This is something that I've been thinking a lot about lately but I'm not sure how much sense I'm going to make, so bare with me.
YouTube is a very complex place but for the sake of getting across my point we're going to split it up into categories. In terms of people who create content on the site I can see four main categories: vloggers, musicians, gurus and film makers. Now lets remove musicians and gurus from the equation because I am not musically talented in the slightest and I haven't a clue about make-up or how to do anything. So we have vloggers and film makers. (As I said before it's actually more complicated than this but just go with it).
Now I would probably fit in the 'vlogger' category. However, I don't consider myself a vlogger. I don't think I'm actually very good at talking to a camera. The best videos of mine (in my opinion) are ones where I barely say anything or it's a comedy sketch of some sort. Real vloggers are people who have something interesting to say on a topic or their life such as Owlssayhooot, Emilythebravee or OhItsJustKim. But not me. I don't think I could ever upload a video that is entirely three minutes of me talking.
[Just as a disclaimer, I love all those YouTubers and I'm not insulting just talking to a camera because I think their videos are fantastic. I just know I wouldn't be very good at it.]
So I'm not a 'vlogger'. But neither am I a 'film maker'. I don't know how to use fancy cameras, lighting and sound confuse me and I've just installed Final Cut Pro onto my MacBook but I'm too terrified to start using it. However, being a film maker on YouTube- so making nice looking videos containing a sketch with a story and a punchline- really appeals to me. From recently meeting and hanging out with people who do make awesome sketches on YouTube, I am more and more fascinated by that side of YouTube and its content creators. One day I would love to be able to make videos as good as Slomozovo and OMFGItsJackandDean. But for now I guess, I'll just take it slow and learn a little bit at a time. Who knows, maybe my friends will help me and teach me the ropes...
Did this make any sense to you? I really hope so. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I feel a bit lost. I don't really know where I belong on YouTube but hopefully one day I'll find where I fit in and I'll be the best that I can be.
Just out of curiosity, which genre of YouTube videos do you prefer? And which of mine do you prefer?
Hannah
"Who knows, maybe my friends will help me and teach me the ropes..." Hint, hint. Lol, you're so funny. I'm about to start my own videos and I have no clue what I'm doing. I only hope they're not too crappy at first. I really enjoy your videos, especially the cooking ones, simply because you have fun.
ReplyDeleteI consider myself a 'comedy vlogger'. I put most of my videos in the comedy category. I think this describes people who have a video written and planned out, but delivers it in a sort of vloggy way, almost like a stand-up comedy routine. Or someone who makes a sketch that's not 'professionally produced', and shows that person's personality on a personal level.
ReplyDeletei think most youtubers start off with some random videos and only find their 'youtube identity' after some time. so don't you worry, we, who watch your videos, absolutely love them. i like both, sketches and vlogs. because sometimes, it's time for talk and sometimes it's time for fun. :) did that make any sense? ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, I'm a YouTube guitarist so this automatically puts me into the Musician category of it all! However I do think it puts me in the minority of people who know what they what to do on YouTube.
ReplyDeleteAll I know from my experience of watching others on there, that nobody will stop you mixing and matching different aspects of those main categories, to find out what you are most comfortable doing. Not a lot of people seem to limit themselves to that one category either.
So if you want to be both a film maker alongside being a vlogger, you are fortunate to have friends and creatives to guide you along the way. I really want to start appealing to a wider audience more this year than I already did the last, so I hope to experiment, too! :) Hope this helps and makes sense, anyway, aha.
I tend to see myself as just an idiot with a camera and a voice box. All I ever really do is talk into the camera, and try and be a bit funny. Because of this, these are the sort of videos I tend to watch (so I can get ideas and stuff I guess).
ReplyDeleteHowever, the thing I most enjoy about your videos is that you always seem to have fun making them, and as long as this is the case I don't think it really matters what 'category' you see yourself in, or even what you do. Having fun is the key thing. That said, your videos are always really, really good, so I don't think you have anything to worry about identity wise.
I'm really not someone to be giving advice, but that's what I think. Hope it helps a bit :)
Really interesting post Hannah, and I can see what you're getting at. I always liked your cooking videos and vlogs to be honest. I guess i'm most interested in vloggers and film-makers, going by your genres.
ReplyDeleteLike I wouldn't know exactly how to describe my channel....I'd say vlogging, but then I do the acrapella things and little sketch-type videos that wouldn't just be straight vlogging...but i guess i like the mix. my videos would be mainly for general entertainment I would say! So I'm also still looking for my 'YOutube identity' too I guess :)
Let's start at the beginning and end with your most recent video.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, you really are musically talented in the slightest (and then some,) but yours isn't a music channel per se. Point taken. And maybe you don't do makeup tutorials, but that topic a YouTube channel does not necessarily make. I've seen you present topics from cooking and travel to humor and social action (e.g. P4A.) That sounds like a variety channel to me.
Do YouTubers need to categorize themselves? I understand the desire to fit in and the clarity of having direction in YouTubing. But, we as YouTubers are a kind of our own. We fit in with each other by virtue of making videos. In that sense, our identity is that we're YouTubers.
As far as direction is concerned, I've had trouble with my own for other reasons (I might make a video on this--or get in touch with me if you're really that curious. :) But it's occurred to me that not everyone I subscribe to has a "YouTube Identity" the way you seem to want to define it. Sure, some people restrict their videos to playing music, doing makeup tutorials, cooking, product reviews, or some other art/craft. But some of the best YouTubers are eclectic in their style. For example, the Vlogbrothers have educational videos (and channels now,) travelogues, social action videos, "regular vlogs" (although maybe not in the traditional raw sense,) and more. Styles and skills change over time, hopefully toward refinement. Granted, I think your videos are hardly in need of anything different, let alone refinement. But that will happen naturally with repetition.
So, how do YouTubers develop an Identity while retaining a versatile style? Many of them have a "thing" or gimmick or schtick that's their own. Some have segments that are (nearly) unique to their channel. The best example I can think of is Lauren Field (LaurenNotJordan)'s "Dr. Who Reaction Review." She does music and acting and other kinds of videos, but the DWRR is her "thing." Alex Day has done videos about all sorts of things, as have the Sarcaschicks and short-lived Sarcasdicks. But each of those channels had its own tone and flavor (i.e. "thing.")
In the end, I think your "thing" is FUN. I'm sorry. I had to. There was no way around that. Anyway, someone with as much natural appeal and charm as you already has a flavor and schtick built in. Unlike you, I'd be happy to watch you do pretty much anything for a YouTube-length video. If you put up a black screen for 3 or even 15 minutes and just talked over it, I'd watch/listen. The same goes for watching your face talk for that long. And if you filmed yourself not talking, but having others talk to you and poke and prod you, I'd watch that, too. And I did. It seems to me that people liked that video for several reasons.
That said, you may have already solved your problem without realizing it. As you mentioned, the fancy schmancy stuff will come with time, money, and mentors.
So, keep calm, carry on, keep YouTubing, DFTBA, etc. If any of this helps, I'd be happy to provide more.
-elazarn2...pretty much everywhere.
Yikes! Sorry for such a long comment!
ReplyDeleteI don't really mind the genre, actually. If I enjoy what the person does or says or shows, then that's it.
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to fit in a genre, just do stuff you want to do and enjoy, and people will love it because you do.