I’ve been video blogging (vlogging) for several years now. I am not very good by any measure and was pleasantly surprised when Claus Houmann offered to run an Ask Me Anything style Q&A to pick my brains about what I’ve learnt from my experiences.
As mentioned in the video, the equipment is secondary in my opinion. Any half decent camera or even phone can record in HD and is usually adequate. A flip camera, a tripod and a mic is all you need from an equipment perspective.
Unless you’re looking to produce high end special effects, something like iMovie which comes for free on the Mac is a more than capable video editor. I believe windows movie maker has much of the same features. Personally, I use Final Cut Pro X, it’s not exactly cheap, but has functionality far beyond that which I’ll ever use.
For some, getting over nerves or getting used to seeing and hearing yourself on video is a challenge. I don’t think there’s an easy trick to overcome it other than perseverance. Like most things, if you invest the hours into learning your craft, it will become easier.
I’d also recommend you look at other you tubers. After a while you will begin to identify different tips and techniques most share to craft great content It’s very different from how a TV series or movie is shot. A lot of the time it’s just one person talking into a camera in their bedroom.
Some of my favourite you tubers that I regularly watch and from whom I’ve learnt a lot are (in no particular order)
Wheezy Waiter is An incredibly funny and talented guy who can make even the most mundane of topics interesting.
Natalie Tran was one of the first people I subscribed to on youtube and is one of the reasons I started my own channel. Very funny and often plays multiple characters herself.
CGP Grey great use of voiceover and graphics to breakdown complex topics in a couple of minutes. Very slick.
Film Riot – a great resource for film makers. Tons and tons of tutorials and breakdowns and tips on how to get the most out of your equipment. A must for anyone interested in making their own videos.
Ryan Higa feels like he’s been around forever. Extremely talented with some of the best puns in the business!
Freddie and Brandon showed how to do special effects properly without hollywood budgets. Their earlier videos are still some of the best.
Casey Neistat Is a film-maker, entrepreneur and possibly the most interesting vlogger in the world … my favourite youtuber of all time.
Javvad Malik 