Simple YouTube video shooting guide with professional tips for a successful YouTube channel. You want to be a YouTuber, but how do you convince your fellow men and parents? If you practice early or even a lot, and put your passion into the YouTube project, you have the best prerequisites to become a successful YouTuber in the long run.
Perhaps the YouTube video shooting project will also develop into a similar career aspiration, such as actor, director, cameraman, scriptwriter, film editor or editor. However, before that happens, I’ll give you a few tips for good and popular videos on YouTube as a tutorial. Guidelines and help for a good start and YouTube video shooting for beginners and advanced on YouTube.
Tips for good and popular videos – YouTube video shooting tutorial
There are some basic knowledge and video tips that you should or can follow to get started with video making and video editing. Some tips for good and popular videos and YouTube video shooting you may already know, some you may not have become so aware of. To make you aware of some tips again, I have created my YouTube tutorial for the next YouTube video shoot for you.
Content and message of your YouTube videos before the YouTube video shoot
Before the YouTube video shoot, think about what you want your video to say. Do you want to convey a certain content? Think about a concept and try to maintain a tension from the beginning.
Write a script or storyboard. If you’re not used to long, exciting narration for a storytelling video, make key words as notes. It’s best to have the notes handy on your smartphone. You may also want to practice without recording, as it is sometimes unfamiliar to look into a lens. Unlike TV reports, where you look past the camera, on YouTube you look directly into the camera. If you’re still a little unsure, stick your notes on your big piece of paper right next to the camera, so you’re less likely to feel like you’re “losing the thread.” With each new video comes confidence and it gets much easier!
No matter what kind of video you create, the viewer will like it even more if they get value from your video. Sometimes it’s specific information that you may need to research beforehand. Sometimes it’s good entertainment value. Go ahead and think about what you want others to talk about when they talk about your video.
Also think ahead of time about cross-promotion with other YouTubers or even friends. Sometimes people get to know you differently when you make a video with others.
Plan ahead of time to call for action in your video. “Follow me”, “Leave a comment”, “Give a thumbs up” – sometimes it works more if the YouTuber actively points it out. This way, the viewer is directly addressed and feels involved.
Maybe you also have an idea for a trademark? Maybe a certain background or an outfit detail? Increase the recognition value of your videos right from the start. People will remember you and your videos and love to come back.
YouTube video shooting and video production
Try to create as steady images as possible during your YouTube video shoot, as extremely shaky images are harder to smooth out in post-production. It doesn’t always have to be a hover tripod, but a tripod generally makes shots smoother. Sometimes jerky and shaky images fit into the story, but too many of them will drive viewers away. Also, if you’re shooting on a ship, don’t shoot too many scenes with a rocking background – your viewers will get sick and leave the video.
If possible, use different cameras and camera positions when shooting YouTube videos to show an additional position and point of view, especially for speeches and interviews. For synchronized lips, you should use a clapperboard, video clapperboard, director’s clapperboard or film clapperboard before each take, so that you can later align the different video tracks by means of the sound. If you don’t have a clapperboard, you should clap your hands several times with large movements. The deflections in the sound track will help you to synchronize the videos more easily later.
For videos that you shoot all by yourself, I can currently recommend the Canon 80D, because here it is possible to directly control the recordings via the smartphone without delay via app. But in general, you can use any camera. The better the resolution when shooting YouTube videos, the more pleasant it will be for the viewer. Just try it out! If you only want to try it once, a smartphone is enough for the beginning. It doesn’t always have to be full HD and 1080 lines, 720 lines are also sufficient for a YouTube video for the beginning.
Also make sure you have good sound when shooting YouTube videos. Most of the integrated sound recording options of the cameras are not sufficient for good outdoor videos. Use directional microphones or clip-on microphones. You should also make sure you have a good windbreak if it is windy.
Pay attention to the right light. Sometimes a head light or reflectors are enough for outdoor shoots. Many YouTubers who sit indoors use two softboxes. Often, if you watch closely, you can see this as a reflection in your eyes. An overcast day is better for outdoor shots than a sunny day because the sky works as a big softbox. Sometimes the light at sunset is perfect for mood shots with backlighting – especially popular for fashion videos. For narration videos, you’ll also always find a light source in the background of the image.
