What Autocue, RGB Lighting and a Branded Screen Actually Add to Your Session
Our pricing page lists autocue, RGB lighting and a branded TV display as studio extras, three sentences each. That’s fine if you already know you want them. If you’re trying to work out whether they’re worth adding to your booking, here’s the longer answer.
In this article
What each extra actually changes about your recording, who it’s genuinely useful for, and who can safely skip it.
Autocue: reading a script without looking like you’re reading one.
Autocue is a £25 add-on, and it does one specific job well: it lets you read a script while looking straight at the lens instead of glancing down at notes or slightly off to one side. Send your script over before your session and we’ll have it loaded and ready when you arrive.
It’s genuinely useful for scripted marketing videos, VSLs, product explainers, training introductions and any direct-to-camera piece where the exact wording matters, sales copy, compliance language, a precise pitch. It takes the memorising pressure off, which tends to mean a calmer, more confident delivery.
Where it’s not useful: a conversational interview podcast. If you’re used to talking off the cuff, autocue adds a step you don’t need. It’s built for scripted delivery, not for two people having a natural conversation.
RGB lighting: setting the tone before anyone says a word.
The studio’s lighting is fully programmable, from subtle, professional tones through to vivid coloured backdrops. It’s a small thing that does more work than it sounds like it would: lighting sets the mood of a video before a single word is spoken.
Where it’s genuinely worth using is brand consistency. If your organisation has a signature colour, matching it in the lighting makes every episode instantly recognisable as yours, even with the sound off. It’s also useful for distinguishing between segments or seasons of a show, a different tone for a lighter episode, a more restrained set-up for something serious.
If you don’t have strong brand colours or a visual identity you’re trying to build, this is one you can skip without losing much. It’s polish, not substance.
Branded screen: making the studio feel like yours.
We can display your logo or brand artwork on the studio TV screens, visible on camera during the recording. Send it over in advance, ideally as a 16:9 image, and we’ll have it ready to go.
This one matters most for corporate and client-facing content. It’s a quiet signal to anyone watching that this is an official piece of content from your organisation, not something recorded in a generic studio. For a hobby podcast, it’s a nice-to-have. For a client-facing series or an internal comms piece, it’s closer to expected.
Worth knowing: the branded screen on the main set is different from the screen in our green room, which mirrors the live recording for guests who are waiting their turn rather than displaying your logo on camera. Worth knowing if you’re picturing the wrong screen.
Do you actually need any of this?
Roughly the same answer as picking a camera setup: match the extra to what the podcast is actually for, not to what sounds impressive.
Autocue if you’re delivering scripted, precise content. Skip it for conversational podcasts. RGB lighting if you have brand colours worth reinforcing episode after episode. Skip it if you don’t have a visual identity to protect yet. A branded screen if the content represents an organisation rather than just you. For a first-time hobby podcast, none of these are essential, the recording will still sound and look professional without them. They start to earn their place once the show is doing a job for a brand.
Not sure what you need?
Tell us about your session
We’ll help you work out which extras are actually worth adding.
