Daytime recording is best to take advantage of natural light.
Test all equipment before recording. Do not change platforms unless entirely necessary, and if so, be sure to retest.
Virtual Play Readings should be recorded straight through and stopped only in the event of technical problems, which need to be addressed immediately. Actors’ performances are improved when they sustain their characterizations. That’s how it’s done in theatre, as distinguished from film and television. If a Play is long, it may be advisable to stop for breaks, but the fewer stops during recording, the better.
More than one person should record the Reading for back-up, in case something goes wrong, and to provide more options in post-production. If the platform permits, one person could record in Gallery View to capture all of the Actors, another person record in Speaker View, and a third person record by “Pinning” a specific Actor. Another option is for all of the Actors to record themselves separately.
The differences in the quality of recording on smartphones, tablets and computers should be assessed.
Scroll, don’t click the mouse to move from page to page in the script, as clicking makes noise. Actors should also not sit in squeaky chairs.
Eyeglasses cause reflections and should be avoided whenever possible. If Actors need eyewear to read the script, consider ways to adjust and reposition the lighting to cause as little reflection as possible.
A Producer, Playwright, Literary Manager or Director should introduce the Reading. Their remarks can include the approximate running time, whether or not there will be an Intermission, if the Play includes mature content, how long the Reading will be available for viewing, and if there will be a Talkback. If so, its approximate length, and whether comments and questions from the Audience will be permitted should referenced. Alternatively, this content could appear on-screen or in voice-over before the Reading begins. Advance promotion materials could also include all of this information.
Video Editors should equalize the sound, pull out background noise and resolve as many technical glitches as possible.
Color corrections and adjustments can be made.
Video Editors can eliminate unnecessary pauses. If the pace is lagging, with the Playwright and Director’s approval, Video Editors can use editing techniques such as jump cuts and L-cuts, or present the Reading at a slightly faster speed, so long as the pitch of the Actors’ voices isn’t changed.
With input from the Director and Playwright, Video Editors can determine if the Actors appear in different sized or shaped boxes or positioned in various ways on screen. For example, the principal actor in a scene can be in a larger box, in the center of the screen, with the secondary Actors stacked on either side. These positions can change at various times throughout the Reading, responding to specific dramaturgical considerations. Video Editors can also zoom in on an Actor or pull back for a mid-shot. Be careful not to position Actors in a small box at the bottom center of the screen, or they will be hidden by subtitles when that function is enabled.
In consultation with the Director and the Playwright, Video Editors can add title screens, images, music, sound effects and visual effects that support the world of the Play. Copyright clearances are required for the use of music and images that are not in public domain, and all Artists should be credited for their work.
Video Editors should make a “first cut” of the Recorded Reading available for Playwrights, Directors, and Producers. After viewing, they may have notes for the Video Editor, for example, to tighten specific pauses or eliminate certain surface noise. They may also request that various lines be re-shot, which can then be scheduled with the Actors. Actors should be informed in advance of the recording that re-shoots may be required.
Video Editors should fix glitches and pauses and attempt to improve sound and lights, but their work is easier if technical considerations are addressed in rehearsals. Post-production work cannot be expected to solve all the problems that occur in Recording.
