The one thing a lot of vloggers don't do... but should
This is probably the last thing you wanted to hear but you need to start planning your videos.
Yes, I know, I can hear you sighing all the way from here! "Not another lecture on planning!" But hear me out. Proper planning is the secret sauce to making your vlogging journey smoother.
Imagine cutting down your editing time to just 20% of your entire vlogging process, rather than the draining 50% or more that you might currently experience. That's my secret to releasing consistent, high-quality videos. And it all begins with... you guessed it, planning.
Now, I'm not suggesting you pen down elaborate scripts. Vlogging is spontaneous, and unexpected moments are part of its charm. However, a basic outline can save you from unnecessary retakes and sifting through hours of footage you won't use.
So, where do you start?
Focus on these two steps to begin with:
Location Scouting: Before you head out and hit the record button, research your filming location. In the filmmaking world, this is known as "Location Scouting." It helps you gauge if a place is worth your time and whether there's anything of interest to film there.
Topic Clarity: "But Tamara, I know what I'm vlogging about, I'm vlogging about my day". That on its own isn't enough. Without a clear theme or point, your vlog might not resonate with viewers beyond your immediate circle (family, friends). If that's fine for you then cool, but if you want to have a successful vlog channel on YouTube you need to give value. For instance, if you're talking about your meal, ensure it adds value by highlighting the best eateries for potential visitors to that location. That could be a genuine theme/topic for your video, or an entire video series in itself.
Once you've honed in on your topic, draft some bullet points outlining what you might talk about at set places in your location, what footage you might want to shoot, etc. It might seem tedious, but trust me, it's far less painful than editing aimless footage.
In my next post, I'll show you how you can transform those bullet points into a concrete filming plan that leaves room for spontaneity. This way, you'll vlog with intention, instead of getting to the end of the day with loads of footage and just hoping for the best in the edit.
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