[1:36] Luria: I can't stay still, apparently.
[1:40] Ian: It's all those, it's all those acronyms like NBC, MSNB. I was really almost struggling over those words
[1:47] Luria: Yeah. I basically just say all the BB, all the BCs,
[1:49] Ian: All the BCs. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. You've been on the show before. I don't know. It's maybe a year or so back. And yeah, we were talking about confidence communication and I'm really I'm excited that you're going to come back to talk about those things.
[2:05] But in this episode, we're going to look at studio setups and your studio setup. You have been a massive inspiration to me as. You have been to so many people and you have this amazing way of teaching how to have a really professional setup, but not like in an uber geeky way or nerdy way you actually help people through that.
[2:27] And it's amazing. So do check out Luria's channel, livestreamingpros. com and the YouTubes. But yeah, okay. I've given a little bit of an introduction to you, but I'd love to know your, like your. Could you maybe give an introduction, highlighting your background when it comes to your studio setup, and, what makes your studio setup unique, do you think, as a, as part of that journey?
[2:49] Luria: Industry for 18 years, like you said, and I can geek out with the best of them. However, like I, like you said I don't believe in forcing you down the geeky path, right? Like I, what I really do well is simplify. Information. And so while I have a nine camera video studio all of the fancy tech, and I have three, five mixers on the floor over there, like all the things my job and my passion is really simplification of the information.
[3:19] So that you don't have to understand what ISO is. You don't have to understand, all of the fancy terms. I'd rather see you create and just get through the professional tech setup so that you can create content so that you can share your message. You can get that information out. It is your brilliance and so that you can make a bigger difference.
[3:43] I see. And Ian, I know you, you've seen this as well but people use technology and all of the gear as a way of procrastinating, doing the thing that is going to make the biggest difference in their world. That's really my mission around my world is to get you confident on camera.
[4:03] Funny. That's through the tag. That's also through, showing up more authentically as well.
[4:08] Ian: yeah. Oh, procrastination. But it's a huge thing and I dunno whether you've done it. I've certainly done it. I've
[4:13] Luria: Oh, I've never procrastinated in my life. Come on.
[4:15] Ian: Yeah, let's let's be real about this, but yeah, it's. It's and I I definitely identify with a lot of the stuff that you said that I might, I have this real, I really want to help people get past that procrastination and be confident in front of the camera and to try and simplify things too, because a lot of people make things complicated, but equally, it sounds like you're like me in that.
[4:37] Yes, you have that passion, but you also maybe don't make things, So simple for yourself, you've got like a nine camera set up. So I'm interested. This wasn't like actually one of my questions I was going to ask you, but I'm just interested. Like, why do you think that is like your passion is to make things simple?
[4:56] Yet you obviously enjoy the setup that you've got and, you, I'm sure you wouldn't say it's like mega complicated, but it's not super simple either.
[5:07] Luria: Mine is not. No. And part of that is because I do a lot of, I get a lot of gear for free to review and to like, see if I want to like, put it into people's studios. I build video studios for people, like you said, Michael Hyatt, Amy Porterfield and. Part of my job is to show what's possible if you wanted to and learn all of the different technologies as they come out.
[5:34] I've got something under embargo right now that just arrived that I can't wait to get my hands on. So there's that element to my job, but ultimately my job is to play with it all, test it all and then choose the things that are going to be the best options for you and your setup.
[5:52] And I think when it comes to procrastination, if you don't mind me telling a little story here it's so the thing that I've learned about people, thousands of students over the years is, that when something feels unknown, it causes that procrastination. And so my job is to remove the unknown and make that simple.
[6:12] So I had a realization recently with some of my, I've lived in this apartment for four years, it's a 850 square foot studio apartment, and I have my whole studio in here and my bed is on the other side, right? So it's a small little place. This is my living room. And All of a sudden my light bulbs start going out one after another.
[6:32] Just boom. I don't know what was up with that. Just timing, but I, one day I looked up and I was like, I should probably change the bulbs. But then I looked up and I was like, I've never changed that type of bulb, and I procrastinated, and I let it stop me in my tracks because I had never done it, and it's simple.
