LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION: Building a killer live streaming studio
Live streaming has become an exciting fringe content-creation activity not just exclusively for big brands, but also individuals. Moreover, it doesn’t take much, financially or the know-how to setup and build your own in-house live studio.
Before you continue on…
If you haven’t already, read our previous blog on ‘Organising A Live Stream in 2020’ to get a better understanding of what live streaming is and the basic tech accessories to get you started. You’d better do so now!
Now, let’s get a little more granular and dive deep into building a streaming studio from ground up or upgrading the one you may currently have.
1. FINDING A SPACE
As making a high-quality live video requires many bulky equipment, it is always a plus to allocate a designated area solely for your live stream videos. For this reason, venues such as hotels, exhibition halls and rented studios charge high hundreds to thousands of dollars per day for their services. So, unless you are willing to spend that much on each live stream, your institution’s auditorium, office or even personal space can be an alternative solution for your small scaled live streams.
Always keep in mind the bleed from your live studio to the outside and neighbouring units. You may forget how much noise is around but all that noise is amplified 100x through the microphone. Hence, you may need to build a second wall or some degree of sound proofing foundation to reduce ambient noise.
Note: If you are not a dab hand at carpentry, we would recommend getting a certified contractor with the right qualifications to complete the structural works for you. (ooops.. we have just opened a new can of worms for you to read more on).
Otherwise, all you really need is direct access to your Ethernet access point or a remote long distance Wifi and enough space to setup your AV equipment and you have yourself a decent environment.
2. CREATING THE SPACE
Now that you have a workable space in mind, what’s next? This is where the fun begins: decorating the area to make it aesthetically pleasing, comfortable and welcoming for both yourself and your invited guests. You can opt to customise your furnishing to a certain style you desire, if not, there is no shame of IKEA’s sheer prevalence in your studio. They are indeed your best friend when it comes to affordable soft lightings, modular shelving units and durable bar stool or comfy sofas. Trust us when we say, these little embellishments make all the difference.
This also leads us to the colour of your studio’s walls. Since walls do reflect onto and visually surround your talents, take into consideration that each colour has a psychological value and some leave undesirable coloured shadows. For instance, bright colours like yellow, orange and red causes colour reflection, which can be unflattering to your subject matter.
We are no light physicist but with little understanding of light properties, we can say that muted grey and off-white tones work well. Grey shades absorb most of the light, while white act as a diffuser. However, we are looking at it in a neutral commercial perspective. For an individualistic stance, it’s really a matter of personal preference and crafting your own beloved space that vibes with your brand and story. Explore the inspirational libraries of ideas and colours, experimenting with natural lighting from your window and the artificial lights in your space. We do advise to go for solid matte colour paints, instead of strong patterned wallpaper, to avoid colour clash between backdrops and wardrobes (especially if it is not within your control). Most importantly, avoid glossy surfaces at all cost as they increase bright light reflections and scatter light all over the studio.
3. BACKGROUND
The importance of visuals in your live stream cannot be understated. Unlike in-person events, your audience will be as close to you as your camera, meaning all their attention will be focused within the screen frame. We never want a backdrop that is too distracting, disorganised or uncomplimentary as it can take our message away. We suggest embracing a consistent background for every live stream you do, which will eventually become the key advertising characteristic of your brand.
Vinyl Prints – Make your colour pop
Have you ever been to a trade show surrounded by vibrant wall murals and posters? Well, you can have one looking like that too! Vinyl printings are durable, wrinkle- free and glare-free, which makes your graphics professional, clean and crisp. Best of all, its versatility allows for die-cut designs and any customisation, without exhausting your marketing budget.
Now, if that wasn’t enough! For those who are thinking of interchanging designs regularly, our magnetic solution is just for you. Rather than being restricted to 2D graphic wallpapers, its arrangement allows for anyone to think in layers and rearrange pop-ups without limitations.
Green Screen - The power to control your environment
As you may have seen it in behind the scenes of movie making, chroma key or most commonly known as ‘Green screen’ can be a huge asset to your live video. Although, it may not save you a ton of production money, it can still help create highly engaging live streams and increase the perceived value of your stream. When your background is part of your topic, it not only emphasises what you are saying but also becomes relevant, providing the right amount of stimuli to get your message across and capturing your audience’s attention. You can share funny ideas that can help you go viral or keep it clean and professional with presentations and charts – increasing your credibility and achieving your vision.
With your live streaming setup (camera and computer with encoding software) in place, good lighting is imperative to get the best possible chrome key results. At the very least, you will need two lights with diffusers, one at each end of the screen to create an even and well-lit background. This allows the green screening effect to do a better job at recognising and removing your backdrop.
LED WALL – The WOW Factor
While an interactive video wall isn’t a major necessity, it can make a great end-user experience to enhance your live stream engagement. With modular and scalable video walls, curved panels, 3D designs of your requirements, a LED wall display pushes the boundaries as to how content is delivered to your viewers. However, before delving into renting or purchasing one, it is important to consider the technical factors, aesthetic appeal and fullest usage of the wall’s interactivity- whether it’s for a virtual product demonstration, social media feed, event sponsor content, engaging visuals or static images.
If you are unsure what type of LED walls you need, event experts like Roxwell are ready to advice and recommend the perfect one for you; based on size, viewing distance and setup through the eyes of the intended audience.
4. GEAR UP
Once, you are happy with the outlook of your place, you can start setting up and connecting all your technical gadgets. Take control of messy cables and connectors by streamlining and securing them to the floor or back of your desk. Ensure they are still easily accessible and definitely label the important ones.
Preparation is key: Test and check the location of your lighting and camera ahead of time. Keep your devices charged and ready at all times. Always have checklist - whether it is for setup, rehearsal and show rundowns. It will help you think more clearly and cohesively, alleviating the stress of going live, especially in hectic situations where too many things are going on simultaneously.
EMERGING BUSINESS MODELS
With live videos trending and rapidly developing, its transforming business models like never before. New names are being built on the back of live video nowadays.
Here, at Roxwell, we provide the space, amenities and even the technical manpower required for a successful live stream. With our in-house large printing technologies and carpentry capabilities, we have the flexibility to create your own unique set.
As an end-to-end event solution provider, ‘We are the difference’. Delivering the whole package- from pre-event marketing strategies to an enjoyable stress- free production to post-event support. Simply tell us your vision and objective and we will design the perfect provision for you.
To learn more about building your own live streaming studio or joining a space that’s built for it, you can contact us at 92275485 or sales@roxwell.com.sg.