How to Film Broadcast-Quality Zoom Calls at Home Using the Talent Kit
During the pandemic, Zoom has seen its profits increase significantly, as more and more people use the platform. A wide variety of individuals, groups and enterprises use this video conferencing app. With more people working from home (WFH) they’ve been using Zoom for business but in a domestic setting.
But is this always appropriate, and in what circumstances should you consider the overall quality of your Zoom call?
We’ve introduced the Talent Kit as an all-in-one means for producing broadcast-quality Zoom calls at home.
Here we look at the reasons for creating high-quality Zoom calls, and what the Talent Kit includes to enable you to do this.
How Will We Work in the Future?
The pandemic has raised crucial questions about the future of the office. Although WFH started as a necessary response to lockdown, it has made more businesses realise the benefits of a more flexible approach to working.
But does this mean the office is dead?
Not necessarily. We are living through exceptional circumstances. These will change, and there is still plenty of value in people working close to one another.
However, what this indicates is that how many of us work in the future is likely to be a hybrid of office and home working.
Too many businesses and organisations have realised the savings they can make by incorporating home and remote-working for these things to recede once we come out of lockdown permanently.
A hybrid solution could mean people coming into work on a limited number of days, for example.
The implications for Zoom, therefore, are that it’s here to stay as an essential business communications tool.
Consider a business where the pre-Covid norm was for its senior executives to travel to a monthly meeting with their counterparts from across the country. Why would they continue to use this method if they can save time and resources by using Zoom instead?
This brings us to the issue of quality.
Why Quality Matters in Zoom Calls
Lockdown may have given people a free pass when it comes to the quality of their communications, but with Zoom firmly established as a common form of business communication post-Covid, expectations will change.
In fact, they already apply: if you were having a job interview via the platform, you’d want to make the best possible impression. This isn’t just about what you choose to wear, but the whole set-up, including video, lighting and sound.
Zoom is also a valuable content marketing channel for businesses, and if you’re holding an invitation-only webinar, for example, you want to be sure you can deliver for your audience. No matter how compelling your content is, if you falter in the delivery of it, you dilute its impact.
While there’s are certain things you can achieve with your own arrangements and Zoom’s built-in features, you can achieve a whole lot more with the right kind of professional kit.
What’s in the Talent Kit?
The Talent Kit includes the Sony ZV1, a camera built for vlogging.
The ZV1 is a compact 20MP (megapixel) camera that’s highly practical for setting up for Zoom calls. It’s a modified version of the popular RX100 and incorporates vital DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) features in a compact format.
It’s comfortable to use, and you can customise its settings using memory recall functions. These settings include the camera’s shooting mode and video quality.
Using Imaging Edge Webcam software, you can transform the ZV1 into a webcam, and you can set it up to control it remotely using your smartphone.
You can also control the camera’s settings to adjust its exposure during continuous shooting, depending on the conditions in which you’re making the Zoom call.
By connecting the ZV1 to software, it’s perfect for live streaming.
To go with the camera, the Talent Kit includes a clip-on Rode Lavalier microphone, to give your Zoom call premium audio quality.
What brings it all together is a professional, integrated unit that includes a portable, wheel-based camera grip and plate for your laptop.
Why Use the Talent Kit for Zoom Calls?
The business environment might have become more casual during lockdown, but the new normal will bring back the emphasis on high-quality, professional presentation to remote communication channels.
A fundamental differentiator in this is using a DSLR camera, rather than relying on your computer’s built-in device or an external webcam.
With a DSLR camera, you have far more control over the quality of your images. You can adjust things like depth of field, which immediately makes a difference to how your backgrounds appear during a Zoom call.
Audio is important too. There’s no point in having visual clarity if people can’t hear you properly. A professional, external microphone set-up will set the seal on this.
Then there’s the whole question of setting up your shoot. With the Talent Kit’s mounting system, this needn’t be an issue. And the rig’s portability means you can select the optimum location for your Zoom call.
For easy entry into the world of professional Zoom presentations and Zoom calls, hire the Talent Kit today.
