Wanna see behind the scenes
of exactly how I film my YouTube videos.
I'm gonna take you on a tour of my office
aka a my recording studio.
We're gonna talk about all my favorite equipment.
I'll give you my best tips to help you create
your own videos at home
and I even put together a free equipment guide
for those of you who stay till the end.
So keep watching.
Hey Posse, what's up?
It's Alex.
Ever since my last YouTube video where I talked
about tips for getting started on YouTube
I have had a ton of people asking me about the links
and details to my favorite recording equipment.
So in this video that is exactly what we're gonna talk
about. But first, if you're new to the crew
welcome right here on my channel, you'll find hundreds
of videos covering all things from marketing to copywriting
to freelancing to social media, entrepreneurship
and everything in between.
So be sure to subscribe below
and don't forget to ring that bell.
Be notified when my next video goes live.
Alright, so before we get into the list
of my favorite equipment, I just wanna say something.
This is what I am currently using, but that doesn't mean
that what I'm using right now is the best
or the only options.
I've been doing this for about 3
going on 4 years now
and I have changed my equipment many times
and I'm sure I'll continue to change
and upgrade as I continue to grow and learn more.
I am by no means a tech or AV expert
so please don't take this list as the best
of this is just what I use
and I found to produce really great results.
Also, I don't want you to think that you have to
have a setup just like mine in order to get started.
I certainly didn't have all these fancy lights
and equipment at first.
What's more important
than having the perfect equipment is just starting.
So do not let this hold you back.
Now, let's get into my studio setup.
So let's first talk
about the most important thing, audio and video.
So first things first
I use a Canon EOSR to record all of my YouTube content.
Now listen, this is kind of an expensive camera
but if you're just getting started
you do not have to spend this much.
In fact, I would highly recommend
that you don't splurge on any fancy equipment
until you have some progress and momentum.
When I first started my channel, I used a Canon Rebel
which is a very basic and more affordable SLR
but a Sony Alpha A6000 is another less expensive option
and there are plenty of more affordable options out
there that still create really really high quality video.
And you can find some really great used ones
on Facebook marketplace.
And if you absolutely can't afford a professional camera
no worries.
You can honestly get started on your iPhone
and then transition to a DSL camera later.
And if you are using your phone
here are a couple of tips to get even better results.
So first, use the camera on the back of your phone.
The front camera's quality is not as good on most phones.
Next, use a phone tripod
like this one to get nice and steady video at eye level.
Trust me, you do definitely want a tripod.
There's nothing worse than shaky footage or dealing
with the frustration of a DIY book stack prop gone wrong.
I have been there.
So record in landscape mode.
This will give you footage that looks really good
on YouTube, and this is really key.
Make sure you step back a little bit so you have some space.
This will make it a lot easier.
So you can crop for vertical short form video.
If you're standing too close to the camera
you won't be able to crop it
and it just won't look that great.
You'll have like huge face in the frame.
Alright, next up
because no one likes to watch a video where
the audio doesn't match up with the speaker.
We've all seen videos like this
and I am guilty of doing that in the beginning.
I take extra precaution to make sure my audio
and video are super, super synced.
And for this
I connect my SLR camera to the Rode Wireless
Go-to Single Channel Wireless Microphone system.
So it comes with a transmitter
which is plugged into my camera over there and a microphone.
Okay, now here's how you set it all up.
So again, you wanna mount your camera on a tripod.
Honestly, any tripod will work as long
as it's stable and level.
And again, adjust the height of your camera
so that it's perfectly eye level
to where you'll be sitting or standing.
I am standing right now, and here is a pro tip for you.
Once you've got your tripod set up
use masking tape to mark the position of it on the floor
so that next time you know exactly where to put it.
And then you also wanna mark the floor where
you sit or stand.
X marks the spot.
This will make sure that every single one
of your videos has a consistent frame
and you won't be spending a ton
of time trying to recreate the setup every single time.
Now, one last note on audio.
My studio is carpeted, which means I don't have a lot
of echoing here, which is really, really great.
But if you're
in a recording studio that has a lot of hard surfaces
like tile or hardwood floors or windows then I
would definitely suggest adding some sound panels to absorb
and diffuse the echo.
Okay, so now that we have the AV all figured out
it's time to talk
about the most important element of great video lighting.
Okay, so I'm gonna share my lighting set up with you.
I truly believe that having great lighting can make
or break your video quality.
