Thinking about making YouTube videos? Great idea. YouTube is a fantastic platform with the potential to create a huge following, but if you’re not sure where to start then rest assured this is the guide for you.
There are many reasons you should make YouTube videos, but what you need to consider first is the story you want to tell. Do you run a small business and want to give people a peak behind the scenes or showcase the latest products? Do you want to share your knowledge of nature by making mini documentaries? Are you living an interesting life on the road and want to create a daily vlog of what it’s like to live in a van? Whatever the reason for creating YouTube videos, make sure it’s consistent. Audiences won’t understand if you’re making videos about gaming one day and climate change the next. Pick a niche and make sure your content adheres to that messaging.
Making a YouTube video can be broken up into three distinct stages: pre-production, production, and post-production. The process is much the same as making a movie or a documentary, but the difference is it’s generally going to be you doing everything.
Pre-production is the planning stage. This is where you’ll decide what the video is going to be about, and write the script. It’s the perfect time to think about how you’re going to shoot it, where you’re going to shoot it, what it’s going to look like, who will feature in it, and what exactly you will be saying. Once everything is written, planned and prepared, it’s time to shoot it.
Production is the stage of filming the YouTube video. It could be as simple as setting up a camera in your front room and recording yourself talking for half an hour, or it could be as complex as going out and about around town for a couple of days. How much you shoot will depend on what story you’re telling and how well you planned the production. For this stage you’ll need a decent camera, and if you want it to look really premium it’s worth investing in lighting as well.
The final stage of the process is post-production. This is where you edit the footage captured in production to create the final video. Here you’ll decide which clips you keep and which ones you ditch, cut the footage into a cohesive order, and add a voiceover if needed. Once you have the structure of the edit, it’s time to fine tune the details by adding music, color grading the footage, and animating titles.
Once you’re happy with everything it’s time to publish!
When it comes to making YouTube videos, you’ll want to use video editing software that works for you. Pinnacle Studio includes all the features mentioned above: something that lets you trim and adjust clips, add music and animated graphics, and color grade the footage. It’s a full package of everything you’ll need to create YouTube videos and begin sharing them with the world.
Taking the plunge to start making YouTube videos can be daunting, but exhilarating too. The key to success is in careful planning, and making sure you have scripted everything you can before you start shooting. Once you have filmed your video, edit it using Pinnacle Studio to make the most of features such as animated text and color filters as well as the basic editing tools.