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The background for your presentation should look professional. Consider finding out if your college (or another location, such as a neighborhood library) has a conference room you can use. If you need to speak at your residence, be sure the setting is neat and clean. Look through the viewer to see what your audience will see. Make sure your inflatable gorilla, your pile of clothes that haven’t been washed in weeks, and empty bags of chips are out of sight. Even an attractive item may create a distraction. For example, you don’t want a plant behind you to appear to be growing out of your head.²⁹

Avoid background noises that might compete with your speech in the video. The last thing you need is to have old episodes of Project Runway blaring in the background or a boisterous friend barging into your room with concert tickets. Select a time when your roommates will not be home, or be sure you can count on them not to disrupt your speech.

The primary light source should be behind the camera operator and directed toward you. Avoid standing in front of a sunny window or a bright light; otherwise, you will be in shadow. It is generally better to have more light than less, so be sure to select a well-lit room. You can also bring in additional light if the room seems too dark.³⁰ However, if you’re blond, beware of standing directly beneath a bright light—your head may appear to glow.