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How to Create a Pro Live Stream Setup (Like Kevin Samuels?) | Complete Walkthrough
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How to Create a Pro Live Stream Setup (Like Kevin Samuels?) | Complete Walkthrough

Dec 07, 2021

Want to Live Stream Like a Pro?

Live streaming is a good form of content that connects you with your audience, answer their question in real-time, and share your expertise.

There are two things that can keep your audience invested in your videos

  • Valuable content
  • Good video quality

Just like your recorded videos, your live streams need good audio, a reliable camera, and a systematic flow of the show.

In a recent question by a community member, I was asked to do a breakdown analysis of one popular yet controversial Live streamer named Kevin Samuels.

 

In this post, I'll be doing a complete breakdown to show you how to create every scene and all the tools that he's using to create a professional-looking live stream.

Want to download the exact setup shown in the video used to create a Kevin Samual's live stream? You can get it here.

 

Tools and Software You’ll Need

To pull off the look he's doing on his shows, it's really only a couple of programs and it's actually very easy to do.

Here's what you're going to need.

Ecamm Live

Ecamm Live is an all-in-one tool not just for live streaming but also for recorded videos. 

This is the main piece of gear we'll need to pull off this show and it'll do all the heavy lifting for us and is super easy to use!

Zoom Web Conferencing App (Optional)

Zoom is what Kevin Samuels uses to bring on guests to his live show.

However, since he's usually bringing on guests one at a time and not large groups of 20 or 30 people, we can omit this option and use the built-in native feature within Ecamm Live's Interview feature.

Loopback (Optional)

Loopback is a device that connects Zoom App and Ecamm Live so your audience can hear each other and your audience to YouTube can hear your people on Zoom.

Note: If you choose to use Zoom to bring in your guests you will need Loopback.

Loupedeck Live

While Kevin Samuels actually uses the Streamdeck by Elgato, in this walkthrough, I'll be using the Loupdeck Live - which I believe has better functionality and far more creative controls when doing a streaming setup like this.

 

The 4-Part Streaming Show Structure

When it comes to how we'll build the show out it'll actually break down into 4 main scenes or setups within Ecamm Live.

Scene 1: The Pre-Stream Count Down Timer

This will be the first scene your audience sees when you first begin your live stream - a simple image and a countdown.

 

Scene 2: The Main Camera Angle

This is the wide main shot of the camera that will be you on the screen.

If you prefer you can have multiple camera angles that show your side angled shots or it can stay simply just one main camera shot as seen here.

 

Scene 3: The Live Guest Call-In Scene

This is where the Zoom App comes in. 

Kevin Samuels uses this to bring in his guests one-by-one but you can skip this software tool completely if you use the Ecamm Live Interview feature.

We'll dive more into that later in this walkthrough of your options for bringing on guests.

 

Scene 4: End of the Live Stream Show Scene

This can be customized to fit your desired next step for your audience.

It can be a "thanks for watching" message, a link to the next video your viewers should watch if you're on a social platform like YouTube.

Let's dive into how you'll set up a live stream like this using Ecamm Live.

Part 1: Setting Up Your Live Stream Scenes using Ecamm Live

Let's now create a live stream that operates like his.

 

Overview of the Ecamm Layout

On the Ecamm dashboard, I have my scenes in my top left corner and my overlays in the bottom left corner.

The Sound Effects panel is located at the middle top, and the Sound Levels are in the top right corner.

Everything else is organized around my main camera window to help efficiently manage the live stream and quickly access settings.

 

The Ecamm Scenes Panel

Your Scenes are your main folder that will help establish the flow of your live show.

I highly encourage you to organize your scenes and setups. It will help you run your show more efficiently. 

 

How to create a Scene in Ecamm

Start by creating folders to keep everything organized.

The folder icon with the mini plus (+) symbol lets you add a new folder and the plus (+) symbol lets you add a new scene.  

Click the folder icon and rename the folder.

This folder will contain all the scenes for the show.  

