Diving Into YouTube with Heather from Fellow Filmmaker [Season 3 Finale!]

Heather is serious about helping fellow filmmakers learn their craft through useful reviews, tutorials, and insights. After establishing her own video production company, she's built a thriving YouTube channel around "growth for the serious filmmaker." 

I've been a fan for a long time, so I was very excited to talk with Heather about her journey, her channel, and her perspectives on how she approaches her work. It's a fantastic way to wrap up the third season!

Check out Heather’s channel, Fellow Filmmaker:
https://www.youtube.com/fellowfilmmaker

Connect on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/fellowfilmmaker

Listen to Heather on The Hive Podcast with Jared Spink:
https://www.hivepodcast.org/episodes-the-hive-podcast/ep-29-heather-maione-fellow-filmmaker

🎙Ready to start your own podcast? Check out The Podcaster Playbook, a step-by-step DIY course to help you launch your show:
https://podcasterplaybook.com

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•My Podcast with Peter Lindgren:
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  https://couplestable.buzzsprout.com

YouTube: www.youtube.com/tombuck
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S3E21 | Series Episode 63

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Hello and welcome. My name is Tom. This is the Enthusiasm Project Season Three, Episode 21, the Season Three Grand Finale, and what a grand finale it will be, because I am super grateful not to be by myself today. I have an incredibly special guest that I am very excited to have on the show. I had been thinking about asking for a while, and it wasn't until I talked to Bob a few episodes ago and Jared, who are just like, yeah, you just gotta ask people that I decided, okay, I'm just gonna just gonna ask people that I admire. So today's guest has taken her background in filmmaking, and over the less than 18 months has built up a YouTube channel that's rapidly approaching 7,000 subscribers, which is a huge accomplishment. And if if and when I should say you watch her videos, you will understand why it's growing so fast. So today I'm very fortunate to have with me Heather from Fellow Filmmaker. Welcome. Well, I'm so excited. I really appreciate it. It was kind of a last minute thing, and you you were very quick about like I can do it this week. I was like, yes, that's what we'll do. Great. Uh so uh I have so many, I'm just so interested. Uh the thing I'll preface with actually is speaking of Jared from the Hive, he was on my show a couple weeks ago, and then you were on his show. It's all this very cyclical world of like everybody's just on everybody's show because everybody has a podcast. Um the interview you did with Jared is excellent. So I'll actually put a link down in the show notes for this one. Um, if you want to know more about Heather and you want to kind of get into nuts and bolts, I recommend just listening to that episode. Um, what the reason I'm saying that is because I don't want to duplicate too much. I don't want to make you just say the same, the same answers and you just feel like a robot. Uh so there's gonna be a little overlap, of course, but I figured this could be a nice compliment. So when people listen to that and they're like, I need to know more about this person, there will be more. So let's start off with just real quick the you know, the most basic question to ask anyone. For someone who's not familiar with you, um, who are you? And I'm really curious too about what is your filmmaking background.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

Yeah, definitely. Uh well, um, pretty simply, my name is Heather, and I'm from the tiniest little state in the United States, Rhode Island. So kind of a fun little fact. And um, I would call myself a filmmaker, I guess, more than anything, but I also happen to be a YouTuber, which is a term I'm not used to using to describe myself since it's still kind of new. Um but uh my background in filmmaking is actually not as like, I don't know, it's not as beautiful as some other people's maybe. I've only been doing this for I say professionally, about two years now, almost two years. And um I would say even then it took me a little while to get into it and get the run of things and whatever. So my experience professionally has been two years, but I would say my experience in filmmaking as a whole, um, with being, I would call myself a hobbyist at the time. I was a good hobbyist for about 10 years. Um, and then I took the leap after living a bunch of life and learning a lot of things about life. So yeah, I guess that's maybe the short way of explaining who I am.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

No, that's that's perfect because it's the thing that's so interesting, which in in a minute I want to talk about essentially like the about page, which is like the mission statement for your YouTube channel, because I find it really fascinating. Uh, but it's it's really why I wanted to not quite yet focus on YouTube, is because you lived a whole life prior to that, which I think is one of the reasons you've been able to have such a clear, concise, and successful YouTube channel is uh is because of all that experience. So I was curious about you know what your professional filmmaking, what kind of work were you doing, you know, for the couple years before you you've started the channel? I'm guessing you're still doing it now too, to the extent that it's possible.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Yeah. Yeah. So um, yeah, about two years ago I started a video production company, probably more so just because that was the thing to do. Um, I wouldn't say that was like the goal in my life to start a video production company, but that's what I did. And I was doing it for probably only like a good 10 months before I started the YouTube channel because I was seeing there was like this big, you know, need for stuff. And we'll get more into that. But so officially 10 months actually was everything that I was doing more professionally, but I got to work with other people, and I think that gives you experience really fast. So working with some was great, but doing my own stuff um as far as client work, um, a lot of brand videos, product videos, um, some event stuff, it's not my favorite to do, but I don't mind doing it either. Like, it's okay. I refuse to do weddings. I did one and I hated it. So when people, you know, look at you and they're like, you must do weddings, I'm like, nope, I hate them. So uh yeah, that's kind of like the the the work that I've had officially. And then yes, I I do still do it. Um, just this month I had um an event that I did, and then also just kind of like a brand video. But then also something fun that I'm kind of pursuing and also doing is more of like a, I want to call it like a documentary style piece where um the story is based on this person's therapy dog that they, you know, it's like their pet, but then they also have turned it into something that works within their business and we're kind of like doing a documentary on it. So it's a it's a long process because um you don't just like show up and shoot for one day, you you go back multiple times a day, and then you know, days later and months and weeks, so it's an ongoing project for sure, but it's kind of new and different, and I I think I like that a lot. So documentary work as well is something that I I know I want to do and I like to do. So I'm glad I'm getting to do more of it basically.

