Day 274: Podcasts and YouTube?

[Homer Potvin]

Hey hey. Name says it all. I think I want to start doing podcasts and videos for the forum and stick them on YouTube. I started messing around with recording myself with my factory webcam at home and... it's not as terrible as I thought it would be. I'm trying to talk myself out of doing it and failing.

This is all ties into social media, marketing, and branching out into other areas. I guess I'm asking if I'm totally insane here. Everyone I've talked to in the real world says it's a no-brainer.

My second question would be, is there anybody else who would be comfortable doing this on camera (or audio) with me. It might look silly with just me by myself.

Crazy, right?

 

[Trish]

It is a no-brainer and you can use that content to post to IG, FB, etc. so it makes sense from a business standpoint regardless. Better content than static images and articles or whatever. What kind of content are you thinking of doing? I think that's going to determine who's up for it more than anything (or at least I would think so).

 

[Luxuria]

I am not sure I would be comfortable on camera, but I am happy to help with the background stuff, like editing. Although, I sometimes do like to be in front of the camera, so yeah. I would consider making videos, etc. But I am curious what kind of content were you thinking of making?

And to be clear, I would be interested in being in audio or video with you.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I don't know. Writing stuff like we do here, I guess. Like the thread today about thought attributes and italics would make a fun informative video. Like:

Today we had an interesting question come across the forum boards about how to blend italics for thoughts with speaker attributes and blah blah blah. We're going to bring Trish and Luxuria in to talk about it after a word from our sponsor, Earnest Wieners.

I mean, I think generating content would be a piece of cake, right? There's a zillion things in the writing world:

Today, we're going to talk about how to set up a website for your author page. I'm proud to introduce our friend and longtime writing forum contributor (insert willing participant) live from (place they're from) who was done (cool relevant shit with their website).

Or:

I was walking my dog today and was accosted by about 50 ducks in two feet of snow in a fairly urban neighborhood. I was thinking that would make a good writing prompt but wasn't sure how I would do it, so let's ask our friends on writingforum.org... (share screen). Now, to keep things flowing I put the questions out there a week ago and our friends have prepared answers, but I haven't seen anything of them yet. Who's up first? Oh, cool, let's see what Madman Starryteller had to say. He's always coming up with whacky shit.

I don't know. I think looking good on camera and delivering a smooth discussion (not easy at all) would be much harder than coming up with thing to talk about. And the technical aspect of course. I'm not an expert on either of those things.

 

[ps102]

Crazy, right?

Not really. If done right, this could actually be pretty nice. I say, go ahead if you're really into the idea.

But a webcam microphone? You probably need to do a bit better than that, or at least do some post audio processing to remove the background noises.

I remember a friend got a 20 euro microphone that sounded galaxies better than the one in his webcam. The microphones inside cameras are made so you're audible and not much more than that. Standalone microphones prioritize quality a lot more.

 

[Trish]

I don't know. Writing stuff like we do here, I guess. Like the thread today about thought attributes and italics would make a fun informative video. Like:

Today we had an interesting question come across the forum boards about how to blend italics for thoughts with speaker attributes and blah blah blah. We're going to bring Trish and Luxuria in to talk about it after a word from our sponsor, Earnest Wieners.

I mean, I think generating content would be a piece of cake, right? There's a zillion things in the writing world:

Today, we're going to talk about how to set up a website for your author page. I'm proud to introduce our friend and longtime writing forum contributor (insert willing participant) live from (place they're from) who was done (cool relevant shit with their website).

I'd be fine with that (to participate in theory) voice only though. I don't do cameras, personally.

I was walking my dog today and was accosted by about 50 ducks in two feet of snow in a fairly urban neighborhood. I was thinking that would make a good writing prompt but wasn't sure how I would do it, so let's ask our friends on writingforum.org... (share screen). Now, to keep things flowing I put the questions out there a week ago and our friends have prepared answers, but I haven't seen anything of them yet. Who's up first? Oh, cool, let's see what Madman Starryteller had to say. He's always coming up with whacky shit.

I don't know. I think looking good on camera and delivering a smooth discussion (not easy at all) would be much harder than coming up with thing to talk about. And the technical aspect of course. I'm not an expert on either of those things.

This would be good, but you wouldn't have to do it live (especially since we have a lot of different time zones), you could just scroll the page, read each one, comment with whoever your buddy/guest of the day is - whatever. Would be much easier for you and us. Less editing required because "Come on, Nao, type faster." lol

 

[Homer Potvin]

Not really. If done right, this could actually be pretty nice. I say, go ahead if you're really into the idea.

But a webcam microphone? You probably need to do a bit better than that, or at least do some post audio processing to remove the background noises.

I remember a friend got a 20 euro microphone that sounded galaxies better than the one in his webcam. The microphones inside cameras are made so you're audible and not much more than that. Standalone microphones prioritize quality a lot more.

There would obviously be a technological investment. I was just saying that even dicking around at home with no equipment didn't dissuade me like I thought it would.

