Content creation, essestials for good (not pro) production?

[Kitsan]

Hi all,

 

I'm thinking about setting up a youtube channel to record my next build as I want to learn how to produce media to help support a business idea I have (unrelated to PC hardware), I was hoping someone could give me a list of things i'll need to get in order to get a good level or production on a limited budget.

 

To set the record straight... I'm a complete newbie to video production so i'm hoping you can help me with a list of essentials:

 

Video camera

Tripod

Editing software (any recommendations?)

Microphone (I already have a blue yeti, will that be good enough?)

Lighting (no idea)

+ anything else i've missed

 

I have a budget of $800 and I would ideally like to spend less (i've got no problems buying second hand)

 

Also if there are any good guides or content creators that focus on this kind of thing, i'd really appreciate it if you could point me in their direction, im trying to learn as much as possible?

[emosun]

8 minutes ago, remus243 said:

Video camera

Tripod

Editing software (any recommendations?)

Microphone (I already have a blue yeti, will that be good enough?)

Lighting (no idea)

phone

cheap 20$ one will work
free blender

dont need one

any house lamps

start with cheap free stuff first. the equipment you use is maybe 10% of what content creation is about. the other 90% is subject matter and how entertaining the content is

[Enderman]

You can literally just use a phone camera and phone microphone and some sunlight.

Put the phone on a chair or shelf, no need for a tripod.

You don't even need any editing software if you do everything in one take.

[Kitsan]

39 minutes ago, emosun said:

phone

cheap 20$ one will work
free blender

dont need one

any house lamps

start with cheap free stuff first. the equipment you use is maybe 10% of what content creation is about. the other 90% is subject matter and how entertaining the content is

Sounds good, i've got an S9 so that should be okay?

 

Are there any good tutorials for Blender that you could recommend?

[PixelPol]

 

Quote

Are there any good tutorials for Blender that you could recommend?

At blender.org are very good ones. Is where I'd start if I was beginning at it now. (and of course, the download of the app is there, too)

But IMO, is great for 3D (is my tool for work, for all my 3D), and while has a video editor inside, quite capable, my (2c) recommendations would be (of course, you can use Blender video editor/composer if you find that you prefer it to the below, but please try everything at start, to decide. Davinci seems to me very professional in everything)  :

 

Quote

Editing software (any recommendations?)

Davinci Resolve as a video editor. And Davinci Fusion as an app that makes stuff of the kind that After Effects produces (FX and motion graphics). Resolve comes with a kind of Fusion inside, but more limited. I believe is 300$ each,  but the FREE version is quite powerful, you can start with it and be some time getting used to it, and when you have more budget, finally purchase it. Is VERY good. It works better with an at least average-low GPU, a gamer card would be enough, and a game PC, too, without meaning an enthusiast machine, nor enthusiast card, just a regular average will do. Is not like Premiere, where the GPU affects (specially some stuff in the playback), but is mostly all CPU based. Premiere gets great benefit with powerful CPUs and fast clocks. Davinci wouldn't do with a weak CPU either, but an ok machine + nice card is a great combination for it (that is... an average gamer machine). Of course, non of this for super pro level (I'd be saying a 2080) , but you specified is not your case... yet.   

 

The Davinci solution is not based on subscriptions. So, that's a huge advantage (in my book).

If you want something simple to handle, yet kind of powerful (imo Davinci is more advanced) you could get Sony Vegas. For this one there's no free version, but I used it during 7 years at my last company. Is very easy and solid. I recommend Davinci better, tho, is better for the long run. Mostly if you end up pairing it with their "Fusion", for effects and motion graphics. if you only have an intel old integrated gpu (like those office low machines, or an old laptop), then I'd say, don't get Davinci, get Sony vegas. But if y you have at least a 1050 or 1060, I'd totally go for Davinci.

 

(scroll a lot in the pages linked below (well, in your shoes, I'd read all that info and stuff...) till the bottom to find the download of the free version besides the purchase link for teh day you will decide to buy it).

 

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/

 

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve/fusion

 

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/us/vegas-movie-studio/product-comparison/#productMenu

 

Edit: Sony Vegas is called now Vegas Movie Studio. it's been like 6 years since last time I used it, lol. They have now a Vegas Pro solution, seems an NLE editor in a more professional line. The vegas movie studio starts at 50$ in the more limited version, then a 60& and a 100$ version. I just hope you know what is really important, and what "features" or packs are very irrelevant, as so you will save money purchasing the version that you really need.  The vegas Pro starts at 200, then 300$ (this is the price of Davinci, be it resolve or fusion), and has one of 400. It also has a subscription option of 11 or 12$ per month, but I can't stand subscriptions.