Film details that you can always cut in between later. People often forget to film certain details. It is popular to film with an open aperture (f/2.8) and to create great sharp-unsharp images.
No zooming and very little panning. Both are tiring and unnatural for the viewer and tend to be distracting. Rather film a tracking shot – sometimes a skateboard or other tools can help.
Think also of time-lapse shots or slow-motion segments, which are often used in fashion videos and sometimes bring more momentum or elegance into the video.
In general, you also pay attention to the rule of thirds for videos, which exists for photos. It’s also called the golden ratio. You visually place a grid with two transverse lines and two longitudinal lines on the image. The horizon, for example, should be placed on the transverse lines. On the longitudinal lines you should place e.g. a lantern or a tree. On the cross points you place the main attraction, e.g. a person or a center at an object.
Shoot several takes, but try not to be 100% perfect. Small mistakes make you human and authentic. Maybe think about outtakes as well?
Video editing, post-production, video editors
People use programs like Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Premiere Elements, iMovie and many more for this. There are many tutorials on YouTube where you can learn how to use the programs.
Some shots need a white balance to make the lighting conditions more pleasant or to adjust them to the other scenes. You can also consider and adjust this point directly during the shooting.
Your editing sequence should not let boredom arise. Often fade-ins of details and camera or angle changes help here.
Remember to adjust the sound so that it is consistently loud. If you want to use music as background, make sure it is GEMA-free or select it directly from the YouTube library.
The video should be short overall rather than too long. Do not artificially lengthen the videos, but show compactly what you want to show and say.
Publishing and video premiere – installation of the video on YouTube
In the description when mounting the video to YouTube, the content of your video should be explained. This text is extremely important for YouTube search and Google search. Links that might interest viewers, such as your YouTube camera equipment, can also be placed here.
Include YouTube’s annotations and info cards, as well as links to your other videos, in the video after upload.
Build your own thumbnail with a photo on top of which you put texts that should make the viewer curious.
The best video is useless without viewers and followers. To see your videos ranked well in searches and video suggestions you need to upload videos regularly. There’s a reason why the big YouTubers don’t take time off and shoot new videos regularly. Pick a special day of the week and come up with a new video every week. However, you can shoot the videos all in one day, but if you’re going to be in the videos yourself, think about different outfits (unless that’s exactly what you’re branding).
Please also pay attention to the comments you receive. Answer questions and stay interactive and polite. Especially in the first minutes when the video is online, interaction counts and also how often and where else the video was shared – so use social media quickly. Generally ensure a positive mood. Negative comments are ok, as long as they are justified – insults do not belong in social networks! If you have permanent haters, YouTube offers the possibility to block them directly. Feel free to comment on other YouTubers’ videos, but without direct reference to your account – rather draw attention to yourself with great and interesting comments.
Very important: “keep going, keep going” as Oliver Kahn would say. Don’t stop and do your thing. With every video you become more confident and learn more. Exchange ideas with other YouTubers and look over their shoulders if they let you. Don’t be discouraged if you get negative feedback. You will not only get positive feedback, because there are many envious people, especially on YouTube. Just ignore it. Rather be happy about the positive comments, because they mean much more. Don’t be afraid to annoy your viewers so that they remember you. You should be remembered – no matter how!
Conclusion – Tips for good and popular videos – YouTube video shooting guide
My YouTube video shooting guide and tutorial should give you a little insight on how to shoot good and popular videos at the moment. If you want even more tips on YouTube video shooting and YouTube in general, you should check out the rest of the YouTube tips and tricks on my blog. Also for more likes and more followers on YouTube I have extra tips for you.
With social media and YouTube, the algorithm is always changing. You never stop learning and can always optimize your approach. There are always new trends that you should often just try out to optimize your YouTube video shoot or video editing and in the long run also get a routine in the videos. I am of course happy if you also follow my YouTube channel “vpureglam” and maybe we can also support each other. So, and now it’s your turn. You have nothing to lose! You will quickly notice that you develop a certain style of your own in your YouTube video shoots and videos. Have fun with it!
