Everyone knows you need a key light and a tripod. In this video from August 2019 I skip the basics and share five cheap extras that made my home YouTube studio look a lot more professional, as if a whole crew was looking after it.
1. A backdrop light
We all know about the key light and the fill light. What people often forget is the back light. It gives your body definition and separation from the background and adds contrast to the image. You can even use a coloured one to set a colour scheme. Mine are cheap LED panels, an Aputure and a Sokani. You can lean one on a shelf behind you, like I did, or put it on a tripod. They're inexpensive, but they can make your video pop more than you'd imagine.
2. My DIY overhead rig
Every overhead mount I found was pretty expensive. Then I spotted a microphone stand on Amazon. It's light and can't carry much weight, but I tested it and it works perfectly with my Sony a5100 (not with the heavier a6500). In the video it's holding my Tascam and a microphone. An overhead angle is essential, especially for unboxings when you want to give viewers your own perspective. It's cheap, portable and adds a touch of professionalism.
3. Good audio
What makes people click away from a video more than anything? Horrible audio. And it's one of the easiest things to fix. I record with a Rode VideoMicro on the camera and, at the same time, a lavalier into my Tascam DR-40, so I can choose the better track when I edit. My new studio had no acoustic treatment yet, so there could be echo. I've had too many bad experiences without a backup. The Tascam is also great for quickly recording sound effects, and it's always reliable, with a very clean sound.
4. A second camera
It doesn't need to be another mirrorless or DSLR. But a second angle makes your video more interesting and more professional. You could reshoot everything from another side with one camera, but that means doing it all twice. For an unboxing I have my main camera on a tripod and the a5100 on the overhead rig, so I do the unboxing only once. With twins, time is everything. Two cameras plus double audio also mean that if one fails, you're safe. Your phone counts too: my iPhone 8 Plus shoots 4K, and sometimes I use it as a third point of view from above.
5. Small props
Little details like an LED light or the "subscribe" pillow in the background add colour and personality to the set. Did you notice the pillow before I mentioned it? It's a subliminal message, and I really think it works, maybe better than asking for subs. Every time I shoot, I try to add something new, like a drone or some little monsters, to keep the set fresh.
At the end I also teased an upcoming collaboration with photographer Rachel Lerch from Canada. It was a special challenge that I kept as a surprise.