YouTube Woodworking Channel Format?? And camera choice?

[AES]

I like Peter Millard‘s style, which I would describe as a bit of talking to camera and a bit focused on the work.

Agreed, but personaly speaking, please, PLEEZ, NO (i.e. NIL) bloody music (of ANY genre)! A few bars, literally, of the same piece as an intro ("signature tune") is OK, but otherwise, no, NO, NIL music!

 

[danst96]

My number one tip would be, just do you, i.e. if you like videos with music and narration do it. Everyone on this thread has differing opinions of what they like and you will never please everyone, the right people will find your stuff and watch it. Find your own style, whether that's narrated or not and drill down into that. Also be prepared for the negative gits to come for you but ignore them.

Regarding camera etc. Save your money for tools rather for now unless photography is a second hobby of yours. A few of those channels you referenced including blacktail studios just film with their phones in landscape and the quality is more than good enough if you can edit well enough. Familiarise yourself with a editing software such as premier Pro, it's way better than any free one out there once you get the hang of it. They do a premier rapid or something which is a simplified version which might be good for starting out with.

In regards to genre, I'm not sure what you had in mind but if I were starting a channel right now, I'd go down the route of "budget" building. By that I mean using inexpensive tools or if you do use an expensive tool (i.e. domino) maybe do a demo as well of a cheaper method so it's more accessible woodworking. There's a lot channels out there with all the bling equipment already which most hobbiest woodworkers (the people watching yt) can only dream of having. I would avoid going to far the other way, I enjoy Rag'n'bone brown but the stuff he does I'd very much consider as bodging or rough joinery which is absolutely fine but is a niche already pretty well covered.

 

[MARK.B.]

Keep it simple and to the point, a tripod to keep things steady, add a voice over later and keep it on topic, last thing i want to hear is someones political views or other rubbish that has nothing to do with woodworking. Don't start every sentence with the word "So", keep the words "like" and Basically to a minimum, they are just filler words and in my opinion are used way to much. Give it a go and see what you feel like in 6 months time before splashing out on expensive camera gear and lighting for something that may well be just a passing fad on you're part.

 

[Ttrees]

I find the editing software on youtube is good enough for the few vids I'd put up.
The only thing is you can't merge two videos together, so I use a free site called online video converter for that, as you won't have to look at a water mark in the way.

 

[RobinBHM]

it’s all about personality, bald and bankrupt has a huge following, there’s no music, no fancy Intro, he never says “hit the subscribe button”.travel vlogs are a saturated sector, but it’s a winner


Tom Scott 4million subscribers



Bald and Bankrupt 2.9 million subscribers

 

[BucksDad]

You can certainly have a channel without presenting - Pask Makes is one of the best channels going imo.

Have you considered Instagram? As someone who is new to woodworking, I have watched a lot of YouTube and got onto Instagram woodworking a little bit later on... there are a lot of interesting projects on Instagram and if you want to see the work of those who are paid to do furniture / cabinetry, you'll certainly find more on there I think, because they certainly don't have the time / luxury to make YT videos of what they're up to. Instagram is great for images / quick stories of things going on, a lot less effort required and allows you to concentrate on likely what you actually enjoying - the projects themselves

 

[Ttrees]

From what I've seen, instagram is an un-indexable website.
Is there a search feature in which you can find a particular video?
If you can't which seems the case, its a really unhelpful toxic place for learning.

 

[thetyreman]

I really like lumafusion for editing, and filmic pro for filming stuff on an iphone, really surprising how much you can do thesedays with only a phone.

 

[BucksDad]

From what I've seen, instagram is an un-indexable website.
Is there a search feature in which you can find a particular video?
If you can't which seems the case, its a really unhelpful toxic place for learning.

Yes it is a different form of content. There are hashtags you can follow, you can save videos to a list for reference and there are lots of accounts which aggregate interesting posts from other accounts.

My suggestion of instagram was because the OP mentioned they didn't want to make a living from YouTube and wanted to put up mostly project rather than learning videos - I was suggesting Instagram as requiring a lot less time commitment and easier to start posting.

"Unhelpful toxic place for learning" - I've not found that. This is not mainstream instagram of influencers,celebs or politics - this is woodworking - it's niche and everyone is very polite and encouraging. You can learn plenty from a 1 minute video on Insta of someone demonstrating a certain technique or custom jig they've made. Plus many of the YouTubers post on there as well and detail little extras of what they're doing as well.

 

[Felipe]

As long the audio is audible and there’s no headphone user hurting noises and the camera is focusing on what you want to show, I will be happy watching.
send me a link when you have it

 

[Ttrees]

How do you find a video though?
For instance I was looking for one of Jack Forsberg's videos, in which he's
specifically removing the edge of a bowed bit of timber, in a rather unconventional fashion.
Not easy to find, unless I'm just a numpty who can't use the internet

Just as easy to upload to youtube, even on a glitchy Linnux computer, which I'm not even sure it's fully installed, using a 160GB hard drive which is considered small.

