I prefer to use three matching cameras and a four channel audio recorder with a stereo microphone and direct feeds from any electronic equipment.

Planning

1. Plan mic placement. Try to get the mic as close to the action as possible without being seen by a camera, or at least without being distracting. If sound comes from many places on stage, try to place the microphone to be equidistant from each place, to help achieve balance.
2. Plan camera positions. Aim for full coverage of what’s important about your piece, and plan each camera’s position so it will have a clear view but won’t be seen by another camera (or at least won’t be distracting if it can be seen by another camera). Consider the different directions the performer will be facing at key moments and the places where the most important action will happen (hands? feet? across the whole stage?).
3. Plan camera shots. Write brief, simple instructions for each camera operator. Should they keep a wide shot most of the time? a close up? Remain stationery? Follow the performer? Is there a key moment where they should deviate from their norm?

Before the performance

1. Check the cameras. Including free storage space and battery power.
2. Set the stage. Everything needed for your performance. Nothing extraneous.
3. Place the cameras. Just as you planned them. Check that your shots will work as planned; adjust plans if necessary.
4. White balance the cameras. It’s good form to place something perfectly white on the stage, with the lighting you’ll be using during performance to white balance the cameras. Zoom each camera in on the white object and activate the camera’s White Balance function. Now its color is adjusted to the lighting in the room, and each camera should match.
5. Check levels in the audio recorder. As a rule of thumb, recreate the loudest moment of the performance, and set input levels so the sound is halfway up the meter. It’s ideal to capture the strongest signal possible, but you NEVER want to exceed the maximum level (called clipping, overdrive, saturation, or distortion)—that ruins recordings.

During the performance

1. Start each camera and audio recorder. Watch it for a few seconds to check that the recording indicator is on and that time is rolling.
2. Slate the take. Stand where every camera and microphone has a good view of you, clearly and briefly announce what is about to happen (e.g., composer, title, take 1), and clap three times, slowly, firmly, and loudly, with a blank background between your hands. This will be invaluable when juggling many clips and synchronizing a multi-camera shoot.
3. Leave all cameras and recorders running. If you have to stop, slate again.
4. Leave silence and stillness for several seconds before the performance. More than you think you’ll need.
5. Perform!
6. Leave silence and stillness for several seconds after the performance. More than you think you’ll need.

After the performance—as soon as possible. Don’t forget or be lazy, or you’ll be sorry!

1. Import all video and audio recordings from the cameras and recorders. Most devices connect to a computer via USB and appear like any other storage device. Some cameras only have one file with multiple videos inside it. Double-click it to open it in Quicktime Player (for example) and use the Save As… function to save each video as a separate file on your computer. Put them in a well-named folder that you can easily find, and label them well (e.g., brief title, take number, camera position).
2. Check your transfers. Spot check each file after copying it to make sure it’s in good condition and that you got them all.
3. Remove your recordings from public/shared recorders.

Editing

1. Write on-screen text. Besides title and credit information at the beginning and end, think of one question that your work explores. Write the question briefly, and write brief lines that could appear during the performance that articulate how different moments in the performance explore that question. You could have multiple questions, but then you should probably divide your performance up into separate highlight reels, each focused on a different question.
2. Touch up and mix the audio recording. Don’t cut any time from it, but get the sound the best you can now. Consider the following:
   1. High frequencies:
      1. Broadly reducing to reduce hiss.
      2. Selectively boosting to make the recording crisp and clear.
   2. Low frequencies:
      1. Broadly reducing to reduce unwanted thumps or bangs.
      2. Selectively boosting to make the recording full or punchy.
   3. Low-middle frequencies:
      1. Selectively boosting low-mid frequencies if the recording sounds thin and weak.
      2. Selectively reducing low-mid frequencies if the recording sounds muddy or boomy.
   4. High-middle frequencies
      1. Selectively boosting around 1kHz–5kHz to make spoken vowels more intelligible.
      2. Selectively boosting around 10kHz to make spoken consonants more intelligible.
      3. Selectively reducing if the sound is grating or annoying.
3. Import audio and video files to a video editor.
4. Synchronize all recordings.
5. Edit into a multi-camera sequence.
6. Trim unneeded material from the beginning and end, and the middle if applicable. Use the text you wrote earlier to plan what moments to feature.
7. Create title cards and lower thirds. Title cards fill the screen; lower/upper thirds superimpose text at the top or bottom of video content. Use the text you wrote earlier.
8. Place your title cards and lower thirds.
9. Add video and audio transitions where needed.
10. Set the in/out points of your video (what to export).
11. Export your video.
12. Upload the video to YouTube. Give it a descriptive text and plenty of applicable keywords, drawing on suggested keywords as relevant.
13. Embed the YouTube video in your portfolio website. In WordPress, just paste the URL of the YouTube video (the version of it with youtube.com, not the shortened youtu.be), without making it a hyperlink, and the video show appear embedded in your post.