# How to Record Self for Promotional Videos

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## Still in Draft

This document is not ready for the reader. I probably reference it in another article though and so... here you are!  Read on if you'd like, but it may be best to wait until I complete it.
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### Equipment

* Microphone + Stand  ([Best](https://a.co/d/96YnF1V) + [Stand](https://a.co/d/hGL7i9B) | [Better](https://a.co/d/8fi689y))
* Lights ([Best](https://a.co/d/4SMAlAD) | [Better](https://a.co/d/91xpNop))
* [Phone Stand](https://a.co/d/j4fyYvV)
* Acoustic Buffering ([Best](https://a.co/d/9C3kxfF) | [Better](https://a.co/d/eu9OHeF))

## Recording Tips

* When reading the script and if you are looking directly at the camera, put the words you're reading on a narrow screen and right below the camera lens.  If you have a wide screen, people can see your eyes drifting left-to-right as you read.  If you have the words too far down the page, your eyes will look down to read.  Try putting a laptop with the script right behind the camera.  Record yourself reading directly from the script and see how it looks.
  * Have a lot to read?  Take your mouse and place it in your lap, covered by a blanket to muffle any sound, and use its scroll wheel to keep the script's text at the top of the page.
* Try to break up the recording into several angled shots.  This takes a bit of practice to get right and you'll want a consistent rhythm, tone, and position between each recording.  Make sure your hair, clothes, microphone, lighting, and any other props/equipment (excluding the camera, obviously) are the exact same in between shots.  Record an entire take from one angle.  Then, switch to a different angle and do likewise.  Recording different angles allows you to mess up if doing a long take.  When you mess up, you can just jump to a different angle for that spot in post production.  It also gives more flavor to the shots.  Note that this isn't going to work so well if you're green-screening or otherwise altering your background, so only do it if you have a background that works from multiple angles.
* Consider hiring a professional videographer, especially if you don't have an ideal location and they do.  For getting just the raw footage, it's typically less than $300, but they can usually do all the post production as well for pretty cheap.
* Only recording audio?  Try recording it in your car.  It has surprisingly good acoustics and sound buffering.  Surprise surprise.  A box that keeps out the thunderhead sound of 80 mph winds is a pretty good audio recording studio...