(upbeat music)
- When it comes to creating online video,
there are at least some bare minimums that you need
when it comes to filming and producing your videos.
One of the things that is obvious
is that you need your camera equipment,
but you also need computer hardware and software
that's capable of handling the editing.
So we'll get a little bit into that,
and I have some recommendations for you.
You also might want to consider photography and graphics
since these can add a little bit of polish
to whatever video you're making.
Let's start with the camera gear.
I believe in having the right camera
for the right situation.
Sometimes you want something that's flexible on the go
and a point-and-shoot camera,
especially if you're filming by yourself
with a flip out screen, it's extraordinarily practical.
But when you're stationary
and you know you're going to have great audio
and you're going to have lighting equipment
and all of those other things,
then something that is a DSLR or mirrorless style camera
is actually a really convenient thing to have.
These typically have a flip out screen.
I prefer if they also have a touch screen.
And so I really think that this is the go-to
for the majority of people
that are doing practical video content,
either around education, business, or a product or service.
But if you're doing something
that's a little bit more intense and robust,
then you might need a truly professional film style camera,
and those do get pricey.
But for what they offer in terms of features
and the ability to get great audio
and to handle low light situations,
they are a practical investment in the long-term.
For most people, this is the right answer.
This is a DSLR style camera,
and these are wildly affordable.
For someone, who again, is on the go all the time,
then this is probably the right option.
And you could even accomplish quite a bit
with just your smartphone.
You just want to put into context having the right camera
for the right situation,
but it's usually the one that you have on you.
Let's talk about the computer hardware that you need
in order to do video editing,
because this gets slightly complex
and it's probably the most intimidating aspect
of video creation for some people.
When it comes to computer hardware,
it can be very intimidating for people
who are not technically proficient,
and that's perfectly fine.
You don't need to be a computer scientist
in order to do video editing or video production.
Here are some simple things you need to keep in mind.
Ultimately, when it comes to the computer hardware,
the thing that trips people up the most
is how quickly they can edit.
And that's going to come down to some things
with the software as well.
But when you're choosing your computer hardware,
always try to make sure that you have
more than enough hard drive space
for these large video files that these cameras produce.
You also want to make sure that you have
somewhere between a minimum of eight gigs of RAM,
16 is a sweet spot, but if you can have 32 or more,
that's going to be better.
This can get pricey, so if eight
is what you have to work with,
that should be considered your bare minimum.
When it comes to more technical things like CPU and GPU,
my recommendations are that you either use
the most high-end laptop you can for video editing
and make sure that it has its own GPU,
or what we call a video card.
And if you're going to do it on a desktop,
then whatever you can manage in terms of a video card
is going to be better than not having one at all.
This is going to mean that you have faster render times,
which is going to mean
that when you're trying to publish a video,
when you're trying to get it out there into the world,
that process is going to be a lot faster.
It also means that when you are editing,
it won't be as slow and you won't have to worry
about things like the playback not being in sync,
and things of that nature.
So work with what you have, do the best you can,
but if you can make an investment
into your computer hardware,
things will go much better for you
and the process will be smoother.
When it comes to monitors that you have to use
when video editing, my preference is that you either use
one very large monitor, preferably widescreen,
or that you use a dual monitor setup.
The reason is this will give you the opportunity
to see what it is that you're creating
and you can go through playback
as well as edit on your timeline
in your video editing software.
Choosing video editing software is something else
that intimidates people when it comes to video editing
and production and making this online content.
Now, there are a lot of professional-grade videoing software
that you could use such as Adobe Premier Pro
and Final Cut Pro.
There are also free video editing softwares
out there available, and a lot of things are open source.
The problem with some of these software
are that they have a higher learning curve
and less documentation.
They also tend to be slower
in some aspects of the video editing process.
There are also affordable solutions
that are somewhere in between with this,
and they all have their own individual quirks.
The most important thing is whatever software you're using,
get comfortable with it, learn to master the tools
and get as fast as you can with using the software
and feeling like you have a workflow that takes advantage
of what its actual features are.
There are some things that are going to be better
in some situation than others.
And while I could sit here and I could tell you
why one videoing software is better than another,
or which ones I think you should choose,
the reality is that you have to work within the budget
that you have and with the technical constraints
that are available to you,
and also work with what you're comfortable with.
The better you get at mastering the software
that you have in front of you,
the better every project you're going to do
is going to be over time.
So don't stress out too much about picking one software
or the other, just because an expert recommends it,
focus on mastering the tool that's right in front of you.
Graphic design and photography is definitely a skill set
that I have a lot of experience with,
but you may not be prioritizing it.
And I think that this could actually help add polish
to your final product when it comes to a video.
In certain platforms, you get the opportunity
to use a thumbnail that represents the entire video.
And so being able to design this intentionally
with either good photography or a combination of photography
and graphic design typography, things of that nature,
is going to be very helpful in communicating
what your video is all about
and getting people to click on it in the first place.
I find that the bottleneck for a lot of people
who want more views and distribution on their content
is not that they haven't made great, thoughtful,
engaging, or entertaining content,
but that the packaging of that content is very poor.
A little bit of photography and skill in that area
goes a long way.
And since you've already invested
into decent camera equipment, it's really not that difficult
to get good looking photos out of the same hardware.
So I would recommend taking a little bit of time
to learn some of the basics of photography.
Learn not only how to master this tool
when it comes to producing video,
but learn the nuances and the differences
between photography and video.
Learn techniques like creating depth of field
and subject isolation.
Learn a little bit about photography and design
when it comes to color and know how to balance that,
not only in your video production,
but also in the design of your thumbnails or any assets
that market your online video.
This is radically important.
By also learning graphic design techniques,
you can use motion graphics and a little bit of animation
to give your video an edge over anybody else
who's just making a very nice polished video.
You could have something
that's much more interactive and engaging,
and it doesn't have to be anything too complicated.
Just being able to use simple, beautiful typography
and have it fly in from the left or the right
to add some context to your video,
that's something that is a very subtle thing
that you can add that will make a big difference
to your audience.
I've given you a lot of information to work with.
Here's a little bit of extra homework
that you really need to put into practice.
One of things that I will tell you
is when you're trying to choose your hardware
or your software, your cameras,
that maybe you look to a friend
who's already using these tools
and you decide to get something that is either very similar
or the same brand or model that they have,
because they can give you advice and they can help you out,
and they also might have accessories that you can borrow
and that you can take advantage of.
So when you're going out there
and you're trying to make one of these decisions,
instead of just looking to experts
in what the most expensive thing out there is,
look to your own friends or family
or coworkers or contemporaries, see what they have,
because they can help you make an informed buying decision
and they can be there to support you afterward.
(upbeat music)