5 Essentials to create basic Youtube videos
Each one of us has probably used Youtube at one point in our life. Be it for a casual laugh or research, it is an online platform that has a mountainous catalog of videos with a near-endless variety of content.
Be it comedic skits, product reviews, vlogging, cooking, DIY projects, or even videos of youtube megastar Mr. Beast counting from 1 to 1,000,000 an idea is never too extreme or wild for youtube. It is nearly impossible to not find content that fascinates or interests you. Yet, as you discover yourself drawn to this nearly limitless platform, binging your favorite channels begin to ask yourself — What if I made my own Youtube videos instead?
Here’s the thing…. You easily could.
Almost every one of your favorite channels started their journey with the same questions, and probably with little to no idea what might grow out of it. Yes, even the BIG ones like Pewdiepie and Michelle Phan. Ultimately, you never know what could come out of your very first step unless you take it, and who knows, you might just make the next trending vlogger list!
So, before we start getting carried away with the vast possibilities that lie ahead, here are 5 things to get you started on your very first video on the widely-recognized platform of Youtube. These tools are important and will help you turn those ideas to actual digital content, so take out your notebooks and start taking down some notes!
- Camera
This is a no-brainer on this list, and you might just be thinking: How else would you film your videos then?
Now, before you scroll away to the next point, here is however one important misconception to be addressed about what might be behind your thinking. You don’t actually need a professional or digital camera to kick-start your first video.
Our handy-dandy mobile phones can perform similar basic functions, and often, produce quality results that are not too far from what you see in your average digital camera. Yes, my point still stays even if you are not holding the latest iPhone model.
What really matters at the end of the day, is how you frame your shots when filming yourself or your surroundings, and to capture the most interesting or appealing parts of what you plan to focus on. So, rather than worrying about which camera to buy in order to get your first filming started, try experimenting on different angles with the camera functions on your phone first instead.
2. Audio
Imagine watching a travel vlog on mute, with no commentary or sounds to convey the ambiance and information in the video. It would not be surprising if you get bored after a short while. After all, be it spoken word, music, or sound effects, audio is as necessary an element as any captured image.
For a cleaner and more versatile recording of your audio, I would always encourage the purchase of an external mic. What it does is to allow you to position your source of sound at any spot that you wish, while still achieving a clear-sounding result in your videos.
For starters, brands like Blue and Zoom offer a great range of affordable and highly functional mics, that is as equally as easy to use.
Music, sound effects, and narration also contribute to making your videos appealing through the use of audio. For instance, hearing your favorite song in the first few seconds of a certain video might lead you to be much more interested in it.
Platforms like Soundcloud and Artlist.io provide a whole library worth of copyrighted music and sound effects, suitable for any category or genre. Just try listening to a few tracks, you are bound to have your ears perked to what they offer!
3. Lights
As beautiful and popular natural lighting is, the true game-changer for photoshoots and video making truly lies in lights. Whether in a dark or inconsistently lit surrounding, such forms of lights allow your subject (or yourself) to always be in focus.
For basic lighting used in homemade videos, you could always start off with LED lights for its long life and adjustable settings. Ring lights that often flatter portraits due to its soft light quality have also gradually become more widely-sought after, most commonly seen in filming sit-down-and-talk videos.
You don’t have to trip over wires or attempt complicated lighting styles to get the desired image qualities. With just a simple set-up, you would find your satisfying footage in no time.
4. Idea
What is it that makes a million-dollar idea? An idea that would attract the likes of many and hold a similar amount of attention, what are its feasibilities? To put it simply: confidence.
It is near impossible to find a groundbreaking original idea these days, but that is not equivalent to the unfeasibility of creating appealing content. Here’s how to make that your possibility.
Firstly, find your niche — whether it is cooking, drawing, or simply commentary, filming yourself in your most comfortable and strongest suit will create great appeal due to the knowledge and confidence you offer.
Secondly, research the most popular and successful content related to your niche. Understanding what audiences often look for is a great way to learn where you might want to direct yourself towards, in terms of content and quality.
Lastly, read the room. After all, no one will enjoy content or videos that have zero awareness or those that come during an inappropriate timing. To illustrate, a video talking about biased recounts of a certain race will be completely shunned during a time of racial movements and activism.
At the end of the day, it is important to start with what makes you feel confident and at ease. If talking about your favorite food is something you would love to share with others, I am sure that there are people on the platform as equally as excited to receive it.
5. Editing
Our last point, as well as the last step (before the publishing, that is) to making your very first Youtube video is the editing.
While transitions and computer graphics are definitely useful add-ins to make your videos all the more fun to watch, knowing how to piece together footage and remove the unnecessary parts can make your final product all the more complete.
Many popular YouTubers like Casey Neistat or the Vlogbrothers actually depend greatly on properly arranging their footage and eliminating parts that might sound like they are repeating, to create appealing videos.
For those just starting out with editing videos, the simple “iMovie” is actually not too bad an introduction to primary editing methods and functions. Available on both desktop and mobile, this iOS application allows you to piece your videos even when on the go.
Now it’s your move
Congratulations! You have now learned the 5 most essential and basic requirements to achieve your very first Youtube video, and maybe a channel down the road. Just one more step to go: doing it!
I am not going to say this is going to be an easy journey — as you know it, nothing good comes easy. However, with enough patience, a constant want to learn, and most importantly, having fun with what you are creating, making videos on Youtube is going to be as feasible an experience as it would be a memorable one.
