Super Easy Affordable & Fast Video Filming Set Up for non Techies
Recently, I was asked how do you make your YouTube videos? So I wanted to go ahead and give you the rundown of what I use for my YouTube videos. In this post discover Super Easy Affordable & Fast Video Filming Set Up for non Techies. I’ve been making Youtube videos for 11 years and I will share with you a bit of my filming journey.
My Youtube journey
In 2010, my Youtube channel was mainly the home for my violin performance videos. Then as I started to perform overseas my in-person students wanted me to teach them while I was away. That was the first step to teaching online and I started teaching violin and piano online in 2011. My videos naturally turned into more violin tutorials for my students and clients that I worked with.
My move to Macbook
When I first started filming video, I used a specific video camera and a specific editing software, it was getting a little clunky especially when I moved to Apple. I used my iPhone and that connected a lot better with my MacBook on the simplicity of making and editing YouTube videos.
No video camera needed
First thing, grab your smartphone. You really don’t need a video camera. The video cameras on the new smartphones are really high quality. I keep my iPhone up to date so I’m always having better quality videos from my iPhone.
Good quality microphone
Number two is a microphone. Audio quality can make or break a video. It’s really important that you are heard well in your videos.
Currently, I use a Tula microphone. Click here to read my post “The Best Microphone for Online Teaching.”. It’s a fabulous microphone that I use not only for my YouTube videos but also for my online teaching and coaching calls.
The Tula microphone can also be used as a recorder. If you’re a musician and you want to record yourself, this microphone is fabulous plus it’s portable.
I love everything that I have to be portable since I do travel quite a bit and that way my office is simply portable.
The next thing you want to get is a Lavalier mic. That way that you can really hone in your voice or your instrument into the microphone and it actually helps to reduce background noises. With the Tula mic you just connect the lavalier mic to the Tula mic and then an adapter to connect with my iphone.
The Lavalier mic can also be used on its own. I would suggest getting wireless so you are movable without being connected to a wire.
Natural lighting is best
The next thing is lighting. Lighting is super, super important. I actually use natural lighting for all my videos. I prefer to use natural lighting. Every time I have tried to use a different setup for lighting, it’s just not the same.
I’ve gotten a whole full setup with a light box and was disappointed with the effect. So I schedule my videos when I know I’m going to have pretty decent natural lighting and I angle myself to the window so the natural lighting comes at me.
Lighting alternatives
Now if you’re wanting to make videos and you just don’t have that natural lighting there are a couple of options you can use. These options also work if you’re working online with clients and you want to be well-lit for them.
You can find mini ring lights that clip on your phone or on your computer to light up while you’re working. It does have an adapter and you can plug it in so you don’t have to worry about running out of batteries. You can just plug it into your USB port and charge this guy right up.
For something a little bit bigger I use a ring light set on a tripod that has a holder for the phone within the ring light itself. I mainly use this for my clients, when I work online to light up my face as I’m working with them because when I do have clients it’s night out and I don’t have that natural lighting.
Tripod for smartphone
If you choose to use natural lighting without the ring lights then you just need a normal tripod to hold your phone for filming. The tripod that I use can also be used as a selfie stick which allows me to make videos on the go.
Editing in iMovie
You’re going to need an editing software to edit these marvelous videos that you’re going to make. I’ve used different softwares in the past. Since I am for all for Simplicity, I use my iPhone, my MacBook and I stick with iMovie.
A lot of fellow YouTubers say to use Final Cut Pro as an editing software but I just personally have not moved from iMovie. It gets the job done and before I move to a different editing software I’ll probably hire a video editor.
So that means you’re going to have to have a computer to use that in video editing software so your computer of choice. If you choose to use Apple products they just work really seamlessly together and they communicate very well.
In the past, I had communication issues of uploading downloading the video into the computer but with the same system of iPhone and MacBook you can just airdrop.
Simple background
Don’t be too afraid of what your background looks like if it’s not as perfect as you want it. You can find a background anywhere that you can use right now. You can start making the videos if it’s just a blank wall that’s great as long as you have good lighting and the fact is you just don’t want your background to be cluttered. You want people to be looking at you and not looking at your background and being distracted by what is in your background. So as simple as you can make it is great.
Get filming
Don’t let the feeling of not having the perfect video editing or video filming equipment stop you from making your videos. Go out there and meet your public with the videos that you make where you are right now. It’s always going to get better from here.
Happy filming.
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