Today I'm lending my expertise to the Wizards Play Network team to unbox and set up the WPN Premium Streaming Kit If you want to skip ahead to my streaming tips, use the timestamp below.

Let's open the kit.

It includes seven light bulbs, a fixture to put them in, a softbox, a light stand, a microphone, a camera, and a stand for the camera, including an additional phone attachment.

First, we'll set up our lights.

When streaming, lighting plays a critical role, be sure to stream from a location with consistent lighting away from any windows.

To set up your light, remove the softbox from the carrying case and unfold it. Pull the fixture's power cord through the hole in the softbox, tilt it and allow its mount and locking knobs through the hole. Attach the fixture to the light stand and tighten the two knobs to secure.

Now we're going to fully open our softbox using the eight provided flex rods. One end of a rod attaches to a pocket in the softbox and the other end to the fixture itself. Make sure these are aligned. Bending the rods will be necessary to attach them properly.

Attach the rods on alternating sides, also alternating where you begin the attachment, either into the pocket or into the fixture first. Repeat until all of the flex rods have been installed. Once completed, the softbox should be stretched tight and be able to keep shape on its own.

Screw the light bulbs into the fixture. Attach the inner diffusion using the elastic hooks on the softbox and the clips on the diffusion. Attach the outer diffusion to the Velcro strips on the exterior of the softbox all the way around the light.

And that's it.

Your light is set up and ready to provide a soft, diffused glow. There are two switches on the back of the light to provide flexibility with how many bulbs are illuminated. Play with different lighting angles and setups to find what works best for your store.

Now let's set up our camera and rig for a paper match. To set up the camera rig, first detach the clip base from the webcam.

Next, screw the camera onto the end of the microphone stand. Spin the wheel to further tighten the camera onto the mount. Attach the stand base to your table. Insert the arm of the stand into the base and tighten the tension knob.

Connect the USB cord into the camera and then into the computer you'll use for streaming. Macs may need a USB adapter or hub, which is what I'm using here. Position your camera high enough up so viewers can see the entire battlefield.

By attaching the camera mount at the end of the table, you'll capture an overhead view that looks like this. Camera settings like white balance or brightness can be adjusted using the free Logitech Brio Companion app on your computer.

Now, let's focus on audio.

Just like the camera, connect the microphone's USB cord from the microphone into the streaming computer. The microphone has the numbers one, two, and three on the back. These are for different pick up patterns. Position one, a cardioid pickup pattern, will work best for our stream setups.

Since we're streaming a paper match, we'll place the microphone on the middle of the table off to one side of the battlefield to capture player chat. With this kit, here's what my finished setup looks like to stream a paper match.

Next, let's talk about getting your stream out into the world. First, you'll want to consider what platform you're streaming on and how it might serve your needs.

Second, you'll need a service like OBS or Camtasia to intake your video and output to a streaming platform.

Finally, as your stream develops, you may want to use an overlay. An overlay can be used to track life totals, thank those who donate or subscribe and host advertisements for your store and its partners.

Streaming and content creation have been a huge part of my career, and I'm thrilled to share what I know. Streaming allows for tremendous reach to new audiences, interaction with fans, and creativity and programming, all with relatively easy setup.

For stores like yours, streaming can help grow your community and reach on social media. It's a tool for marketing events, your store, and your online sales platform.

All the equipment in the kit can be used to stream events as we set up previously. But it can also be easily reconfigured for product-focused streams, such as unboxings or box breaks.

You can unbox a product prior to its release date for promotional purposes, given its contents have been fully revealed and the release date is clearly indicated.

If I were unboxing a new product, here's the setup I would use. It's similar to my event stream setup, but streamlined to draw attention to the product. If you have access to a second camera, you can use it as a face cam. A laptop's built-in webcam works great for this.

A note on audio for this setup, keep the microphone 6 to 8 inches from the caster's face. It's also a good idea to wear headphones to monitor your audio so you know exactly what viewers can hear over stream.

Don't expect your stream to take off immediately. It takes time to grow a community. You want to announce upcoming streams on social media and consider posting event highlights afterwards. Having a consistent schedule is key to stream growth. Talk with your community about what types of streams they'd be interested in.

During the stream, engage with your chat, answer questions, share stories, and talk about the event. It's helpful to have someone you trust dedicated to moderating your stream's chat to keep it a fun and friendly place for viewers to hang out.

This is just the beginning. There are countless additional resources that dig deep into each of the topics I've covered today.

Streaming can be an incredible way to reach out and grow your community. You can highlight new products, host giveaways, advertise awesome events and so much more.

Thank you for letting me share some of what I know. I hope you're inspired to start streaming soon!