How I setup my video podcast studio

It took me hours upon hours of analysis to determine learn how to setup an indoor video studio for recording my video podcast and different movies for social media.

I’ve mixed all of that analysis into this text to share all of the issues I’ve discovered, together with the software program and gear I’m utilizing.

I’ll begin my speaking concerning the total look and design. Then, I’ll transfer into the technical elements for audio and video.

Selecting the situation

The toughest half about establishing a podcast or video studio, apart from the price of the whole lot, is discovering an excellent recording area in your house.

Hopefully, yow will discover a room that’s free from a variety of distracting background noises.

Ideally, you desire a lengthy wall that’s adjoining to a window. The wall will provide you with the clean canvas to work with and the window will present pure gentle.

The size of wall wanted is dependent upon your top and for those who’re capturing horizontally or vertically.

In case you’re capturing horizontally, you’ll have to set your digital camera up and have a look at how far you’ll want to be zoomed out to place your entire head and shoulders in body.

For perspective, my wall is 9 ft lengthy. That is what the area appeared like earlier than. I didn’t like the cupboards I had on the left wall as a result of they have been open and appeared cluttered.

The width of the room can be vital, since you want sufficient area on your lights, digital camera and tripods. Having no less than 10-12 ft of depth is good.

The video studio backdrop

To get began, I browsed the web for furnishings and bookmarked the kinds that I appreciated. Then, I copied the images and pasted them right into a doc so I might see the design earlier than I constructed it.

As a result of my speciality is meals associated, it was vital for me to have a variety of counter area each in entrance of me and behind me.

I additionally determined I wished cupboards as an alternative of only a easy backdrop. This each works to border me as a topic and permits me to make use of this area in my residence for multiple objective.

You will discover furnishings on your backdrop at so many alternative value factors. I began by purchasing at furnishings shops, however I actually didn’t need to spend 1000’s of {dollars}.

I discovered the entire items I wished on-line and used a graphics program to repeat and paste photos so I might visualize the ultimate look.

I ordered extra inexpensive, build-it-yourself furnishings from Amazon and painted it. The aspect cupboards are freestanding kitchen pantry cupboards in white. They have been $260 every.

The middle again counter cupboard was white and was additionally type Amazon, however it’s already been discontinued, so I don’t have a hyperlink for you, sorry. It was $387.

For the entrance counter cupboard, I bought a special counter sideboard buffet cupboard in black. With tax and transport, it was $260.

I didn’t just like the look of my plain wall, so I jazzed it up by getting a bit of wooden paneling from Lowes. It is available in just a few totally different kinds. I went with the weathered pine MDF wainscot wall panel. It was $30.

COSTS SO FAR: Thus far, the full prices for this studio are round $1,200. Once more, you may spend extra on furnishings, or loads much less, relying on what type you need. 

Branding the backdrop

The cupboards I bought have been white and black, however I wished one thing with my model colours of orange and blue, so I made a decision to color the again cupboards.

As a result of the cupboards are pretty low-cost and are simply product of laminated MDF, you may’t simply apply paint as a result of it received’t stick.

First, you’ll want to apply bonding primer. A quart will value round $15. It’s wonderful stuff. It makes the floor uninteresting as an alternative of slippery, so coloured paint will stick.

Then, select your paint colour. I colour matched the darkish teal blue colour I exploit on my web site to a colour swatch on the retailer. It’s known as Deep Water.

Be sure you select an inside paint and one which isn’t too shiny. I went with Valspar Eggshell. As a result of I selected such a darkish colour, it wanted about 3-4 coats of paint, so I purchased a gallon, which was $35. You could possibly get by with a quart.

Lastly, I bought some spray paint.

The handles on the cupboards have been yellow gold and black. As an alternative of shopping for new handles, which may value $5 a bit, I simply painted the prevailing handles with Krylon Fusion All-in-One Satin Metallic Rose Gold Spray Paint, which was $10.

I even have cans of Dupli-Shade Chevy Orange Engine Spray Paint to the touch up my Hunsaker Drum People who smoke. I used that to spray my microphone stand. It’s $12 a can.

COSTS SO FAR: My paint prices totaled round $100. So our complete thus far is $1,300.

Including accents

I’ve some future plans to make this studio pop much more. Proper now, my counters are simply plain painted MDF wooden. Finally, I plan so as to add custom-fitted Dekton counter tops. I’m simply ready for Dwelling Depot to have a 20% off sale.

I’m going to make use of Laurent for the entrance counter, it’s black with gold veins. I’ll be utilizing Entzo for the again countertop. It’s white with gold veins.

I additionally plan so as to add rusted corrugated metallic across the entrance counter, so the bottom (or frontside on digital camera) is extra completed. I grabbed them from Amazon for $27. They’re not as orange as I hoped, however they’ll do.

I thought of including floating cabinets and should achieve this sooner or later, however for now, I simply have a few props on the counter for accent items. One is a metallic cow, pig, rooster statue and the opposite is my brand plate from my Oklahoma Joes Bronco Professional.

