StudioHay

StudioHay is run by the non-profit CEDIV and you'll find it on the sixth floor of a building on Senovážné náměstí, a five-minute walk from Wenceslas Square. It suits anyone who wants to record a conversation on video too and doesn't need a crew for it. The idea is simple: "come in, switch on, record". Audio is set up for up to three people.

For a self-service studio, the kit is surprisingly rich. Three Sony cameras (two A7C II and one A7C) are switched on an ATEM Mini Pro ISO, and audio runs through a RODECaster Pro II from RODE PodMic microphones on RODE PSA1+ arms. Wireless Sony ECM-W2BT and RODE Wireless ME Dual mics wait as backup, and there are LED lights and air conditioning too. Recording is in 4K, and if you want to go straight live, the studio can stream to YouTube, Twitch and LinkedIn.

Studio hire alone costs 1,200 CZK per hour, or 1,800 CZK with basic editing. Non-profits, students under 26, parents on parental leave and single mothers pay 700 CZK/h, as long as they can prove eligibility. If you'd rather not deal with the tech, you can add a technician or camera operator for 400 CZK/h. You get the recording within two working days via a link or on a USB drive, the edited version within five days, or express within 24 hours for an extra 500 CZK.

You can book online at any time; the studio is open on weekdays from 8 am to 10 pm and at weekends from 9 am to 8 pm. The website doesn't say whether the operator is a VAT payer, so if you're invoicing a company, it's worth checking in advance.