You can have the best camera in the world, but if your audio sucks, so will your videos. Using a dedicated microphone will significantly improve the clarity of your audio while minimizing background noise.
I prefer using a lavalier microphone because, by attaching it to my collar, it sits nice and close to the source of the sound - my voice - while not obstructing the camera shot. It also offers more freedom than using a microphone mounted to a camera or desk.
TELEPROMPTER
Presenting on camera requires practice. Some will struggle more than others. I'm one of the strugglers, and, to be honest, I don't have time to learn how to ad-lib naturally on screen. So, instead, I use a teleprompter.
There are two secrets to using a teleprompter without it being obvious that you are reading:
The first is to minimize how far your eyes travel from left to right. Download a teleprompter app on your phone and set the text to be center-aligned in portrait mode. Like so...
Secondly, use a bluetooth button or foot pedal to start and pause the scrolling of your text so that the line you are reading is always in the center of the lens. It's a bit like learning to use the clutch pedal in a manual shift car. 🙂
Since creating this lesson, I've noted that the iCUE teleprompter software hasn't been updated for some time. I still use it but there might be a cheaper, better alternative.
