Heading into San Antonio Wordcamp, we had to adapt to a virtual session, something that we would learn to pivot to a lot in the coming years, but this was my first go. A few months after being fully virtual for meetings, this topic was offered at the last minute, and I put my hand up to share the setup that we had developed for our team, in addition to my main session about User Experience.
Core Philosophy and Goals. The objective is to maintain a professional, ready-to-use setup for recording videos, tutorials, livestreams, and conferencing without requiring constant configuration. Key goals include maximizing desk space, working within a small budget, and ensuring the setup is easily movable.
Recommended Tools
- Video Conferencing: Google Hangouts is recommended for being browser-based, free, easy to use, and integrated with YouTube.
- Recording Videos: Loom is highlighted as an efficient desktop recording tool that provides immediate link sharing, view statistics, and Google Calendar integration.
Desk Setup Components
The setup utilizes a four-arm, desk-mounted monitor stand to organize various peripherals:
- Sound: Rode Video Micro, microphone arm, and audio cable extension.
- Video: A camera (Nikon 1 J5 used) with an external power supply and mini HDMI adapter.
- Monitor: LG 34″ Ultra Wide monitor.
- Lighting: A portable LED light mountable on a camera mount.
- Peripherals: A keyboard and mouse of choice to avoid the camera jiggling that occurs when typing on a laptop.
Lessons Learned
After three months of use, the key takeaways include:
- Prioritize flexibility and adjustable components.
- Do not rush the process; take time to find the right options.
- Be cautious with splitters, as they can cause audio feedback.
- Future wishlist items include an Atem Mini, an upgraded DSLR, a secondary camera, and a standing desk.
Here’s the full presentation, enjoy.
Working remotely as freelancers or as part of a distributed team has gone from trending to essential. This way of working requires more people to be live streaming, using video conferencing, and creating video tutorials. Join me as I walk through my personal desk setup that was created to be more efficient in meetings without taking up a lot of space. The one-stand desk setup works great for YouTube videos, video conferencing, and recording tutorials.