SPEAKER_00 6:08

That's really cool. It's it's that I like the whole story because uh like I live in Southern California, but I don't live in LA. And everybody just kind of seems like they think I want to do something in video, I want to do something in film. That means I gotta move to LA. And it's like, if anything, I kind of say don't, um, because you know that's a very specific type of industry, but there's a need and a market for these things everywhere. And I'm glad you brought up that you're like in Rhode Island and the need is there, and if anything, it's kind of it's kind of better not to be in like the place where everybody, every, every person you run into is trying to be like the next cinematographer, the next great filmmaker. Prior to your video production business, you said you you were like a hobbyist or serious hobbyist for about 10 years. Let me let me back up a little bit, maybe. So it's not uncommon for people who, whether they're video production people or YouTubers or whatever, that you're kind of caught up in it. Like here's the next release and the next review and the numbers and the this and the that, or if you're doing it professionally, here's the next client project, here's this stress, this business thing, this expense. But at some point, all of us picked up a camera at some of some kind and were like, this is fun, this is pretty cool. Uh, I'm interested in doing more of this. What was your like, how did that happen for you?

SPEAKER_01 7:36

So I was probably young, like most people were, and I what I say, my first memory of like, oh, video, this is there's something here. Was my my dad had come home from work with a new cell phone for his job. And gosh, this is so old, but it was like a flip phone, which was like wow, you know, and then on top of that, it had a camera in it. And I think like, you know, it was probably like one megapixel type camera. Like these images were horrible, you're definitely not keeping these things. And it had the ability to record 12-second video clips on the phone. I know it's really, really big. And uh, so me and my sister, we would kind of just make these fun things, and it was in that moment where it was always fun to like watch it back, even though it was horrible resolution, quality, everything. There was something about video that made it so much more exciting to relive those moments of you know, humor at that age, of course, but eventually they became memories and those were important, you know. So then as I got a little bit older, um, you know, parents bought me like a little digital camera or something like that. I did mostly like pictures at the time, which is kind of weird, but um found out I had the ability to record video as well, you know, so shot some videos. It wasn't until I upgraded the little tiny point and shoot to like a slightly larger point and shoot, you know, the ones where you turn it on and the lens kind of like zooms out.

SPEAKER_00 9:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

Those old ones. And uh I had that thing. I still have this video. It's so horrible. I shot some of it horizontally and then some of it vertically. I have no idea why. It was terrible, but it was mesmerizing. It was so in enthralling and exciting to be like I created something, you know. I had the simple editing program that comes on your PC and I like tied it together. You can't even put an audio track except for like maybe one. So you put music on it and you're like, wow, look at this. I remember showing it to my family at the time. And they're like, wow, that's really good. I mean, it was junk. Okay. They're so kind, but they're they're really sweet, and they're like, oh, that's so good. You should make more. So I would just make stuff for family and friends over the beginning years, I'd say that I was really getting interested in it. And then over time, it developed even more. I got an entry-level DSLR, you know, I was picking up stuff off YouTube, um, and I was able to shoot stuff and create more high-quality stuff. But I never thought I could take it somewhere because that was the dream. I wanted to be making short films or feature-length films eventually. That was kind of like the ultimate goal, but you don't know how to get there. There's no like exact steps. You know, most people would say go to LA, and I'm like, that's not happening. You know, like I know that's not how that works. There's got to be some other way, you know? And I refused to go to college for film because I knew it was just a waste of time and money. I said that you can learn all this stuff. Experience is what you need. You don't need to go to school and waste all your money on it. Like, take that same amount of money and invest it into gear, and you probably could get a decent education online somehow. And, you know, boom, you could do this stuff. Maybe it takes a different route, but eventually you might get to the same spot, right? So that was kind of the those 10 years, which was hobbying and stuff like that. And then I kind of dropped it for like a year or two when I moved away and I was gone for a little while. And then life happened. My father died, I moved back home. Life was like, oh wow, you know, a lot of things are going on in your mind. And that was when I was like, you know what, I'm never gonna have an opportunity in my life to pursue this again because though I might be still relatively young, it's gonna slip by fast. Your nine to five job sucks the life out of you. You know, you're miserable with it. You know what you want to be doing. You're never going to do it if you don't just start, if you don't make an effort. So it kind of like had a fresh sleep when I moved back home. And so I was like, yeah, this is it. So that's when two years ago that kind of all happened, where I'm like, I'm just gonna start. And I had no clue what I was doing. I heard a video production was kind of the way. I got into some filmmaking groups, and that was kind of the thing. So ultimately, that was the journey.