 

The “Just Me” Scene / Main Camera Scene

After creating the folder, create a scene.

Hit the plus (+) symbol and rename the scene.  

In this example, I will name this scene " Just Me."

This will be my main scene. 

To make the show on brand, I will add my logo. 

There are two ways to do this. 

  1. Drag and drop an image on your screen
  2. Set up Overlays panel

Setting up your Overlays panel is the organized way to add anything to your screen. 

 

Ecamm Live Overlays Panel

The Overlays have 3 areas: 

  1. Show in all Scenes
  2. Show in the current scene
  3. Show in the Background

You can customize your logo to be visible from the beginning of the show up to the end.  

 

How to Use the Ecamm Overlays

To add an image in the Overlays Panel that will appear in every scene, add it to the Show in Current Scene

In this example, I will add my logo and place it at the bottom part of the screen.

Drag and drop your image to the Show in Current Scene. 

 

Depending on how you want to position anything in your video, you need to temporarily remove the Ecamm icons from your screen.

If you want to learn how to remove your Ecamm Icons on your screen, you can learn how to do that here

 

Pre-Stream Intro Scene 

This scene is your "Pre-Stream Intro Scene" or your very first scene.

It will be just an image of you, a countdown timer, and music playing (intro music). 

Make sure that you will not show up on this screen while on the Pre-Stream scene. 

Go to the Source Setting and choose Blank.  

What's next?  

Drag your desired image or video for this scene into the Current Scene Overlays.

Make sure that it will fit the size of the screen. Simply drag it up and down to reframe or resize the image.

 

 

⚡️ Pro tip ⚡️  

When adding anything on the Overlays, whether it’s an image of you, your logo, or text, you can lock or make it disappear on the screen. 

To hide the photo, click the X button on the left side of the image.  This action will only hide the image and you can still bring it back. 

On the right side of the file name of the image that you've added, you can see the lock and eye symbol. 

When you click the eye symbol, the hidden photo will reappear.  

The lock symbol will keep the image from moving.  It will stay in place until the scene / whole show ends. 

Lock your main image. 

When everything is in place, add the countdown timer. 

 

How To Add Countdown Timer in Ecamm Live

Click the time symbol at the bottom of the Overlays Area. 

I created 3 minutes and 59 seconds countdown.  

I choose to use my branding colors for the background.

To get a translucent effect, use the slider to get the transparency that you want. 

Check the Auto-Start and Go to the Next Scene When Finished boxes then click Add. 

The countdown timer is now added to our main screen. 

Adjust the size by dragging the corners or you can also use your mouse scroll wheel. 

Lock the countdown timer to make it in place.

Pause the timer while we are building the other scenes. 

 

 

To complete your Pre-Stream Intro Scene, you can add music to your countdown timer.

How to add music to your live stream?

There are 2 ways to do this. 

You can add a video with baked-in music or it can be a separate photo or video and the music directly in Ecamm Live.

 

How to add a video with baked-in music

Drag your intro video to the Current Scene Overlay.

A message box will pop up asking if you want to add the animated overlay or add a fullscreen video with audio.

Select the Play Fullscreen with Audio. 

 

If your camera feed accidentally pops up on the screen upon adding the video, you can hide it by clicking the PIP icon on the Ecamm taskbar. 

The Arrow icon on the Ecamm taskbar will dictate what will happen when the scene is done.  

Click the arrow icon and select Go To Next Scene.  

When the scene ends, the next scene will play next. 

 

⚡️ Pro Tip ⚡️

Your music and the timer should be at the same length.

Pause the timer and the music while building the other scenes.

Also, make sure that your audience can't hear you until the main event begins by muting your microphone.

How to mute your microphone? 

Go to your Sound Levels, locate your microphone and click Mute. 

 

How to add music with a separate image in the Intro Scene 

To add the music, take the music and bring this to the sound effects area. 

First, create a folder in the Sound Effects Area. This is where you will save your music. 

Drag and drop the music to the folder that you've created. 

