How I Built My Youtube Desk
Here are the parts that I used to put my Youtube desk together in their respective sections.
Background
This is a main staple of my set design. Even without the desk, I would be using this for my background.
Dark Gray Seamless Background Paper - Most useful for studio settings with hard floors, I use this to give my environment a different vibe than the white walls that are actually there.
Single Roller Wall Mounting Support System - I inserted this inside the tube of the seamless backdrop paper and secured this to the horizontal backdrop pole with zip ties. You could mount this to the wall, but my placement made it so that I couldn’t use the wall mounting system.
Zip Tie - used these to secure the backdrop pole to the extended light stands. Then use these to secure the background paper to the backdrop pole.
Muslin Clamps - This helps me keep it from the support system from slipping. The remaining clamps can be used to weigh down the seamless paper to keep it tight when rolling up. I bought clamps from the dollar store and they work fine too.
Backdrop Stand - Original set that I used to hold a backdrop. It comes with
Light Stands - I use these to keep up the backdrop, but the backdrop set should be more than sufficient.
Install the Single Roller Wall Mounting System to the Dark Gray Seamless Backdrop Paper
Use a Muslin Clamp to secure the background paper from rolling down by clamping the plastic chain.
Use the Zip Tie to mount the Backdrop Pole to the left and right Light Stand (make sure the poles are not extended.)
Adjust your placement of your setup before attaching the Backdrop Pole with Background Paper
Use the Zip Tie to mount the Backdrop with Background Paper to the Backdrop Pole.
Extend the light stands at desired height.
Use the remaining Muslin Clamps at the bottom of the Background Paper to weigh it down and to keep the roll taut.
Now just unclamp the Muslin Clamp on your plastic chain to bring down the backdrop background paper.
Desk
The main piece of the setup that will hold everything else for a budget where I film my A-Roll, B-Roll and Top down shot. Wheels are a big deal when moving around stuff in your studio.
Foldable Table - Of course a proper desk is favorable but I was using what I had lying around (I purchased a foldable desk from Costco)
3/4” x 23 3/4” x 4’ White Melamine Shelving Board - Allows for the clamps to be mounted
Caster Wheels - aid in the mobility of the desk setup
7/16” x 2.5” Zinc Bolts x 4 - to keep the caster wheels in place
7/16” x 1-1/2” Washer x 4 - to secure the caster wheels in place on the screws
Nuts x 4 (11mm or 7/16”) - to secure the screws and washer in place for the caster wheels
Clamps - holds the wood on top of the plastic desk in place to make it more possible to attach an articulating arm afterwards
Power Strip - power the entire desk with 6 outlets and 3 USB ports
Shelf Liner - helps keep the clamps in place and prevent some slipping
Leather Desk Pad - give texture for my top down shots
Wire Cable Basket - I place my extra remotes for the camera and teleprompter in here as well as a color checker
Sandbag - I use these to weigh down my desk from toppling over just in case. I bought sand from my local hardware store (Lowes)
Zip Tie - Help fasten any loose pieces but also help secure any wire baskets
Attached Caster Wheels to the Foldable Table
Unfold the Foldable Table
Remove the rubber feet from the Foldable Table
Widen the existing hole with a drill [video]
Thread a Screw through a Washer and thread this through the bottom of the caster wheels into the bottom leg of the Foldable Table. Secure this with a Nut. I had tennis balls lying around so I place it on top.
Repeat for the other three legs of the table.
Secure Wooden Shelf to Foldable Table
Flip the Foldable Table right-side up
Place some Shelf Liners on top of the Table
Place the Shelf on top of the table
NOTE: Make sure to leave about 2 inches hanging off so that you can attach clampsSecure two Clamps, one on each side of the short sides of the table
Adding Support Items to the Table
Wire Cable Basket - On the right hand side of where the talent would be sitting, attach the Wire Cable Basket with two Zip Ties on the horizontal support of the table
Power Strip - on one of the ends under the table, Zip Tie the Power Strip at the most convenient location for you
Sand Bags - To counter balance the “back” half of the table where all the lights will be clamped, add two open Zip-ties, one on each end, to the table where I then used the included carabiner of the Sand Bags
Key Light Rig
To remove any light stands on my floor, I clamped a grip arm with a COB light and softbox.
