Our best recommendation to make this as easy for you as possible, and to record in the highest-quality way, is to use your Smartphone (either your iPhone or Android phone).

We definitely recommend that you use a tripod to stabilize your phone.

Below are links to 2 different inexpensive phone tripods: One is more compact and sits on your desk, and one is more of a traditional tripod that can stand on the floor and extend. NOTE: Please make sure that the cradle on the one you order will fit your specific phone model and size.

We highly recommend that you use an external microphone plugged into your Smartphone, which will dramatically improve the sound quality of the videos we will be recording.

Below is a link to an inexpensive, but very good quality lavalier microphone that can plug directly into your Smartphone with an adapter (which we’ll talk about next).

If you’re going to plug an external microphone into your Smartphone, you most likely need to also get a dongle adapter to be able to plug that microphone into your phone. Please make sure that the one you order will work with your specific phone model, based on the connection port that your phone has, whether that is a lightning port (common on most iPhones), or a USB-C port (common on many Android phones, like the Samsung Galaxy).

Due to some compatibility issues, for the purpose of our filming, please don’t use or purchase a generic dongle adapter. We recommend that you use an Apple, Samsung, or Google brand adapter, and not a generic one that you find on Amazon. These can be found at Best Buy, Target, Walmart, or other similar stores near you.

Apple Lightning to 3.5mm adapter:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-lightning-to-3-5mm-headphone-adapter-white/5622278.p?skuId=5622278

Samsung USB-C to 3.5mm adapter:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/samsung-usb-type-c-to-3-5mm-headphone-jack-adapter-white/6364522.p?skuId=6364522

Google Pixel USB-C to 3.5mm adapter:
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/google-usb-c-to-3-5mm-audio-adapter-white/6302897.p?skuId=6302897

If there is no natural light coming into the filming space that can light the on-camera subject’s face evenly, then you may need video lights. Below are links to 2 different inexpensive lighting options.

PLEASE NOTE: If you wear glasses, using a ring light can be problematic because of the glare & reflection in the lenses of your glasses.

We use a platform called OpenReel to record virtually. It’s similar to using a platform like Zoom, as all you need to do is join the virtual room that we’re recording in. However, once you’re in the room, we can control things on our end, like your camera settings, the brightness, the audio levels, and some other elements. We can also hit record, and then have the footage come directly to us after we record, so you don’t even have to send any video footage to us.

A few days before your scheduled filming date, you will receive an email with instructions about how exactly to log in to the platform, and how to prep your Smartphone for filming.

Before our virtual day of filming, please download the “OpenReel” app to your iPhone or Android phone.

You can find the iPhone app here (please click this link from your iPhone):
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/openreel-capture/id1542979247

You can find the Android app here (please click this link from your Android Phone):
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.openreel.capture2

If filming with your Smartphone, we’ll be filming horizontally (landscape mode) NOT vertically as you may be used to.

One REALLY important thing to think about when you’re setting up your camera is properly framing your shot – meaning where are YOU, as the on-camera subject, positioned in the frame? Are you centered? Are you positioned slightly off to one side? And how close is your head to the top of the frame?

First, let’s talk about headroom – or how close your head is to the top of the frame. Ideally, you want there to be a little bit of headroom in your shot. If your head is too close, or even touching the top of the frame, you will look and feel boxed in and cut off. Conversely, if there is too much headroom, then you appear to just be a floating head in the middle, or at the bottom, of the frame.

The best way to control the amount of headroom you leave in the shot, and give a comfortable, pleasing “feel” to the video, is to use what’s known in the industry at the “rule of thirds”. The rule of thirds is a technique that basically divides the visible frame into 9 parts by imagining 2 equally spaced vertical lines, and 2 equally spaced horizontal lines (think of a tic-tac-toe board). The idea is that the most important elements of your shot (in this case, that would be your face) should be placed along these lines, or at the intersection of these lines.

We personally find that for most direct-to-camera talking-head videos, where there is just 1 subject on camera, we like to just position the subject pretty much in the center of the frame left and right, and then position their head along the upper horizontal rule of thirds line.

Take a look at a properly framed shot using the rule of thirds, including the rule of thirds grid lines:

Our best recommendation, in order to record in the highest-quality way, is to use an external microphone plugged into your Smartphone

• Plug in the microphone using the correct dongle/adapter for your phone

• Clip the microphone onto the person’s shirt in the upper part of the chest area

• Hide the microphone wire inside / underneath their shirt, so we can’t see the wire in the shot

We want viewers to be able to see the on-camera subject clearly!

