Setting Up Your Podcast & Workspace
ON-BRAND CONTENT
We get the comments all the time!
🔥“Wow, your setup looks great!”
🎙“Your audio is so clear.”
🤣“I can see the hair particles in your beard.” (OK, maybe not this one)
Yes, we take a lot of time and care to ensure the pieces of content we make, the meetings we are on, and the ways we engage have a consistent look and feel. Thanks to Paul J Daly, Contagious Auto looks and feels great wherever we go. So, we thought, ‘why not share the secret to content success!?’ That is just what we are going to do! Now you have a breakdown of the gear we use and setup we implement. We linked all of the gear to B&H Photo and Amazon so you can cart it up and roll, as well. This setup may not be for all, and you can definitely get started on a much lower budget. This is the mid-level way to take your setup up a notch.
THE GEAR
Video
Canon EOS M50 Mark II Mirrorless Digital Camera - $600
Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens - $400 (Optional, but much clearer video)
EOS Webcam Accessories Starter Kit - $90
Manfrotto Compact Action Aluminum Tripod - $70
The idea here is to ensure you have a descent mirrorless camera that can function as a webcam. We are interested to see how the new Apple MacBook Pro (14” & 16”) 1080p Facetime HD camera acts as a camera for live video and web meetings, but the purchase of a camera and tripod also opens you up to other content areas outside of your office and desk!
Audio
RODECaster Pro - $600
Phone Cable (Phone Calls & Clubhouse) - $10
Lightning Adapter (Apple Users) - $8
MicroSD Card (For recording) - $15
For those that listen to The Contagious Five Podcast, you have heard nerd alerts, record scratches, and pre/post audio rolls. We are able to load and trigger that all from the RODECaster and even get our podcast live on Buzzsprout with 10 minutes of recording every morning. For those that want professional audio and a way to upgrade your live game, phone call clarity, and Clubhouse prowess, the phone cable is a must. We learned quickly that the onboard bluetooth link has too much lag to be effective in most environments.
Optional Audio
Shure SM7B Broadcaster Package Kit - $630
Shure In-Ear Headphones - $99
The cleanest audio you want must come from a dynamic vocal mic. The options are endless and a lot do a great job, but this is our gold standard because of the kit and integrated XLR cable within the boom arm. On the in ears, Kyle was the one who kept holding out here. From using speakers to plugging in his Apple headphones, it was clear the in-ears would be necessary with the amount of time spent on calls these days!
Lighting
Accent Lights - $75
18” Ring Light - $180
Lighting can literally take a white wall and make it cool. This is the most inexpensive way to make your face look great and the space around you look like you dropped all the money on it.
THE SETUP
Kyle’s setup in Nashville
Paul’s setup in Syracuse
Link this to that and that to this. We know, it may seem like a daunting task. Let’s start with the software. If you got the camera and webcam package above, you will need to download the EOS Webcam Utility and install it before connecting everything. You may even need some sort of dock for your laptop to plug everything in.
Plugging It In
Power is necessary for the ring light, camera, and RODECaster, so make sure the power strip is close.
The Webcam utility kit has a ‘fake’ battery to put in the camera to keep constant power running to it.
2 things that go to your computer, the RODECaster USB and the camera USB.
Your mic goes right into the back of the RODECaster after going through the blue Cloudlifter.
Plug your phone cable into the back of the RODECaster.
Wired headphones load right into the front of the RODECaster.
WRAP IT UP AND GO
Now you have to use it. Make connections. Make content. Make us proud. Oh, and make sure to get some cable ties so you don’t get organizational anxiety!
FINAL WORDS
We just want to remind you that we didn’t START with this setup, we got here over time via many incremental improvements. So regardless of where you are starting from today, remove to make just one improvement right now. Order one item. Recalibrate one element of your setup. Whatever you do, don’t close this page and do nothing or we all wasted our time! See
Kyle & Paul