Impact Super Clamp - Clamp this to the desk and use a grip arm on the yellow pin
Grippy Shelf Liner to hold it in place.
Grip + Grip Arm to have one end on the Super Clamp and the other to hold the Amaran light.
Amaran 60x / Amaran 60d - The 60x is what I use, but most of the time I keep it on 5500K which is what the 60D has on default.
35” Softbox - I use an Aputure softbox, the first generation to help soften the light but any softbox will do. It attaches by Bowens Mount.
Godox Honeycomb Grid - to keep the light directional and to keep it from spilling in unwanted places.
Attach the Impact Super Clamp on the desk with the Grippy Shelf Liner on the RIGHT side of your desk.
Apply the Grip to the yellow part of the Super Clamp.
Use the Grip Arm and feed it through the Grip.
Next, attach your Amaran light, then put on the softbox on the Amaran Light.
Attach the Godox Honeycomb Grid
Lastly, extend the pole up with the Amaran Light pointed down at you and lock it in place.
Fill Light Setup
As an alternative to a dedicated fill light, I use this reflector setup on the left-side of my desk.
1/4” 20 screw - keeps the extension rod in place.
Extension Rod - Keeps the Reflector in place
Studio Clamp - holds the reflector
5-in-1 Reflector - used to bounce the light from the key light (or main light) to the subject
Photographer Clamp - clamped to the desk to hold the setup.
Tripod Mount Screw - Help attach extension rode to Photography Clamp
Thread the 1/4” 20 Screw through the Photographer Clamp and thread on the Tripod Mount Screw.
Thread the Extension Rod on the Tripod Mount Screw.
Attach the Studio Clamp to the other end of the Extension Rod.
Extend the Extension Rod by twisting. Lock when fully extended.
Clamp the 5-in-1 Reflector with the shiny side facing the talent.
Camera Arm and Monitor
Monitor Arm - Mounts to my desk and on the end of the monitor arm is my camera.
1/4” 20 screw - Used to keep the ball head attached to the monitor arm.
Ball Head - For mounting and adjust the angle of my camera
Arca Swiss Clamp - To secure your camera
Falcam FX30 Cage - I use this to build up the FX30 but this isn’t necessary for this build. Alternatively use the Arca Swiss Plate.
Arca Swiss Plate - Mount this at the bottom of the camera in order to mount it to the Arca Swiss Clamp at the end of the ball head.
Sony FX30 with XLR Handle - The main camera that allows me to record for unlimited time without overheating. With the top handle I am able to record higher quality audio through the XLR ports.
USB-C Cable - Quick charges the battery in the camera
Magic Arm - This is an flexible arm to adjust my monitor.
Super Clamp - to help attach the external monitor (AndyCine)
Kondor Blue Quick Release - I connect the gray side to the AndyCine Monitor and the blue half to the magic arm. This isn’t necessary if you don’t switch back and forth with accessories.
Andycine Monitor - cheaper monitor to help with my framing when all my cables are blocking my FX30 flip out screen.
HDMI Cable - to provide signal from the camera to the monitor. The Sony FX30 uses full-HDMI to full-HDMI but you may need something like an mini-HDMI to full-HDMI for your camera and monitor.
DC 5 Volt Power Supply - To avoid using additional batteries and power the Andycine Monitor.
Bluetooth Remote - To control my Sony FX30 from varying distances
Teleprompter - Mount this to the camera lens and be able to read my scripts
Skull Candy Ear Phones - To monitor the playback sound from the camera or the monitor
Mount the Monitor Arm’s pole to the desk
Slide the Monitor Arm on the pole and secure it with the hex wrench provided
At the opposite end of the monitor arm you could use a drill bit to widen the hole to fit the 1/4 20” screw (I used a scissor and twisted it in the hole to widen it)
Place the 1/4 20” screw through the top hole so that the thread is pointing up
Thread on the Ball Head (could also use a washer if you have spare one around)
At the end of the Ball Head thread the Arca Swiss Clamp.
