One bedroom, many looks for versatile at-home video production
Ashley Kennedy
Passionate educator and speaker | Creative thinker | Program & team leader | Video professional | Actor
Certainly, many of us have pivoted dramatically in some of the ways we’ve done our job during the age of COVID.
In my case, my ability to create live-action courses has shifted from recording in a professional studio environment to working in a completely at-home experience.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, I’ve recorded several different live-action courses—all from the same exact spot in my bedroom.
Here are some of the looks we created using a number of screens and backdrops… as well as some basic production design and wardrobe changes. Notice how we can move from formal and elegant... to bright and easy... to artsy and rustic.
Wooden panel, table, painting, flowers:
Japanese screen, table, succulents:
Vinyl brick backdrop, table, plants:
Each of these looks required some creativity, but was fairly easy to design and allowed for some great versatility in recording my recent courses. (Take a look at the modified brick backdrop I used in my Understanding the Impact of Deepfake Videos course.)
However, I soon began running out of options as I continued recording in my bedroom. I therefore looked to find new background solutions. Enter: the photographic backdrop. For $17 on Amazon, I purchased this photographic backdrop.
Take a look at how I was able to use it for my upcoming course:
I used the Canon EOS R camera with a long lens, which allowed me to throw the backdrop out of focus for a more realistic effect.
Here are some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoot, which shows you my set, along with my remote production crew:
I was really pleased with the results, and I'm looking forward to recording future courses using photographic backdrops! What creative solutions have you used to tackle at-home recording?
DXC Technology Manager Infrastructure Services NA Solutions Support - University of Pennsylvania Healthcare Systems
1 年Great backgrounds
Technologist, trainer, coach, podcaster, constant learner
2 年I cannot believe that is a backdrop. And I loved how you used a table with a plant for some depth.
Creative suggestions after intense analysis, humanity before profits. Please cite verifiable sources to combat the spread of misinformation!
2 年I purchased a trade show quality banner stand and a professional quality green screen to spice up my Zoom meetings with my Toastmasters club. Because I live in Seattle, and I cannot actually expect to see the Sun, I purchased High CRI LEDs and placed these at 45-degree angles, and balance the intensity just before meetings. But I already have brick walls in my apartment! I could have just gotten away with brick walls? Your videos look great! And your suggestions seem much easier to replicate!
Streaming Music | Music Education | Self Published Author | Independent Artist | Speaker | Previously Believe & Chartmetric
2 年OMG the photographic backdrop is awesome! I've been spinning my desk around in the office to change up the background and you've just blown my mind! Did you purchase a standing frame to hold the backdrop or is it just fixed to the wall? Such a brilliant idea and no need to ever worry about a green screen not working!