Finally, high quality, on-demand video production at my fingertips

At a previous position where I managed a team of outsourced developers, I had a real-time video creation setup that assisted me in sharing business context and providing User Acceptance Testing feedback.

It worked incredibly well, and I easily used it every day. However, when I left that company, my PC-based setup went with it.

Now that I work for a remote-first company that uses Macbooks, my need for a solution like I had was stronger than ever, but I had no idea where to start on a Mac.

So I began working toward a new solution to this while also taking it a step further to increase the overall production quality.

The gear

Other than a Stream Deck, I already had everything else in my office from working remote, so the actual out-of-pocket amount to get my setup running was only around $150.

1. Logitech 4K Pro Webcam
2. Audio Technica AT2020 USB Cardioid Condenser Microphone
3. Elgato Stream Deck
4. Open Broadcaster Software (OBS)
5. Nanoleaf Smart Lighting

What I've done

Using OBS, I have created 2 primary scenes, one of just my face and the other of my main screen and my face, and set up buttons on my Stream Deck to switch between them on the fly.

I also added a "lower third" of my name and title and an OBS Move transition plugin to make the changing of scenes look sleek and professional.

In just under 1 week, this setup has quickly became a solid weapon in my asynchrounous communication arsenal, and I use it every day to ask more nuanced questions and share updates across my organization.

As I get more and more comfortable, I can definitely see a YouTube channel in my future.