4 Essential Tools for Live-Streaming Corporate Presentations

In this article I will share a few of the most important tools needed to live-stream a professional corporate presentation.

When your organization has an important presentation, both your content and your quality needs to be professional. The same is true for any online meeting or presentation. Internet presentations are notorious for bad lighting, poor audio, and slow internet connections. These common problems are a communication nightmare, forcing the purpose for the online stream to be all but lost.

We are passionate about high-quality live streaming, so we decided to create a quick guide on the tools you need to create a beautiful live-streamed presentation. This article will outline the key details and communication tools needed to create a polished online presentation.

1. Lighting

Most corporate offices do not have ideal lighting for video cameras. Your subject or presenter should, generally, be lit brighter than the rest of the room so they can be the focus of the presentation. Typically, presenters stand in front of a projector screen, or directly in front of a wall, which are not ideal scenarios. Instead, try to have your subject stand at least few feet away from any walls. This will help separate them from the background and focus audience attention.

Pro Tip: Make sure to distance your subject at least 4-5 feet from the background and have consistent lighting.

You’ll want to diffuse the light, which means that the light will be softer on their face, like a beauty light. This is more pleasing on the skin and it generates a better general aesthetic. Trust me, your presenters will thank you for making them look good.

Diffused light can be found from a number of sources. The easiest is a simple window. Have your subject face towards an open window and allow for the ambient lighting to illuminate their face. This is not ideal for all productions, but it can be helpful if you’re in a pinch.

This video offers a good explanation of simple window lighting techniques.

Another diffusion option is to use professional options like soft boxes or diffusion panels.

If you have to place the light further than 25 feet away from your subject, you’ll want a spotlight modifier, which will focus the light on your subject instead of the whole room.

A stand is also needed for the light. This supports the weight of the light and will elevate the light above an in-person audience (if you have one). A sandbag is listed for safety.

Here are a few of my lighting recommendations for corporate presentations.

Light for Small Room: Aputure 120d ii

Light for Larger Room: Aputure 300d ii

Diffuser: Light Dome ii

Spotlight Modifier: Aputure Spotlight Modifier

Light Stand: Avenger C Stand

Sand Bag: Matthews Sand Bag

2. Camera

When looking for an HD camcorder it’s best to find one with the ability to zoom in (x12 or x20). A power cord for the camera is helpful so you don’t have to depend on batteries that die, and a simple tripod is helpful as well. Ideally, choose a tripod that is not used just for photo-taking, as this will allow your operator to use the camera to follow or “frame up” your speaker during the presentation.

Recommended Camera: Sony PXW-Z150 Camcorder

Recommended Tripod: Sachtler FSB Tripod

3. Audio

Generally, your microphone should be as close to the source (typically the speaker’s mouth) as possible. Using the audio from just the camera source is a classic reason why the audio for most presentations sounds so poor. I suggest using a wireless lav and having the device plug into your streaming device or camera. My personal pick is the Shure system.

If you will have more than one presenter, you may consider getting handheld mics that can be passed around, but some presenters prefer to have their hands free when speaking.

Wireless Mic: Sure Wireless Mic

4. ENCODER

Once your audio and cameras are set, you will need to connect them with your computer. One of the easiest ways to do that is with a tool called the Blackmagic Design Web Presenter. This is a device that professionally connects microphones and video cameras to a computer.

You will need the proper cables, so make sure that you follow each link listed below. These items do not come with the encoder, so the items you need will depend on the camera you have. If your camera has both HDMI and SDI options, go with SDI.

Encoder: Blackmagic Web Presenter

HDMI Cable: Amazon Basics HDMI Cable

SDI Cable: Blue Jeans SDI Cable

Power Cable: Star Tech Power Cable

Other Tips

Streaming is a daunting and difficult task, especially on your first run, so it is important to minimize that stress by ensuring the equipment you have promotes the success of your online event. It’s also very important to test your equipment before your first presentation.

If you have regular events scheduled for streaming, consider hiring a full time streaming specialist, or hire an outside contractor to help you on your first few projects. Companies, such as Corporate Streams, will even bring their own gear, saving you the headache of figuring out what to purchase and how to set it up. Their expertise will take the stress away from the technical support so you can best support your team through your designated skills.