Posts in My Podcast
Should You Film in 4K? (& Mirrorless vs. DSLR)

4K video may be the future, but do you really need to be shooting in 4K or is 1080p enough? Also, why would you want to shoot in 4K even if you're not yet publishing at that resolution?

In this episode I chat with Caleb Pike of DSLR Video Shooter all about 4K video and why you might want to start shooting in it.

We also have a discussion about the pro's and con's of mirrorless micro 4/3rds cameras vs. DSLR's and cinema cameras, specifically the Panasonic GH4 & G7.

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Why You Should Batch Your Videos

Making videos is extremely time consuming. That's why I always recommend batching.

Almost every step along the way to making a video can be batch processed. Determining your editorial calendar, copywriting titles, script writing, setting up your equipment, video editing, and more. 

The most productive part to batch while making videos is the actual filming stage. In this podcast episode we discuss not only why you should batch your videos, but how to get started doing so if you haven't already and our tips for how many you should actually create all at once.

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How We Prepare For a Video Shoot

Creating a great video starts with a lot of preparation. 

Planning, scripting, storyboarding, having the right equipment, setting up said equipment, planning b-roll and more.

In this podcast episode we discuss our entire process for preparing for a video shoot. From what we pack to tips to save money while flying with equipment, you'll learn how we always have a backup plan for our backup plan

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How to Be Better on Camera (ft. Pat Flynn)

Chances are, it will take you awhile to be comfortable on camera. Luckily there are a lot of ways to speed up that process. 

From public speaking and podcasting to livestreaming and doing webinars there are a lot of ways to get better on camera, be more engaging, and deliver to the camera without reading from a script.

In this podcast episode I chat with Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income about how improving his public speaking has made him better and more comfortable on camera.

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10 Steps to Better On-Camera Interviews

Whether you're on camera interviewing someone else or you're behind the camera trying to get a strong interview out of your talent, there are some tricks to getting the best performance you can out of your interviewee.

In today's podcast episode we share ten steps to getting better on-camera interviews. We'll discuss the process we use on client shoots to have the interviewee be comfortable on camera, act natural, and sometimes not even realize we're already recording. 

We also share some gear recommendations for making sure you don't have to interrupt the interview and share how to get the talent to look at the interviewer, but really they're looking straight into the camera.

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9 Tips for Setting Up a Home Video Studio

Most of the clients we shoot videos for ask us questions about how they can set-up their own video studio in their homes or offices. 

Studios are a great tool for being able to record videos quickly and consistently, so in this podcast episode we're going to share what we've learned building our video and audio garage studio as well as share our recommendations for how you should go about putting one together for yourself.

The nine tips cover determining what you want the studio to be used for, how to lay it out, determining what gear is must have, making it permanent, and tips for controlling sound and temperature.

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8 Reasons Your Videos Aren't Being Watched

More views. That's what you want, right? More people watching the videos you spent all that time to prepare, record, edit, and publish.

In this podcast episode we discuss why your videos aren't being watched at all or why people quit watching them part way through. 

Whether it has to do with how the video was made, that they aren't engaging, or how they're being promoted, this episode will give you eight tips to make sure your audience keeps showing up to watch your videos, clicks play, and sticks around for the entire thing.

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13 Kinds of Videos You Need to Make

It is easy to think of ideas for videos when you have a go-to list of different kinds of videos to make. If you're stuck only making how to or tutorial videos you can quickly get burnt out.

In this podcast episode we discuss the thirteen different formats for videos, examples for each, and how to combine them to make compelling and engaging videos.

You'll take away a bunch of new styles you can use to switch up the format of your videos.

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9 Ways to Overcome Video Editor's Block (DVG 037)

So you're working on editing a video, but you're stuck. You keep finding other things to work on when really you should just be pushing through to finish what you've already started. You don't know what's holding you up and the video isn't what you want it to be, so you just keep putting it off.

In today's episode of the podcast we discuss Video Editor's Block and how to overcome it. We lay out 9 different things you can do when you feel like you hit a wall on the videos you're editing. 

Hopefully listening to this episode will get you back on track and have you releasing your in-progress videos much, much sooner.

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Should You Go to VidCon?

I just went to VidCon 2015, a conference for YouTubers, Viners, and other web video creators. During last week's podcast episode I talked about the panels I went to, shared some future directions I see online video going, and ranted about selfies, Vine, and Snapchat.

