Advice for electronic presentations

On this page you’ll find some advice and best practices for Zoom meetings, recording, and other presentation formats. Much of the advice is general and will need to be tailored to your specific setup (operating system, environment, etc.) but the hope is that it will give you a jumping off point and offer you some things to think about as you put together your own presentations.

Recording Presentations

Audio and Video

Replay of a recording will only ever be as good as the recording itself — try to make the recording as high quality as possible. Choose an environment where you are comfortable and able to present your material well. Consider lighting and background noise, and don’t be afraid to do a couple of test takes to see what works best!

For the recording itself, your computer’s webcam and microphone will work, but they tend not to have very high resolution or fidelity. If you have a smartphone, you’ll probably get a better quality recording using your camera app. If you need to record using your computer, an external USB microphone will give you a significant boost in audio quality.

Files: Sizing and Sending

File size can be an issue when sending recordings to one another. As a result, many phones have default settings that restrict the size of video files recorded using the camera app. The videos will probably look and sound beautiful on the small screen of your device, but when they’re played full screen on a computer they might look grainy or distorted. Check your camera app settings and make sure they are using the full capabilities of your camera (this is often called “original size”, “largest”, or “high resolution” in the settings — it will differ depending on the type of device & app you are using). And don’t worry, you can put the settings back after you’ve finished recording!

Now that you have your high resolution video, you’ll need to send that (possibly giant) file, and usually email has maximum attachment size limits. Find out if the person you’re sending to uses a file sharing solution such as Dropbox and if they can send you a file request link. This will allow you to upload the video. You can also upload it to your own cloud account (iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, etc.) and share a link to the file.

Videoconferencing (Zoom meetings, Google Meet, Webex, Teams, etc.)

Our “favorite flavor” of videoconference in the Presbytery of the Western Reserve is Zoom, but this advice applies to most (if not all) of the different platforms. Since we’re conducting most of our meetings using these media, we’re all encouraging one another to consider the following:

Internet Connection

A fast, stable connection works best. That said, it is unfortunately true that fast internet is not available to everyone—here are some tips to help you make the best of whatever connection you’re using. (You may not need all of these, but definitely give them a shot if you’re experiencing lag or other connection problems!)

  • if using WiFi, sit in the same room as your access point (router or gateway)

  • plug directly into your router or modem using an Ethernet cable if you notice a bad connection over WiFi

  • reboot your computer prior to videoconferences

  • close any programs you’re not using

Audio and Video

Videoconferencing tools give us the gift of seeing & hearing each other when we’re not able to be in the same place, but hardware and software difficulties can get in the way of our communication. Consider the following as you conduct your own meetings. (Again, you may not need all of these — every setup is a little different!)

  • try using headphones with an inline microphone — this minimizes feedback, echo, and background noise — even a cheap pair will often do the trick!

  • using a mobile device? Try turning it to landscape mode (wide, not tall) — you’ll appreciate the extra screen real estate, and the other folks on the call won’t miss the letterbox margins on your picture!

  • when possible, consider the lighting in the room where you’re sitting. Avoid sitting directly in front of a light source such as a window or lamp. Take a look at your video preview and make whatever adjustments will help you to be seen.

  • try to choose a quiet space in which to join Zoom meetings. Even with headphones, sometimes background noise can sneak in and cause distractions to you and others in the meeting.