This would be good, but you wouldn't have to do it live (especially since we have a lot of different time zones), you could just scroll the page, read each one, comment with whoever your buddy/guest of the day is - whatever. Would be much easier for you and us. Less editing required because "Come on, Nao, type faster." lol

Yeah, Live would probably never work. It will all be appropriately scripted and packaged. Or replicated for dramatic effect if applicable. I could prerecord retyping anything anyone posted under their avatar and pretend it was live. Not saying we'd do that or anything, but it's all doable.

 

[Stuart Dren]

Hey hey. Name says it all. I think I want to start doing podcasts and videos for the forum and stick them on YouTube. I started messing around with recording myself with my factory webcam at home and... it's not as terrible as I thought it would be. I'm trying to talk myself out of doing it and failing.

This is all ties into social media, marketing, and branching out into other areas. I guess I'm asking if I'm totally insane here. Everyone I've talked to in the real world says it's a no-brainer.

My second question would be, is there anybody else who would be comfortable doing this on camera (or audio) with me. It might look silly with just me by myself.

Crazy, right?

If audio quality and editing isn't up to par there's no point. I think it would take a surprising amount of effort. Also, though, you'd better have the absolute strongest Rhode Island accent out there.

 

[Trish]

There would obviously be a technological investment. I was just saying that even dicking around at home with no equipment didn't dissuade me like I thought it would.


Yeah, Live would probably never work. It will all be appropriately scripted and packaged. Or replicated for dramatic effect if applicable. I could prerecord retyping anything anyone posted under their avatar and pretend it was live. Not saying we'd do that or anything, but it's all doable.

Realistically (as someone who watches way too much youtube and listens to SO many podcasts) you don't need much. The podcast model works pretty well, a fairly cheap microphone will do to start with, people really aren't as picky with podcasts as you'd think. If they can hear what's being said and like the content, they're in. As to scripted - I would NOT do that. You can certainly edit out anything too offensive/off the wall, long silences, etc. but listeners smell a script from miles away and they absolutely hate it. I certainly do.

Edit: Agree with @Stuart Dren - that accent better be

 

[Luxuria]

If audio quality and editing isn't up to par there's no point. I think it would take a surprising amount of effort. Also, though, you'd better have the absolute strongest Rhode Island accent out there.

Honestly, I agree. If you don't have the equipment, it's not worth it. I have a Zoom and access to film equipment, but even then, we would need decent scripts, etc. Because Youtube isn't the way it used to be in the early 2000s. It's possible to have the best cameras, etc. and still get lost in the algorithm.

 

[Homer Potvin]

If audio quality and editing isn't up to par there's no point. I think it would take a surprising amount of effort. Also, though, you'd better have the absolute strongest Rhode Island accent out there.

For sure. No delusions about that. The RI accent is kind of like a contagion. You need a few of us in a room to really see it in bloom. Or a discussion of Italian food or something so see how vowels at the beginning or end of word can be negotiable.

 

[Trish]

For sure. No delusions about that. The RI accent is kind of like a contagion. You need a few of us in a room to really see it in bloom. Or a discussion of Italian food or something so see how vowels at the beginning or end of word can be negotiable.

Sounds like similar requirements to southern, lol.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Honestly, I agree. If you don't have the equipment, it's not worth it. I have a Zoom and access to film equipment, but even then, we would need decent scripts, etc. Because Youtube isn't the way it used to be in the early 2000s. It's possible to have the best cameras, etc. and still get lost in the algorithm.

Proper equipment is a must of course. And I'm not worried about algorithms or clicks or likes or anything like that. I just want to have fun. If I wanted to make money, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. Believe me, this is the worst return of monetary investment I can think of.

 

[Luxuria]

Proper equipment is a must of course. And I'm not worried about algorithms or clicks or likes or anything like that. I just want to have fun. If I wanted to make money, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. Believe me, this is the worst return of monetary investment I can think of.

Haha, okay! Then it's all good. Having fun is the best think you can do. I am all on board for having fun with you and everyone else. I think being casual and fun could be part of the appeal, to be honest. So many channels take themselves to seriously.

 

[DLC]

I'd just concentrate on making the page look pretty for now if I was you.

 

[ps102]

So many channels take themselves to seriously.

Ten million times this. You don't need to have a "professionally serious" tone and style. I'm currently watching a YouTube car channel where a dude screams at old and broken cars with funny voices while he deals with the difficult situations old cars tend to bring to your life as you try to repair them.

It's filmed in such a way that you feel as if you're just hanging out with the guy. It's eons better than the serious car channels that take production quality to the max.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Ten million times this. You don't need to have a "professionally serious" tone and style. I'm currently watching a YouTube car channel where a dude screams at old and broken cars with funny voices while he deals with the difficult situations old cars tend to bring to your life as you try to repair them.

It's filmed in such a way that you feel as if you're just hanging out with the guy. It's eons better than the serious car channels that take production quality to the max.

For sure. I chose my channels from the most fun, likeable hosts. Past a certain point of information, they're all pretty much the same and you can choose who you like listening too more.