[6:52] I've changed a million light bulbs in my days, right? You just, you pull it out, you go to the hardware store, you match it, you put it back in, right? Super simple. However, I still have yet to change my bulbs out because it is an unknown to me, and that's the way our brains work. And my realization was that is what Is causing, people to use tech as a procrastination tool is that it is an unknown.
[7:17] And anytime we face an unknown, like riding a bike or anything else it is that kind of human nature to just pull back and wait it out almost, right?
[7:27] Ian: Yeah, so true. And I think sometimes, It's because we don't break it up into the smaller components. So like with your light bulbs, like it's not just, you can say, yeah, I need to change the light bulbs, but actually, you need to go, you need to get in the car, you need to drive to where, what type of bulb is it, you might have to take a photo of it, so you can and find it and then you have to go back and then maybe you need something to stand on to, to get up there.
[7:53] I don't know. It's all this stuff. And I think that's the same with tech, we have to break it down and quite often we don't spend the time breaking it down. So it ends up being this massive kind of thing in our heads. So I'm not speaking from experience here at all. But yeah, I want to dive into your studio and ask.
[8:14] I ask a lot of people what they think is the most important part of their studio. But for a lot of people, and I don't know what you think about this, there's different views. They would maybe start with audio and microphones. You may have different views on that, but so maybe tell us what you think about that.
[8:32] And then we'll dive into your audio setup. So what's your view on the most important part of the studio?
[8:39] Luria: Definitely. Audio is the most important to invest in first, but it doesn't have to be a big investment. It can be, I'm using a an XLR mic road NTG four plus going into a roadcaster pro two. I also have All the other mixers on the market right now that I could swap out at any time.
[8:58] But at the reality check to begin your audio journey, all you need is a USB mic, like the Elgato Wave 3. It's a simple mic. It just plugs in. You don't need an audio interface, right? And so that would give you good audio to get going fast and inexpensively. So that's Once you're ready for more, once you, if you're going to do a podcast or if you really want to focus on heavier audio or better audio, then you can, get a mixer involved and you can have some fun soundtracks and, sound like noises on the pads and different things that, that, that offers as a capability.
[9:40] But it's definitely not something that you have to start with.
[9:44] Ian: Yeah, definitely. And I think sometimes the I've got the Redcaster Pro 2 as well. And it's not for the faint hearted. It's, there's a lot of settings, a lot of setup. It's
[9:53] Luria: Yeah, exactly.
[9:54] Ian: minus what on earth is that? So I think you're totally right with that.
[9:57] So yeah, something like the, I forget the name of it, the Elgato Wave. Mike is that what it's called again?
[10:03] Luria: The wave three.
[10:04] Ian: The wave three. Yeah, that's what you would recommend as a starter So you've got like in terms of what you've got the road and I think that is what you call a shotgun mic So it's off.
[10:15] It's out of shot. So what so I'm interested to know like why did you get why did you go? For that particular type of mic and your setup. What was the thinking behind that?
[10:24] Luria: I'm not a big fan of mics in the shot. So personally speaking, I think it gets in the way of my facial expressions and I'm very very expressive when it comes to like communication. And so I feel like it gets in my way and I'm. I'm Italian, so I talk with my hands a lot and I always hit the mics if they're in the shot, right?
[10:44] So I wanted something just out of frame. And I wanted, really good audio. So the shotgun, it provides that, it does pick up some of the other noises and things like that. The way I have it. So it's not maybe the most perfect audio I could put in because that would be in the shot.
[11:03] The closer the mic is to your mouth, the better audio you're going to get. But I'm happy with that, and it also provides a little bit of more human a human experience for my viewers, where you can hear a little bit of other stuff happening in my world. And that was important to me just because I don't want to be the Like, I could have perfection, right?
[11:29] But I don't want to have perfection because, again, my job is to get you moving through that and sometimes that means that I can show you that it's okay to hear your dog barking in the background, right?