SPEAKER_00 11:46

I love I I love that whole story. I'm so sorry about the loss of your dad. And I know and I heard in Jared's episode you mentioned too, you lost your brother as well. Um, I'm so sorry about all that. I lost my dad this past summer, and it one of my it was one of my supervisors at work, one of like the principals at the school where I teach, you know, you kind of just have to tell people in your life that you lose someone and it sucks, and everyone tries to give you their sympathy, and it's it's a weird thing. But one of the coworkers just said, that sucks. And I was like, it does. Like there was nothing eloquent about it, there was nothing like magical. I was just like, it does suck. That actually made me feel the best, just having someone say that. And I was like, Yeah, that's okay. It doesn't need to be more than that.

SPEAKER_02 12:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Um, but the the point that you hit on of essentially time being your most valuable and limited resource. That's literally like the very first episode of this podcast is me kind of like pontificating about that for probably too long with bad audio quality. But that was ultimately like the the thing that that got me started as well was I wanted to do something for a long time, and you just for whatever reason, you just have that realization of if I don't do it now, it's not like there's the next time around I'll do it. Like it's that's it, it's all or nothing. And and you know, you you you want to start something and you think, okay, maybe next year, maybe next year, but by then you could have already been doing it for two years. And you know, it's just I just I see so many people paralyzed by the fear of getting started, and I just wish that I wish everyone could kind of just get the courage to jump in because it's really that's the the toughest step, and from there it's all just kind of growing.

SPEAKER_01 13:27

I would say basically what happens is we're all waiting for a perfect time or something, you know, we're like, ah, there's gonna be this perfect time. You don't even know what it is, you couldn't name it if you tried. But you're sitting there waiting in your life going, uh, when when I have enough money in the bank, or you know, when I'm at a good spot in my life, you know, my kids are grown up, or I don't have kids, or you know, whatever. People do this thing in their head where they they're kind of like waiting for that perfect moment and it does not exist. And the thing is, it's extremely risky to jump in because most of the time it's just unknown. And I think that's why a lot of people, they like to just think they're not maybe creative, for instance, because they look at themselves saying, like, if I were to admit that I could be that way, which is very dreamer, you know what I mean? Like it's much more of that perspective of being like, I'm a dreamer, you know, I think this is gonna happen. And yet I think a lot of people don't want to tap into that because there's a lot of risk. I say it all the time to people I'm talking to when I'm like, oh gosh, finances are they're rotten, they've been rotten for a good year, and I've just like been ignoring it, you know? But even though that's one of the risks, there's this element where it's like, okay, in order to have the possibility for success, you do have to be willing to take a risk. Otherwise, the elements for success might not be as, I don't know, strong. They're not going to happen, maybe because or that success just might be not as grand. I mean, success can look different for everybody, but I think ultimately there's never a perfect time and uh there is a lot of risk, and you have to be willing to manage that risk because I'll tell you something, it's very stressful sometimes.

SPEAKER_00 15:07

Yeah. And everybody's journey is totally different. It's like, you know, I I'm a teacher, and when you're saying I would never go to college for film, I'm like, yeah, I I the advice you said is exactly what I tell my students half the time. And it's like, I feel I'm like, I like college, it's great. I went for a long time. But uh yeah, I mean, film school in 2020, I'm not saying no one should ever go to film school, obviously, but it's a it is a lot of money. And especially when you're younger or just out of high school, you're gonna take this massive amount of debt to enter a risky industry when, like you said, you could spend a fraction of that on some gear, on maybe just some other like kind of niche training, some courses or something, and just spend the time practicing. Um, a lot of times my students know what to do. I always go like, hey, we have a community college, it's basically free, and they have a cool business program, and you can do freelance work and build your skill set, learn how to run a business, and then figure out what you want to do in two years if you want to keep going to school, if you don't. Um, but everybody, yeah, everybody's journey is just is just so different. And it is very scary to kind of sit back and think about what your definition of success is, because you know, for many people, it's money and material possessions. And if that's the road that you've been on your whole life, you're like, but I don't have all the money and the material possessions. And then you're like, but I'm happy, is something wrong with me? And it's like you gotta just figure out what your, you know, what it means for you to be successful, and that definition could change, you know, it could change over time. And like you were saying about the nine to five job, I uh I turned 35 last week, which I feel is like an adult, you know, old enough to be a grown-up. Um, but my mom is still so much like she's always, have you checked your retirement? Have you done this? And anytime I bring up, you know, like, uh, you know, I don't know that I want this to be my career for 20 more years or 25 more years or whatever till retirement, she's like, oh, it'll fly by. I'm like, it will. But that's a bad reason to do something that you're not 100% psyched about for decades. Like maybe there's there's more to life, you know.

