To make your video reports, you need something to capture the image and sound.
A simple smartphone is enough as we have seen in previous lessons.
If possible, you can use some accessories listed here, which improve your sound and image recording.
The microphones to capture the sound
Sound recording is more important than taking an image!
As much as a report with a poor quality image can be viewed, a report where the sound is inaudible will be difficult to use. So be sure to capture the best sound possible!
To pick up the sound, you will use a microphone. Whatever microphone you use, the closer you are to the source to be picked up, the better your sound recording will be.
Two families of microphones exist:
The built-in microphone
It is the microphone present in your smartphone, your camera or your camcorder.
This is the one used by the vast majority of your colleagues.
It is, in itself, sufficient, but its low quality requires a lot of care not to have parasitic sounds (planes, cars, fan, screams from a schoolyard, air conditioner and other mechanical purring).
- close enough to the sound source
- sheltered from the wind
- in a fairly quiet environment
An external microphone
This is the most qualitative option.
It requires an investment in material and time, and concerns you if you have these resources. Unlike the microphone built into your smartphone, you will need to plug in this microphone … Two options: connect it to your video sensor or to a third-party recorder
There are 3 main types of external microphones, the characteristics of which differ, the lapel microphone, the hand microphone and the shotgun microphone.
Stabilizers to capture the image
- To stabilize your image in still shots, you can use a tripod
- In moving shots, you can use a stabilizer ( gimbal ) or a simple selfie stick.
