Studio
How to record a video podcast in Abu Dhabi: the room, the sound, the cameras
Most podcasts that look cheap actually sound cheap. The order to spend in, and the kit for each part, whether you rent it or book a room already set up.
· 3 min read
Viewers will forgive a soft picture. They switch off when the sound is bad. So spend in this order: the room, then the microphones, then the light, and the cameras last.
Two ways to do it
You can rent the kit and set it up in your own space, or hire a room where it is already set up. The Podcast & Interview Room on Al Reem Island is AED 660 an hour. It comes with three locked cameras, four broadcast mics on booms, light already set, an operator, and the files handed over the same day. For a regular show that is usually the cheaper route once you count set-up time.
If you would rather record at your office or on location, the rest of this post is the kit list.
The room
- Pick the smallest quiet room that fits everyone, with soft things in it: carpet, curtains, a sofa. Bare walls and glass make echo, and no microphone can fix that afterwards.
- Switch the air conditioning off for each take if you can. In the UAE it is the most common noise on a recording, and you only hear it later.
- Put your phones in flight mode, not on silent. A phone that is only on silent can still buzz into a microphone.
The sound
One microphone per voice, each on its own track, so a cough or a laugh can be lowered without touching the others. A recorder like the Zoom H6 records up to six tracks, with four microphone inputs, and keeps the audio safe even if a camera stops.
Shotgun microphones like the Rode NTG4, on a boom just out of frame, sound natural and keep the table clear. Wireless lavaliers like the Sennheiser ew 100 ENG G3 suit a guest who moves around, or a set where a boom would show.
Sound
The light
One large, soft light per person, placed a little to the side, does most of the work. A lantern like the Aputure Lantern 90CM on a boom gives that soft look. A coloured tube light such as the Nanlite Pavotube II 15C, set behind the guests, separates them from the background and gives the show a colour of its own.
Light
The cameras
A wide shot and a close-up of each speaker is the standard set-up: three cameras for two people. The cameras have to keep recording for an hour without overheating, which is what the fans in the Sony FX3 and Sony FX30 are for. Some bodies without a fan stop to cool down partway through a long take.
Our comparison of the FX3, FX30 and A7 IV goes through which body suits which angle.
Cameras and support
Recording a whole season? Tell us how many episodes and how long each runs, and we will price a block of studio days or a kit for the whole run.
Questions people ask
- How much does it cost to hire a podcast studio in Abu Dhabi?
- Our Podcast & Interview Room on Al Reem Island is billed by the hour, with half-day and full-day rates that cost less per hour, and every room is cheaper Monday to Thursday. The current rates are on the studio hire page.
- Is an operator included?
- Yes. The Podcast & Interview Room comes with an operator who runs the cameras and the sound, and you leave with the files on the day.
- Can I rent podcast equipment and record at my own office?
- Yes. Microphones, recorders, lights and cameras can be rented by the day, collected from Al Reem Island or delivered across the UAE.