SPEAKER_01 17:20

I agree. I think that's the reason why some people they're just so unsettled almost, where they can't they can't be willing to, I don't know, be okay with what's average feeling, you know, nine to five, maybe or whatever it is. There's nothing wrong with the nine to five. I mean, I did it for a long time, but um, I say a long time, maybe it wasn't so long. I don't know. I've been working since I was 13 years old, so it feels like a long time.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

Um so I uh relate to your story in many ways, even just you know, it was kind of the same thing, like parents bringing home old eight millimeter camcorder when I was a kid and like filming like my fourth birthday party, and then watching it back the next day and being like, it's my birthday again. Crazy. And it was just that that thing of like you can relive a moment. Here's a vacation we went on, here's that. And then as time goes on, it's like now you can see people who aren't here anymore, you can go to places that you can't go to anymore, and it's just it's like uh it's magical. So it makes sense that those experiences would ignite the interest for filmmaking and and that kind of stuff. But where on earth then does YouTube, I mean, I guess it's a natural fit, like you're into video and film, YouTube is big in that world, but how for you that's not English, for you, how did YouTube show up into the picture?

SPEAKER_01 18:44

Yeah. Okay, so well, uh two years ago I started the the production stuff, and mostly I felt clueless. Um where even though I had like, you know, a community group of sorts to kind of talk to and be like, oh, here, you know, what what's your how do you do this? Um not everybody's helpful. And then there's this struggle of like everybody's input is so different that who do you go with? And so sometimes you just want to like have people who maybe are on the path you want to be on be sharing with you how to do stuff, or just understanding elements that are very important to the work you're doing. Sometimes it's like figuring out how to use the gear you have because though you might have it and you're trying to figure it out, you're always gonna hit a roadblock. And so there was this point about six or seven months after doing this all that I was getting really tired of the information that was available on YouTube felt really just saturated in one type. And a lot of times you spent, you know, like 12, 14 minutes watching a video that promised you something, you know, information help or whatever. And then you walk away with like maybe a minute or two of actually helpful information. And you're just kind of like, okay, I understand like why they're doing what they're doing, but I am so ticked off in the process because I'm wasting my life and I mean my time is money at this point because I make no money or making very little money, that you wasting my time feels just so wrong, you know, and you feel almost like violated in a very weird way where you're like, seriously, I just wasted more and more time on you.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

But you gotta see that coffee B roll. We gotta just have slow motion coffee. I mean, come on.

SPEAKER_01 20:28

Yeah, I know. Gotta love that. So yeah, that there was this element where that was there, but I was still actually not interested in starting one because I'm like, I don't want to be a YouTuber. I actually really didn't want to be. Because I felt like they get such a rap, you know, where they all look the same way. They all sound the same way, they all say the stupid things. Oh, this video is sponsored by, you know, and it's the same thing every single time. I'm like, I don't want to be that. That's not me. I'm a I'm an authentic, I'm a person. Like, I don't want to look like I'm just a copy paste of the next person, you know? And so I sat on that thought for a few months. And it was somewhere over the summer that I did some sort of live stream thing on my video production thing, and people were asking me questions about filmmaking. And like specifically, there's like two people who were like, How do I, how do I get into it and start doing what you're doing? And I'm like, huh, I don't know. Um, maybe I could help you, but I don't feel like I know too much. That was kind of the other element was I don't feel like I'm smart enough or have enough experience maybe on these topics that I should be, I don't know, pretending I I don't want to pretend I'm something I'm not. That was ultimately it. And I didn't know that, like, you know, how to come across in that way on on YouTube, for instance. So it was because of those people who wanted to know more. And I actually knew their names. And they were people I'd met at least at once in my life. And I was like, you know what? These are real people who have real problems. They're literally just exactly like me. I face these same questions sometimes or did. And I had to learn the extremely hard way, which was, you know, try and fail and then move along and try again. And I was like, you know, my experience, though it's not much, maybe it's not at the level of all these other people I can see sometimes. Um, it still got something that's worthwhile to somebody who knows nothing like I once did. So I was like, okay, there's something there. And so finally, it was the same philosophy as I'm like, I'm just gonna start this. I literally have no other things besides good intentions. Like that's all I had, which was like, I want to help people, I want to skip the fluff, I want to be straightforward, to the point, and just as much as it can be be helpful, you know, and it might not be perfect right away, even though I'm a perfectionist, but whatever. And so I started it. My first video was bad. Um, it's still there, it still exists.

SPEAKER_00 22:51

I don't think your first video is that I not I watched it earlier too.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

Oh, great.

SPEAKER_00 22:55

Just just to go down. I was like, what was the first one? I think you have one of the best first videos in terms of it, doesn't feel I know to you you probably hate it and whatever, but to the outsider, it doesn't feel like a first video where people are like that's good. People don't even seem human on camera because they're just figuring it out. Yours is very much like, let's go, we're gonna jump into this. I'm like, oh, is this actually the first video?

