Guidelines for recording talks

Guidelines for recording talks

This page lists the requirements and best practices for recording your talk in advance, so that we can maintain consistent quality and streaming stability across all talks.

Since we are aware that not everyone is experienced or comfortable with recording at home, we’re happy to share some guidelines and recommendations for creating the best talk video possible.

If you don’t feel comfortable recording at all, you have the option to schedule a “private stream” session with our video producer, where you can present your talk live over video conference, and they will record your camera and slides for later processing. Please email us to request a private stream session.

All talks are going to be processed and uploaded in advance, so it’s especially critical that you complete your recording on time! Please email us if you have any questions.

All visual and audio content (including videos, room background, and slides) must adhere to the Write the Docs Code of Conduct.

Video requirements

  • Duration: 30min (+- a few minutes is ok)
  • Single video file without edits
  • No effects, filters, or post-processing needed
  • No subtitles needed
  • Resolution: Minimum 720p, ideally 1080p (4K optional but it will be compressed later)
  • Encoding: MOV, MP4 (h.264 or similar)
  • Bitrate: 5-8kbps (default for most HD videos)
  • Webcams or external cameras both work, as long as they adhere to quality guidelines
  • Slides and video resolution must be 16:9 aspect ratio
  • Embedded videos are OK, ideally played from a local drive

Audio requirements

  • Clean audio track without background noise
  • No cutting required if recording a single file
  • No effects, filters, or post-processing needed
  • Encoding: MP3, FLAC, WAV
  • Quality: Minimum 44.1Hz (default for most formats)
  • Bitrate: Minimum 16kbps (default for most formats)
  • Built-in laptop microphones or external microphones both work
  • Audio can be in a separate file or as a part of the video file, as long as you record them at the same time so that they can be synced later

Tips & tricks

  • Since home recordings are more flexible than stage talks, we encourage you to set up your private stage in an area where you feel comfortable.
  • Your background wall can be blank and clean, or fun and exciting! We’d love to see your personality as the backdrop to your talk. Avoid micro-patterns in both background and clothing (tiny checkers, polkadots, stripes)
  • Make sure that you can close the door of the room where you are recording, to reduce background noise as much as possible. No household members allowed!
  • When you prepare your slides, make sure that important content isn’t hidden by the camera picture-in-picture.
  • Make sure that your camera doesn’t cut off the top of your head, and that there’s enough space around your head (but not too much, we don’t want you to be too far away either).
  • Make sure that your microphone captures your voice with clarity: - If you’re using a headset microphone, make sure it’s not too close to your mouth so that you won’t end up with poofs and crunchies in the audio. - If you’re using a built-in laptop microphone, make sure you are not too far from the laptop so that your voice is loud enough.
  • Test test test your recording before you dive in! We recommend doing a test recording of 2-5 minutes, stopping the recording, and watching it before you record the entire talk. If your test video is not behaving nicely, feel free to share the file with us and we’ll be happy to provide feedback.
  • While you are recording the talk, if you run into a problem with your narration but you don’t want to stop recording, we can edit it later! Take a breath, repeat the last 2-3 sentences, and when you send us the video file please write down time markers of places where edits are needed.
  • Don’t forget to prepare a list of technical terms for the live-captions! This should be submitted along with the video file.
  • If you want additional tips and tricks, check out this great video from our friends at PyCon Australia: https://youtu.be/C1TBqdULp4E