YouTube channel — perfect for a freelancer?
Self-recording and publishing videos on the Internet have lots of benefits… and a lot of pitfalls. After more than a year on YouTube, I have a few insights that I (have) collected in 10 points.
1. Appearing on YouTube has a great promotional power!
Clients are more willing to invite a person they already know from the film. Thanks to YT, I (have) gained clients who had some knowledge about what I do and they were able to determine exactly what I could do for them.
2. YouTube, like any social media, needs to be regularly fed.
If we have longer breaks, the reach decreases/ traffic decreases, and subscribers are less responsive. They say a decent channel should have one video a week. I have much, much less. However, I have adopted a goal: I produce a video that builds my brand and helps clients, not such a typical “YouTube channel”. I don’t want to earn money in this medium and I don’t look for a “full-time YouTuber job”. You may not have time and resources for this.
3. It’s a good idea to record several vlog videos at once.
What may come as a surprise is a weaker condition, disease, or a big pimple on your nose when you are planning to record. It is better to always have something up your sleeve to keep it on track.
4. What counts in movies is sound and good quality.
Above all. It is about keeping one good solid level. I didn’t go below standard, but I think I experimented too much.
5. If you are a woman who records herself it’s more complicated than if you are a man.
The problems are always the same: hair, makeup, wrinkles (if you have them). In one video, I set the camera parameters wrong and I looked a bit older than I really am. But I already know what to do to prevent that from happening. The key is the relationship between light and ISO (sharpness). Unfortunately, it’s not worth relying on any automatic camera settings.
6. People don’t care that much about what you look like.
It matters, but only you can see that little mole on your chin. We are all more critical of our appearance than those who look at us (from the outside). Did you gain weight? (Past Simple)/ Have you gained weight? (Present Perfect) No worries! Oprah Winfrey was losing and gaining weight in front of all America.
7. HOW you say things is very important.
If you can’t speak fluently, logically, interestingly — YouTube is not for you. It is an integral part of the so-called media personality. This is especially important when you want to be seen as an expert in a given field. One can (and must) always work on the way they speak.
8. A good camera for a vlogger is the one that holds the autofocus perfectly.
My initial Fuji XT-20, which I used to record my first films with, was playing tricks on me. Not to mention that I couldn’t see myself because the camera didn’t have a flip screen. I had lost a lot of clips because of it and I had to record the same many times. Currently, I record with Canon cameras that have the Dual Pixel Autofocus system. No throbbing of the frame and no blurring of the face.
9. The more equipment, the greater the certainty that the vlog … will not be made.
At some point, I started to retrofit myself and each time I built a studio consisting of a lamp with a softbox, a camera, a shotgun microphone on a tripod … it was too much work, especially as there were many other things to do. I reduced the set to:
- Canon EOS RP mirrorless
- TASCAM DR-10 sound recorder
- Wide-open lenses (35mm, 1.8, 50mm, 1.8, 24 mmm 1.4) that ensure nice work in a natural light large reflector, which softens the light coming from the window.
10. A person who is almost 40 and publishes on YouTube is an exception.
And take advantage of it! The fact that there are so few specialists and experts here does not mean that there is no audience on the other side. On the contrary! YT is still a land unconquered by those who want to deliver anything more than entertainment.
Conclusions:
Recording a vlog is difficult, time-consuming, and I won’t believe anyone who says it’s easy. Filming is complex and requires attention. This is a big challenge because apart from the recording you have to personally take care of the message and content. However, recording a vlog gives big business benefits: it’s easy to stay ahead of the competition and become a recognized person in the industry.
Here you can see one of my last wideo for YouTube. It’s announcement of my live broadcasts:
Here’s my last live broadcast:
Are you also launching your YouTube channel? If you would like to consult — I will be happy to answer your questions!