SPEAKER_01 23:17

Yeah, well, I mean, I guess that's a good thing. I'm not afraid of being in front of camera because I've stuck myself in front of the camera many times in my hobbyist years, you know, just making stuff for my family. So I'm not afraid of that. Um, but yeah, it was getting over the initial, like, okay, the YouTuber look, you know, like what does that look like? And then going, you know, that's such a stereotype, and I really want to break it. I don't want to look like that. And there are other people on YouTube doing it. I know that. I've kind of seen a few, and um, I appreciate it when I see those channels where they're they're just straightforward, they cut the fluff. Sometimes, yes, they do the classic YouTuber things, but they can do it in such a way where sometimes it does come across tasteful. And I appreciate that too, because now that I'm a YouTuber, I can understand some of those things, but I do know I always keep in mind, even now with the YouTube channel, is what was it like to one, not have any knowledge on the YouTube, you know, YouTuber creating side of it, but more so on the receiving end. What does that look like? And that's really what it's about is I do make the content on some level for myself because I'm making it for the that version of myself that didn't know those things. And so I wanted to be as clear as possible, you know, because that's just me. I want things clear as possible. Just tell me what I need to know, tell me what's important, tell me some of the flaws. Okay, great, let's move along. Um, and that's what I wanted. So basically, yeah, I made it for myself with the understanding that other people also probably appreciate that as well. And the audience will come eventually. It's never a worry about. I never was doing it for subscribers reviews. Um, I mean, honestly, it's surprising when it happens. It's great when it happens. It's great that sometimes you can make like a tiny little bit of money off the side of it, and you're like, oh wow, that's so cool, you know. So yeah, it's that's how it started was I just saw myself where I was at and I said, you know, the platform is saturated, there's a gap. I see it. And, you know, for a while I sat there wondering, should I should I jump into that gap that I'm seeing? And then I was like, you know what, no one else is gonna do it. Um, you know, the I think the best rule of thumb is if there's content that you want to be seeing, then you need to make it because no one else is just gonna magically do it for you. And the thing is they probably won't do the way you prefer. So you might as well be doing it. And I'll say that to people sometimes when they comment on my stuff and they're like, you should be doing this. And I'm like, sorry, I that's just not what I do, but if that's something you really want to see, then you should do it. And they're like, Oh, I'm like, Yeah, that's how YouTube channels start.

SPEAKER_00 25:48

Yeah, I uh 100% I'm gonna snip part of that as like the little promo thing for this episode because it's such a good, that's such a good way to put it. And I feel the same way. I always view like my audience as me six months ago. So it's like, oh yeah, what what did I like? I'm I'm telling you things that I have only known for a little bit, for the most part. And it's like, what did I need help with six months ago? I was working with this, struggling with that, and that seems to be a great way. It's almost like this is a weird example, but like the Harry Potter books. Um, I know J.K. Rowling has gone sort of she's gone places lately, but when she wrote the books, uh, you know, they started the first ones are very childlike, and then as they go, they get darker and darker, but the books kind of grow with the audience. And so the 10-year-old kid that read the first book could still have been the 17-year-old reading the last book and psyched about it. And you're kind of growing with your audience in this very authentic way. Um, and your channel, the tagline on the banner is growth for the serious filmmaker, and that takes us right to the about section, which I love because it's it's it is no fluff, it's just straight to the point. And you just point out that like I uh there's bigger channels, there's a lot of fluff, and I, you know, lacking information that was actually helpful, so I decided to fill that gap by providing root reviews, tips, and tutorials. Um, and I think when you watch one of your videos, that's exactly it. It is 100% straight and to the point. The authenticity authenticity just like oozes out of the screen. If you if you just jumped into YouTube, you only have your experience to go off of. But I hope you know what an accomplishment it is to grow the channel you've grown in the time that you've done. I know it's been like a ton of work, but that is is pretty rare to to build this in that time frame. And I think that that's like a very strong proof of concept that you have something really special.

SPEAKER_01 27:41

I mean, I I appreciate that. I mean, obviously, like you said, I only have my own perspective. So I look at it being like, I don't know, is this normal? So yeah, thank you for the perspective.

SPEAKER_00 27:51

It's very good. Having been through it myself and have lots of friends that go through it. I mean, the growth is there, and I know it's not about the numbers, but just the idea that I I mean, you you kind of dove in and did your thing, and and you can see the growth happening in every video, and and styles changes and topics changes, change. I'm having a hard time with English today, but it's really wonderful. And the the thing that I'm sort of conflicted on like I can never tell should we spend time on this topic or not, but being a female in a super male-dominated niche is something that I can't ignore because also, like, I there's an episode of this podcast from a few weeks back where I just ranted for like 90 minutes.

SPEAKER_01 28:32

I listened to that one actually.

SPEAKER_00 28:34

Okay, okay, good. Uh well, that's uh I am honored. Um, but yeah, it's a thing, and I never know, like I am a guy, and I feel very strange when I'm like, hey, female creator, there should be more females. And you're like, Yes, guy, I know this, but from the point of view, but I also I just feel like when I see something that's missing, uh it's like I feel obligated to bring it up. So the filmmaking camera video niche on YouTube is very male-dominated. Um and I have often gotten, you know, people saying, well, it's just girls aren't into that stuff. But I teach students, and so many of my students are female who are the most talented filmmakers in my classes, the ones who are most into it. And so I'm like, no, they are it is a thing. So how do you feel about I mean, is that even anything that that you consider? It does it play a role in anything that you're doing? Like, I'm just curious.

