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5 Good Reasons You Need A One-Stand YouTube Studio

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There’s a growing trend on YouTube this year for creators to develop and build a one-stand YouTube Studio. This is essentially a rig that contains a main light, key light, a camera, microphone, monitor and even a teleprompter on one single C-stand that is on wheels.

Now you could argue this single-stand or one-stand trend started in 2019 with Caleb Pike. He posted his version to YouTube in October of that year, in a video that has now been viewed more than 250,000 times. Since then, multiple highly influential YouTubers have created their own version of the rig and video a step-by-step tutorial including Peter McKinnon, Josh Yeo and Chris Hau.

Heck, even I got caught up in the craze. I built my own version, and while I didn’t post a video explaining how I built it, I am completely besotted with the little one-stand mobile studio that I now use for every video I create.

And rather than give you another version of “How to build a one-stand YouTube studio”, which the aforementioned YouTubers have already provided, I instead wanted to give you some incentive to create your own single-stand rig. And so, the goal of this post is to give you—from expert to beginner—the “why” behind the “how”. 

Creating a one-stand YouTube studio has transformed my creative process. Check out my 5 good reasons you should take the plunge, from the benefits of portability and a small footprint, to the ease-of-use and motivation. Click To Tweet

5 Good Reasons You Need A One-Stand YouTube Studio

1. Portability

Okay, so this is obviously the most obvious benefit of a one-stand setup. I mean, having everything attached to a single c-stand dolly means you can shoot from almost anywhere at any time. 

For me, my garage doubles as my YouTube studio, which requires a lot of equipment relocation whenever I need to use the garage as a garage. When I was in the BOS era (before one-stand) I used to have to pack down my setup so my wife could get our minivan into the garage overnight. Now, I simply roll my one-stand YouTube studio out of the way. Easy.

This portability factor also means I can move the entire studio to anywhere in my house, or simply spin it around to create a different look. Gone are the days when a comprehensive setup and pack down were required. I simply loosen the lock on the dolly wheels, and relocate everything at the same time. It really is as simple as that.

While portability may be obvious, the impact and possibilities should not be understated.

More pro tips: The 5 Very Best Hybrid Cameras For Churches In 2021

2. Ease-of-use

In line with the portability factor is the ease-of-use of a one-stand rig.

You see, before I had this three-wheeled wonder, the process was extensive. I would have to take all of my stands off a shelf and set them up, unpack my tripod, take my lights and softbox out of their storage containers, get my audio case and boom stand … you get the idea. It would take me anywhere from 20-40 minutes to set everything up and make all the adjustments needed just to be in a position where I could consider hitting the record button.

Now, whenever inspiration strikes, I can simply roll my one-stand YouTube studio setup to where I want to shoot, turn on the power and am basically ready to roll. From start to finish, I can be in the red inside 5-minutes. 

Not only is this a big time-saving miracle, it sure beats carting around two lighting stands, a c-stand, tripod, boom arm, and monitor etc. Now everything is always conveniently at the ready.

3. Consistency

One of the most time-consuming parts of any video shoot—on top of all the set up—can be dialing in the ideal lighting and audio settings. When you have to set up and pack down for every location, this can mean slight variances in quality … which is where the single-stand rig excels. 

With everything locked in place on the one c-stand, consistent lighting and audio are already built into the setup. This is especially true when your video requires multiple talking heads, or different locations or backgrounds. Rather than packing down and re-setting up your gear, as well as adjusting mic distance etc, being able to move everything on a single stand provides consistent audio and lighting.

The microphone and light placement doesn’t really alter on this rig, ensuring the same uniform lighting and audio across multiple talent shoots, and multiple locations.

4. Footprint

Setting up a couple of light stands, a tripod, c-stand for a boom mic and a stand for a monitor not only takes up a lot of time, it also takes up a lot of space. And it doesn’t matter what size your “studio”, reducing the footprint of your video setup comes in handy. 

As already mentioned, I’m able to have my studio permanently set up in my single-car garage, which still has enough room for a minivan.

The reduced footprint means I also have additional space for other equipment as needed on a shoot. Additionally, it creates more options in my “studio” for locations, as I don’t have a plethora of stands and cables sprawled across the floor. 

So, if you’re like me and creating video content from a home office, in a multi-purpose garage, or in a compact church studio space, a one-stand rig will solve several problems. 

Engage listeners with 5 Pieces Of Gear To Elevate Your Video Setup For Great Storytelling

5. Motivation

The final—and perhaps the most important—reason you need a one-stand YouTube studio is for the motivation it provides to create more content. I know this is certainly true for me!

By removing the obstacle of setting up and packing down gear, adjusting lighting, tuning in the audio and running cables, I’m ready to shoot as soon as inspiration hits. And this single-handedly removes a significant hurdle that gets in the way for many creators, which is especially true when it comes to short-form videos. When the set up, recording and pack down takes 10 times longer than the length of the video, many of us tap out. I know I have. 

With this one-stand rig permanently in setup, I’m more inclined to record a quick run and gun video, because I have confidence in the consistency of the final product, and know I don’t need to do a lot to make it happen.

So there you have it: 5 reasons you should consider building your own one-stand YouTube studio. It has transformed by experience and I believe it will greatly impact yours, too. 

What's your setup? Drop a comment below and share the details on how you're producing your YouTube content. 

Dave Adamson
Dave Adamson
I was a TV sports reporter in Australia before moving to the US with my family to go into full-time ministry. In 2008 I became one of the first online pastors in the world. I have grown and led online communities of more than 80,000 people each week at two of Outreach Magazine’s largest churches in the US, including Andy Stanley’s North Point Ministries, where I was the social media pastor from 2013 to 2020. I have worked with churches and ministries around the world as a social media and digital ministry consultant, helping them develop strategies for online ministry, social media and YouTube. Now, as the Orange Director for Australia and New Zealand, I partner with 200+ churches in Australian and NZ, connect lead and senior pastors with reThink Leadership, work with North Point Partner churches in Australia, and create online and digital strategies and masterclasses for 10,000+ churches around the world. One of my other priorities is to identify, vet, and develop Australian speakers to be local voices for Orange Conference, reThink Leadership Conference, and Orange Tour in Australia. When I’m not doing all this, I’m probably researching the 1st century cultural context of Jesus and Hebrew words for my daily Instagram devotions, and YouTube channel. I’m a frequent guest on podcasts, an online host, a speaker at numerous conferences and events around the world, and have a black belt in writing about myself in bios. Oh … I also have written two books, 52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know, and Chasing The Light.

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