updated 09/11/2020 by Matt Royston-Bishop
Why create a Livestream
Creating a Livestream video is a quick and useful way to communicate an idea or show how to do something. High levels of production can impress, but the most important thing is relevant and interesting content. Aim to make your presentation clear and engaging and above all, concise.
Here is some basic advice to get started!
Going live with your phone
It starts with a phone. You can go live on every major Social Media platform with the press of a button. The three most popular are Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram.
You could hold the phone but a shaky video is distracting so using a tripod with a phone clamp will prevent this. A tripod also helps avoid the inevitable floor shot when the phone tumbles from the carefully stacked books perched on a coffee table!
Buy a tripod and a tripod phone mount
Which way up?
This depends on your expected audience. It is likely that your audience will watch your Livestream on a phone. So they don’t have to rotate their phone to watch, it would be better for the image to be portrait.
Composition
Keep the background free of distractions and make your face the focus of the shot. Some context is useful but take a few moments to tidy up any unnecessary clutter. The camera should be at eye level. Looking slightly up your face but not up your nose! If you are demonstrating something, stand back so you are visible.
Think about Lighting
There is a big difference in how our eyes perceive light compared to a camera lens. Cameras need a lot more light to produce a quality image than you might imagine. Dark images are unclear and uninspiring.
Turn all your lights on and think about the position of lamps so that you are well lit. Face a window if possible (especially if it is sunny). This natural light will be great front light. Avoid having a window or bright lights in the background as the camera will struggle to represent the contrast.
As you are mobile, you could go outside!
Poor Sound is noticed first
The video quality on phones is great but unfortunately, the sound quality lags behind. This is not always the fault of the phone. Your voice should be clear with the sound free from distracting noises. Poor sound quality is the most likely reason your audience loses interest.
Reduce background noise. Don’t record with the washing machine etc. running, close windows, and ask other people to be quiet!
Think about the acoustic environment you are in. Rooms with a lot of hard surfaces create an echo and hollowness to the sound. Walk around your space and let your ears be the judge. The best place is often where your sofa is!
The closer you are to the microphone then the greater your voice will be to the unwanted reflections from the room. If your headphones have a built-in mic then consider using these. Failing that, make sure you are as close as possible to the phone.
For the best sound you will need an external microphone. How you get this signal into your phone will vary according to the model. It is likely at this point that you should consider live streaming from your laptop and having more control on the output.
A recommended device to plug
Here are some Mic tests which demonstrate the differences
Tagged #Livestream.