#104 · How to Build Valuable-Sounding Offers for AI Automation
I'm using 5,000 bitrate, CBR (constant bit rate), not VBR (variable bit rate). I just bought a new computer which should solve this for me too, though I haven't switched over yet since I'm still transferring everything and on somewhat worse internet right now.
My OBS bitrate is around 5,000 kbps, but it should be more like 8,000–10,000 kbps.
I'm sorry, let me open it. I've turned off ads for this video. Nice, the setup looks fantastic. I don't understand why when I shoot using OBS plus HDMI I don't get a great look—this looks good to me. You're shooting in 1080 or uploading a 1080 file. Your focus is right on the tip of your nose, so your eyes don't look focused. I'd zoom back a little so the focus is on your eyes rather than the tip of your nose if you're using manual focus. I just hit record on stream and have troubleshooted it a lot. I think the footage looks crisp; the issue is you don't have anything in the background to create bokeh blur. My own setup isn't great right now—look how orange I look, like a Cheeto—but your setup is fine. If you add some items in the background you'll get that sexy bokeh blur. Right now you don't have that, which is probably why you're worried. I don't see anything else you can realistically improve. That's all I have to say about that.
To run my OBS setup, I use OBS Studio as the core platform. I have a scene configuration with a few sources: my camera (Sony A7C connected via HDMI), a shadow filter for depth, screen capture of my monitor, another shadow layer, and my microphone (a Samsung QTU). I use hotkeys—Command+Shift+1 to switch to screen capture and Command+Shift+2 to return to my talking‑head view—so I can jump between full‑head, screen‑share, and blurred‑screen scenes quickly. The monitor is set up with nice margins so the OBS UI doesn’t show ugly bars, and I adjust the display resolution as needed. I keep the production simple: minimal cuts, few edits, and mostly just me in my room. This approach lets me record content at a roughly one‑to‑one ratio—five to ten minutes of recording yields five to ten minutes of finished video—because I prioritize speed over flashy production. I believe that as AI makes stunning visuals easy, audiences will value human presence and authenticity more than polished effects, so I keep the setup straightforward and focus on delivering value quickly.
I use OBS (Open Broadcast Studio) with different scenes: one for full face, one for screen share plus, and a blurred screen for client‑sensitive work. I switch between them with hotkeys (Command+Shift+1, 2, 0). This lets me maintain high quality without editing, keeping production time around 20 minutes. I use a Samsung Q2U microphone and my camera is directly ahead of me.