How I set up a budget YouTube Studio
So, let's talk about setting up a YouTube studio. One of the key pillars of my job this year is focusing on YouTube/social media growth. That means I need a space where I can start recording easily and quickly. If you are starting out I really recommend creating a recording environment that allows you to record efficiently. If you are fighting tech you might get discouraged and not commit as much as you should grow your channel. Oh if you find these helpful please like and subscribe.
Ok, let's talk about space. First off, you can do this literally anywhere. I have. Ideally, you want something that has a bit of separation from the outside world. If you live on a busy street just keep that in mind. But, if all you have is a bedroom or a dining room go for it. I personally have converted my basement into a studio. I talk a lot about audio production so this space is perfect. But work with what you got. A couple of quick tips. First, make sure your space is uncluttered. Too much stuff about is distracting. If you want your space to look bigger than it is, shoot into a corner for more depth.
Let's talk about lighting. If you want to add a bit of depth to your videos and make them a bit more interesting. A little bit of lighting can go a long way. Especially if you are shooting in a poorly lit room. If you are tight on a budget, film by a window if available to help light up your face from the background. I have a 3-point lighting setup and some colour lights to make the shots look interesting. If you go this route you can get a softbox on amazon for pretty cheap now. You can spend a lot of money on lights but again, more lights mean more time needed for setup so keep that in mind. If you do decide to get more pro with your lighting there are a ton of amazing lighting tutorials out there to help you out.
Cameras. Expensive cameras are a lot of fun but can by far be really expensive and very time-consuming. Do you need to be shooting Log? No. If you are starting out your phone is more than enough to get started. Some of the biggest YouTubers are just using their phone. Phones nowadays get amazing footage, have built-in stabilization, and are fast to set up and start shooting. I started on a used Cannon 60D and now shoot on a Sony A7iii because I personally really like it. But most of the stuff I do I can get away with using my phone. My only advice is to get a tripod for your phone to help stabilize your shots. Sometimes run and gun shacking footage is cool but forms most shots it’s distracting.
One of the biggest things I suggest to anyone getting into creating content is to spend a bit of time getting good audio. A mic for your camera or phone is so important. You can have amazing footage but if your audio is bad, it’s hard for people to follow. So, a camera mic or even a lepal mic will make your videos 100 times better than just using your phone or in-camera mic. I have a rode mic I use sometimes but requires a bit of post. For quicker shoots I have a Rode mic I plug right into my camera which I have been using for over 5 years now. It’s still my main audio recording setup. You can go all out and spend a crazy amount on mics but as long as what you are saying is clear, that’s all that matters.
As for editing, I personally like using Davinci Resolve. I have the paid studio version but you can use the free version which doesn’t everything you need. If that’s a bit intimidating. iMovie will do the job too.
If you are interested in any website, video, audio production, or YouTube collaboration please feel free to send me message through the contact form. I will reach out to you as soon as possible.