CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE ON IMPROVING YOUR RECORDED LESSONS

You can request a faculty consultation with Doug to help you develop better video lessons for your classes. Doug can help anyone from beginners to masters of video recording.  

HOW TO LOOK AND SOUND GREAT ON VIDEO

Sound

Even though you are recording video, the most important part of your video will always be the sound. If students can't hear you, the video is meaningless.

You need to pay attention to two things when thinking about the sound on your videos or synchronous conferences:

1. Ambient Noise
Your surroundings have lots of sounds that can distract students during a video conference or lesson. You usually tune those out, but noises from birds, dishwashers, clocks, etc. can all be distractions to the viewer and can take away from what you’re trying to teach.

Check your recording space by closing your eyes and listening for everything around you, or even doing a test recording. Is anything standing out that is distracting or could even drown out your voice?

2. Voice Audio
Once you've found a good space to record or have your synchronous class, you want to give thought to how your audience is hearing you. While most modern computers and mobile devices have built-in microphones, many are not ideal for instructional audio. The biggest problem is that the microphone is too far away from your mouth, making your voice sound fainter. This distance also gives more chances for ambient noise to make it into your video. Here are some pieces of hardware to consider using to improve your audio:

  • External Microphones – Buying an external microphone (or checking one out from the LRC) is a great idea if you plan on making video recordings. These microphones plug into the USB port of your computer and allow you to bring the microphone closer to your mouth. Many models also allow for greater control of sound. The LRC offers microphones that faculty can check out for limited durations.
  • Headsets – Headsets are ideal for videoconferencing because they have headphones that let you hear everyone else on your videoconference without being a distraction to others around you. You also have a microphone that can be placed very close to your mouth, making your audio stronger. Some models are even wireless, allowing you to move around. Just make sure that your headset is fully charged before you start; you don’t want to have it shut down in the middle of your lesson!
  • Ear Buds – One thing that you might not realize people is that you may already have a great option for a microphone that came with your cellphone. Most earbuds that connect with your phone have a microphone that naturally picks up your voice while the headphones keep you from being distracted (or becoming a distraction to others). Just be aware of anything that the microphone might hit (clothes, fingers, etc.) that will make a loud sound in the recording.

Lighting

Overhead lighting from ceilings is the worst kind of lighting for video conferences because it makes shadows under your eyes, nose, and chin.  Here are three better types of lighting:

  • Room or Lamp Lighting – Consider turning on a couple of lamps, one on your right and left sides to fill in the shadows from overhead lighting. If possible, put a lamp behind you to keep you from blending into the background.
  • Window Lighting – Position yourself near a window so that the light hits your face, but avoid recording yourself with an unshaded window behind you because it will cause exposure issues for your camera.
  • Natural Lighting – Being outside not only gets you away from your desk but can provide excellent natural lighting opportunities as well. The best natural light scenario is on a cloudy day or somewhere in the shade. Bright sunny days are ok if you can avoid harsh shadows or shadows under your eyes, nose, and chin. You'll also want to be more aware of the ambient noise that being outside will bring into the recording.

YOUR COMPUTER CAMERA

Just like with microphones, many laptops and desktops come with cameras for video recording. Unfortunately, the cameras are positioned in such a way that your viewers could end up looking up your nose if you don't position the camera to be at eye-level. If using a laptop, you might consider placing the computer on a stack of books to get it up to eye level.

APPEARANCE & ENVIRONMENT

Even though your video may only show your head and shoulders, you never know if you may need to stand up….so be sure to dress professionally. Patterned clothing is distracting, so be sure and stay with solids and neutral colors. Make sure the temperature is such that you won’t be sweating or find the need to remove layers mid-video.

Look behind you. Is there anything there that will distract the viewer from watching and listening to you? 

Video is more like a face-to-face meeting than it is a telephone call. Be completely prepared so as not to spend too much time looking at your notes or squinting at the computer screen. Know your main points and look up at the camera (not the computer screen), so you come across as if you’re having a conversation with the viewer. In addition, while it may be tempting to make sure you are looking your best by watching your own image on the screen, shift your focus to fellow participants instead.