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Author Topic: Sweet, sweet YouTube Money  (Read 20740 times)
Yegolev
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on: February 05, 2016, 08:41:12 AM

I assume there is a wide open field and so I'll communify this discussion, exploration, and hopefully implementation.  Let's just assume we are doing a channel on video games.

I think we all know basically how YouTube works.  Record a video and upload it.  What I don't know:
1. Toolset which gets the job done and doesn't get in my way.
   a. Recording.  A $20 webcam?  My MPB camera?
   b. Video editing.  I'm in the dark here.  I don't need the equivalent of PS or Gimp.  It needs to cut, stitch, and do some audio.
   c. Audio recording.  Is this even a concern?  Just the mic on my $20 webcam/MBP?
2. Video techniques.
   a. Show the actor?  If so, picture-in-picture or wipe?
   b. Actor lighting seems important, if we do 2.a.
   c. How Do The Kids Dress Today?  Or: Will actor appearance stir controversy (views)?
3. Console recording.
   a. I have a PS4, as does anyone who likes video games more than they like football, Doritos, and Mountain Dew.
   b. I really haven't explored this space.  Open discussion welcome.
4. YouTube monetization.
   a. An unexplored area but seems simple enough.  Interested in a focused discussion here.
   b. Advertising?
5. Personality.
   a. Obviously this is both a huge draw for a channel as well as a source of intense hate.  Hate is also good, since there is no bad advertising.
   b. I really don't know if I can manage a quality persona, but it's fucking YouTube so I'll give it a whack.  I'd like to gather some opinion and theory about what works & what doesn't.
   c. Another mention of appearance, in the context of generating attention.
   d. Voice only, or visual of the actor?

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
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schild
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Reply #1 on: February 05, 2016, 08:45:43 AM

Well, #4 requires slipping past the Fine Bros (Fullscreen, Inc.) copyright claims.

That's where things tend to fall apart (according to Reddit).
jakonovski
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Reply #2 on: February 05, 2016, 08:49:54 AM

As I understand it, these days most big youtubers are essentially working for a bigger media company that handles licensing matters, because Youtube handles complaints automatically and for the duration of the dispute all your money starts going to the complainant or Youtube itself. Then there's Twitch and whatnot where you get by through begging for donations.

 
Severian
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Reply #3 on: February 05, 2016, 08:57:15 AM

Regarding 5.b, you might find this interesting: The Linguistics of 'YouTube Voice'
Baldrake
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Reply #4 on: February 05, 2016, 09:05:49 AM

Re 1: I do a lot of voice-over-screen stuff. I use Screenflow for the capture (Mac only). The go-to PC product is Camtasia. These tools have basic video editing built in, enough to cover most of what you'd want to do. Mic is very important. I use a Blue Yeti, for what it's worth. For high-end video editing, I use Adobe Premiere, which is ok but I don't love it. If you want to do simple stuff, MS MovieMaker (free) is actually pretty decent, but is no longer supported for Windows 10. For video compression and trans-coding, I use Handbrake (free.) If you want to do videos of yourself, prepare to learn a lot about lighting. Shooting off your phone with a simple tripod or a decent web cam works fine if you have good lighting.
Kail
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Reply #5 on: February 05, 2016, 09:18:42 AM

1. Toolset which gets the job done and doesn't get in my way.
   a. Recording.  A $20 webcam?  My MPB camera?
   b. Video editing.  I'm in the dark here.  I don't need the equivalent of PS or Gimp.  It needs to cut, stitch, and do some audio.
   c. Audio recording.  Is this even a concern?  Just the mic on my $20 webcam/MBP?

Audio is the big thing keeping me from posting many videos myself.  It depends on your audience, I suppose, but there are a lot of people on the bigger channels who whine incessantly about sound quality issues even with mid-range mics.

Camera is similar.  You can get away with recording video on a low quality camera if it's going to be small (like the facecam for the average Twitch channel) but if you plan on putting the focus on that camera footage you'll probably want a real camera.  A bigger issue is probably going to be lighting, though, if you're not set up for it.