SPEAKER_01 29:38

Yeah. I mean, obviously that's like a very broad, kind of general type question, but I think if I were to try and answer this maybe as smoothly as possible, is that um is that I never started the channel with the whole like, oh, I'm a female, there needs to be more out there, but I was aware of it. You know, you'd have to be blind and stupid to not notice that every single video seems to have a same, or I should say similar, not same, similar um attributes and maybe more like demographic type things that are very much like, oh, okay, we're seeing a lot of the same stuff. And I would say that's that's fine. Like that's what we're used to as being a female person, is that that's just where you're gonna learn your stuff. You're gonna learn it from a man, probably. That's probably where I learn most of everything I know, is that it's gonna be from men. I have no problem with that because I respect those people. They work hard for what they're doing, and I work hard for what I'm doing. Um, so I think if we're gonna apply this to YouTube, like being a YouTuber, like you said, in the filmmaking tech gear niche, first of all, YouTube is hard to break into. It is very hard. It takes a while, it takes a lot of hard work, and not everybody sees success at it. You can't walk into it thinking you'll be successful, number wise, for instance. Um, you know, you have to determine your own success, which I actually have a whole video on that conversation like a long time ago, where I was like, you know, success is not in the numbers, even though we all, you know, think about that side note. But anyway, it's not, it's not easy, right? It's just hard. It's it's very difficult to break into. And so I wouldn't look at saying, like, oh, just because I'm a female, it's additionally difficult, you know. I will say that I do feel there are times where maybe being a female YouTuber in this specific niche, um there's an element of being maybe like undervalued or something like that. Or I want to say disrespected because I don't feel like it's that there's I my experience on the YouTube platform has been really good, I think. Where you know, most people who comment and say things that's my only feedback I really have, is that they're nice, you know, they're pretty kind. There are some people, yes, they're they're a little bit of a jerk, but for the most part, you know, you don't get outrightly horrible, outrageous comments, right? So the feedback I've had has been good. And so I can't say from my experience it's been horrible, but I will say that there's this perspective, I think, towards um somebody who sits there in front of a camera and says, I'm gonna share with you, say, you know, a bottle light or a camera, or just like picking on gear, for instance, because being a gear head is very interesting. It's perceived as a very like man thing to do, which is like to nerd out on one thing. But girls like, you know, nerding out and stuff too. Maybe not the same way. Yeah. So there's this weird perspective, I think, that happens though, where maybe it's very discouraging for other people. I don't know. Myself, I just don't think about it, don't let it get to me. Um, but that is that you are viewed as being a little bit stupid, which I know that's a stronger word to use in this case, because I don't think that's the the thought in some other person's head is to look at someone else be like, oh, they're stupid just because they're a certain sex. But it does come across that way where they're not given as much voice, maybe, on a topic because it's like, oh, cool, you're always going to have a perspective of like, you're gonna like the lightweight camera because you can't, you know, do heavy lifting, or you're gonna like something that's really simple because you don't like the technical stuff. And it's like, while that might be true for many female filmmakers or YouTubers or whatever, um, it doesn't mean that they don't have other things to offer, other perspectives to offer, right? And I would expect the same from a man is that they would have, I would hope, a different perspective from the next man. I would expect the same for a woman is that they would have a different perspective from the next woman. So to view someone, yes, we all judge and we judge way too quickly, but I do feel in general, if you had the same exact type of tech review on a same exact product done by a man and then done by female, is that most people will say that the man was probably right or at least more accurate in their review, whereas the female might be perceived as not having it all complete. And there's nothing wrong with that because you know it depends on the personality more than anything. Um, but people are going to to view people the way that they want to view them. I mean, I can't change that. So if someone walks in thinking, oh, just because you're a female, you don't you really don't know stuff as well. You know, you can have the same stats, the same numbers, the same technical points, but your perspective on them is going to be so inferior, you know? They're gonna have that mindset. I can't change that. Um so yeah, ultimately, unfortunately, I don't think there's like this big huge problem, but there is like this minor thing where it's like there there does seem to be slight, you know, where other people get a little bit more of an edge, maybe.

SPEAKER_00 34:47

Yeah, and I mean I I think you're right, you know, people's inherent biases biases that that they just can't. I don't know that you can change that, but I do think that there's so much power to inspire other people. And the reason I bring that up is because the thing that I wasn't even aware of was for years, like thinking about wanting to start a YouTube channel, thinking about wanting to do these things, it didn't even occur to me that when I was going onto YouTube and looking up, you know, camera review or whatever, that I would see a person who looked like me and to to at least some extent. And then I would watch another video by another person who kind of looked like me. And it I don't know what effect I can't say what effect that had, but I think that it may have made it more made me more comfortable with the idea of, yeah, I could do this too, because look, here's there's people like me doing it too. And and I feel like I I don't know what it would be like to not have that experience. And the the closest thing I've gotten is like my wife Heather, um, who's a female creator, and let me tell you the comments we get on our channels are very different.

