7 common mistaked in video studio setup (and how you avoid them)

“We have invested much in our own video studio, but no one dares to use it. The lighting is too complicated, the sound quality is disappointing, and it takes at least an hour to set everything up.”

Jacqueline Borremans – Business Consultant at AVEX – recently heard these frustrating words during an advisory meeting with a marketing director of a medium-sized organisation. The brand-new studio looks great, but barely gets used. The problem? A series of mistakes in the setup that are made far too often.

As Business Consultant at AVEX, Jacqueline guides organisations with building in-house video studios that are actually used on a daily basis. After 10 years of experience and many studio projects, she sees a clear pattern: 80% of studio problems are caused by wrong design choices during the setup.

The problem? Many organisations put AV technology first, instead of the users. They’re tempted by impressive technology, but forget to consider the people that will actually use the studio, and how they’ll do so. The result? Costly investments that aren’t being used optimally.

In this article, you’ll discover:

• The 7 most common mistakes in studio design
• Why these mistakes matter so much
• Concrete steps to prevent them
• A practical checklist for successful studio setups

After reading this article, you’ll prevent making similar costly mistakes and design a studio that your team will actually use.

Why that marketing director made the wrong choices

Our colleague Jacqueline Borremans explains:

That marketing director I talked about told me his story.

“We wanted to appear professional, so we chose the best equipment. An expensive camera, professional lighting, an advanced mixing console. Everything that a real studio is supposed to have.”

The problem? No one on his team had a technical background. The first time they wanted to use the studio, it took hours to get everything to work properly. The team became frustrated, and since then the studio has hardly been used.

“We should have started with the question: who will use this and how often?” he admitted. “Instead, we let ourselves be guided by what was technically the best.”

This story illustrates the core of the problem: studios designed from a technical perspective, rather than that of the users.

The 7 most common mistakes in studio design

During the trajectories we facilitate, we repeatedly see the same pitfalls. These are the 7 mistakes that companies most often make when setting up a studio.

Mistake 1: Too complex for the users

The mistake: Choosing professional broadcast equipment that requires technical expertise. 
Why it goes wrong: Your marketing team wants to create content, not become technicians. If turning on the studio takes more than a few minutes, people will start avoiding it. 
The solution: Choose a user-friendly solution with presets and one-button operations. Consider scenarios such as “presentation”, “interview”, or “webinar” that are pre-configured.

Mistake 2: Ignoring bad acoustics

The mistake: Focusing on cameras and lighting, but forgetting that audio determines 50% of the experience.
Why it goes wrong: Bad audio stands out more than bad image quality. An echo in the room or background noises make your content unprofessional. 
The solution: Invest in proper acoustic treatment: sound panels, carpeting, and professional microphones. Test the audio quality before finalising the setup.

Mistake 3: Choosing the wrong space

The mistake: Using a room that’s too small or one with too many glass surfaces and hard materials.
Why it goes wrong: Small spaces give a chaotic impression, and too much glass causes reflection and echo.
The solution: Choose a room of at least 4×4 meters, preferably with soft materials. Consider furniture, curtains, or special acoustic panels.

Mistake 4: Not keeping growth in mind

The mistake: Setting up a studio for current needs without considering future requirements. 
Why it goes wrong: Within six months, you might want to livestream, use multiple cameras, or invite guests. Then you have to start over. 
The solution: Plan modularly. Provide possibilities for expansion: extra power outlets, space for additonal cameras, and an infrastructure that can grow.

Mistake 5: Treating lighting as an afterthought

The mistake: Relying on existing office lighting or cheap LED panels.
Why it goes wrong: Bad lighting makes you look tired or unhealthy. Harsh shadows and flickering light ruin the professional appearance.
The solution: Invest in professional, dimmable LED lighting with softboxes. Ensure a three-point lighting setup: key light, fill light, and background light.

Mistake 6: Not considering workflow

The mistake: Desiging a nice studio, but not considering how content will be distributed after recording.
Why it goes wrong: If uploading, editing, and distribution is complicated, the studio still won’t be used. 
The solution: Ensure direct integration with your content management system. Consider automatic upload to the cloud, simple editing tools, direct distribution to social media platforms or, for example, Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

Mistake 7: No training and support

The mistake: Thinking that the studio speaks for itself after installation.
Why it goes wrong: Even the most user-friendly studio has a short learning curve. Without proper training, no one uses the studio optimally.
The solution: Schedule comprehensive training for all users. Create short instructional videos and provide prompt technical support when needed.

The true impact of these mistakes

These mistakes cost you more than just money. From our experience, the real consequences are:

• Financial impact: On average, organisations spend 40% more on “repairs” and adjustments than on the initial setup.

• Lower productivity: Teams that avoid their studio due to complexity miss an average of 3-5 content opportunities each month.

• Reputational damage: Bad audio or lighting during important webinars or presentations harms your corporate reputation.

• Demotivation: Nothing is more frustrating than investing in tools that your team can’t or won’t use.

How can you prevent these mistakes?

Always make sure to follow a user-first approach to avoid these mistakes:

Start with your use cases:
Before choosing equipment, identify exactly what you want to record: CEO messages, training videos, webinars, interviews. Each use case requires a different setup.

Design for your least technical user:
We assume that your marketing staff should be able to operate the studio, not your IT or AV department. This should guide your choice of technology and operation.

Test with actual users:
Before the studio is “finished”, make sure to set aside time for your team to try out the studio. Adjust based on feedback, not technical specifications.

Plan for growth:
Make sure you design a studio that can grow with your ambitions. From basic recordings to livestreaming and multi-camera setups.

Your practical next steps

Use the following three practical steps to get started immediately and noticeably improve your studio:

Step 1:

• Note down your current studio frustrations (or needs if you don’t have a studio yet)

• Make a list of all the people who will use the studio and their technical level

• Determine your top 3 use cases for the next 12 months

Step 2:

• Test your current audio quality (make a recording and listen critically)

• Evaluate your space for size, acoustics, and lighting

• Unsure? Schedule a studio assessment with an expert

Step 3:

• Implement improvements step by step, starting with your biggest bottlenecks

• Train your team on how to use the (new) equipment before launching

• Evaluate and optimise quarterly based on actual usage

The choice is yours – but not without a clear plan

You now know which 7 mistakes are most common in studio design, why they cause so much frustration and high costs, and how you can avoid them with an approach that puts users first.

Too often, organisations invest in a beautiful studio that hardly gets used, because it’s too complicated or doesn’t fit with everyday work.

At AVEX, we have over 35 years of experience with audiovisual solutions. We help organisations – from hospitals to financial institutions – build studios that are not only well-designed technically, but are especially easy to use and effective for communication.

Do you want to prevent your studio becoming a costly mistake? Then schedule a no-obligation studio assessment with someone from our team. You’ll immediately gain insight into your current or desired setup and receive practical advice to make the right choices.

AVEX: your partner for a studio that will be used

At AVEX we look beyond technology. We help you prevent making costly mistakes that other organisations do make. Together, we ensure:

• A studio that is easy to use for your team

• A setup that grows with your ambitions

• Training and workflows that guarantee the studio is actually used

A well-designed studio changes how you communicate and delivers lasting value for your organisation.

✅ Your next step

👉 Schedule a studio assessment with Jacqueline.