But in today's video I share more of my experience at VidCon and try to help you decide whether you should go in the future. 

I'll also help answer most of the following questions: What level of ticket should I get? What other conferences are there for video makers? How are there so many screaming tweens?

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What I Learned at VidCon 2015

Conferences are a great way to connect with like-minded people and I wouldn't be where I am today professionally if I hadn't have attended a bunch of conferences over the past few years.

Well, I just went to Anaheim, California for VidCon 2015, a conference for YouTubers, Viners, and other web video creators. It was kind of an insane conference full of screaming fangirls and "celebrities" I've never heard of, but I actually got a lot out of it.

In this podcast episode I give a rundown of the panels I went to, share what some of the biggest YouTubers struggle with, and rant about why building an audience on a short-form video platform like Vine or Snapchat might not be what you really want to do.

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How to Vlog: 17 Tips For Getting Started (DVG 35)

Vlogging (video blogging) seems to be all the rage these days.

It has been around for a long time on YouTube with people talking into their webcams, but people like Casey Neistat and Ben Brown are growing huge audiences through telling daily stories of their life and putting much more work into them than a simple webcam vlog.

I recently started experimenting with vlogging and in this episode of the podcast I share seventeen tips I've learned so far.

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Hey YouTuber, You're Doing These 9 Things Wrong (DVG 034)

When I browse around YouTube I see a lot of mistakes. Things that YouTubers either should be doing but aren't, or things they are getting completely wrong.

And don't worry, when I look at my own channel and videos I get a bunch of these things wrong too, but to be your best, sometimes you have to be your own worst critic. 

In this episode of the podcast I share nine things that most YouTubers and YouTube channels are doing wrong and how to avoid them yourself. 

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Fighting Creator's Block, Artist Loneliness, & Procrastination (DVG 033)

When you're working on a video alone, it can be hard to push through a create on demand when you're traveling too much, overwhelmed by client work, or just not inspired. 

In the video production process it might be super fun when your filming, perhaps with different people involved in front and behind the camera, at a fun event, in a new location, but once you get back home or to the office and need to edit that video, it can get really lonely. It is just you, the footage, and an empty timeline in your video editing program. 

In this podcast episode I break down how to stay on track by pushing yourself to create, what to do with your downtime to make your creation time better, and how to stop procrastinating on those large video projects. I share four ways cure artist lonliness and the five steps for coming up with and then executing on great ideas.

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9 Travel Video Lessons Learned in 3 Continents (DVG 032)

I've basically spent the past three months traveling for either client video projects, video conferences, or vacation. Through all the flights and carrying my camera gear to five countries in three continents I've compiled nine of my lessons learned from traveling while shooting video.

In this podcast episode I break-down in detail why you want to invest in proper storage and image stabilization gear, why you need a pocket-sized camera, how to use tools like reflectors when you don't have lights, and why wireless audio may be the best option.

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13 Cities. 4 Countries. 24 Days of Video.

Over the past two months I have had an insane schedule filled with trips and client shoots. 

And instead of releasing crappy podcasts and video shows along the way I decided to live by my favorite Ron Swanson quote: "Don't half ass two things, whole ass one thing."

In today's video show I'll explain where I've been and what's next for DVG. (Hint: season two of the video and audio shows start next week.)

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How to Get Your First 100,000,000 YouTube Views (ft. Austin Evans)

Early mover advantage. Being in the right place at the right time. Luck.

These are all excuses in my book. Pick something, do it well, and keep showing up.

That's what Austin Evans has done on YouTube since 2007. He has nearly 1,200 videos live, almost a million subscribers, 117,000,000 views, and has become one of the biggest tech channels on the platform.

In this episode of the podcast I pick Austin's brain on how he got started making YouTube videos in high school, why it is important to connect and collaborate with other YouTubers, how he plans out and shoots his videos, and whether or not your competitors are good or bad for you.

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10 Things to Know Before Hiring a Video Editor (DVG 030)

Whether you don’t like to edit video, you’ve shot so much you don’t have time to get through it, or you’re just trying to outsource and focus on what you do best, hiring a video editor might be just the thing you need to consistently create and ship videos.

In today’s episode I talk with my video editor, Tim Krupa, about ten things you should consider before hiring a video editor.

We talk about the best ways to communicate before production about scripting and b-roll, what to expect in regards to contracts and payments, what web apps we use for video revisions with clients, and more.

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