[11:45] Ian: I really like that. Yeah, I think because we can all get a little bit stressed about what's going on in the house and there was a balance here. There was some people with really, they've got nothing against the Blue Yeti microphone. But I think a lot of people who use the Blue Yeti in a really bad way, it's like halfway down the room.
[12:01] And you can hear everything echoing around. But there is
[12:04] Luria: Yeah. You don't want that, but
[12:06] Ian: don't want that. But like this, I think this authenticity, and I, and I think when it comes to audio, there's some audio people out there that just get really precious about this and they'll, but I'm sure you've had this Laurie, why are you using a shotgun mic?
[12:20] Why do you need to use this? Like super duper and you think yeah. But for me I like the microphone in shot. I like the dynamic for microphone. That works perfectly for me. I do occasionally bash it, but I'm not like a gesticulator. I don't move my hands around a lot.
[12:35] And so this works well for me, whereas for you, you want that freedom to express yourself in the way that you do. So I think that's great.
[12:44] Luria: And I dance and my countdown timers, and things like that. And so it's just a vibe. It's a vibe choice, right?
[12:51] Ian: Now, if you're listening to the podcast, you just missed Luria dancing there. It was she wasn't actually dancing, but she was. So
[12:57] Luria: around a little. Yeah.
[13:05] Ian: that you've got a mixer, which is optional, but in your case, you've got the RODECaster Pro 2.
[13:10] Let's talk about cameras. So I think you said you have nine cameras. I thought I was, I've got two plugged in. I sometimes have a third. So tell us about your microphone setup. What's your main mic, main camera. Let's get it right. I always get cameras and mics mixed up.
[13:24] So yeah, tell us about that.
[13:26] Luria: Yeah, so I'm using the Sony ZV E10 the original version of that with a lens. The Sony ZV E10 Mark II just came out. It's more expensive, it's lighter, and it fixes a couple of The problems of the original Sony ZV E1 or sorry, ZV E10. And one of the things that I noticed about the camera is because like with my custom clients they're the reason that they have us build their studios is they don't want to know it, right?
[13:59] They don't want to deal with the tech themselves. They have. They know the importance of their time and the value of their time, and they would rather be making money in their business and doing the thing that they're great at. And so on the original camera, this was a button that got hit a lot by our clients.
[14:16] And students even, and they would come to me and be like, I don't know why this thing isn't working the way it's supposed to, and I'd always be like, did you hit the button? Is it on the wrong setting? And so now with the Model 2 they fixed that, so it's harder to actually
[14:32] Ian: It's this,
[14:33] Luria: change the mode,
[14:34] Ian: it's all okay. So this is not the on off button. This is the mode. Cause I've got the same, I've got the same one. I've got the ZV E10 or ZV, whatever, however you pronounce it. But I've I've got it like over there behind a teleprompter. So I, I. I don't tend to hit it. So this is the mode.
[14:49] This is the mode. But so what, I can't remember what the mode button does. What does that
[14:52] Luria: Yeah, it just changes between photo and video
[14:55] Ian: Oh, okay.
[14:56] Luria: Q. You have different modes that you can operate within. And obviously, we just want to set it and forget it. That's my belief about studio setups, is set it and forget it, so you're not having to constantly do it. But if people do hit, the button on the original one, it can change, it can get frustrating really fast.
[15:14] And so like you, I have a teleprompter on mine as well. I think I have about five teleprompters around here, lying around. And one of my favorites is the, I can LCD, but then the Elgato prompter came out and while it's not perfect by any means it definitely is. amazing for the price point.
[15:33] Like it's so simple. It's so easy to use. There are a couple of things that people get caught up on in terms of setup which I have a video about on my YouTube channel and helping people through that. But I think that for the price point for the quality you get of this monitor it's amazing.
[15:52] So it's like what three, 400 in a proper teleprompter, quote unquote, not a Bluetooth prompter tends to cost at least 800, usually about the 1, 200 range. So For 400 bucks, I mean for half that price oh man, amazing.