 

IMO, for 300$, or even 200$ is worth it for me to go instead for Davinci Resolve, better.  But wont harm (even having BOTH! ) to get the vega Movie Studio at 50 or bit higher depending on your needs (I have not checked what they streamed currently from the cheap versions , in the features comparison lists). But you don't seem to know what features you'll need for editing. So, in that way, maybe Davinci is better for you, not only better per se, as it has it all, it has no 3 different versions, no premium or LTE. The freeware version of Davinci is limited, but not so much for the work to do when you are starting.

 

All that said, you can use more tools. I've edited things with Blender NLE, VirtualDub, made weird things with ffmpeg, several transcoders, etc.  I found that having one big main editing tool, but also several utilities around always is super helpful.

 

Blender can be great also to generate all sort of FX (particles, physics,etc)  and well, 3D media. At some time I've been asked to make 3D logo intros for Youtube channels.   A lot of people just using 2D for that, motion graphics  (what you do in Davinci Fusion, or After Effects, or even just in Adobe Animate CC (Flash) and  export. There's a free 2D vector animation tool, called Synfig ( synfig.org ) is totally free, open source and cross platform. 

 

Handling all this gives a ton of freedom (trust me). Anyway, as you are starting, I'd take one app, after testing all trials, the one seeming a better bet , so to not get saturated, and learn video editing with it. before that, download several trials and put a lot of patient to each one, as you need to guess which fits you better. Remember some of the best ones (like Blender) can be hard in its UI and complexity at start, but often are really worth the effort later, and even more, years later.

 

blender.org

synfig.org

 

And to me, for doing content, you DO need some image/graphics editor at least (you might end up even needing a vector editor, like Illustrator or Affinity Designer). I recommend Affinity Photo or Photoline for that (again, am not fan of subscriptions, would have said "Adobe suite" and be done with it...and I know that one deeply). If you got short of money at this point, as you are not really printing stuff (in Gimp is not as strong as in Photoshop or Affinity photo for that) ,... then Gimp, if can stand the UI, will do well.

 

Affinity Photo : https://www.serif.com

Photoline : https://www.pl32.com

Gimp : https://www.gimp.org

 

If you are left with no money after purchasing the camara, hardware, etc... IMO you could do for some time as you are starting with : Davinci Resolve and Fusion FREE versions. Gimp for some image manipulation for images for the video, the thumbnails, etc. Blender in case you need something 3D, or FX ,  even if using effectively Fusion for that. I'd have too XnView Mp (also as image browser... or irfanview) and  their Konvert, for batch converting frames in case you need it one day. You can go purchasing apps as you go needing higher level of stuff.

 

[Cebrano]

Considering software i really like the Affinity Products (Photo, Designer, Publisher) which you can get for 50€ each.

I dont really miss any,Photoshop Features. But that might be because of my workflow...

 

The way Designer and Photo are working with Publisher is quite comfortable from my perspective.

 

@PixelPol I dont have anything to add XD Well written.

 

[bmichaels556]

On 11/24/2019 at 4:10 PM, remus243 said:

Hi all,

 

I'm thinking about setting up a youtube channel to record my next build as I want to learn how to produce media to help support a business idea I have (unrelated to PC hardware), I was hoping someone could give me a list of things i'll need to get in order to get a good level or production on a limited budget.

 

To set the record straight... I'm a complete newbie to video production so i'm hoping you can help me with a list of essentials:

 

Video camera

Tripod

Editing software (any recommendations?)

Microphone (I already have a blue yeti, will that be good enough?)

Lighting (no idea)

+ anything else i've missed

 

I have a budget of $800 and I would ideally like to spend less (i've got no problems buying second hand)

 

Also if there are any good guides or content creators that focus on this kind of thing, i'd really appreciate it if you could point me in their direction, im trying to learn as much as possible?

It really depends what kind of videos you're trying to make. 

 

But like others said, a decent phone camera on a chair and sitting outside or having a few lamps around is MORE than enough for a decent-looking video.

 

The microphone obviously depends. If it's you talking at a computer desk behind a camera, in that situation, a mic will really improve audio quality. It just depends what's viable. Otherwise your phone camera may be sufficient enough.

 

As for editing, I've used Sony Vegas since the beginning. Well, almost. I think it's great, but not free. DaVinci Resolve maybe? I know many use it and again, that should work out just fine. And again, it depends how simple (or not) the editing is. Hell, many of the videos I've made could have been done with Windows Movie Maker if I tried hard enough. Not that I'd recommend doing that. Ever. But I COULD have.

 

Point is, don't think you need all this awesome epic equipment and software to start things. You don't!

[PixelPol]

Is rare that I fully agree with 2 consecutive posts of two different people... but is  the case.   

 

@Cebrano Yes, the Affinity suite (3 apps) for a lot of people does the deal of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. It is true that does not have (yet) all the features, that has corners to polish, and that being the company staff and money & resources of Serif, what, like 20 or 1000 times smaller than Adobe's, the progress is very slow (some features addition can take years since the moment of considering the possibility of adding them..like happens in open source (low, money, small teams)), as an INCREDIBLY SMALL for endeavors like those, is actually producing 3 HUGE apps in functionality for no less than 3 platforms (Windows, iOS, Mac OS) , and noope, is not "copy-pasting code" as some like to insinuate and oversimplify. 

