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Setting Up an Office Video Studio

Updated: Feb 9, 2021



I’ve been shooting video's in the middle of my office for years now. It can be pretty tricky. I know many of my readers want to do this, so I’ve put together a blog of the equipment you need to buy and some tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way.


WHERE TO SHOOT

I have 3 places I shoot in

  1. Conference Room: Shooting in a conference room will not only give you control over lighting and ambient noise, but it will keep you from distracting the entire office (and keep the entire office from distracting you).

  2. Desk: I love my setup by my desk because it’s convenient. I can be up and shooting in no time. You definitely need to have a desk setup!

  3. Office Shot: I love my “Office Point Of View” shot. This is where you see the entire background of my office and it gives the viewer proof that I actually have a space where I do business.

SETTING YOUR BACKDROP


Each of the spaces above can have a specific background that you want people to see. There’s a cool way of setting up a backdrop, and there’s a cheesy way. Shotting yourself sitting in a chair with some fake plants in the background doesn’t look cool….not anymore at least. It’s better to shoot in front of a solid colored background.


WARNING: Please stay away from computer-generated backdrops…like shooting in front of a green screen and then the video editor replaces the green screen with a scene from the beach. This is very 1990’s news reporter style.


In my office backdrop shot, I make sure I grab an angle that you can see the best parts of my office. I clean up, make sure everything is nice. I angle the camera so that the room is centered.


If I am going to film with no background, filming against an off-white wall looks pretty boring, and can lead to nasty glare and reflections. Instead, use a roll of seamless paper from a photography supply store.


STUDIO LIGHTS


I use studio lights. The overhead lights in my office create nasty shadows on my face and glare on the top of my head. And since sunlight changes throughout the day in my office, it can be tough to maintain a consistent look. So I cover or turn off the overhead lights, I block out as much outside light as I can, and I bring in my own video lighting.