How to perform your best on Blinder calls

Even in the same location, your internet connectivity speeds may vary based on device and network.

Wi-Fi or cellular?

If you’re on a mobile device, check that your cellular signal isn’t stronger than the nearest Wi-Fi. Then go with the stronger option. If you or someone else in your household is streaming video (Netflix, Hulu, etc.) -- that's an absolute video call killer. Get bossy and ask them to turn it off while you're on your call.

Stay fully charged

Be sure your computer, tablet or smartphone has enough energy to burn during your video call. Have it fully charged and, if possible, keep it on the charger during the call. Naturally, a video call is very demanding on your system’s resources so be sure to close any other applications and browser tabs before starting your call. Even if they’re in the background, they’re using energy that would otherwise optimize the quality of your video.

Mobile phone vs. computer

While using a desktop or notebook might seem like the best choice, a newer smartphone may have a higher resolution and higher recording frame rate on its front-facing camera.

Just don't sacrifice frame rates too much for the sake of resolution. Realistically, your audience would rather view an SD video (480p) at 30 frames per second than HD video at a choppy 15 fps.

Headphones are a must. Regardless of whether or not they have a built-in microphone, headphones will prevent extraneous sounds made by your device’s speakers from being looped back into the call. Even the very best devices have a microphone feedback loop sensitivity that will create a digital interference effect that sounds like you’re making popcorn. They are the professional way forward.

2. What’s that sound?

Stellar videos rely more on sound quality than they do on video quality. Your environment and microphone have a greater role to play in the performance of your call than your camera actually does. A frame-skipping, pixelated video with seamless, clear audio is much more forgiving to a viewer than a crisp 4K display with an unintelligible conversation.

Most importantly, use a controlled space. Forget about sitting in front of the fancy degrees on the wall above your obsessively-perfect bookshelf. Be in the quietest room you can find, far away from ticking clocks, swirling ceiling fans and inconspicuous electrical appliances. Sit in your controlled space, close your eyes and listen for even the slightest hums, clicks or pings, and eliminate them.

Try different headphones and microphones, as the one installed on your device may not result in the best performance.

3. It’s “LIGHTS, camera, action” for a reason.

The correct lighting improves the quality of your video (and how good you look) more than any other tangible effect. Lighting may seem technically challenging, but for video calls, it’s very easy: keep shadows off your face. 

The primary light source goes on your face from in front of your face. Not from above. Not from behind. Not from the side. The end.

And additional, artificial lighting should be used when possible, indoors or outdoors. At my home office, I’ve fixed a simple, cheap LED light bar above my webcam with dramatic results.

A little light in the right place goes a long way.

4. Field of view.

Your position on the screen is the primary reducer of distractions for the viewer. Keeping stationary throughout the call will also prevent your camera from seeking different light sources and causing a motion blur effect that creates choppy, pixelated-looking videos.

Sit in a comfortable position and then set your camera at eye level. Place phones and laptops on tables and against books or whatever else you can find to keep it in a fixed position. Also, be sure that you provide a wide range of focus. Sit far enough away from the camera so that it doesn’t cut off your head or chin and leaves plenty of space on each side for nice formatting in 16:9 use cases.