Depending on what you're looking for with video editing, Windows Movie Maker can do some simple editing for free.  If you're looking for advanced stuff (like effects or composite shots) then you'll probably need dedicated editing software, in my experience that runs about $100 for something like Camtasia or Magix.
(edit: actually, I'm not sure those programs can do that, either, now that I've checked...)

Honestly the term "a channel about video games" is a bit broad.  If it's just Twitch style streaming (like Pewdiepie or Game Grumps or whatever) then you can probably get away with less tech because you're generally just showcasing the game.  If it's supposed to be a show about video games (like JonTron or Angry Video Game Nerd) then the production gets a bit more complicated.  A lot of channels do a mix between the two (Jim Sterling, for example) but even there they usually have a focus or gimmick or something.

Well, #4 requires slipping past the Fine Bros (Fullscreen, Inc.) copyright claims.

Pfft, that's soooo last week.  Fine Bros have already withdrawn the whole "React World" thing (though other companies are still trying to push similar BS)

A bigger problem, I suspect, is going to be discoverability.  If you're looking to monetize your videos that means getting views and THAT is not going to be easy given how much competition you have.  Even buying ads isn't a guarantee of views given how predisposed people are to ignore or block them.  I don't know much about how to get youtube views, other than put up a lot of content regularly and hope.

You might want to look in to Patreon, which seems to be where a lot of content creators are getting their money these days.  It requires an audience first, but once it gets rolling I guess it's more reliable than ad views.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 09:37:10 AM by Kail »
lesion
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Reply #6 on: February 05, 2016, 09:42:19 AM

5b. If you haven't done a lot of voice work please, please practice eradicating uhm-ing. This is the worst thing. Having a script helps.

2ac.5cd. Unless you're really attractive or there's a good reason to be in the video PIP that bad-boy or don't even show up except for an intro/outro. I don't watch too many YouTubers but your content and voice are way more important. This may not apply if you're sexy or you have guests (who are also sexy).

5b. Be more interested in what you're talking about than anyone else in the world. See Severian's link--that kind of speaking projects passion and engages the audience. You could have the most amazing things to say but a monotone will put viewers to sleep.

1b. A person who is not me would recommend getting a heavily discounted copy of Premiere or Final Cut Pro. Also seconding Baldrake: WMM isn't bad for simple stuff. You just have to get it running.

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Sky
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Reply #7 on: February 05, 2016, 09:45:28 AM

I'd also say Patreon seems to be the current best path to monetization. But you need to build the audience, so start with the tubes and if they like it, pop up a Patreon page.
IainC
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Reply #8 on: February 05, 2016, 09:51:47 AM

WRT cameras, you don't really need an awesome camera unless your channel features a lot of camera movements. if you're mainly going to use the camera for footage of your head speaking then you can get away with a crappy camera. 95% of the limitations of your camera can be solved through good lighting and not making it refocus all the time (try not to move your head forwards and back). You can control the shooting environment and lights are much cheaper than cameras. If you need to take closeups of product and do a lot of panning or mobile shots then it will be worth using a better camera.

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satael
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Reply #9 on: February 05, 2016, 10:04:19 AM

I think the biggest thing to think about is why you and not one of the million others who do video games. What's the one thing that will set you apart from the masses and keep the random viewer watching more than a minute or two?
(if it's scripted looking at something like angry video game nerd might be a good idea to get a sense of how someone might get a following especially if you watch the early episodes for what he was like at the start and then the later ones to see how he has progressed).

