Show & Tell
Problem: Zoom offers poor visibility of details

Solution: Advanced screen sharing.  Share portion of screen.
Solution: Annotate

Problem: Flat “Mug Shot” composition.

Solution: Articulate the “Z” – axis.  Tilt your webcam toward a corner of the room.

Problem:  Nose hair, multiple chins, broad faces.

Solution:  Raise camera/laptop on shoe box or milk crate to eye level or above.

Problem:  Parallax.  Poor eye contact with Zoom meeting members.

Solution:  Strategic Narcissism.  Position your own active Zoom window as close as possible to the camera.

Problem: Poor lighting and color (teleconference)

Solution: Key light = window.  Fill light = desk lamps + oven parchment.  Avoid strong backlight.
Solution: Lume Cube video conference LED light panels ($79.99 and up).
Solution: Webcam Settings ($7.99) gives you control of exposure and white balance.

Problem: Hollow audio with echo

Solution: Intimate microphone placement.  USB Lavalier Lapel Mic. ($19.99)  Blue Snowball Microphone ($49.99 and up)
Solution:  Pocket your iPhone

Problem:  Live Television is an unattainable (if prevalent) model for remote instructional demonstrations

Solution: Katsudo-Benshi, Japan’s cinema storytellers
Solution: A series of short, silent films (≤ 1 min)

      • Choose a limited number of vantage points.  “Zooming in”  with a telephoto lens often results in a pixelated image.  Instead, use a normal lens setting, but keep your camera close to the action.
      • Shoot the entire demonstration using smart phone apps – MomentPro ($6.99), Filmic Pro ($14.99) or others – which give users manual control of focus, exposure, and white balance.
      • Divide the demo into its essential components and trim with Quick Time. Export at no more than 720p resolution (480 will likely be fine and will play more smoothly via teleconference over limited internet bandwidth).
      • Import resulting clips into Keynote or PowerPoint.
      • Annotate with Zoom’s advanced screen sharing (see above).  Narrate live at the natural pace of instruction.
Problem:  I can’t make a good omelette.

Solution: Crack a few eggs.