Using your Webcam At Home

Companies are increasingly asking employees to make video submissions from home or hold meetings and workshops over web conferencing such as Teams, Zoom etc.

Here are the best practice tips for home recording:

- Have a source of light in front of you (a window or lamp) illuminating your face, rather than having a source of light behind you (which can make you look like a silhouette).

- Keep the webcam at eye-level, rather than looking down at your camera. You can use a couple of books or a box to raise the laptop up so that the camera is at eye-level.

- Reduce background noise where possible – close the windows, avoid running the dishwasher, turn the tv off etc.

- Close other programs, apps, and browser tabs on your computer and minimise other devices that might be using your internet or RAM so that you get best possible quality when recording.

- Keep answers short and sweet. Take as many attempts as you need to record your answers smoothly and succinctly.

- Introduce yourself with your name and role - this makes the editor's job easier!

The CTS video production team have been engaged on a number of these corporate projects, including remotely pre-recording directors' election speeches for playback during virtual AGMs, incorporating remote guests into a larger studio shoot, and editing video submissions together to create a company-wide video airing at a gala awards night.

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