If it's just more or less gameplay with unscripted narration then you really need to be a good talker to keep any significant number of people interested in the long run.
jakonovski
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Reply #10 on: February 05, 2016, 10:18:07 AM

For 4b: once you've got the killer concept, you'll definitely need marketing to get noticed. For a one person operation that requires a lot of social media presence and preferably contacts that can get your videos mentioned and/or linked by an established player. And then looking at your analytics page repeatedly so you can establish a knowledge of what kind of stuff works for you.
Merusk
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Reply #11 on: February 05, 2016, 10:28:41 AM

I'm with Sky, Patreon is the way to monetization. It avoids needing the million+ subscribers that Youtube needs before payout and the money goes directly to you instead of Google filtering it and skimming off your ad revenue.

Screencapping you can do with a number of devices. Coincidentally we just had to figure a way to use a camcorder for a webcam for our annual meeting. (Long story)
This guy's guide was great and the BlackMagic device he recommended worked perfectly.
https://ozar.me/2014/03/using-hd-camcorder-mac-webcam/

The company also makes a screencap device for XBOX called "Intensity Pro"  Here's a Youtube of how to use it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQsklRkL8G4

Camtasia by Techsmith is a very simple, light and easy-to-use Video Editing software.
https://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.html

I use it to record Webinars and Web-based training as well as make user instructional videos. I also recommend their SnagIt program if you need to do more than Printscreen-paste into Word for booklets, or instructional PDFs.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 10:33:27 AM by Merusk »

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Yegolev
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Reply #12 on: February 05, 2016, 10:57:19 AM

Good start.  Me likey.

There is talk of copyright and Fine Bros, which leads me to two paths:

What sort of money is there in Fine, me, or anyone claiming copyright on other people's videos?

If I'm reviewing a game (let's keep this simple) is fair use enough?

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
jakonovski
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Reply #13 on: February 05, 2016, 11:08:09 AM

Youtube's Content ID system is weird, there's a lot of to keep in mind.
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2797370?hl=en

Patreon is great in that it allows this to be bypassed. Jim Sterling for instance does not monetize his videos and thus has an easier time of it.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 11:11:42 AM by jakonovski »
Yegolev
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Reply #14 on: February 05, 2016, 11:36:58 AM

Blocker:
Quote
YouTube only grants Content ID to copyright owners who meet specific criteria. To be approved, they must own exclusive rights to a substantial body of original material that is frequently uploaded by the YouTube user community.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
jakonovski
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Reply #15 on: February 05, 2016, 11:51:10 AM

I'm not sure I follow. Blocker?
Yegolev
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Reply #16 on: February 05, 2016, 11:54:41 AM

I won't be able to monetize other people's videos since I do not already have exclusive rights to a substantial body of original material.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
jakonovski
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Reply #17 on: February 05, 2016, 12:08:09 PM

Ah. However the big issue is that every media publisher does have that ability. So the higher your profile gets, and the more controversial you are, the higher the chance that you'll get hit. It's obviously manageable and things like fair use absolutely do exist. But it's a thing and has led to more things like Disney managing some of the biggest Youtube names like Pewdiepie and Totalbiscuit (he left though).

edit: gotta correct myself a bit. The systems are completely automated so you won't even need to be high profile.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 12:23:47 PM by jakonovski »
Polysorbate80
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Reply #18 on: February 05, 2016, 12:55:48 PM

You can never go wrong with a Shure SM58 and mic stand.  They're not expensive, they sound great, and they're durable as hell.  You could probably beat an intruder to death with it and still record just fine.

Now, if you're planning to record in a noisy room, consider a boom-mount shotgun or a lavalier.  Lav wins in extra-noisy environments, boom sounds a little more natural.

Lighting:  There are tutorials out there.  Watch them.  Bad lighting will make you look like some sort of half-witted serial killer.

Actually, aren't you still working for the weather channel people?  Go find a production tech nerd and wind him up; you'll hear way more than you want to about sound & lighting.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2016, 01:12:40 PM by Polysorbate80 »

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Merusk
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Reply #19 on: February 05, 2016, 01:07:19 PM

Actually, aren't you still working for the weather channel people?  Go find a production tech nerd and wind him up; you'll hear way more than you want to about sound & lighting.

