in a quiet room. Don’t forget, you’re the presenter for an audience. Imagine a room with many people, and you want to make sure the people in the back can hear you. Speak as though it’s a room full of teenagers, the microphone is broken, and someone gave them all 5-hour energy right before your talk.

2) VIDEO

While good audio is key, a visually interesting presentation is also important. Whether you’re shooting on a smartphone or in a professional studio, here are some things that can help you record a better video.

• Composition
  The way you frame your shot can dramatically change how pleasant it is to watch.

  • Put the camera at eye-level. Most webcams and computers shoot up from under the chin, which is the least flattering angle you could pick. Put your camera on a tripod, a stack of books, or something else to get it up to eye-level.

  • Fill up the frame. Sit close enough to the camera that the top of your head is near the top of your frame, and your armpits sit just above the bottom of the frame. Not only will this help you stay close for good audio, it will help the audience feel more engaged. Consider standing just to the left or right of center, instead of in the middle. The asymmetry is more visually interesting.

  • No boring backgrounds. Filming against a blank wall is visually boring, and can cause people to check out. Instead, let them see the room behind you. Feel free to include interesting accents (books, art, toys, stuffed animals) and pops of color to make it more interesting.

• Lighting

  • Natural light is your friend. Film near a window to get a nice soft light evenly across your face.

  • Ambient lighting helps. An overhead light or lamp in the background can help illuminate your silhouette and create depth in your shot.

  • More lights. If you want to invest in some lighting, we recommend the Neewer LED Video Light 2-Pack ($42)

• Quality

  • Smartphone cameras are better than laptop cameras. And on smartphones, rear-cameras are better than front-facing cameras.

  • Many smartphones can record in higher quality than the default setting. Access to settings varies by phone, but look for an option to increase the frame rate to 60fps.

  • DSLRs are better than almost any smartphone, but the onboard audio is usually worse. Consider using an external mic alongside a DSLR for the best quality.

3) Content

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how good you sound or look if you aren’t sharing useful, practical tips for attendees. Delivering content online changes some of the rules, as well. Here are some tips for a great workshop:

• Be practical and encouraging. Our attendees are heroes who give countless hours to telling the next generation about Jesus Christ. They need tips they can use immediately, and a reminder that the work they are doing is worthwhile. Above all else, give everything you can to prepare them and refresh them for the next season of challenging ministry.

• Be brief. The attention span for video is often less than half what it is in-person. This is part of why we reduced our workshops to only 25 minutes for the virtual conference. Try changing it up every 7 minutes, with a different story/teaching approach/camera angle/etc.

• Hook ‘em quick. At an in-person conference, getting up and walking out of the room is rude. Online, people can do that without anyone noticing. That means it is more important than ever to create a hook immediately. Some ways to immediately engage the audience:

  • Tell them what problem you will solve in the next 20 minutes.

  • Give them a practical tip right away. Demonstrate how much they can learn from you.

  • Create tension/suspense. Highlight a question or idea, but don’t answer it right away. They’ll stick around to find out.

  • Tell a story. We’re wired for (good) storytelling. Draw me in with a well-told story about the topic.

• Keep going forward. When teaching to video, there’s no room to read to tell if the audience “gets it.” Give them the benefit of the doubt and keep moving. The longer you sit on a point they already understand, the less attention you hold.

• End with an invitation to discussion or Q&A Every workshop will conclude with live Q&A (if you are available) or a discussion group led by a facilitator. When you conclude your workshop, please invite attendees to join the conversation by saying something like,

  • “We’re going to stop there, but I know there is a lot more to be said. Rather than me keep talking, let’s have a discussion. Click the link to join the live discussion where we can explore this topic more.”