2022 Desk Setup
Once in a while, I watch YouTubers improve and showcase their desk setup, especially at the start of the year. It's therapeutic in a way, and while thoughts of revamping mine did surface, procrastination always has the best of me.
One day, a friend of mine shared how she is working to improve her desk situation. The highlight of the subject was a monitor arm that would significantly save some real estate on the table, giving more breathing space for other essentials and, as a whole, offering an aesthetic that is pleasant to the eyes. It was a splendid idea, and that conversation set the wheels in motion for me to start working on my desk.
Along the transformation journey, in addition to the monitor arm, I found myself carting out a few select accessories that would contribute to a better workspace.
- Artificial potted plant
- Desk mat
- LED strip
- Monitor light bar
- Pegboard wall organiser
- Webcam
When the setup was complete, I just waited for a weekend to get started on the video recording. Some scenes were challenging to create, such as the slider shots without a slider. At the moment, having one is not yet in the pipeline. A good one is pricey. A not-so-good one is affordable, but you may not count on it to aid in creating the best work.
Example of a camera slider. This one’s a little extra but you get the idea.
So to achieve a shot similar to a slider's, I placed my camera on a microfiber cloth - the smoothest fabric I could think of and have at the time - and dragged it across my desk mat. It was frustrating because the smoothness was challenging to achieve, but after a good number of takes, one clip was worthy of use. Tough-to-create scenes like this are what I enjoy most about making videos. They push one to be more creative despite the limitations.
Unedited footage of the microfiber cloth slider.
The room's blackout curtains were closed to achieve the nighttime look. The transition took a little more than a minute, so I edited the clock screensaver to ensure both matched simply for aesthetic reasons.
It was satisfying to relish the efforts of the reconstruction - to be able to attain a workspace that truly reflects the style I have ever wanted while at the same time having the right tools to improve my productivity. Wonder what 2023 will bring to the table (pun intended).
