Workflow: Setup & Capture

• III) How to Use Lightboard > a) Equipment & Workflow > Workflow: Setup & Capture

The Lightboard studio is set up to support self-service capture, meaning that once you make a reservation and are granted MIT ID access to the room, you would be able to record a video on your own. The steps below are written to prepare an instructor to complete the process on their own; however, you do have the option of having a Lightboard staff member in the studio with you to assist with the process. 

 

1) Check & Prepare the Equipment

When you first get into the Lightboard studio, it is recommended to first check and adjust the equipment before starting the video capture, so you don't waste your time when you're actually recording:

✅ Markers: It seems straightforward enough to write with markers on a glass pane, but there are actually a few things you should look for when testing markers before starting. Some markers may make a squeaking noise (which the microphone will pick up), some may not write hard or thick enough (making it difficult to read), and some may appear as a color that's a bit off from the color you thought it was.

 

✅ Lavalier Microphone: Always make sure the sound is working before you start capturing. First, add 2 batteries from the charger to the mic's belt pack and turn it on (additionally, check the battery condition - 3 bars is ideal). Clip the mic near the center of your chest, about a handspan (~9 inches) away from your mouth. Then do a test run where you write on the board (also a way to test out the markers) and speak with the clipped-on mic. Certain fabrics can end up producing a rustling noise, which means you'll have to adjust the positioning and placement of the mic on your shirt.  

 

✅ Volume/Audio: If you are in the studio by yourself, you can check your microphone volume levels by looking at a makeshift VU (volume unit) meter below the primary camera while you speak. A good volume level is in the green/slightly into yellow range on the meter.

 

If you are in the studio with someone to assist you, that second person can look at the VU meter in the Wirecast interface on the computer at the capture workstation while you speak, to ensure the volume of your voice is in the proper range. Your lecture capture voice should be between -18db and -6db on the VU meter in Wirecast (more on how to launch Wirecast in #2).

 

✅ Lighting & Recommended Clothing: As noted on the previous page, there are some general tips about clothing to wear while making a Lightboard video to ensure the studio lights, Lightboard lights, backdrop, and markers all work together to create clear visuals:

• Aim to wear clothes without logos, brands, or text. Avoid clothing with fine patterns like stripes or squares (note: will result in more patterns).
• Be mindful of the color of your shirt. If your shirt is too dark, you'll blend into the background, but if it's too light, it will be difficult to read anything you've written on the board in front of where you're standing. A deep blue, for example, works nicely according to Lightboard creator Prof. Michael Peshkin.
• Try to avoid wearing a lot of jewelry or other shiny objects.

You may need to adjust the lights depending on your shirt color and skin tone (i.e., turn lights up higher for darker skin tones). If you feel you need to adjust the lighting, it is recommended you consult with the Lightboard studio staff. 

 

✅ Primary Camera: Make sure the camera is framed properly. To verify proper framing:

• Use a marker to put a small dot in each of the 4 corners of the glass, then
• Look at the reference monitor to determine the area being captured by the camera. If the frame of the Lightboard is visible (i.e., camera is too wide angle) or none of the dots are visible, then the camera field of view (zoom) may need to be adjusted or the camera may need to be re-framed using the tripod. Similarly to adjusting the lighting, it is recommended you consult with Lightboard studio staff on this matter.  

 

2) Set up Wirecast on the Workstation Computer

✅ Launch Wirecast: On the workstation computer, open the folder on the Desktop called 'Lightboard Users.' For instructors who have used Lightboard before, there are options in this folder that contain preferences set for that instructor. If you are new to using Lightboard or do not have preferences set, click the 'StandardDef' option to launch Wirecast.

 

✅ Check Audio & Visuals: In the Wirecast interface, you can check the volume (described above) and assess how the Lightboard is appearing on camera. Make sure nothing unusual is showing up on screen (i.e., reflections from a phone or laptop, especially if someone else is in the room with you). You might also spot things like stray marks on the sides/corners of the board. 

