{"id":147,"date":"2024-07-10T19:06:20","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T19:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/?p=147"},"modified":"2025-09-19T12:33:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T16:33:07","slug":"tips-on-making-quality-video-recordings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/2024\/07\/10\/tips-on-making-quality-video-recordings\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips on Making Quality Video Recordings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tips on Making Quality Video Recordings<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Making video is an iterative process and building up your media skills takes time. You might make a mistake or two and find that you must re-record. The more you make video the easier it gets. Below are some common do&#8217;s and don&#8217;ts in video production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To record, you&#8217;ll need:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A webcam &#8211; most laptops\/computers have a webcam built in. This will work fine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A microphone &#8211; audio is arguably the most important element of your video. Bad audio will stop us from viewing it. A microphone plugged into your computer is often significantly better than using the microphone built into your laptop.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Visuals aids &#8211; a PowerPoint slide deck is a great way to capture visuals along with your video. The Panopto Video platform that is available in Brightspace is ideal for this purpose.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Elements of Video<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"540\" height=\"540\" src=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/audio-mic-headset.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-149\" style=\"width:206px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/audio-mic-headset.jpeg 540w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/audio-mic-headset-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/audio-mic-headset-150x150.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 540px) 100vw, 540px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Audio<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Audio is the most important element in your video, if we can\u2019t hear you clearly, we don\u2019t watch. Be sure to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Record in a quiet place<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use an external microphone<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Record a test &amp; listen back to check the audio quality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Project your voice and speak (don\u2019t read) your script<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"730\" height=\"934\" src=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/avoid-back-light.jpg\" alt=\"Shows 2 images, 1 man in heavy backlight with a red X indicating wrong. 2 a man with no backlight and a green check indicating good.\" class=\"wp-image-150\" style=\"width:211px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/avoid-back-light.jpg 730w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/avoid-back-light-234x300.jpg 234w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lighting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A well-lit video means a higher quality image. When recording think, \u201cfind my light,\u201d and be sure to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Position the brightest light source so it\u2019s on your face (not behind you)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Move yourself or the light(s) to \u201cfind your light\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pro tip: Natural light produces best result, it\u2019s warmer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AVOID strong backlight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Note, your computer monitor is also a light source<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Shot Composition<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"516\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/shot-composition.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-151\" style=\"width:217px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/shot-composition.jpg 516w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/shot-composition-300x222.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 516px) 100vw, 516px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Be mindful of your shot composition. We highly recommend a \u201cmedium shot,\u201d where you fill the frame from the top of your head to about chest level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Adjust your camera so your eyes intersect the top third (left, right, or centered)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Note, shot composition influences the meaning of your video. See <a href=\"https:\/\/er.educause.edu\/blogs\/2021\/2\/putting-your-best-self-forward-6-keys-for-filming-quality-videos\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/er.educause.edu\/blogs\/2021\/2\/putting-your-best-self-forward-6-keys-for-filming-quality-videos\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">6 Keys for Quality Videos<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Eye Line<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"357\" height=\"460\" src=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/eye-line-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-152\" style=\"width:182px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/eye-line-1.jpg 357w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/eye-line-1-233x300.jpg 233w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 357px) 100vw, 357px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Consider your eye line. You can create a connection with your audience by looking into the camera lens. It\u2019s like making eye contact when face-to-face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Look directly into the lens of camera as much as possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adjust the height of your camera (or yourself) so your eye line is EQUAL to the camera lens<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid having your eye line looking up or down at hard angles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hard angles convey a negative message to your audience<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Background<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/PTO-stock-pics-2-1024x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-153\" style=\"width:246px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/PTO-stock-pics-2-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/PTO-stock-pics-2-300x300.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/PTO-stock-pics-2-150x150.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/PTO-stock-pics-2-768x768.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/81\/2024\/07\/PTO-stock-pics-2.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Consider your surroundings. Some tips on backgrounds are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Create some depth<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Give your audience something to look at (besides you)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>White walls tend to be a little boring<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p>Still have questions? Email us at <a href=\"mailto:FacultySupport@sps.cuny.edu\">FacultySupport@sps.cuny.edu<\/a>. We&#8217;re here to help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Tips on Making Quality Video Recordings Making video is an iterative process and building up your media skills takes time. You might make a mistake or two and find that you must re-record. The more you make video the easier it gets. Below are some common do&#8217;s and don&#8217;ts in video production. To record, you&#8217;ll [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"portfolio_post_id":0,"portfolio_citation":"","portfolio_annotation":"","openlab_post_visibility":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-multimedia"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":911,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions\/911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/openlab.sps.cuny.edu\/teaching-guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}