Mount your camera to the Arca Swiss Plate and secure it in the Arca Swiss Clamp
Plug in the USB-C Cable to from the desk’s power outlet to the Camera (if applicable)
Screw on the appropriate Teleprompter ring to the front of your lens and mount on the Teleprompter
Thread the Magic Arm to the Super Clamp.
On the other end of the Magic Arm thread the blue piece of the Kondor Blue Quick Release (but if you don’t have this then just skip to step 13)
On the Andycine Monitor secure the gray locking end of the Kondor Blue Quick Release with the included rubber washer and a black 1/4” 20 screw
Mount (or thread) the Andycine Monitor to the Magic Arm
Connect the DC 5 Volt Power Supply to the Andycine Monitor and connect the other end to the Power Outlet of the Desk
Connect the Sony FX30 to the Andycine Monitor with an HDMI Cable
Connect the Skull Candy Ear Phones to the Andycine Monitor.
Hair Light Setup
To give more definition to myself as the subject I have put a hair light above me to give more dimension.
Manfrotto - Rapid Adapter - Connect to the female to female screw adapter and then for the bigger whole attach to the mounting point of the light stand.
Ball Head with 1/4 Screw - This is used to manipulate the perspective of the camera and to adjust accordingly for the best frame.
Female to Female Screw Adapter - Use this to connect the Manfrotto Rapid Adapter and the Extension Pole.
Tripod Ball Head - Attached to the extension pole for more flexibility.
Weeylite K21 Tube Light - Use this as a hair light to give the talent more definition.
Attach the Manfrotto Rapid Adapter to the mounting point of the nearest Light Stand to you
Connect a Female to Female Screw Adapter to the screw end of the Manfrotto Rapid Adapter
On the other end of the female to female adapter, use the 3/8 screw from the Extension Pole and join those two.
On the available end of the extension pole, screw in the tripod ball head.
Then attach the Weeylite K21 Tube Light to the tripod ball head.
Extend the pole as desired.
Boom Pole and Overhead Rig
Initially used as an overhead camera rig, I decided to clamp on a magic arm to hold a shotgun microphone. This will ensure that I get crispier audio without having to have a separate boom pole stand or any microphone in my frame.
Overhead Camera Mount - Attach a ball head to this for more versatile options for camera maneuvering.
Tripod Ball Head - Attached to the overhead camera mount for more flexibility.
Arca Swiss Clamp - To secure your camera
Audio-Technica AT875R Microphone - Captures high-quality audio without breaking the bank.
Rycote Universal Shotgun Mount - This is to secure the shotgun in place and to deal with any shakes from the desk if any.
Bongo Ties - Secures the lines against the Overhead Camera Mount
Small Rig Super Clamp - I use two of these, one for the microphone and the other for a compact light for B-Roll product shots.
Magic Arm - I use two of these - one for the microphone and the other for the overhead light for B-Roll and product shots.
Amazon Basics XLR Cable - Connects from my XLR shotgun microphone to the top handle of the Sony FX30
Mount the Overhead Camera Mount to the opposite side of the Keylight
Adjust the Overhead Camera Mount so that that it bends over the table
Thread on the Tripod Ball Head at the end of the Overhead Camera Mount
Thread on the Arca Swiss Clamp at the end of the Tripod Ball Head
Take the Magic Arm and thread it to the Small Rig Super Clamp
Thread the other end this Magic Arm to the Rycote Universal Shotgun Mount
Using the Small Rig Super Clamp, mount to the top most section of the Overhead Camera Mount and lock everything in place
Attach the Audio-Technica AT875R Microphone to the Rycote Universal Shotgun Mount
Connect the Amazon Basics XLR Cable to the Audio-Technica AT875R Microphone and connect it to one of the XLR ports of the Sony FX30 Top Handle (Tidy up the cables along the way and secure them to the Overhead Camera Mount with the Bongo Ties)
What do you guys think of my Youtube Desk? Anything you would do different? Comment down below.
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