Content Checklist

When it comes to recording audio you want to go as high end as your budget allows.  Lavalier Mics: Lavalier mics are small portable microphones that you can plug directly into your your smartphone for recording on the go. Always be aware of environmental conditions like wind and background noise when recording outside of a studio.  Low Budget: Rode smartLav+ (You can even record right into your smartphone with these) Mid Budget: Rode Wireless Go  Higher Budget: Sennheiser G4 transmitter + Sennheiser ME 2 Mic Stationary Mics: Stationary mics stay attached to your desk or workspace as you speak into them. Be aware of popping and hissing when speaking into a stationary mic and use a pop filter if necessary.  Low Budget: Apple Airpods (Or Similar) Mid Budget: Rode Nt1-A with a pop filter (Or Similar) Higher Budget: Shure SM7B or Sennheiser MKE-600 depending on your needs.

When creating your video content, remember that your viewers will be viewing your videos on a variety of different devices and screen sizes. Creating high-quality video content can help ensure your videos will have a professional look regardless of who’s viewing them. Webcams: Webcams attach to your computer via USB and present a high-quality convenient option for recording your content.  Low Budget: Logitech C930 Mid Budget: Logitech BRIO ULTRA HD PRO Higher Budget: Insta360 Link DSLRs: If you’ve got the need, a higher budget, and what you’re looking for is something with a bit more flexibility, is portable, allows you to choose the lens you need, and that you can use to record directly to the device - then you’re likely looking for a DSLR with video capabilities. Mid Budget: Andycine A6 Plus Higher Budget: Atomos Ninja V Lighting: Almost as important as what resolution you’re recording your videos in - lighting has a huge impact on the overall quality of your video content. If you’ve never invested time or resources into setting up proper lighting for your videos, this could be a game changer for you and your viewers, and can help you establish a consistent higher quality brand image for your videos. Lower Budget: Neewer Dimmable Bi-color LED panels - We recommend getting at least two, and you can even find sets of them that come with light stands as well. * Note: For all light recommendations listed below, you will likely need a softbox, or equivalent light diffuser, in addition to a sturdy stand - like a c-stand in order to safely mount and use your lights. Mid - Higher Budget Godox SL series lights. You’ll want at least two of these as well. If you have the budget for it, go with at least SL 100’s. Depending on your space, you could also go with a SL60 as a secondary light, and a SL100 as your main light.   High Budget: For a higher budget look we recommend Aputure lights. There are a lot of different models to suit your needs, and if you’ve got the budget for it they are the best. Pro Tip: If you want to step up your accent lighting game - we’d highly recommend that you look into getting a pair of Aperture MC lights, or a cheaper equivalent. You’d be amazed what these little RGB light panels can do.

DaVinci Resolve - DaVinci Resolve is the best free editing software for beginners. While there is a paid version most users will never need to upgrade.   Final Cut Pro - If you use a Mac Final Cut Pro is another great option. While Final Cut Pro is paid you can enjoy a free 90-day trial to see if it works for you.   Adobe Premiere - Adobe Premiere is professional grade editing software and probably a bit too much for most course creators.   Descript - If you're interested in saving some time, and having a fully editable transcript available while you edit your videos- then Descript deserves your attention.   Captions.ai. Looking to create cool captions for your videos like your favorite content creators? Captions.ai makes it easy.

If facing the camera, position the camera slightly above eye level, and make sure to speak looking into the camera in order to connect with your audience. Make sure the subject of your video is centered and in-frame, regardless of your gestures or movement.  Audio quality is more important than video quality. For course content, make sure the video orientation is horizontal, not vertical Always make sure to test all of your equipment to make sure all is in working order before going live or recording.    Always run through your topic at least 3 times out loud before hitting record. Use this time to get comfortable with what you are saying.  If you’re recording live, be sure to close all unneeded applications on your computer that aren’t being used in your presentation to improve performance If you find yourself speaking about a topic that might be too broad, consider breaking your topic up into individual lessons, or even a completely separate course. Get personal, and be relatable. Step into the mind of your audience - what’s something real you can share that will resonate with them? Keep your audience engaged. Ask questions, provoke thoughts, and inspire people to follow up with you.