Last year, in the midst of the pandemic and as we approached our third national lockdown in the UK, it felt inappropriate to do my usual roundup of the year. Truth be told, I’d had a difficult few months (along with everyone else) but it paled in comparison to the vast majority of the population. As we now sign off for 2021 (wondering where the time went) and learn to live with covid, I think it’s time to start talking about our achievements again.

The white screen ‘studio’ look is a tried and tested style used in many corporate and talking head videos. There’s a reason why so many people use it - when done properly it looks professional and high end. However, just shooting in an infinity cove or against a white backdrop isn’t enough to give it the ‘look’. Yes, you’re going to need a decent camera, but the secret to making it look professional is to create an effective lighting setup that ensures your subject jumps out to the viewer.

When you’re starting out in video production and are introducing some lighting into your productions it can often be difficult to know where to begin. Well, one good place to start is to get to grips with a basic concept; understanding the difference between hard and soft light. But more importantly, understanding what you can do with both types of sources and why you might choose one over the other (or use both) will help you to raise the production value of your shoots substantially.