 

✅ Turn on Reference Monitor: To turn on the reference monitor so the presenter can see themselves while behind the Lightboard, simply press F1 on the keyboard of the workstation computer. 

 

3) Starting & Stopping Recording

Similar to checking audio/volume, there are two ways to starting and stopping the video capturing, depending on if you are alone in the studio or with someone who can assist you.

➡ If you are recording by yourself: There is a Stream Deck on the table behind the Lightboard/presenter area with shortcut buttons to control things on the workstation computer. 

1. 'Start Record' button
2. 'Stop Record' button
3. 'Green Tag,' 'Yellow Tag,' 'Red Tag,' and 'Clear All Tags' - a quick way to label each capture file to keep track of which clips are good (green), which clips to delete (red), and which clips to review further (yellow).

 

➡ If you have assistance: Start and stop the recording by clicking the 'Record' button in the Wirecast interface. When starting a recording, the button will turn green and will start counting up. To stop the recording, click the same button.

• Tagging capture clips with red, green, and yellow can also be done from the workstation computer. All captures go to the 'Current Recording' folder on the Desktop. Right-click on the file and select the appropriate color dot. 

 

Optional: Multiple-Input Functionality with Laptop or Document Camera

As alluded to previously, Lightboard has multiple-input functionality - meaning in addition to writing on the board, the instructor can leave space on the board to project slides, images, diagrams, or graphics from other sources such as a laptop or a document camera. Similarly to how you would write or draw content on the board and point to it while explaining, you can point to and annotate areas of the graphic you want to call attention to, all while remaining behind the Lightboard. This capability eliminates the need to post-process the video, since you will not need to add or edit graphics into your video later. The layout of the multiple video inputs (composited video images) in the video capture is controlled by Wirecast and can be set up during your initial consultation with the Lightboard studio staff.

Instructors may use their own laptop to connect to the capture computer via HDMI, which is located on the side table behind the Lightboard/presenter area, along with a clicker for changing slides while presenting. The Stream Deck, discussed above, also has shortcut buttons so the presenter can easily switch between showing a 2nd input and showing just themselves. 

If you plan to use a secondary input for your Lightboard video, there is some additional prep to ensure the graphics you plan to project are slightly transparent. This is especially important if you plan to annotate the graphic on the Lightboard (shown in the image below). 

• If you are creating new slides for the video, or using an existing set of slides that is easily editable, use a solid black background for the slides.
• You can also use the Chroma Key technique (like a green screen), making the slide background neon green or blue, and then use the Chroma Key feature in Wirecast to remove the background so there is nothing behind it when it's being project (composited) - meaning you can wave your hand behind it and annotate. Note that if your slide has an image that contains that green or blue color, it will create holes in the image.

 

A Note About Practice For the best quality Lightboard video, it is recommended that instructors practice once before making the final recorded video. In a recorded test run, the instructor can practice writing on the Lightboard, work out the kinks, and watch the recording to see how things came out and look for ways to improve in the next run. Paying attention to the small details between the first draft and second draft is where the most improvement comes. It doesn't matter if you say exactly the right set of words; what's more important is, did you look at the camera enough? Did you leave space for your head while writing? Did you write clearly? Did you lay content out on the board in a way that makes sense? All of these behaviors will be reviewed in more detail in the next section. In addition to the instructor giving the lecture behind the Lightboard, it is recommended that a graduate assistant, teaching assistant, or other domain expert be in the studio with the instructor. A second person can help make the recording process more efficient by giving immediate feedback, checking accuracy of content, and being mindful of overall curricular content and course management, including looking at the presentation from the viewpoint of a novice learner.  Lastly, while it is okay to write out what you want to say and write on the board in advance, it is not recommended that you read from a script while recording the lecture. The spontaneity of saying things as you're thinking about them in real-time makes the lecture so much more engaging for students.