There is a difference between a live conversation and edit-ready source material. Pro and Cinema include local recording; Free does not. Decide the plan before you tell a guest their isolated take will be captured. The recording is saved on the device doing the recording, not mixed and stored in a 4K Chat cloud.
Make both sides responsible for their file
- Before the interview, both host and guest confirm Pro or Cinema recording access on their side, available disk space, mic selection, and a place to save the file.
- Each side starts its own local recording and confirms it is running. Give the editor a shared spoken count or clap for sync.
- After the call, each person stops, locates the WebM on their own device and plays a short section with headphones to verify picture and sound.
- Guest sends their file to the editor through a transfer method the team chooses. Name files by speaker and date, and keep the originals until delivery is approved.
What the local file is — and isn't
Each side writes a local WebM source to its disk. 4K Chat does not upload those sources or deliver a cloud mixdown. A guest with a weaker uplink may appear soft to the host while their own local source remains useful for the edit; still check the actual file rather than assuming it succeeded. If you want only to try the live conversation, Free supports up to four participants but has no local recording.
Test before the real interview
Run a two-minute rehearsal and collect both files. Listen for echo, clipping and background noise; a headset usually helps, and on-device noise reduction can help with steady noise but cannot rescue bad placement. Check Pricing for the current plan comparison and use the checklist on interview day.