Magic Hour: what's the story?
Frequently asked questions:
Prior to your Magic Hour session we will have picked your StoryCards so you can prepare the general themes you will be talking about. Try not to rehearse beyond making a note of the key talking points - it's much better to be relaxed and natural in your delivery, than overly scripted and stilted.
Your Magic Hour session is...you guessed it...an hour long.
That said...We do recommend allocating 90 minutes - just in case we get too absorbed in your stories and run over!
You don't need any special equipment for a Magic Hour session beyond what you'd normally have for a remote meeting.
However, the audio/visual capabilities of laptops do have limits, and we want you content to be as good as it can be. We therefore recommend you invest in a quality USB microphone and if possible use your phone as a webcam. (you can even invest in a USB lighting setup if you like!)
There is a list of recommended equipment further down this page.
It's really important to choose a suitable location for your Magic Hour session.
Firstly - make sure you're in a quiet location where you won't be disturbed, and you can relax and talk naturally.
Secondly - Consider the background you'll be filmed in front of. Make sure it's visually appealing - splashes of colour are great. Especially if they're in your brand colour.
Thirdly - Consider your lighting. It's no good if you're sat in front of a bright window and you're nothing more than a silhouette! Your viewers want to see you! :0)
Your Magic Hour will be conducted by your Story Captain - most likely Nico Ceballos Jones. Although this won't be necessarily the case.
Your Magic Hour can be rearranged with 24hr notice. A new date can be selected that is convenient to both yourself and Story Captain.
Oh no! Disaster! Despite your best efforts you have forgotten about your session!
If this has happened, just get in touch. If possible we'll rearrange your session - although if this happens more than once we reserve the right to get mildly annoyed about it :0)
EquIpment options
We're often asked for recommendations for any equipment necessary for a Magic Hour session, and whilst it's not strictly necessary to have ANY additional equipment beyond the basics you need for any remote meeting, your Magic Hour will be improved with some simple additions.
If you want to, you can spend a HUGE amount of money on audio-visual equipment (as video pro's that's what we've done over the years!) - but this isn't always necessary. So we've given some simple suggestions below.
Please note that this is not a definitive list. And of course feel free to go your own way - there are many ways to skin this particular cat...
Software and apps
APPS FOR FILMING
CAMO APP
The first thing we'd recommend doing is using your phone as a webcam. The quality is likely to be far, far better than a £299 standalone webcam! The app you'll need to make this happen is called Camo. There's a free version which you can use to test, and make sure everything is working properly. Then a £35 a year subscription.
APPS FOR FILMING
REMOTELY
We use a service called Remotely to film our Magic Hours. It allows us to capture much higher quality footage than your average Zoom call.
Once you've installed the Camo app on your phone and machine, try to join a Remotely test session using the link below, to make sure you're able to select the CAMO camera as your webcam.
Join a Remotely Test Session
TIP: If you connect your phone with a wire you'll remove the risk of running out of battery mid session!
Camera STANDS AnD LIGHTING
You'll need something to hold your phone! Here are some options.
When looking for a camera holder we recommend a tripod as it's much easier to turn around so you can use the better quality camera on the back of your phone.
When it comes to lighting, there are 1000's of options on sites like Amazon. Choose an option that gives you maximum flexibility.
CAMERA HOLDER
EVERESTA 42 INCH SMARTPHONE TRIPOD
The first thing we'd recommend doing is using your phone as a webcam. The quality is likely to be far, far better than a £299 standalone webcam! The app you'll need to make this happen is called Camo. There's a free version which you can use to test, and make sure everything is working properly. Then a £35 a year subscription.
CAMERA HOLDER
TRYONE GOOSENECK PHONE HOLDER STAND
If you don't have much space, but do have some stable surfaces, then this gooseneck stand is a good alternative.
LIGHTING
LOGITECH LITRA GLOW PREMIUM LED
Unless you're in an environment with lots of natural light, it can help to have some extra lighting. Obviously if you want to go all-in, there are complex setups that can get amazing results, but unless you have aspirations of becoming a Youtube superstar, a single light like this, powered by USB, will do the job nicely.
USB Microphones
Sound is very important. If you're serious about getting your voice out there, it's worth having it sound its best! This is where we recommend you apply budget (if you have it...). Brands we know and like include Audio-Technica, Rode, AKG, Shure, Sennheiser and at the budget end Behringer.
If you're after something a little cheaper, Amazon has literally thousands of similar looking but cheaper options. However, cheaper 'knockoffs' come with challenges for setting up and can sometime dropout leaving gaps in the audio.
MICROPHONES
LOGITECH BLUE YETI
For ease of use, and great results, this is the mic we recommend.