Like most large projects, starting a YouTube channel can seem is overwhelming. Established YouTubers seem to have a large viewership, skillfully crafted videos and everything all figured out, while the beginner may not even know where to start. The Scoop had an opportunity to discuss just this with YouTuber Kevin McCreary, who runs Say Goodnight Kevin. His YouTube channel boasts over 20,000 subscribers. McCreary founded the
channel Movie Facts, along with the cult-classic podcast The Ceiling Fan, and he co-runs The InnerTube, and Who Would Build the Roads?
Here is his list of essentials when starting your YouTube channel.
A camera.
Probably the most obvious entry, but also probably the most important. McCreary uses a LUMIX GH5, but an amateur can start off with something a little more basic. Even your phone’s camera can suffice when you’re first starting out.
A microphone.
Video quality is definitely good, but most YouTube channels have bad sound, making them difficult to watch. A decent microphone can help put you ahead of the game on the site. McCreary uses a Sennheiser MKH 416-P48U3 Shotgun Microphone, but again, something more basic works too at the beginning.
A reason behind your videos.
“It doesn’t have to be big,” McCreary said. “Just something other than ‘I want to be famous’ or ‘People care about what I have to say!’ They don’t. People care about themselves and what they are going to get, so what are you going to give to them?
Editing software.
Most YouTubers don’t do one-take videos, and even most of those have some kind of effects that need to be edited into them, so editing software is almost as important as a camera when making videos.
McCreary says he, ” Highly recommend[s] Adobe Creative Cloud so you can learn Photoshop, AfterEffects, Premiere, and Audition.” He adds, “The better you can get at those for programs, the better your channel will be.”
A willingness to learn.
Nobody ever knows everything when they first begin something they’re passionate about. It’s important to keep an open mind, and learn from others, as well as yourself!
“Every video you make is an opportunity to learn something new. If you aren’t learning, you aren’t growing. But if you are growing, you’ll be amazing, and when you look back at your old videos you’ll be able to see how far you’ve come.”
