What online creators will miss and not miss about home studios
As social media creators return to outdoor shoots, we asked some what their WFH experiences
A Starbucks coffee shop in Mumbai’s Fort area was a hot favourite among lifestyle content creators in pre-covid times, not for its decor or food and beverages, but for its spacious washroom where they would change outfits during fashion shoots. It became so chaotic that the cafe had to put up a signboard outside the lavatory asking customers not to use it to change clothes. Through most of 2020 and 2021, though, the cafe didn’t have to worry about its washroom being blocked—the pandemic meant they were closed and creators too stayed home.
Mumbai’s Fort and Delhi’s Connaught Place with their blend of old and new architecture and unique vibe were favourite shooting spots for content creators making short videos for Instagram and (earlier) TikTok. Until the pandemic forced them to embrace work from home (WFH) like everyone else. Travel vloggers were left without scenic locales, and fashion influencers had to figure out how to make their dining rooms look cool.
Some influencers, though, have learnt to love the comfort and controlled environment of a makeshift home studio.
“We don’t have to worry about variables like lighting and ambience, the necessary permissions for shooting in public places or the vagaries of weather that come with shooting outdoors,” says Vedant Rusty, 25, an infotainment creator from Delhi. He has about 50,000 followers on Instagram. Earlier this year, Rusty moved into a 3BHK apartment with his creator pal Jay Kapoor and converted one room into a studio.
Most creators, though, are glad that covid-19 restrictions are being rolled back and they can return to shooting outdoors with different backgrounds. There’s nothing, after all, to match the atmosphere of the real world. We asked some creators what they will and won’t miss about working from home.
TARINI SHAH, Mumbai
Instagram: 241k followers
Genre: Lifestyle
What I’ll miss about home studio
I don’t have to worry about what people are thinking while shooting. I don’t have to pack the different outfits and accessories for a fashion or makeup shoot and carry them to different locations. If you forget one thing, it becomes a whole mess to go back and get it whereas shooting at home made it really easy.
What I won’t miss
Blocking a good part of the house for myself and inconveniencing my family. Another thing that I won’t miss is doing all the heavy lifting of setting up all the equipment, putting it all back once I’m done so that my room doesn’t look like a mess.
VIPASHA MALHOTRA, Delhi
Instagram: 68.2k followers
Genre: Music, comedy
What I’ll miss about home studio
The comfort of being able to take small breaks while shooting. Not having to depend on anyone to shoot the video.
What I won’t miss
I started creating content during the lockdown so a makeshift home studio is what I know and prefer. That said, I do want to experiment and shoot outdoors more now as my page grows because a lot of creators tend to get confined to their home space and don’t get a chance to step out, which is not healthy.
AASHI ADANI, Mumbai
Instagram: 160k followers
Genre: Beauty, fashion
What I’ll miss about home studio
Not having to wake up at 5 am to shoot in natural lighting. Not having to go through the struggle of finding scenic locations outdoors that also have lots of cafes around for you to change clothes if it’s a fashion shoot.
What I won’t miss
Pausing the shoot every time someone rang the bell of my 1BHK apartment where I live alone. Outdoors, you can keep changing the background, which adds more personality to your videos.
JODI ANOORABH (ANOOSHA & SAURABH), Bengaluru
Instagram: 223k followers
Genre: Choreography
What we’ll miss about home studio
The time saved between our day jobs and content creation by not having to go outside to shoot, the control over lights and positioning that comes easily indoors and is extremely helpful when we are shooting transition videos. Home studios also offer a plain background which is hard to find outdoors.
What we won’t miss
Outdoor video looks more lively and helps you reach a wider audience. It’s going to be both indoor and outdoor shoots for us in future based on the kind of content we are creating and the settings it requires.
Also read: Why ‘no context’ became a sensation
Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
MoreLess
First Published:25 Oct 2021, 07:44 AM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High