[16:08] Ian: Yeah. And you just plug it in. I've got a, I can't, I think I've got like an iPad teleprompter thing, but I've got a field monitor thing that I plugged in. In so which allows you to flip it. I've hacked it a little bit, but so you've
[16:20] Luria: And let's talk about that though, real quick because people have that question a lot is like Bluetooth monitors, Bluetooth teleprompters are cheaper and people want to go that route thinking it's a cheaper, easier option when in fact it's actually not you have to put an LCD monitor on it which is the way to go.
[16:39] You do not want to be relying on Bluetooth, especially if you're doing live. Bluetooth is a terrible technology. Let's just call it what it is. And it fails all the time. And so that connection will go away. So if you're relying on it for a webinar or for a live stream or for even just recorded video, you can cause, it's going to cause you frustration at some point.
[17:03] And it's likely going to fail right when you need it most.
[17:06] Ian: you don't want that stress. So so that's the that's your main camera You mentioned other cameras. Do you I mean how often do you use other cameras and you set up? Is that for different camera angles? Do you have you know, I know some people have cameras pointing down and all that kind of stuff
[17:20] Luria: Yeah. Demo camera, which is funny because I have all of these cameras and yet none of them are working today. Just heads up because because I was doing this huge video shoot and I unplugged everything and I just, I've been out of town and so I haven't plugged everything back in. But a downward camera, a behind the scenes camera, a side angle camera, a pet cam that shows my dog on the couch.
[17:43] You can just see her in the background. She loves her blankets. So she's cuddled in there right now. And then like another set, I have a second set that I usually bring in just to, again, show what's possible. I don't really have to have that. Some of my cameras are ancillary just for fun, not really anything.
[18:01] That you necessarily need. But yeah, so like I use a ZV one an a 6,100 and a 6 50, 100 a Cannon mark sorry, M 50 mark two. And then some other random ones, phone.
[18:16] Ian: know i'm not asking i'll put it i'm putting it on the spot here like trying to get you to remember all of these but
[18:21] Luria: Yeah.
[18:22] Ian: Just before we move on to the next thing, the thing that I that's always I've struggled with, and I know a lot of other people do, is you might have these cameras.
[18:28] I've got an M50 Mark I over there, which it's not, I wish I hadn't got it really, but it's it's okay. As a second camera, it's fine. But, like, when you, the more you plug into your computer, and I have a Mac, I think you're, you're a Mac user as well so there can be issues with the number of cameras that you plug in.
[18:47] I, I've noticed like with US, I've run out of kind of USB ports and I've had to buy hubs and stuff like that. Just like very briefly, what's your view? What have you looked at in order to so that you can manage that number of cameras plugged into your computer?
[19:00] Luria: So I have two two docs, so a CalDigit TS4 so that I can, offload certain things. And I also am using an ATEM, a Blackmagic ATEM. Mini and that has three cameras on it that I don't need at the same time. So I had to really plan this out, obviously, right? Like I have to really be conscious of what's getting plugged in, where, which capture cards can't use too many of the same capture cards or you'll run into problems.
[19:32] And then I did offload some of that burden of the cameras onto an ATEM Mini. But I didn't want to have. the need for any of the cameras that are going into the ATEM at the same time. Meaning I can't with a, with an ATEM, the problem with that is that you can't, throw both cameras on at the same time.
[19:54] So I had to really plan that out and think through it. You have one camera at a time.
[19:59] Ian: yeah, that makes sense. And if none of this makes sense to you listening or watching, do not worry we're getting into the high tech stuff, we're talking capture cards and all this kind of stuff, but you, if you have a higher end camera, like what Laurie is talking about, you do need to plug it into your computer with an HDMI converter or capture card or whatever
[20:16] Luria: You can use USB, but I do have a video that compares USB to capture card. I need to redo that now with the new camera, but USB is going to give you lower quality than you can get with a capture card.
[20:30] Ian: Yeah, no, that makes sense. Cool, okay we, time is marching on. Let's get on to lighting. Lighting has been the bit that I hate. Because it is, it's where we get into far like things have been tech, a bit more techie. There is not necessarily right and wrong, but lighting is so much more subjective and there's lots going on there.
