Video Production at Home: Setting up a Studio
Over the last few months I have had the opportunity to deliver webinar sessions to KPU faculty exploring Kaltura Capture and Big Blue Button. I’ve also participated in the Level Up workshop series as a guest speaker, hosting conversations about educational technology and media production. I also produced the TLCommons first music video, based on the Beatles song Let it Be, which to date has had over 1,200 views on Youtube. What began to emerge out of these workshops and projects were numerous inquiries relating specifically to my home studio setup, the various technologies used in the creation of my videos, and how I set up my living room for producing vlog posts.
Initially, I answered each inquiry in detail via email or TEAMS. But then it occured to me that I could make a blog post that will show you, literally & figuratively, what my home studio looks like and how I create my videos for the TLCommons at KPU. This blog post explores how you can turn your own home office or living room into a production space for creating educational videos. So welcome to my home production studio where I will give you a tour of both production spaces and explain in detail how I have created the optimal conditions for home-based video production.
1. The Home Office Production Space
In the last few months I have been redesigning my home office to function more effectively as a video production space. Like many of you, I am in the process of developing courses for online delivery in the fall. This has required much more of a focus on creating video content than before COVID so having a permanent setup at home that is “ready to go” has been instrumental in developing a new kind of post-COVID workflow.
I have spent countless hours online researching consumer-grade video production technology this summer. Some items were under inexpensive, costing under $50 and others were more substantial, costing a few hundred dollars. Regardless of the cost, these purchases are all an investment in my teaching practice – money well spent in my humble opinion. In the video below, I walk you through my home office production space and all of the technology that I use to create educational media for my courses. Note, this video was filmed on an OSMO Pocket.
Here is a diagram of the equipment used in this setup:
You can download this image here: Home-Office-IG-1Download
Here are links to all of the products used in this home off setup:
Retractable green screen: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07QWMS7X5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Adjustable laptop stand: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07PMJ99MH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Adjustable monitor stand: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01C09ZSNM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Blue Yeti USB microphone: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01LY6Z2M6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dual monitor docking hub: https://www.apple.com/ca/shop/product/HMX12ZM/A/caldigit-ts3-plus-dock?afid=p238%7CsF9EJrKLw-dc_mtid_1870765e38482_pcrid_204238781435_pgrid_45491873498_&cid=aos-ca-kwgo-pla-btb-3pp–slid—product-HMX12ZM/A-CA
Rechargeable LED Light Panel: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07D8TTFSR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
2. The Living Room Video Production Space
A few weeks ago I discovered consumer-grade teleprompters for DSLR cameras. I don’t know how many hours I’ve spent over the years memorizing scripts for videos or taping printouts of scripts beside or above the camera and attempting to record without appearing to look at the scripts. This is now a thing of the past – for $300 I have made this arduous process redundant. I am now able to create short lessons or lecture videos quickly and simply with – so much so that I was inspired to create a video to show you how it all works!
Below you will see another short video created on my OSMO Pocket that walks you through my living room production setup AND how I’ve incorporated my DSLR camera teleprompter.
Here is a diagram of the equipment used in this setup:
You can download this diagram here: Living-Room-Production-Space-IG-1Download
Here are links to all of the components used in this living room setup:
Teleprompter: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B019AJOLEM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Rechargeable LED Light Panel: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07D8TTFSR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So where do you begin? If you are new to creating educational media this blog post may be overwhelming and make you feel discouraged. The good news is that the Teaching & Learning Commons is here for you and I am happy to consult and advise when you decide to begin creating or upgrading your home production space! I can be reached via email at gordon.cobb@kpu.ca or you can contact the KPU Teaching & Learning Commons at tlcommons@kpu.ca.
Gordon received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School for the Contemporary Arts at Simon Fraser University and his Masters of Music in Composition for New Media from the London College of Music in the UK. In 2015, Gordon completed a PhD in Arts Education at Simon Fraser University where his research explored multimodal composing practices, new musical literacies, and transformative music engagement in music video production with urban youth. His work as a music composer and sound designer has been showcased in numerous public venues, including two Olympic Games commissions (Torino 2006 and Vancouver 2010), the VanDusen Botanical Gardens Festival of Lights, the New York City Ballet, and the Cedar Lake Ensemble, New York; and on television with The Knowledge Network, and the National Film Board of Canada where he was the recipient of a 2013 Leo Award nomination. Dr. Cobb is a part of the music faculty at Kwantlen Polytechnic University where he teaches music technology and music video production. He is also a senior instructor at the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, where for the past 14 years he has taught piano, musical theatre, music technology, and music video production. Gordon has implemented numerous innovative music programs at the Arts Umbrella, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Vancouver Biennale, and Cobb House Studio.