And there are so many affordable options out
there that you really should not skip this step.
So in my studio
I'm lucky enough to face a large window where
I get a lot of natural light.
Natural lighting is always better
than going artificial because one, it's free.
So if you can film in front of a window, do it.
But I also use two additional soft box lights
that are right here that are angled towards me.
And if I'm filming at night
I use an additional light to light the background wall
behind me.
I just use a ring light, really, really simple.
Now, if you don't have a lot of natural lighting
I'd recommend maybe getting two
of these lighting kits to really create that nice
and even lighting and the back lighting.
Now, while natural lighting is great
it could also be pretty extra and create some harsh shadows.
So I like to film in the morning or the evening
when the light is the softest, but sometimes
you just won't be able to avoid those bright sunny days.
So a hack that you can do is actually hanging a white sheet
over the window.
Just use some clips to put it in place
something thin that will diffuse the light
and help you avoid over exposure
without completely blocking out that light altogether.
Alright, the next thing in my setup
and this one's really important, is my teleprompter.
So I have had so many
of you ask me how I remember my YouTube scripts
or if I even use a script at all.
And the answer is yes.
I do use a script
especially for more educational and structured content
or I have to make really specific points or stats
and I don't wanna make sure I forget or ramble on
and on for less structured and more free flowing content.
I might not use a word for word script
but I do read off an outline
and this just keeps everything tight
and helps me stay on track
in case I lose my train of thought, which happens a lot.
And if you want a video detailing exactly how
I write my YouTube scripts from how I make them compelling
to the key elements I include to how I structure them
for format and optimize them for readability
then comment below and let me know.
So yes, I do use scripts most of the time
and I do read them off a teleprompter
and I use something called the Parrot Teleprompter Kit.
It's a lightweight kit and it fits onto any S SLR camera.
So it does require the use
of a smartphone with a teleprompter app
and you can just copy and paste your script
into the app, adjust the speed, and make sure
that the remote control is connected via Bluetooth.
So your smartphone actually slides into the teleprompter
and then mirrors the script back at you.
And you'll probably need to practice a few times
because you'll really wanna find the speed
that matches your normal cadence of speaking.
That took me a while to figure out, oh
and pro tip order extra batteries for this bad boy
because once the battery start to die
the remote control really stops working.
And if you have a video to record
that can be really, really frustrating.
So having extra batteries will really come in handy.
Alright, so that is the equipment side of things.
Now let's talk a little bit
about the studio set up on filming day.
So everybody's favorite topic, or
at least mine is the background, right?
And I don't know why, but this seems to
be the number one thing that holds most people back
from starting their YouTube channels.
Myself included, I hummed and hot
over what to put in my background for a very long time.
Now, we stress over having the perfect background
but honestly, just a solid colored wall is totally fine.
You don't have to have a perfectly curated shelving unit
with special mood lighting or plants or awards.
Like I do I had none of this in the beginning.
I had motivational quotes
in frames that I got from the bookstore down the street.
Seriously, no one is thinking
about your background as much as you are.
So as long as you can avoid a messy, cluttered
or distracting background, you'll be just fine.
Oh, and one other thing
you definitely do not want a mirror in your background.
I know that sounds a bit weird
but you don't want that awkward reflection of yourself.
In the video frame, I used to have really reflective glass
on the framed quotes that I had behind me
and I realized that I could see my setup in the reflection.
So I just took the glass out of the frames
and that made it so much better.
Okay, so here's a quick diagram of how I set up the studio.
On recording day, I have the tripod
with my teleprompter right there in front of the window
with two box lights on either side of me pointed towards me.
Now I'm standing in the middle of the room, right?
And if needed, I'll have additional lighting
lighting the background either one or two lights pointing
at the wall behind me and in my hand
I am holding the remote for the teleprompter.
And that's it.
I push start, I record, and then I send the video
to my team to be edited and published.
So I hope you found this helpful.
If you want links to all the equipment that I talked
about today, you can grab a copy
of my free studio setup guide in the description box below.
Happy Content Creating.
I hope you enjoyed this video.
Let me know if you wanna see more like this one.
Until next time, I'm Alex ciao for now.
Alright, guys.
If you enjoyed that video, make sure to check
out the next one from me right here
and you can click right here to get a free gift.
So you're thinking about starting a YouTube channel.
Awesome. Well, let me tell you the 5 things
you must definitely do before you publish your first video
and the things I wish I knew sooner.
Keep watching.