• The goal is to eliminate any harsh shadows on the person’s face – we’re going for EVEN lighting

• Either place the subject in a well-lit space, or if you have windows that provide natural light in your room, position the person so that the light from the windows is shining ON their face

• Don’t sit them in front of a window with their back to the window, as that will provide too much harsh backlight that won’t look good on camera

In general, choose a background that is on-brand for the company, nice to look at, inspiring, and not cluttered.

Make sure you choose a quiet space, or that you can clear it out and make it quiet during the filming time. Don’t set up in front of where the phone constantly rings, or there is a lot of foot traffic. And don’t forget to turn off music, ringers, loud appliances, power drills, etc.

Below are some examples of some shots that are both appropriate to the subject matter, and inspiring to look at:

We’re going to try to have everyone wear a SouthernCarlson logo shirt.

If you’re not going to be wearing a SouthernCarlson logo shirt, in general:

• Solid, rich colors look best on camera. Typically, deep shades of blue, purple, pink and green are usually safe choices for most people.

• Pick a color that looks good with your particular skin tone, hair color, or eye color, or that one color that everyone always compliments you on most whenever you wear it!

• Stay away from patterns like florals, stripes, plaids, and checkers. Some of them just don’t look good on camera at all, and they are just too distracting. But others can actually play tricks with the camera lens.

• Stay away from other logos.

• Stay away from anything super bright (like bright, orangey-red), as it can be distracting and draw attention away from you.

• Stay away from anything very dull, as that may wash you out.

Here are some examples of colors that look great on-camera, and were appropriate for the background we were filming in:

Always try to present yourself in an inspiring way on camera. Think about what would be inspiring to the viewers of this video, who are considering working at your company!

• Put on a nice shirt that isn’t wrinkled

• Women: Do your makeup & hair

We have created a few standard questions that we’re going to ask everyone, and then each person may also have a few questions specific to them, based on what area they put down on their initial questionnaire that they most wanted to focus on.

We will be sending the general questions to you in a follow up email, so that you can share them with your team before your filming date. Please let us know if you need any clarification on anything.

There are no right or wrong answers! We are just going to ask participants to share the truth about their experience. We just want them to be themselves, and be honest and authentic about their personal experience working for SouthernCarlson.

No one needs to be fully scripted or say things in an exact way, but it can be very helpful for them to think ahead of time about what they want to say, and jot down a few bullet points of what they want to talk about, to make sure they don’t forget anything important.

The goal is that we want them to look and feel comfortable and confident on camera, so we will remind them to speak from their hearts, and share their results and experience from their unique perspective.

We’re going to be asking the questions 1 at a time, stopping between questions. And since we’re recording LIVE, if we need to do anything a second time, we will absolutely do that.

We’ll encourage them to keep each answer in the 15-30 second range (definitely no more than 60 seconds).

Our Golden Rule of video: your answers should be long enough to say what you need to say, but short enough to keep your viewer’s attention.

IMPORTANT TIP: Always incorporate some of the question into the answer, so there is always context for what you are saying. Since the viewer won’t hear or see the questions being asked, the on-camera talent has to let them know what the question is, by incorporating it into their answer. We tell people to always assume that the viewer doesn’t know what or who you’re talking about.

For example, if the question is “What do you love most about working at SouthernCarlson?”

The person could say something like this…

“What I love most about SouthernCarlson is…”

OR

“SouthernCarlson is an incredible company. They’ve really helped me with XYZ… and that’s what I love the most about working here…”

OR

“I’ve been working at SouthernCarlson for over 2 years, and what I love most about coming to work every day is…”

The biggest tip we can share is to focus on talking to one person. You’re not talking to a hundred, a thousand, or a million people. You’re only talking to 1 single viewer, who really needs to hear the words that you are saying.

If you’re feeling nervous, focus on the reason you’re doing this, and who you are helping. You can think about how you felt when you were looking for the right company to be a part of, and how you feel now that you’re a part of the perfect team.

Remember that there is someone else out there who really needs to hear these words, so they can also have the opportunity to change their career path, and create a better work and life experience by working at SouthernCarlson.

This is the absolute best tip to eliminate nerves instantly – take yourself out of the equation! Just come from a place of service, by thinking: how can my story help others who may be in a similar situation to where I was before I started working with this company?

If anyone is having major nerves or anxiety about being on camera, we have a 30-minute meditation recording that will help. Reach out to our team, and we’ll send it to you to pass on to your people. All they do is put headphones on and listen to the recording every 48 hours leading up to the filming, and it will help them release any nerves, and feel more confident on camera.