Tips for making a YouTube video of your young star

[brassplyer]

Tips for every parent who thinks their kid is the next big singing
star and wants to show them off on YouTube:

1. Everyone knows cel-phone video is better than a real camcorder,
honest.

2. If you're forced to use an actual camcorder, ignore that silly
"steady-shot" feature. NEVER, ever under any circumstances use a
tripod.

3. Zooming and panning should always be done in quick, jerky motions.
If you zoom in on their shoulder or the wall behind them just hunt
around until you get them centered in the frame. That's how the pros
do it.

4. Handle the camera as much as possible. Bang your rings against it,
squeeze it, let it rub against the collar of your coat, tap your
fingers on it. Whisper to your family and friends, no one will notice.

5. On a related topic, giving some forethought to the best place to
record from, what might be around you just ruins the spontaneity.
Banging into things around you, having to shoot around someone's head
or other objects all add to the excitement of the moment.

6. Encode your videos at a low audio and video bitrate. Distorted
sound and a pixelated image gives it an "artsy" look and is better for
the environment. There's just so many bits in the world and we want
future generations to have some. It also saves the whales and prevents
global warming. If you spend any time educating yourself on this topic
it will just make you seem all snooty and you don't want that.

[3Simon7]

3. Zooming and panning should always be done in quick, jerky motions.

That's called spray-painting!!!

It was very popular in the 60's when everybody had a film movie camera.....
.....and didn't know how to use it!

Great post!

[zoobie]

thanks for the tips...will keep them in mind

[brassplyer]

thanks for the tips...will keep them in mind

I based this on the guidelines people generally seem to go by on YouTube.

[lordsmurf]

Best post I've read in a long while!

[guns1inger]

thanks for the tips...will keep them in mind

I based this on the guidelines people generally seem to go by on YouTube.

I see. You're equating people who post videos on youtube with people who know anything at all about video. Interesting concept.

[brassplyer]

thanks for the tips...will keep them in mind

I based this on the guidelines people generally seem to go by on YouTube.

I see. You're equating people who post videos on youtube with people who know anything at all about video. Interesting concept.

It seems to be particularly ubiquitous among those who want to show off their kids performing. I even tried to advise one person in particular at their request about certain points to be conscious of to improve their videos, they seemed impervious to any of my input.

[Soopafresh]

And when you're filming a musical performance, make sure you put the camera's mic as close to the speakers as possible. Actually, don't worry about the sound at all...redline everything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODRzXQVOQnw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Cp8NiYI-lU

[filmboss80]

Bravo, Brassplyer -- Soopafresh, too. You guys made my day.

[brassplyer]

And when you're filming a musical performance, make sure you put the camera's mic as close to the speakers as possible. Actually, don't worry about the sound at all...redline everything.

Example of an excellent job of sound engineering.