Instant Avatar Instruction

by James Clark

How to Record Footage
Preferred way to record footage for your Instant Avatar:
  1. Use iPhone and upload a video file to your Room 214 Google Drive
  1. When you record with the iPhone we recommend making the recording then Airdropping the recording to your computer. From there you can upload the video into the Google Drive we have set up for you
Regardless of which recording method you choose, you will need to record a video of the consent statement. The consent statement video must be from the same person as the footage.
Equipment Needed
TRIPOD
We recommend having a tripod or iPhone holder that will keep your phone steady. We do not recommend someone holding a phone for you to record.
If you have professional video recording equipment or cameras, that would be excellent, but not required
No need to worry about audio quality as we will be recording your audio in Eleven Labs.
FRIEND
It's nice to have someone help you record since you will be shooting with your back camera, unless you have a mirroring device, the person can help with making sure you are in frame.
Record A Consent Statement
A formal consent statement must also be video-recorded and sent along with the footage to approve usage of your footage. An example is given as follows:
I, John Doe, hereby declare that I authorize HeyGen to use the footage of me to build the HeyGen Avatar and use it in my HeyGen account.
Recording Script
Choose a topic that you feel comfortable to talk about
It can be anything, as long as you focus on the camera and help you enter the presenter mode. For example:
  • Deliver a Product Update
  • Introduce Your Business
  • Give a Self Intro
  • Give a Sales Pitch
Give a Training Lesson
Remember to smile and take pauses with lips closed.
If you're not prepared for a speech without script yet, no worries! We have prepared a 2-min script for you.
2-min Preset Script
Hello! I'm feeling good right now with a relaxed tone, and I'm very confident that I can do well on this recording . I'm in front of the camera and ready to start.
<Close your mouth and breath through nose >
The lighting is good, and there aren't any harsh shadows on my face. My pronunciation is clear, and I'm feeling very relaxed because this process has been simple, easy, and enjoyable . I'll be making some natural, slight hand movements throughout the recording , but I won't be moving my body or head too much. These subtle gestures will help me look more natural and relaxed.
<Close your mouth and breath through nose >
I'm not wearing glasses or any other accessories, so my face can be clearly displayed. My tone of voice is steady, and I'm speaking in a natural way. I'm taking a pause between sentences, closing my mouth and breathing through my nose. I'm in a relaxed mood, and this recording process is really fun .
<Close your mouth and breath through nose >
I also want to share something interesting with you. I'm thinking about some happy memories, and it's making me feel like life is very full and interesting. I'm holding onto this relaxed and happy mood and hoping to keep it forever .
<Close your mouth and breath through nose >
Now, I'm going to try adding in some slight hand movements to make things feel more natural. My tone of voice is still steady and emotional, and I've been doing a great job up to this point. I'll continue doing my best until the end of the recording.
<Close your mouth and breath through nose >
It's a great pleasure to meet you today, and I'm looking forward to seeing how this recording turns out. So far, everything has gone well, and I hope things are going well for you too .
Shooting Tips
  • Mobile phones work great. If shooting from mobile phone use the back camera for higher quality.
  • Choose an environment with good lighting for recording. If inside, we recommend trying to shoot where this is natural light. Position yourself facing a window.
  • With the iPhone, it would be great to get shots of you outside. This can be casually sitting on a chair in your backyard or a bench in a park.
  • Use a tripod to hold your camera to ensure the shot is steady.
  • For each Avatar record at least one 2-minute long uninterrupted speech, incorporate closed lip pauses. Do not record for more than 2 minutes, the file will be rejected.
  • Film it at 1080p for higher Avatar resolution quality. The effect of 4K 60FPS will be even better. The back camera of an iPhone records at 1080p
  • Take pauses with lips closed in between sentences. Make sure you take pauses with eyes looking at the camera.
  • a. 2-3 second pause at the start of the video
  • b. 1-2 second pause in the middle between long sentences
  • c. Stop prior to two minutes
  • Do not edit or cut the footage in the middle, make sure it is a continuous shot.
  • Do not walk or move around, stand or sit still and avoid sudden head motions or unnatural body movements. Be natural and calm. Your avatar will perform exactly the same way as you do.
  • Maintain direct eye contact with the camera at all times during the recording. Avoid looking around or up and down during the recording.
  • Keep hand movements below chest level and avoid raising them above your chest.
Start with 5 Avatars
We want to start with five avatar recordings
  • For each avatar, change wardrobe so we have a different style for each
  • Try to record in three different locations. We recommend office setting, outdoors, and in your car
  • For instance you might do two office settings with two different wardrobes, two outdoor settings with two different wardrobes and one car setting
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the presenter use hand gestures?
- Yes, natural and general hand/arm gestures are acceptable as long as your gesture does not block your face, but please keep your face always fully visible to the camera without too much head movement.
- However, we suggest avoiding exaggerated hand gestures and directional gestures, such as pointing or counting, during the performance, since it may be hard to match the speech in the video creation and every time a video is made it will want to incorporate the same hand movements, so avoid big hand gestures.
Upload to Google Drive
Once you've recorded you Avatar videos, upload them the the folder AI Avatar Recordings