This is a very good point. You work, "in the industry," so leverage those contacts who actually do this shit for a living.

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Yegolev
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Reply #20 on: February 05, 2016, 01:44:33 PM

That's an interesting idea, but so far my biggest connection to the TV side is Jennifer Delgado flirting with me in the cafeteria.  Now I'm actually an IBM employee, and IBM did not buy the TV division.  This is at least as awkward as it seems.  Buuuuut... maybe.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
pxib
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Reply #21 on: February 05, 2016, 02:24:12 PM

It's a dense, hypersaturated market... so the big fat bylaw of word-of-mouth marketing applies: Promise the impossible, and then deliver it.

When I tell other people about your videos, why won't they believe me?

When I say "No seriously, check this out..." what will shock and amaze them?

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Reply #22 on: February 05, 2016, 03:09:58 PM

This thread is being nowhere near as cynical as it should be.
Evildrider
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Reply #23 on: February 05, 2016, 05:36:52 PM

As someone who watches too much YouTube.  You will struggle to get views and subs without doing cross promotion with other channels.   Also unless you manage to wrangle a shitload of viewers it is hard to make decent money off of it.  Especially since a lot of the internet uses ad blockers.  Which is why a lot of YouTube's have turned to Patreon, but a lot of viewers frown on that.  Also you need to steadily push out content.  Some of the lower end YouTuber's pump out 2-3 videos a day to make money.
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Reply #24 on: February 08, 2016, 03:47:13 PM

You could probably do everything right and still get no where in the end too.

It's just as much about cult of personality then anything really. People latch onto whatever they latch onto with no real rhyme or reason. You can easily see this on twitch streams, where two folks with the same level of quality/humor/skill/production are both streaming, one consistently gets 5k views the other can't break into 4 digits... all because one managed to be in the right meme at the right time five years ago or whatever.

There's always that one video/clip/series/image that seems to set the spark... and you don't really get to control when or how that happens, if it ever does.

and the gate is like I TOO AM CAPABLE OF SPEECH
KallDrexx
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Reply #25 on: February 08, 2016, 04:17:50 PM

You really have to find a niche to make it worth it.

I was browsing Socialblade for my job to try and get some information about some stuff, and I came across this toy collecter channel.  That channel is the #2 most viewed channel on Youtube, and all it is is some girl opening up every single toy she can find with the most monotonous voice ever.  But it's fucking brilliant because she does the videos in such a way that she gets massive SEO traffic when anyone tries to look for a specific toy. 
Trippy
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Reply #26 on: February 08, 2016, 04:48:07 PM

What kind of video game videos are we going to be making here? Walkthroughs with live commentary (live stream uploads)? Game reviews? Commentary of other people's games (casting)? Tip and tricks? Machinima?

The type of videos you'll be uploading will influence what your setup will be like.

Also is this mainly PS4 stuff like you listed above or we including PC games as well?
« Last Edit: February 08, 2016, 04:54:02 PM by Trippy »
Yegolev
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Reply #27 on: February 08, 2016, 08:46:20 PM

The format has been discussed a bit and the main problem with doing what I want to do is that it is basically the A/V version of the F13 reviews.  The what?  Right.  No one comes here for that.  We come here because it's sort of like if Seinfeld was written by apes and went on for double the seasons: character drama and comfortable "What's going on, Norm?" shenanigans.  Point to Fordel.

So, I'd need to do something on a thing that I do.  I do lots of things, though, which is a problem.  It's been done already with Idiot Abroad and that had both Karl Pilkington AND Stephen Merchant.  I'd need some asshole to film it, which I am so close yet so far to having.  Then it would be some of me sneakily burning construction debris just outside the master bedroom window, getting my truck stuck in the mud, finding a sleeping/dead possum in a stump in the yard, ranting about ___________, delivering philosophical nuggets, reviewing products, demonstrating what the kids call "life hacks", squirting a cat with water, etc.  I should probably focus on games.  I know too much (but not enough) about them.