[20:47] So what, I'd be interested like, first of all, like what would you recommend for beginners starting off? With lighting they've maybe never done that and then tell us about your setup.
[20:57] Luria: So let's talk at general about lighting. And the thing that happened during the pandemic was everybody was buying ring lights and ring lights are not your friend for the most part. If you have it, use it, but use it the way it's intended, which is to be straight in front of you and your camera pointing through the ring lights that most people are using these days.
[21:20] They're placing them in such a manner that you're. Fighting with that light versus getting benefit from it. And so it's not meant to go off to the side and at an angle. It's very specific purpose. So just for reference about types of lighting, that's. not being used by most people correctly. The bigger the light is, the better results you're going to get.
[21:47] So big soft boxes. I have a big dome light in mine. And you can get really cool of these domes smaller. We've started putting smaller lights into our clients. Studios and that's actually like there's the technology has progressed to get actually good lights like the apertures But bigger dome lights with softbox like with a softbox on it is Going to provide you the best softest light most women really like that But then you have a lot of space being taken up, right?
[22:26] They're more expensive and they're, they take up a lot of space. So if you are, if space is of concern I love these for beginners for beginner studios, because it doesn't take up much space. Look how thin that is. And so these Elgato key lights are fantastic for that because they are going to give you a. They're going to give you a lot of coverage from this perspective, right? For how big it is versus the key light air, which is like half, like smaller than half the size. And you want to think about light in. Setting that up, on either side of you, one is typically going to be brighter than the other.
[23:10] So you've got your main light, which is your key light. And then you have your fill light, which is the secondary light, and that's usually softer or lower on time on settings, then the main light, that's going to give you some definition between your face. And it is Very personal decision on lighting.
[23:33] It can be, it doesn't have to be, you could just set it and, and be done with it. If you want to really play with lighting, you can get artsy with it. But most people these days want more I feel like entrepreneurs, using video to market, like they tend to want more of a kind of full light.
[23:53] But with, if you have a little bit of definition, it actually makes it a little more real. So that because we have shadows in our face, right? If you look at us in person. Yeah.
[24:05] Ian: That's so true. I, and I love your setup with, cause it seems that a lot of people are going for the really dark backgrounds, neon lights and all that kind of stuff. And that's not wrong. It's, it looks cool and stuff, but like the kind of vibe I'm looking for the vibe that you're looking for that you have in your setup is a lot more natural.
[24:23] It's more real. It makes me feel. Yeah, you just seem a lot more approachable because of that, I think, and there's that human aspect, which I I assume you've thought a lot about when it comes to your lighting side of things. We are almost out of time, Luria, and I wanted to almost go into that, but but just one or two more questions, which is, first of all your computer setup I know you, you did you have gone into the PC world at some point in the past, but now you're, Definitely Mac and e commerce, the thing.
[24:52] So tell us about your computer setup. Why have you chosen what you've got? What is your kind of main few tools that you use every day? Yeah
[25:03] Luria: M2. I'll upgrade to the M3 at some point soon, I'm sure. Or M4 should be coming out soon, in the next year. But yeah, an M Mac Studio is my main, and then I have a Mac Mini as my secondary computer, and that I bring in as a Camera source, quote unquote through a capture card so that I can offload some of my like screen sharing presentations, things like that.
[25:27] So that's all happening on a secondary computer. And then yeah, e camm and, e camm used to, when I first started teaching this stuff, it was a lot more basic than it is now. And that's why I had PCs in the mix because they did more or the software did more these days. He cam is, the developers.
[25:47] Ken and Glenn, I always want to combine their names. Glenn. Glenn, see I did it again. Ken and Glenn. They hate me for that, I'm sure. They are amazing and they listen to their community so very well. And they're constantly pumping out updates. So it really is fully, capable of doing everything you want.