Lighting gear for a video studio

This is likely one of the most vital components to having a very good video studio. You may make a very low-cost backdrop look good with nice lighting or actually costly furnishings look dangerous with poor lighting.

Via my analysis, I discovered that it’s good to make use of a 3-point lighting setup.

Key Mild

You desire a key gentle to be in entrance of you at a few 45-degree angle and above you pointing down.

I’m utilizing the Westcott Solix Bi-Shade 1-Mild Package with Apollo Orb and Stand. It’s $300 at B and H.

I needed to watch this YouTube video to be taught learn how to connect the Apollo Orb to the Solix gentle.

Key Mild Settings:  I set the Solix gentle colour to 56 and the depth to 50.

Once I’m dealing with the digital camera, I’ve a window to my left, so I’ve this key gentle to my proper.

Fill Mild

As a result of the important thing gentle is at an angle, it is going to forged some shadows in your face. Just a few shadows are good since you need depth, however you don’t need actually harsh shadows. A fill gentle will assist soften these.

When you’ve got a window, you could not want a fill gentle.

I do have a window, however I discovered that I appreciated a further fill gentle, too.

For this, I’m utilizing a NEEWER BH30S Mild Wand. It prices round $95 and runs on battery. It has so many wonderful colours and settings, and you may management all of them from an app in your telephone, which is cool.

I’ve one gentle mounted vertically to a gentle stand that prices round $34.

It’s in entrance of me at a 45-degree angle on the other aspect as the important thing gentle. The peak is fairly even to my eye stage.

Fill Mild Settings: I exploit the NEEWER app and select the sunshine sources tab and modeling lights. 

Again Lights

We talked about depth on our face, however we additionally need depth between us and the background. That is the place background lights are available in, and that is the place you may have some enjoyable with colour.

You should utilize one other NEEWER BH30S gentle and set it to nearly any colour. The truth is, within the app, you may level your telephone to something and seize the colour.

Simply go to the picker tab, level your digital camera to one thing, and faucet to pick out. The brightness, hue and saturation ranges will robotically regulate to match that colour.

Upon getting a colour you want, faucet the star. That marks it as a favourite.

Sooner or later, you may simply faucet the bookmark icon to seek out your colour. When you faucet your saved colour, the sunshine will regulate to match.

For my backdrop, the BH30S lights have been just a little too giant, so I opted for the NEEWER TL96RGB handheld gentle wands. They value round $60.

They’re additionally battery powered. You merely flip the sunshine on and regulate the colours and depth. Sadly, it doesn’t hook up with the app, so that you do have to do this manually.

I set these to orange (branding!!) and tuck them behind the props on my counter.

COSTS SO FAR: These lights value $500, which places my studio complete at $1,800.

Audio setup for a podcast studio

Whereas the lights are tremendous vital for video, having nice high quality audio could make or break a podcast.

I don’t advocate utilizing the microphone constructed into your digital camera. As an alternative, go along with a greater high quality microphone and exterior recording system.

The Shure SM7B Dynamic Vocal Microphone appears to be a high choose amongst podcasters. Now that I’ve been utilizing it, I can see why.

At $400, it’s a giant funding, however I’m actually happy with the top quality audio.

My microphone is mounted on a $25 desktop mic stand and related to a CloudLifter CL-1 Mic Activator with XLR cables. It prices $155 and consists of the cables.

The CloudLifter is elective, however it helps enhance the signal-to-noise ratio, sending cleaner audio high quality to the recording system.

The CloudLifter is then related to a Zoom H6 with one other XLR cable. The Zoom is $230.

It’s battery powered and data the digital audio onto a SD card. It has 4 inputs and tracks, so it is going to work nice you probably have a number of visitors in your podcast.

For now, I’m recording a solo podcast, so I simply plug the XLR into one monitor. I press that monitor button to verify the purple gentle is on. Then, I simply push the report button.

Audio Setting: On my Zoom H6, I set my monitor quantity to six and switch all different tracks to zero. I've the PAD set to 0. Within the menu, I turned Phantom on, since I am utilizing the CloudLifter. The report format is ready to 44.1kHz/16bit

As a result of my counter has drawers, I set my microphone on the counter and run the cable into the drawer the place I’ve the Zoom and CloudLifter.

I like to recommend listening to your audio with a set of headphones, too. That method, you may make positive the sound high quality is to your liking.

The Zoom has a 3.5 mm port for nearly any sort of headphones.

I’m testing the Shure SE425 PRO Wired Earbuds. The sound high quality is high notch, however the match is just a little odd for my ears, even with the totally different fittings. They value $270. For a podcast and social movies, you may go along with a a lot cheaper possibility.

COSTS SO FAR: The audio gear, not together with the headphones, was round $800. The full prices proper now are at $2,600.

Digital camera choices for a video podcast

As you may see the prices can add up shortly, and I haven’t even gotten to the digital camera, enhancing software program or server storage but.

If you wish to get into this, you actually have to be dedicated as a result of it is going to take a while to get a very good return in your funding.

Smartphone

In relation to a digital camera, the least costly possibility is to make use of your smartphone. These days, they supply actually good high quality video, and also you don’t have to fret about audio since you’re capturing that individually.