SPEAKER_02 35:58

Yes, they are.

SPEAKER_00 36:00

Um, but also my students too, like I'm so curious if a 16, 17-year-old girl who's interested in video went onto YouTube, looked up some tutorials, and had like they find your channel instead of a dude's channel, and they see you talking about these things. Doesn't matter if it's the exact same info, but if that's gonna just subconsciously plant some kind of seed of like it is like I can do this, and I think that that's I think that that's just a really important thing that you can't necessarily change people who are already kind of formed, but I think that there can be such a an impact on people who are still you know finding their own.

SPEAKER_02 36:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:46

Um and so I just I get very excited when I find like, oh, look, it's a like a female creator in this niche that's offering a different perspective. Because I just also get excited when I find new channels that are good. Yeah. I don't care who they're by. Um, but it is interesting. I haven't seen it so much because I, you know, I always read comments on videos, and it seems like your community is very positive and very supportive. But there's other times female creators will say something they'll be talking about, a camera or a light or whatever. And the the comments are always like, Yeah, well, you really know what you're talking about. They're like surprised. And I'm like, you wouldn't say that on my channel. Like it's sort of expected that I know what I'm talking about, but this channel, which I feel like is only based on gender, that somebody's like, Wow, you actually know about camera sensors or something, and it's like, yeah, I can read.

SPEAKER_01 37:40

Like to be honest, it it is it's not just this industry that has it. I mean, I think we would all know, we would have to be blind to be like, oh, it's just this industry. No, it's not. But yeah, I do agree that the comments do differ a little bit. And maybe it does just depend sometimes on how bad they'll be, depending on the the individual. You know, like the thing is people I think forget to realize that gender is not the sole basis of the way that we judge or perceive people. Right. A lot of times it's it's a combination of everything, you know, they're the way that they're talking, their personality, the way it quirks and comes across. And, you know, so there's there's a lot of different things that would make someone maybe say something like that. I wouldn't, I wouldn't come across um a video and be like, oh my gosh, just because they're a man and they said that, that they're, you know, whatever, sexist, I don't even know. Um, I wouldn't say that because A, I just wouldn't even think that way. But B, I think if I were someone else and I was in their shoes with their mindset or something, I would hope that they're not doing it for that sole purpose either. But yes, I do agree that you will get those comments that you're like, this doesn't belong here because we're literally talking about filmmaking. We're talking about gear. What does this have to do with the human body, basically? You know, right? I mean, granted, like, yes, we're interacting with the gear, whatever, fine. But yeah, it happens.

SPEAKER_00 39:07

It's a little off topic.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

Yeah, it is off topic. And I think I personally get a little more right now than I've before, is a little more like partially annoyed with it. Because I'm like, you know, this while you're not completely inappropriate, what you're insinuating is inappropriate of some sorts for the fact that this topic has literally nothing to do with my gender, with with me being this way. Like, I'm born this way. What could you possibly have to say about that? Like, it's like saying, like, oh my gosh, you have hair and you're you're you can talk about filmmaking gear, and you're like, yeah, I know, it's pretty mind-boggling.

SPEAKER_00 39:41

You're really good at audio for someone with brown eyes. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 39:44

I know. It would be just like a very weird thing to pick and be like, wow, for that reason, you're good at this. And it's like, well, no. But the thing is, I'm I am used to it on some level, which sounds funny. But I came from another industry, I guess you could call it, or whatever, that was really, really male-dominated. Like for every, I'll say 30 guys, there might be one, maybe female. And it it was actually refereeing, soccer refereeing. I did that for quite a few times.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

I was gonna ask what the industry was.

SPEAKER_01 40:15

Yeah. And they they're trying so, so hard to get female referees, good ones. And I was one of them for a while, where I was considering even as a career, honestly, glad I changed that. Um, and not that I hated it. It was just it's a very hostile environment, actually, especially as a female, because you are viewed, yeah, the instant you walk on that field, you are viewed as inferior a lot of times. And that your call is wrong and that you're dumb and that you didn't see it, and that you're blind, and it is a game and people get heated. But yeah, it just because you walk on the field look at a certain way, you're instantly judged for being incapable of something. So I came from an industry that was like that and built that way.

SPEAKER_00 40:58

It's good preparation then.

SPEAKER_01 40:59

Yeah, you have to have thick skin. Like I had thick skin from that because I can tell you that filmmaking is a whole lot easier of a world. You know, all you have to deal with with maybe a harassing comment every once in a while.

SPEAKER_00 41:12

Right, which you can just delete.

SPEAKER_01 41:14

Yeah, right. And yeah, it can sticks with you. You know, they hurt sometimes, whatever. But when it came to like the refereeing world, the the thick skin gathered there was very different because it's verbal abuse that you get to see and that you get to feel, and your emotions just fluctuate instantly. And yeah, a lot of times um there are some people who are not very kind, and there are situations where your life is actually being threatened by people. They want to kill you. Um, I've had people want to run out on the field and trying to physically harm me. Grown men, you know, and I was just this of course. Yeah, I was a teenager at the time, and I'm like, um, this is wrong on so many levels.

