Phone Stands and Mounts
For the best quality recording, we recommend stabilizing your phone at eye-level. We've tried out a lot of different mounts and here are a few of our favorites:
Desktop Stands
If you have dedicated space in your home or office where you can keep a more permanent stand, we'd recommend these stands for their flexibility and small footprint.
Magnetic Desktop Tripod: https://a.co/d/1lzFiSo
Magnetic Gooseneck Desktop Stand: https://a.co/d/hOsYefX
requires Magsafe (iPhone 12 or later)
Height-Adjustable Desktop Phone Mount: https://a.co/d/dgETyuk
works with any phone or device
Pros:
Having a mount that is not connected to your computer monitor and keyboard, helps prevent camera shake, which can happen if you are using or typing on your keyboard during the recording
A separate mount also gives you the flexibilty of shooting different angles with your phone that are distinctly different from the head-on shot you get with your built-in computer webcam
Best Stands for On-The-Go
If you're looking for a stand that's easily foldable, compact, and you can take on-the-go, these are the ones we'd recommend:
Desktop Monitor Magnetic iPhone Mount: https://a.co/d/05kRITTO
requires Magsafe (iPhone 12 or later)
designed for thicker desktop monitors and iMacs
Laptop Magnetic iPhone Mount: https://a.co/d/4Z6L9Qd
requires Magsafe (iPhone 12 or later)
designed for thinner laptop monitors
Foldable Adjustable Phone Holder: https://a.co/d/bK7zvnC
works with any phone or device
not connected to computer monitor, requires a stack of books or shelf to reach eye-level
Pros:
Mounts that sit on top of your monitors give you the same familiar angle/positioning as your built-in computer webcams
These are a great option for folks who like to shoot head-on while viewing their guests on their monitors below
All of these mounts fold up compactly, making them ideal for recording on-the-go
Lighting
Video quality is directly proportional to good lighting. Aside from using your phone as your main recording camera, great lighting will have the biggest impact on your final video quality.
Natural Light is Best: Our favorite and most cost-efficient way of getting the best light is to find a recording location where you are able to sit in front of a window with natural light on your face.
Recommended Lights: If you're not able to find a recording location with windows, we would highly recommend getting a key light. While ring lights are the most popular, they are primarily designed for makeup and do not light the face evenly.
To provide the most even and professional light, and ensure you and your guests look your best during recordings, we recommend getting a key light. Here are a few of our favorites:
Desktop Key Light: https://a.co/d/3vk6ul4
Raleno Key Light with Desktop Stand: https://a.co/d/32wape9
Raleno Key Light Only: https://a.co/d/c5hdYTt (hot shoe, requires separate tripod or stand)
External Microphones
For high-quality audio, these are our favorite external microphones to use:
Hollyland Lark M2 Wireless Lavalier Microphone: https://a.co/d/hscjVJY
Wireless, small footprint, and super easy to use, we're impressed with the quality of audio you can get from these mics - making them a favorite for both remote and in-person recordings.
To use them with Roll, make sure to get the version with a receiver that is compatible with your laptop or computer (e.g. USB-C receiver for macbooks). And don't forget your headphones!