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Studio Setups: Behind the Scenes with Liz Mosley

By Ian Anderson Gray with Liz Mosley

Confident Live Marketing Podcast

Episode 225

Duration: 36 minutes 39 seconds

Episode Theme: Tech & Gear

Full Transcript

August 14, 2024

CLMP new-2

This episode is sponsored by Adobe Express.

Have you ever wondered how to create a studio setup that reflects your brand and enhances your content creation? Are you curious about the essential gear top creators use to produce professional-looking videos and podcasts? Do you want to know how to balance authenticity with professionalism in your content?

I interviewed graphic designer and branding expert Liz Mosley to explore the world of studio setups and content creation. Liz shares her journey from a bedroom desk setup to a personalized, brand-aligned studio, offering valuable insights for content creators at all levels.

Liz Mosley, with over 15 years of experience in graphic design, specializes in creating branding and websites for small business owners. As an Adobe Express ambassador and host of the "Building Your Brand" podcast, Liz brings a wealth of knowledge about balancing professional aesthetics with authentic brand representation.

In this episode:

[1:13] – Meet Liz Mosley: Graphic designer, brand expert, and content creator
[2:35] – Liz’s journey as an Adobe Express ambassador and content creator
[4:00] – The evolution of Liz’s studio setup: From bedroom desk to personalized space
[8:25] – Debunking audio myths: Why your microphone choice matters (and doesn’t)
[12:16] – Camera considerations: Balancing quality and budget for video content
[15:59] – Lighting solutions for small spaces: Adapting to your environment
[18:23] – Starting with what you have: Using everyday devices for content creation
[20:31] – Essential software for podcasting and video editing
[22:37] – Creating a workspace that sparks creativity and productivity
[25:11] – The art of balancing professionalism and authenticity in your brand
[32:55] – Quick-fire round: Liz’s preferences for studio setup essentials

The Journey from Bedroom to Brand-Aligned Studio

Liz’s story of studio evolution is a testament to the fact that you don’t need a perfect setup to start creating content. She began with a simple desk in her bedroom, with her bed visible in the background during live streams. Surprisingly, even as an Adobe ambassador, she found that the company was relaxed about her modest setup.

This experience highlights an important lesson for aspiring content creators: it’s okay to start simple and upgrade gradually. The pressure to have professional equipment from the get-go can be overwhelming, but Liz’s journey shows that authenticity and content quality often matter more than having the latest gear.

As Liz explains, “Sometimes we look at what other people are doing and think, I don’t have the right setup, this isn’t gonna be slick enough, but actually, psychologically, people respond better if you don’t have all of that.”

Essential Elements of a Studio Setup

Audio: The Great Microphone Debate

When it comes to audio, Liz uses a Blue Yeti microphone, a choice that sometimes faces criticism in podcasting circles. However, both Liz and Ian agree that while audio quality is crucial, it doesn’t need to be perfect to be effective. The key is to find a balance between quality and practicality.

Camera Considerations: Balancing Quality and Budget

Liz shares her plans to upgrade from her iMac’s built-in camera to a Sony ZV E-10, discussing the investment and additional equipment needed. This transition illustrates the importance of planning upgrades that align with your content goals and budget.

Lighting: Adapting to Your Space

Lighting can be a challenge, especially in small spaces. Liz describes her journey from relying on natural light to investing in Elgato lights. Her experience shows how adapting to your environment and making smart investments can significantly improve your video quality.

Computers and Devices: Start with What You Have

One of the most encouraging aspects of Liz’s approach is her emphasis on starting with what you already own. She often uses her iPhone for content creation, demonstrating that expensive equipment isn’t always necessary to produce quality content.

Software: The Tools of the Trade

Liz discusses using Riverside for podcasting, plans to use Ecamm for live streaming, and her use of Adobe Premiere Pro and Express for editing. This mix of tools shows how different software can be combined to create a workflow that suits your specific needs.

Creating a Personalized Space That Reflects Your Brand

Throughout the conversation, Liz emphasises the importance of creating a studio space that reflects your brand. She shares how she painted a wall green and curated specific corners for filming, balancing professionalism with approachability.

“When the visuals of your brand are quite established, I think it makes it easier to make decorating decisions in your space,” Liz notes. “It means that your videos look on brand, and that just really helps build up that trust, and it helps people recognise your brand really quickly.”

The Trend Towards Authentic Content

An intriguing point of discussion is the trend towards more authentic, less polished content. Liz shares insights from her husband, an online education expert, about how students respond better to content that isn’t overly produced. This observation challenges the notion that content needs to be perfectly polished to be effective.

As Liz puts it, “Students respond better if your recording setup isn’t super, super slick and polished. If it’s a bit more approachable, friendly, a bit more lo-fi…”

This trend towards authenticity aligns well with the idea of starting with a simple setup and gradually improving it. It suggests that content creators should focus more on delivering value and connecting with their audience rather than achieving technical perfection.

Balancing Professionalism and Authenticity

The key takeaway from this discussion is the importance of finding a balance between professional-looking content and authentic brand representation. While it’s beneficial to improve your setup over time, it’s equally important to ensure that your space and content reflect your brand’s personality and values.

Liz’s journey from a bedroom desk to a personalized studio space illustrates how gradual improvements, aligned with your brand and content goals, can lead to a setup that enhances your content without losing authenticity.

What’s your biggest challenge in creating a studio setup that reflects your brand? Share your thoughts in the comments section below, and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for more valuable insights on content creation and branding!

Liz’ Studio

Watch Episode 225

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About Liz Mosley

Liz Mosley is a graphic designer with over 15 years experience and now specialises in creating creative branding and websites for small business owners. She also hosts a podcast called Building Your Brand and teaches courses showing people how to create their own branding and GIFS if they don’t have the budget to outsource it. Her goal for her clients and students is for them to come away with branding that they love and that helps them to feel so proud and confident, promoting their businesses and sharing what they do with the world. You can find out more on her website, lizmosley.net, and follow her on Instagram @lizmmosley.

Transcript

[0:00] Liz: when the visuals of your brand are quite established. I think it makes it easier to make decorating decisions in your space means that your videos look on brand and that just really helps build up that trust and it helps people recognize your brand really quickly.

[0:16] I think one of the things that I struggle with, especially in the design industry, is there's like a lot of, maybe now become visual cliches, so I've noticed that a lot of designers will have a really dark studio and they'll use colored lights  to get in their sort of brand color

[0:33] Sometimes we look at what other people are doing and think, I don't have the right setup, this isn't gonna be slick enough, but actually, psychologically, people respond better if you don't have all of that.

Ian Anderson Gray

Ian is the founder of the Confident Live Marketing Academy and is the host of the Confident Live Marketing Podcast. He helps entrepreneurs to level up their impact, authority and profits by using live video confidently. He's founder of Seriously Social - a blog focused on live video and social media tools. He’s an international speaker, trainer, teacher and consultant. He has a passion for making the techno-babble of live video and social media marketing easy to understand. As well as being a geek, husband, and dad to two kids, Ian is also a professional singer and lives near Manchester in the UK.