For sports presenter and commentator Gautam Bhimani, coming up with the idea of a home studio set-up has been a gratifying challenge of getting back to the groove while staying back at home, and it has unfurled greatly. He believes while the pandemic might well be on its way out, the convenience is here to stay. His DIY home studio set-up has been about having the logistics in place, setting it up in a jiffy, and shuttling between hosting different shows in a snap. Talking to t2oS, he spoke about his experience with his set-up thus far, the essentials surrounding it, the challenges with broadcast, and how well the entire concept has worked for him, with the relevance it holds during these times.

How did the idea come about?

With the lockdown, the entire world of sports took a sudden halt. There were no games being held, but gradually matches were brought back, but in empty stadiums- away from the usual crowd. So, that’s really when the idea struck us. There was no chance of us going back to the studios during the lockdown. So, if they could play behind closed doors, we could do the same and continue with our analyses from our homes as well, without actually having to go the studio and have the entire crew around. We went into it, expecting nothing, but it was the same with us, getting to see each other after a long time. From the comfort of our homes, engaging in analysis and conversation. Yes, we could not be on the same couch, but the banter ensued.

Were there few initial challenges?

It obviously took a while getting used to the entire set-up. There’s a bit of a lag at times, and unlike physically, where we could avoid interrupting each other on the couch, or take the conversation forward with everybody being receptive.Here, there might be times when you end up interrupting somebody while the other person continues speaking, leading to bit of an overlap. But again, that’s part of the entire parcel. Sound sensitivity was another thing I had to keep in mind. And there’s always an issue with power outages. You can’t really afford to have a sudden power outage muting you black during broadcast. So, having everything on power back-up was an absolute must.

Logistically, what are the essentials that you have in your set-up?

It’s not really a very complex arrangement. The absolute essentials include fibre, and LAN cable to ensure absolutely no glitch in connection during live broadcast. Following that, are the lights, which can just be clipped to the stands, adjusting the height to our requirement. And of course, a mic, earbuds and an external HD camera for my laptop.Personally, I chose a cool changeable wallpaper for my background whenever I’m at home, as virtual filters would not work for broadcast. And lastly, the etiquettes which come with a home studio set-up – conducting yourself, placing the laptop camera at the perfect height, adjusting the mic et al.

What do you think is the biggest advantage to this DIY set-up?

The portability, for sure. You can carry the equipment with you whenever you go and set it up wherever you feel like, just keeping few things in mind. The off- studio set-up existed previously as well, with them sending you a satellite trucks with a complex satellite setup, minutes before your show, but the portability and the effectivity of this setup, especially during the lockdown, has made life fairly easier and amazing. For instance, recently, I was already at a venue and had to host a talk-show for an ODI match on that very evening. It took me 15 minutes to set the entire thing up at the venue, and with this set-up, I could seamlessly shuttle between the two, which wouldn’t have been possible earlier. Secondly, it’s comparatively really inexpensive. Outside the essentials that were sent to me, I got everything off the Internet where the prices were not forbidding at all. So, all angles considered, this entire thing suddenly made a lot more sense.

Do you think the DIY set-up is here to stay?

I really think so. All factors considered, even when everything is back to absolute normal, the culture of convenience, and having it all from home is here to stay. To save time, finances and effort while having the portable entire set-up in place, makes it easy for us and the companies as well. Keeping it indoors and within the comfort of our homes, this has made meetings and sessions easier and comfortable. I believe this is for the long run.