In this example, I named the folder Stream Vibes.

Assign the music to the specific scene. Make sure that you've selected the right scene when adding the music.  

I added the music to the Intro Scene.

The music will play automatically when you get on the Intro Scene. 

Click on the track to adjust the loudness. 

⚡️ Pro tip ⚡️

As you start your live stream, make your background music louder with the countdown timer rolling down. When the just me scene starts, bring down the volume underneath your voice. 

 

Zoom’s Guest Call In Scene

Let's move on to the third scene.

Before setting up this scene, connect the Zoom app to Ecamm Live first. 

Here, I will use the Loopback software to connect the audio from Ecamm to Zoom and vice versa so Live call-in guests can be heard by viewers.

 

How to Connect Zoom to Ecamm Using Loopback

Open the Loopback software.  

Loopback has 3 different areas:

  • the sources
  • the output channels
  • and the monitor

We only need the sources and output channels. 

First, create a Virtual Microphone for Ecamm. 

On the bottom left part of Loopback, click Create New Virtual Device and rename it "Ecamm Mic To Use." 

This will become the new microphone source you select in Ecamm.

On Sources, delete the Pass-Thru source and add your main microphone. 

Click the plus (+) symbol and locate the microphone you're using on the audio devices. I am using the Rodecaster Pro Stereo in this example. 

 

Next, create a connection to the Zoom App.

On the Sources, click the plus (+) symbol again and select zoom.us

 

You will also see a successful connection between Zoom and the Output channels with the curve lines that connects the two.  

Double-check the Options button for both sources - the microphone and Zoom App.

Make sure that the sound is 100% and the Mute when Capturing box was unchecked.

 

Next, create a virtual microphone for Zoom App. 

Create a new virtual device and I am naming it Zoom Mic To Use.

The same with the procedure when we created Ecamm Mic to use. 

On the Sources, delete the Pass-Thru source and add your microphone and the Ecamm Live App. 

You will see the successful connection with the lines connected to the Output Channels. 

Uncheck the Mute when Capturing box and make sure that the audio is on 100%.

Also,  make sure that the virtual microphones that we've created were ON.

 

Zoom App Camera and Microphone Setting

Time to set things up with Zoom App.

Sign in to the Zoom application. 

Before you open your camera, make sure that you've selected the right camera which is the Cam Link 4k. For the microphone, use the virtual microphone that was previously set up on Loopback which is the Zoom Mike to Use. 

 

Easier Way to Bring In Guest in Ecamm

When someone is asking to join your stream through Zoom App, you'll see a little pop on top of your screen. Click Admit to let the people in. 

 

 

You can also click on Participants to see the people who are already in the room and those who are requesting to join the stream. 

 

There is also a simpler way to let your people join your stream. Use the interview feature within Ecamm where you can send a branded link to someone who is invited to your stream.  

 

Setting Up the Zoom Room Scene

Go back to Ecamm set up to create the 3rd Scene.

Add a new scene and name it "Zoom Room Scene." Then, click the share screen icon to share your screen.

 

If you are counter seeing yourself on 2 different frames, all you have to do is go to Zoom > click the 3dots > select Hide Self View. 

You will notice on Kevin Samuels that his picture-in-picture shape is square.

To customize the picture-in-picture shape, go to options > click Picture-in-Picture Shape > choose Classic. 

 

 

End Scene

Just like the intro scene, we have 2 options to end the stream.

We can end it with a video file with baked-in music which automatically ends the stream when the video is over or we can do it manually. We can start the music before the final scene is shown. 

Create the end scene and name it "End of Show Scene." 

Make sure to reorder the scenes.  

 

How to End Scene with Video and baked-in Music

Make sure that the End Scene is selected.

Drag and drop the video file with baked-in music to Ecamm on the Show in Current Scene Overlays.

Select Fullscreen with Audio.

Make sure you will not show on the screen. Remove yourself from the screen and turn your camera off. 

Also, make sure that your microphone is muted in this scene too. 