I can get a ten minute video from that which is likely more than enough for anyone to hear me drone on, as I'm not concerned with that man in shot presenter style, not that I'd be any good at that anyway.

 

[pils]

INSTAGRAB: in case you don't already know (read the terms and conditions) they own everything you put up (just saying) :]

 

[Terrytpot]

Hi all,

I have a question for you.
But what is your opinion?
Do you prefer videos in which the presenter actively engages with you?
Would you avoid channels in which the presenter is not in the frame but voice over it or uploaded captions on screen (such as measurements, etc). Which do you prefer?

Also, how much notice do you give to the branding of a YouTube channel?
For example, the Samurai Carpenter, The Wood Whisperer, etc, has very good branding and marketing agendas.
Do you pay much attention to that?
I plan to make tables, chairs, cabinets, boxes, woodturnings, maybe some jigs, video restoration of some woodworking machines, etc.
Also, I'm not quite sure where to ask this second part of the question, but, would anyone have suggestions for a high quality camera to make videos with?
*I suppose to mention that, I'm from a farm, and may from time to time, upload the odd video of farm life also (unless some would advise to keep specifically to wood related videos?).

1) I have no real preference for either style of content provided its well executed like these examples of each type:


2) I am generally adverse to "branding" and tend to find it all a bit annoying..a bit like the sales people pouncing on you as soon as you step inside a furniture store.
3) As far as equipment goes I have no idea as to your ability,dedication or funding but suggest that lighting ,and if you go down that route, sound are both key to quality content.
4) Funnily enough,one of the oddball channels I subbed to has a lot of agricultural type content ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5rT7F0PGNuD54rJ9kzgWzw ) although Peter will have no doubt have better experience as to what could "muddy the waters" as an established content provider. Mathias of "Woodgears" and Pantorouter fame https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCckETVOT59aYw80B36aP9vw also has footage on his site as to what he felt worked to grow his channel, not just with equipment but also content.

 

[pils]

How do you find a video though?
For instance I was looking for one of Jack Forsberg's videos, in which he's
specifically removing the edge of a bowed bit of timber, in a rather unconventional fashion.
Not easy to find, unless I'm just a numpty who can't use the internet

Just as easy to upload to youtube, even on a glitchy Linnux computer, which I'm not even sure it's fully installed, using a 160GB hard drive which is considered small.

I can get a ten minute video from that which is likely more than enough for anyone to hear me drone on, as I'm not concerned with that man in shot presenter style, not that I'd be any good at that anyway.

In your profile photo are you wearing a "Great Helm" helmet with a feather?

 

[D_W]

INSTAGRAB: in case you don't already know (read the terms and conditions) they own everything you put up (just saying) :]

It's a zuckerberg company - that's been their gimmick from the start. I doubt they even operate according to their own terms (it's always a technical "glitch" that causes them to operate at an even lower standard).

 

[D_W]

You have to decide if you make really good topical videos but they're geared toward the topic vs. geared toward gaming youtube's metrics, are you going to be satisfied with 5k views per video? that's probably about what you'll get.

As far as camera goes - any good phone is fine, including for sound until you get outside in the wind - the bigger issue is who is using/holding/doing camera work for you because shooting by yourself and getting a good view of things that people want to see is going to be minimal unless you're going to make a junk channel like stumpy nubs that really has little to do with woodworking and is entirely geared toward farming revenue with "tips" that are just retreads, and a something for nothing / friendly gimmick combined (which I find offputting - "i'm your friend as long as you're here to buy stuff)

the time commitment will be enormous to make good, useful videos that aren't just a retread of something simple and you may get frustrated when you see the nubs/jay bates/wilkerson type channels where the channel owner started with little skill and isn't really improving skills as much as they are production of material for their channels.

Drawing viewers will take regular video release (at least several a week) and keeping the topic brief.

 

[Ttrees]

In your profile photo are you wearing a "Great Helm" helmet with a feather?

I was thinking the Star wars guy, amazing what a blob of water can do.

The Armour of being incognito may be a sensible idea though, especially if the OP is in the sthicks of Eire, as all these places provide a route to bring trouble to your door or window!
At least with the increasing amount of useless content, cat videos etc it muddies the water a little.
I feel youtube is also a little more away from the facebook/insta/tictok
in regards to being in a local eye.

I often wonder how so many folks who have joined here recently,
actually found the place, was it to do with any of the above
social media platforms?
I reckon the new UKW site has made it more google friendly, but could be well mistaken, as I don't do the rest.

Tom

 

[starlingwood]

Have decent sound.

 

[D_W]

(I know the secret to not getting that many viewers on a channel, though. run on at length about what you talk about, do nothing to get good camera angles, don't clean your shop and plan your topic ahead of time and nothing else. And don't turn ads on - that way google won't ever promote a single video and you won't accumulate people who say..

"you know, you could make this a good channel if...")

 

[Jimmy69]

Limit the audio when the machines kick in.