There are things you can't do, like in Designer, auto-trace (which can be done in Inkscape quite well), or wrap-deform, which is more of a serious lack. There are some issues also when converting lines to shapes/contours, there are some issues there. The auto -trace is not that much of a show stopper, at least for real pros in design.  The other two are more of a prob, but what people do is mixed workflows with Inkscape. Why not do all in inkscape then, which is free ? Well, because a) some can't stand the UI, has happens with a bunch of open source software, and more importantly b) because for stuff as important and complex as all the print business, are severely lacking compared to Serif's Affinity Designer. Inkscape does not even have a proper CMYK system and CMYK color profiles handling. That's even today a huge portion of commercial projects made impossible.

In Photo, well, is quite a complex app, in which most can do all what they'll ever need...There are some lacks (imo, less than in designer compared to Illustrator) for a pro use, like color separation, which is kind of an old way of preparing stuff for print (some resort to use Corel Draw instead, among those not willing to use the Adobe cloud) , that is still used for very specific workflows, although not a majority of what is printed today, not even close to that. Most of the market today is PDF/X based workflows, in both CMYK or RGB. The other important lack is for digital painters, and in general, for all, their precision for input devices like tablets. Is not as good as it should be, and you need to activate certain experimental feature in preferences in orden to get a more standard level of accuracy.   Reason why most people don't use it yet for painting as many digital painters do with Photoshop. And reason why I recommend to draw and paint with the cheap Clip Studio Paint, Paint Tool SAI, the free version of Autodesk SketchBook Pro, or Art Rage, all in affordable prices, and then import the art in Affinity Photo (or PhotoLine, which is very good, and from another company, another Photoshop-like tool)  to prepare the file or fine tune it in many ways. This all does not really affects video. Although for retouch (ie, retouching stills, title screens, etc), I highly recommended to activate the "high precision for tablets" feature in "preferences", as it does not only affect painting. Publisher is yet very young. It still needs to "grow", but I'm hearing really good things from people that are much more into publishing than I am. Still, quite far from InDesign and QuarkXPress, but lets not forget the huge price difference, and how cool and functional is the app already.

 

 

@bmichaels556 I agree... I have indeed edited videos at a company, the oficial profesional demos, interviews, making effects, etc, only using virtualdub ...which, back then, it'd allow doing little more than cutting and moving parts of the movie (even a cross fade was a form of art, as it did only had ONE track and no filter for that... ), and things like that all linear workflow... and Photoshop + a batch editor/converter of ranges of frames, with occasional help of transcoding and encoding tools, among many other utilities. Video stuff can always be done, no matter what....

 

I still remember the times we handled physical scrubbing and mixer devices, those huge things, with those two disks, and all was a about  traditional magnetic tapes, no "digital" handling. But I was never a video pro, just someone that had to deal with it. Is up to how you put names to things, anyway...  

[Kitsan]

Thanks guys for taking the time to post all this information!

[ka_re_t]

Late, but DaVinci Resolve does it for me.  The only difference between free vs. paid Resolve that I ever noticed is that you're stuck with CPU rendering if you don't pay.  Annoying, but not a deal breaker.  OpenShot is usable if you don't want to be overwhelmed with features.  Definitely don't touch Blender, for any reason.  It has a steep learning curve, and barely works for me.  

 

A used mirrorless or DSLR with an external microphone jack, plus a Rode VideoMicro is budget friendly.  ($300 + $50 mic)

Make sure you have a prime lens if you want the most light for the lowest cost, a "Nifty 50" is the right place to start.  ($75 used, $150 new)

GorillaPod 1k is fine for a tripod, as long as you don't need height. ($30)

Cheap Amazon LED lights are fine, Neewer has lots of good options (also for microphones). ($40 light + $25 mic)

 

You can do this for under $500 if you get the camera and lens used ($300 camera + $75 lens) 

A Sony RX100 mk1 could work for the camera, but the prices listed above will change.  I don't think it supports external microphones, for example, and you don't need a lens for it.

[Mihle]

On 11/30/2019 at 11:54 PM, ka_re_t said:

Late, but DaVinci Resolve does it for me.  The only difference between free vs. paid Resolve that I ever noticed is that you're stuck with CPU rendering if you don't pay.  Annoying, but not a deal breaker.  OpenShot is usable if you don't want to be overwhelmed with features.  Definitely don't touch Blender, for any reason.  It has a steep learning curve, and barely works for me.  

 

Features like adding lens flare that is locked to the paid version, I have never wanted to use. Only feature I have wanted to use sometimes that is paid is noise reduction