 

How to End Scene Manually

If you want a different approach and you want to do it automatically, this is what you are going to do.

For this example, I will add another scene and name it "End Scene / Manual Scene."

Turn off your camera.

Make sure you have your image and your logo locked on the screen.

Add your Thank You message. Click the T+ icon at the button part of the Overlays. 

 

Lock your thank you message to keep it from moving.

 

Now, you have all the scenes that you need for your live show. 

The last thing to do is link Ecamm App to the Loupedeck Live.

 

How To Link Buttons on Loupedeck Live to Ecamm Live? 

Loupedeck Live allows us to customize buttons for specific actions so you don't need to use your mouse to navigate all the actions on your Ecamm dashboard while doing the live stream.

You can integrate different apps to Loupedeck Live.  I am using this with Final Cut Pro, Lightroom, Illustrator, Ecamm Live, and more. 

To customize your Ecamm Live buttons, go to the Loupedeck applications tab and select Ecamm Live.

 

All actions that you have created on Ecamm Live will be linked to the Loupedeck Live App. 

Choose a page where you want to add the buttons.  

Select an empty button. 

Instead of right-clicking on the empty button to add icons (square with + icon), just go over to the search tab and type in the scenes that you've created on Ecamm. 

This is an easy way to search for actions. It will automatically bring out what you have created on Ecamm. 

 

I type in Prestream. The Pre-stream scene automatically showed up. 

Before you assign the button to the scene, update the icon to make it organized and look better. 

Click the dots on the Pre stream action. A Pre-stream Icon will appear below.

 


Click the Pre-stream icon.

You will be directed to the Steam Like Pack where you can see the available icons for each scene. 

For the Pre-Stream Intro, select the Stream Start icon.

 

Once you select an icon, an icon Editor will appear.

Make sure that the icon fill fits perfectly. You can resize it using the slider. After that, click Save. 

 

Continue adding the icons for all of the remaining scenes. 

After adding all the icons, go back to Ecamm and test the customized buttons if they are working.  

Press each button on the Loupedeck to see if it's working. 

As you click on the icons you should be changing from one scene to the other. 

 

⚡️ Pro Tip ⚡️

If you rename something on Loupedeck, close it and reopen it to see the update you made. 

 

How to Create Seamless Actions Ecamm Live using LoupeDeck Live

Instead of doing everything individually and customizing a lot of buttons on the Loupedeck Live, let's create multiple seamless actions in Ecamm Live using the Loupedeck Live app. 

Build a Macro

Select an empty button and right-click > select Macro

 

A Create Macro Action box will appear at the bottom right part of the screen. It will let you rename the Macro. I named it "End of Show System."

 

Add the outro music to the End Show System.

Type in the music that you've added on Ecamm on the search bar.

Two music will appear; the into and the outro music. 

Select the outro music and drag it down to the End Show System.

 

Add some time before the show ends.

Create an Action.

Click the Add action button << right-click on the drop-down menu and choose Delay.

I will add 30 seconds delay. 

Note: The time is in milliseconds.

To compute, 1000 milliseconds is 1 second. If you will add 30 seconds, you should input 30,000 milliseconds.

Add another action that will allow you to talk and say goodbye to your viewers after 30 seconds. 

Search End Show/ Manual on the search bar or simply type in End S and it will show up in the search results. Drag that down to the End Show System Macro.

 

Add 20 seconds delay.

Click the Add action button << right-click on the drop-down menu << choose Delay and input 20,000 for 20 seconds delay. 

Add another action to end the stream.

Search Go Live and drag that down to the End Show System. The button on this action will be automatically renamed to Finish. 


After adding the macros, test everything.

 

How to Easily Find High-Res Program Icons for Your Loupedeck Live

Do you enjoy using the Loupedeck App?

If you want to know more about customizing your buttons, I have created a video that will teach you how to customize your Loupedeck buttons using High-Res Program Icons. 

Click the next video. 

 

 Up Next: How to Easily Find High-Res Program Icons for Your Loupedeck Live