Or Facetime, or Zoom, or whichever app and platform you used at the start of the 2020 pandemic?
When you had no idea what you were doing, and neither did anyone else, and it showed? Did you do a Zoom quiz night? Or birthday party? Do you ever want to do another one?
Thought not...
Well, part of the thing was you didn't know what you
should do, and part of it was there were a lot of things you
shouldn't have done. You'll never do another business meeting in a suit coat and pyjamas again, right? You'll keep the cat out of the computer room, right? You'll put the desk lamp shining on your face, not your bald spot, right? Hey, Stanley Kubrick had to learn the film trade too, so don't feel too bad.
Now that you're better at it and the people who you really never want to see on a screen are gone, you can make your calls and meetings a lot better. One of the things that will do that is a good simple microphone that will plug into your phone or your tablet - it will be a directional one that picks up the sound of your voice but ignores the other room sounds ( like the cat in the blinds ). You'll want a microphone that doesn't pick up pops or spit sounds or the wind hissing through the place.
Enter the Røde Vide Mic ME. The box you see is the Apple version but you can get them to play for the Android team as well. They go into the sides of the phones or tablets with 3.5mm plugs or the little flat USB ones and support themselves off the sides of the case. The mic is not in shot but it looks and listens to you. The fuzzy sleeve ( quiet, cat...) slips over it to deaden the wind noises. You will be wise to keep it out of the paws of the real cat.
When you sound good - real, warm, and lifelike - and can put a soft light upon yourself...possibly with a fill...you start to look a lot more professional on your call or meeting. Then when you start to act professionally, you really get ahead.
You must excuse me - my morning Zoom is about to start. I need a couple of minutes to get into the chicken suit.
