Making a good video production of a speaker at a seminar can be a very common and easy task for video makers and videographers. Eventhough, its easy, getting good video footage of the seminar as well as the speaker can be a bit if a challenge. There are three main things that should be focused on,
€ Good audio
€ Decent lighting
€ Position of tripod
If the audio quality is not loud and clear, then the entire video is worthless. Sometimes, video recorders, set up themselves at the end of the room, where the seminar is being held and expect to record the entire event clearly and depend on the camera mic to pick up the sound. This is really a very bad idea.
Good Audio - Any professional who is into videography knows this is the crucial part of the video. There should be a mic close to the speaker's mouth, or plug into the sound board. Plugging into the audio board will get you your best sound. In order to do this the camera should be able to take an external mic input. Not all cameras have this, however professional camera's do have this feature while home cameras and pocket cams usually do not. Professional level video cameras and prosumer level camcorders will have places to plug in an external audio source. When plugging into the sound board, a little gadget called a Line Level Adapter is needed to regulate the audio level from a €line level€ to a €mic level€.
If you can not plug into the audio board, or use a mic close to the speaker's mouth, then get the camera as close to the speaker as possible. Most corporate video recorders use wireless mic's as wireless can get in the way, this is also a good option.
Lighting - The seminar will obviously be done in front of a live audience so their needs take precedence over the needs of the video. This is reality. Giving the live audience, priority will cause the lighting to be bad, and the organizers will request you not to set up any lighting of your own, but instead just shoot with room light. However, what happens when the lights are switched off when the speaker is using the projector to show a presentation, then there is nothing you can do but to simply focus your camera on the screen. If possible, talk to the media production house who is organizing the seminar and plan in advance for one well-focused light to be positioned so that light remains on the speaker's face even when the room lights are switched off.
In a rare occasion the speaker might realize that the video should get priority so they will allow additional lighting and sometimes there may be stage lights already attached to the ceiling.
Setting up the tripod - A tripod is a must for recording a seminar as holding the camera by hand can make it unstable and shaky. Physically, it is impossible for you to keep holding the camera for a long duration. Set up the tripod somewhere in the middle of the room so that you can get a good shot of the speaker and the audience.
€ Good audio
€ Decent lighting
€ Position of tripod
If the audio quality is not loud and clear, then the entire video is worthless. Sometimes, video recorders, set up themselves at the end of the room, where the seminar is being held and expect to record the entire event clearly and depend on the camera mic to pick up the sound. This is really a very bad idea.
Good Audio - Any professional who is into videography knows this is the crucial part of the video. There should be a mic close to the speaker's mouth, or plug into the sound board. Plugging into the audio board will get you your best sound. In order to do this the camera should be able to take an external mic input. Not all cameras have this, however professional camera's do have this feature while home cameras and pocket cams usually do not. Professional level video cameras and prosumer level camcorders will have places to plug in an external audio source. When plugging into the sound board, a little gadget called a Line Level Adapter is needed to regulate the audio level from a €line level€ to a €mic level€.
If you can not plug into the audio board, or use a mic close to the speaker's mouth, then get the camera as close to the speaker as possible. Most corporate video recorders use wireless mic's as wireless can get in the way, this is also a good option.
Lighting - The seminar will obviously be done in front of a live audience so their needs take precedence over the needs of the video. This is reality. Giving the live audience, priority will cause the lighting to be bad, and the organizers will request you not to set up any lighting of your own, but instead just shoot with room light. However, what happens when the lights are switched off when the speaker is using the projector to show a presentation, then there is nothing you can do but to simply focus your camera on the screen. If possible, talk to the media production house who is organizing the seminar and plan in advance for one well-focused light to be positioned so that light remains on the speaker's face even when the room lights are switched off.
In a rare occasion the speaker might realize that the video should get priority so they will allow additional lighting and sometimes there may be stage lights already attached to the ceiling.
Setting up the tripod - A tripod is a must for recording a seminar as holding the camera by hand can make it unstable and shaky. Physically, it is impossible for you to keep holding the camera for a long duration. Set up the tripod somewhere in the middle of the room so that you can get a good shot of the speaker and the audience.