I could include PC games.  I could include games on Mac, which I already plan to subtitle "Searching For Something Which Isn't Peggle".  Unfortunately this is still up in the air.




This post?  That's what the channel will be.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
taolurker
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Reply #28 on: February 09, 2016, 06:43:24 AM



I used to write for extinct gaming sites
details available here (unused blog about page)
Sky
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Reply #29 on: February 09, 2016, 06:50:32 AM

You can never go wrong with a Shure SM58 and mic stand.  They're not expensive, they sound great, and they're durable as hell.  You could probably beat an intruder to death with it and still record just fine.
While I agree the apocalypse will be fought with Shure road mics, I think they're more appropriate to live situations. For recording voice, I'd recommend a MXL R144 Ribbon Mic. While it's more fragile, it's cheap and what the hell kind of flailing around are you going to be doing, anyway? Add a pop filter and boom stand. Will give you much better quality voice, and you definitely want to make listening to your constant inane rambling as pleasant as possible!

Personally, the only gaming stuff I watch on the tube is learning new minecraft mods (straight instructional vids). I don't know why people watch other people play games. Pretty much only instructional stuff (painting, music) or live music. And I'm super picky on my instructionals, there's so many people making shitty videos. I go only for the very best in the categories, I don't want to see Joe Schmuck painting chibi in his basement, I want to watch Jeff Watts spend a couple hours giving instruction.

Same reason I don't pursue a music channel, why watch me play decent classical stuff when you can watch actual professional classical players?
apocrypha
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Reply #30 on: February 09, 2016, 06:59:44 AM

This post?  That's what the channel will be.


I'd watch this.

Don't spend a load of money on gear until you've made a couple of episodes. Cheap gear to start with, see if you like doing it and if there's any audience.

"Bourgeois society stands at the crossroads, either transition to socialism or regression into barbarism" - Rosa Luxemburg, 1915.
Kail
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Reply #31 on: February 09, 2016, 09:53:29 AM

I go only for the very best in the categories, I don't want to see Joe Schmuck painting chibi in his basement, I want to watch Jeff Watts spend a couple hours giving instruction.

Same reason I don't pursue a music channel, why watch me play decent classical stuff when you can watch actual professional classical players?

I think that's a lot of the appeal of Youtube, though.  There's a TON of personal preference in entertainment products, and a production with niche appeal can be more interesting to that niche audience than a "better" show with broader appeal.  On a network show, you're competing for a slot against shows with big stars, well paid writers, high production values, and so on.  On Youtube you've just got to find the audience that clicks with your style.
Bungee
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Reply #32 on: February 10, 2016, 03:03:20 AM

I think that's a lot of the appeal of Youtube, though.  There's a TON of personal preference in entertainment products, and a production with niche appeal can be more interesting to that niche audience than a "better" show with broader appeal.  On a network show, you're competing for a slot against shows with big stars, well paid writers, high production values, and so on.  On Youtube you've just got to find the audience that clicks with your style.

Yeah, amateur stuff always has potential for lots of clicks even if professionals would be available.  Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?

Freedom is the raid target. -tazelbain
Sky
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Reply #33 on: February 10, 2016, 06:45:52 AM

Once you see what this crazy guitarist does with Bach, you'll never be the same again!
Yegolev
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Reply #34 on: February 10, 2016, 07:02:21 AM

Part of the story with people watching other people play games is that it is kids doing it.  I personally think that it's super dumb to watch someone play most games instead of playing it yourself, but that is apparently just proof that I'm over 40 and not cool.  My son will pop off facts about games he has never played (even though I have them in the house) and he gets this info from YouTube.  He also seems surprised when I don't know or can't remember some trivia about games from my own childhood and I have to say "Look: it's been 30 years, and I have a job."

Really, people will watch any old shit.

Why am I homeless?  Why do all you motherfuckers need homes is the real question.
They called it The Prayer, its answer was law
Mommy come back 'cause the water's all gone
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