Setting up sound and picture

Work in this order

Audio problems are the hardest to fix in the edit, so they come first, then picture, then everything else. Give the whole setup 45 to 60 minutes for a two person show and closer to 75 for three or more.

1. Pick the corner with the most rugs, books and upholstery.
2. Turn off fans and the AC during takes. Note the thermostat so you can restore it.
3. Seat people at slight angles, about 3 to 4 feet apart.
4. Place and level mics, then record room tone.
5. Set cameras, then lights, then a 2 minute test you play back.

Mics: what to use and why

Use dynamic mics. They pick up the voice in front of them and reject much of the room. Condensers capture echo and traffic you will hear later. Approximate 2026 prices:

An SM7B needs a lot of clean gain. Pair it with a recorder that has strong preamps, an inline booster like a Cloudlifter (about $150), or choose the SM7dB, which has a booster built in.

Mic placement

• 3 to 6 inches from the mouth, about a fist and a half away.
• Slightly off axis, aimed at the chin or corner of the mouth, to cut pops.
• Below the face line so the mic never blocks the mouth on camera.
• On a boom arm or low floor stand, not held in hand.
• Point the back of each mic toward the other guest to cut bleed.

Tip: Watch for drift. Guests lean back as they relax. Ask them once to stay close to the mic, and have one person watch the meters and give a quiet signal if someone drifts.

Recorders and levels

Record every voice to its own track so you can fix one person without touching the others. Good options: Zoom PodTrak P4 (about $200, four mic inputs), Zoom F6 (about $650, six inputs with 32-bit float) or a Rodecaster Pro II (about $700). Record WAV at 48 kHz, 24-bit or 32-bit float.

• Normal talking should peak near -12 dB and average around -18 dB.
• Loud laughs should stay under -6 dB.
• 32-bit float makes clipping recoverable, but still set sensible gain.
• Lavs like a DJI Mic 2 or Rode Wireless GO II (about $300 to $350) on a second recorder are your safety net.

Room tone and a test

Record 30 seconds of room tone with everyone silent and still, at the start of every set. Your editor uses it to fill gaps so cuts do not sound like the room suddenly changed. Then record a 2 minute test conversation and play it back on closed-back headphones such as Sony MDR-7506 or Audio-Technica ATH-M50x (about $100 to $150). Listen for hum, rustle, pops and echo.

Cameras and settings

A classic setup is three angles: one wide two-shot plus one tighter single on each person. Phones work for a start; mirrorless cameras like a Sony ZV-E10 II (about $1,000) or Sony FX30 (about $1,800) look better and record longer.

• Pick one frame rate, 24 or 30 fps, and match every camera.
• Shutter at double the frame rate: 1/50 for 24 fps, 1/60 for 30 fps.
• Lock white balance manually, around 4000K to 4500K with warm lamps.
• f/2.8 to f/4 on the wide so both faces stay sharp; f/2 to f/2.8 on singles.
• Shoot the wide in 4K so you can crop it into extra angles later.

Tip: Check record limits. Some cameras stop recording after a set time or overheat on long takes. Test a full length recording at home with the same settings before the shoot day.

A simple three light plan

Light faces, not the room. A soft key does most of the work. Bowens-mount LEDs like an Amaran 200d S (about $250 to $300) with a small softbox are plenty for two people.

• Key: soft light at about 45 degrees, slightly above eye level, close to the face.
• Fill: a bounce card or a second light at a quarter of the key's power.
• Background: a practical lamp in frame, dimmed so it glows but does not blow out.
• Match color: if lamps are warm, set LEDs warmer or close the curtains on daylight.

What to bring

• One dynamic mic per person, stands or arms, and spare XLR cables.
• A multitrack recorder, lavs on a second recorder, and spare batteries.
• Two or three cameras or phones on tripods, with spare cards and power.
• Two soft LED lights, gaffer tape, sandbags, extension cords and power strips.
• Water, cough drops and closed-back headphones for whoever watches levels.

You do not need a cinema kit. A small setup you have tested beats a big one you have not. If you hire crew, one audio person who only watches meters is worth more than a second camera operator.

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