A con with a smartphone is that the rear digital camera is healthier than the entrance digital camera, so it’s finest to face the rear digital camera towards you. However then, you may’t see the display screen, so you may’t actually see what you’re recording.

Thankfully, you should buy an exterior digital camera monitor or purchase software program so you should use your iPad (you probably have one) as an exterior monitor.

I didn’t go this route, so I can’t actually advocate which gear or software program to purchase.

DSLR Digital camera

For higher high quality, I like to recommend capturing your video with a DSLR digital camera. Nikon, Canon and Sony all promote nice cameras. I’ve been a Nikon lady since I started capturing on movie, in order that’s what I exploit.

For meals images, I exploit a Nikon Z6II, however for my video studio, I exploit my Nikon Z30 Mirrorless Digital Digital camera with a 16-50mm lens. You may choose one up for round $700.

Additionally, you will want both an EN-EL25 battery charger and further battery or an extended UC-E24 cable to maintain it plugged into the wall, so that you don’t lose energy. The batteries run about $57 every and the charger is $55.

I purchased a five-pack of USB Kind C to Kind A cables, so I can preserve my NEEWER gentle and digital camera plugged in. They value $17.

And don’t overlook the SD playing cards. You want one for the Zoom audio recorder and one for the digital camera. I exploit 128GB SanDisk Excessive Professional playing cards. They’re about $25 every.

Monitor

Though the Nikon Z30 has a flip round display screen, so you may see what you’re recording, it’s tremendous tiny.

Once I setup my monitor for the primary time, I did a dance. I used to be so comfortable that I might see if I used to be in focus.

I went with the FEELWORLD FW279 7-inch 2200 Extremely Brilliant DSLR Monitor. It prices $260. You additionally want the FEELWORLD energy provide, which is $20.

I’ve my digital camera on a tripod and the monitor mounts to the new shoe on the digital camera. You should utilize any tripod. Mine prices $200 as a result of I exploit it for different issues, however that is an space the place it can save you some cash.

One of many absolute coolest issues concerning the monitor is that I can flip the grid on, which exhibits me a bunch of strains on the display screen, together with the zone I would like to remain in for vertical video.

Meaning I can shoot horizontal video and crop later to vertical video with out cropping out vital areas.

COSTS SO FAR: The digital camera gear I am utilizing, not counting the tripod prices are about $1,050. Due to this fact, the full prices to only construct a video podcast studio just like the one I designed is round $3,650. 

Enhancing software program for video podcasts

When you’re setup and begin recording your movies, you’ll want just a few instruments to edit them and publish them to the online.

There are a number of video enhancing choices on the market. I’m not going to enter the professionals and cons of every one. It is a BBQ web site, not a software program web site. I’m simply going to share what I exploit.

I’ve a subscription to Adobe Inventive Cloud and use Premiere Professional for enhancing video. It’s a fairly superior software program program, however it’s getting simpler each day.

Now, you may import your audio and video information and synchronize them with a push of a button.

The software program may even transcribe the audio into textual content, and you may then edit utilizing the textual content as an alternative of the video clips.

Plus, you may push all of that transcription into captions and magnificence these captions to match your model. There are a ton of tutorials inside the app, which prices $59.99-$89.99 per 30 days.

A bonus is that this software program comes a number of different applications, together with PhotoShop and Lightroom, which is what I exploit for photograph enhancing, and Audition, which is nice for simply audio enhancing.

Publishing your podcast

To ensure that your podcast to go to Apple, Spotify and all of the locations, you need to host it someplace.

After you edit it and export a video format and audio format, you’ll want to publish it.

Once more, there are a variety of choices on the market. I selected to go along with Libsyn.

As of penning this put up, my podcast is model new, so I can’t actually define the professionals and cons. The service got here extremely advisable from some podcast pals, and I’m happy with how simple their drag and drop interface is to make use of. Additionally they have a variety of easy-to-follow tutorials.

It appears to be like prefer it’s solely going to be $20 a month for audio. I merely add my paintings, descriptions and audio information to their web site and so they deal with pushing it to all the large podcast corporations.

It should take just a few weeks for the large podcast platforms like Apple, Spotify and iHeart Radio to just accept it, so plan forward for that.

I additionally publish a video model of my podcast, which is why I constructed the whole video studio. For this, I’m beginning with the YouTube podcast platform, which is free.

Libsyn additionally gives a video podcast publishing service, however I’m not prepared to leap on that but.

Whole prices for constructing a video studio

I do know I simply dumped a ton of knowledge on you. In case you’re nonetheless with me at this level, you should be dedicated to beginning one thing thrilling.

Organising a legit video recording studio goes to value you near $4,000.

• $1,300 for the custom-painted backdrop
• $500 for lighting
• $800 for audio gear
• $1,050 for digital camera gear
• $110 for enhancing and publishing software program

There are areas the place it can save you cash and construct as much as the higher-end stuff, however it’s positively an funding.

In case you discovered this info useful and used it to start out your YouTube Channel or setup a house podcast studio, I’d like to see your setup. Please remark beneath together with your hyperlink, so I can test it out.