[26:12] That combined with my favorite piece of gear in my entire studio, the stream deck this allows you had a little hair there. This allows you to be a producer and hit all of the buttons that you could possibly want. And you can throw fun things on screen and you can really engage people in a way that without having to like, worry too much about managing the production itself.
[26:40] That's what the stream deck does for you.
[26:42] Ian: Awesome stuff. And if you want to have a stream deck as colorful as Luria's, I think Luria may have a few little icon packs and stuff. Where's the best place to find those?
[26:55] Luria: Yeah. Livestreamingprose. com slash store. We'll get you there. We have templates we have overlays. We have fun animations that you can add to your to your videos and live streams.
[27:06] Ian: It's awesome stuff. We are out of time. And now, unfortunately, like my quickfire round, my system is broken. So I'm going to have to improvise here. But you have One minute to answer these questions. So it's just a case of like quick answers. There's no right or wrong. I think you've already answered some of these.
[27:21] So let's see. Let's hope, hopefully this tech is going to work. So let's do it. Yeah. Okay. You are there. So standing desk or sitting while streaming.
[27:31] Luria: Standing, definitely. More
[27:33] Ian: cool. Scripted content or off the cuff. I think I know the answer to that.
[27:38] Luria: Both, depending on what type of thing I'm doing.
[27:42] Ian: okay. Natural light or studio lighting? Again, I think we know the answer to that.
[27:47] Luria: Studio. Control that light.
[27:49] Ian: Okay. Intro music essential or do you just skip that?
[27:53] Luria: These days, let's just get into it.
[27:56] Ian: Yeah, okay, cool. Streaming. Is streaming for engagement or for reach?
[28:02] Luria: Engagement. Deepening the connection with your viewers versus finding new audience.
[28:09] Ian: Okay, cool. Graphics and overlays minimal or the more is better?
[28:15] Luria: More is more engaging and it can increase retention.
[28:19] Ian: Oh, pretty good. Pretty good. I'm gonna have to count how many you got because my counter is not working. But so much, Luria. Okay. That's awesome. We are out of time. Now I do know that you have been working on something really cool. And you've got to tell us all about it because you, I think when I messaged you recently, you said, Oh, I've got this, I've got this new thing.
[28:38] So tell us more about it.
[28:40] Luria: Yeah. So talking about simplification, right? I made it my mission this year. I literally threw out all product I had ever like courses I had ever sold. And I redid it this year at the beginning of the year and it's proven to be. Mind blowing for people to get them through the tech. It's called the bold video bundle.
[28:59] And really it's my paint by number style system. I tell you exactly what to buy the gear. So you don't have any questions about that. It's a simple kit that gives you high quality professional video. And then I, teach you exactly how to build it. You build it and assemble it with me. It's the best thing, next best thing to having me on site building it for you, which costs a lot more.
[29:22] And so that's that, that course has gotten people so through this, the studio set up so quickly so that they can focus on creating. And then you have no excuses.
[29:35] Ian: Absolutely. And you can find out that I've got a special link for you. It is I A G dot me. forward slash Luria and that's L U R I A just in case you didn't know. So thank you Luria. It's been great to have you on the show. Do check out Luria's channel on the YouTubes and on the website and stuff.
[29:51] And I assume where's the best place for people to follow you on the socials?
[29:56] Luria: Anywhere, I'm everywhere. So whichever social you prefer just find my name on there and I'll be there. And I would love to hear from you in my DMs as well.
[30:05] Ian: Awesome. Thank you
[30:06] Luria: you for having me.
[30:08] Ian: Oh, it's a pleasure. Thank you so much. We are out of time. Thank you so much for plugging us, plugging you into our ear, no, plugging us into your ears, not the other way around. That'd be weird and, or watching us on the YouTube. Thank you so much. But until next time, I encourage you to level up your impact, authority and profits through the power of confident video.
[30:26] See you soon. Toodle oo! Bye!
[30:29] Thanks for listening to the Confident Live Marketing Podcast with Ian Anderson Gray. Make sure you subscribe at iag.me/podcast so you can continue to level up your impact, authority and profits through the power of live video. And until next time, Toodle
