Broadcasting anything comes with challenges. There is no way to stop or have do-overs which make quick thinking and multitasking critical. The only way to get better at it is to do it more. In this article, we have laid down a few tips that will ensure that your live streaming video production is carried out smoother and better.
- Have a simple setup – The more equipment you add to your setup, the more complex it will become. And if any one of these parts fails in the middle of your stream, the success of your live show will be at risk. To lower the risk of technical errors, you have to keep your setup as simple as possible.
- Keep backup – Even if you have a simple setup, it might fail. Encoders like Pearl-2 are reliable, but it is smaller components that you have to worry about like monitors and cables that pose a risk of failure. It is in your best interest to play it safe and have a backup of your gear at all times.
- Ensure bandwidth – If you have been in the online business for some time, you must know your network. Before you start our live stream, test your upload speed to make sure that you have consistent bandwidth, or else your audience might not be able to view your live stream.
- Put aside extra time for audio – Audio setup doesn’t often get the required attention. In order to deliver a professional live stream, having high-quality audio is critical. So make sure that you have ample time for testing acoustics, configuring the audio encoding settings, minimizing room noise, etc.
- Test your stream using a backup account – It is important to use your backup account for testing your stream. For example, on Facebook, you can create a new account with private publishing notifications and no friends. And while you are streaming through the backup account, you can view the broadcast from your main account and get a perspective of your audience.
- Look at the camera – You should look at your camera and not the monitor. Some people use reference monitors below their camera to access it easily. However, this location makes it tempting to look at the monitor for longer than you have to. Do not keep staring at your monitor and make sure that your eye line is directly into the camera lens.
It is important to note that there will always be an unexpected element at the live stream. And that is what makes it interesting. Once you have everything in motion, just have fun.