SPEAKER_00 41:56

What a proud day.

SPEAKER_01 41:57

Yeah, so there that situation and then a lot of other ones like that for a few years really built me to the concept of like, you know what, you just have to have a thick skin to some of it. Some of it, yes, you do not have to deal with. Um, but yeah, that was a very dominated industry as well. So I kind of just joined a different one, um, YouTube.

SPEAKER_00 42:15

And that's a good YouTube training graph.

SPEAKER_01 42:17

I know, right? I should I highly recommend it. You know, the world needs more of that.

SPEAKER_00 42:23

Yeah, it's uh, but and and it's tricky too because I think everybody, at least in our little niche area genre, ultimately you just want to be known for what you know. Like it doesn't matter, gender, race, like whatever. It's just I would like people to appreciate me for my skills, my knowledge, my experience, and all the other stuff is irrelevant. And so in that way, it's like part of me is like, I wish we didn't even talk about, you know, any gender stuff, but it's just so it's just so uh slanted in the other direction that uh it's impossible not to ignore. But I'm glad that I'm glad that you're I'm glad that you're weathering it.

SPEAKER_01 43:06

Um and that overall you've had, you know, yeah, that I'm grateful for that because I know not everybody gets that. And it is unfortunate when those situations happen, I will say that, where you're like, you're just kind of like disappointed in mankind where you're like, seriously, we had to go.

SPEAKER_00 43:20

I get those, don't worry. Everybody gets those. You're just like so oh boy.

SPEAKER_01 43:24

It's how it works, you know. I'm grateful that, you know, for everyone, like eh, comment, there's at least a good three dozen other, like really nice ones.

SPEAKER_00 43:32

So but if you're anything like me, it's the one that sticks out, which I hate. You can get 10 people saying, This was amazing, thank you so much. And then one person's like, You should really stop making videos, and you're like it's it like brings all your fears to the front quickly, yeah. All your insecurities of like, hmm, you're kind of awkward on camera. That's the thing I'm worried about. Like, oh no.

SPEAKER_01 43:57

This is why I am such an advocate now. More than ever for the fact that you really have to be on top of working on yourself more than on even just your camera skills. Like you should be working on those two, but like you have to be diligent to work on what's happening inside your brain because that's going to be what overwhelms you and makes you stop doing this thing that you enjoy, or you're gonna hate it, or you know, gonna have this bad view of other people, you know, for instance, because it's not, I wouldn't say it's their fault, because yeah, they are at fault for saying something unkind. Like it's not necessary. There's more tactful ways to say, you know, something constructive. But like you like you were just saying, like it brings that insecurity out in you. And if you're not gonna be dealing with that, that's gonna be what's gonna end up ruining you. So yeah, that's something that on my channel, that's why I don't just do gear stuff because I'm I'm convinced that the emotional side of it is probably the most overwhelming aspect to it, is that you know, when you're feeling like a failure, you're disappointed in something, or you're feeling rejected on multiple levels and with clients and with work and all these different things that are happening. If you don't take a moment to talk about that, think about that, deal with it, that is going to be the thing that ends up destroying this dream inside of you. You know, I think that's what happens to many people. So yeah, side note, but I do think that's utterly important to dealing with those comments, even.

SPEAKER_00 45:21

I mean, as cliche as it sounds, it really does come down to, you know, just you trying to work on you and you can't please everybody all the time. And especially on YouTube, the fact that it is very true. If somebody has a an adverse negative reaction to something you're doing, and the thing that you're doing is not terrible, you know, like you're if it's objectively terrible, this does not apply. But if you're just doing your thing, somebody uh somebody has a negative response to it, in a way that's a good thing because it probably means there's people on the other side who are then really going to connect with it. Because nobody connects with something that's just completely like flatline, vanilla down the middle, nothing. Who cares about that? Like you gotta have some kind of point of view, some kind of perspective for people to connect to something positively or negatively. So I always think like, you know, get those thumbs down, you get those negative comments, it usually means that you're kind of on the right track.

unknown 46:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 46:20

As much as it's, you know, it's never fun to have that stuff. But it's at least better than getting threatened as a teenager on the soccer field.

SPEAKER_01 46:29

Right. I'm like, ah, that's a lot nicer.

SPEAKER_00 46:32

There's uh, I know I I have a massive list list of questions that we are not gonna get through.

SPEAKER_01 46:38

Oh, whatever. We can do another one. I don't care.

SPEAKER_00 46:40

Great, great. I have you on record saying that. But there's a few things I really do want to touch on um before we wrap up, which really kind of come down to how you approach your videos and your channel. Because, like you said earlier, uh authenticity is hugely important, and that's a that's a big strong value. And when you watch your videos, whether it's it's a review or tutorial or something like that, I think that that's super evident. And you have a really interesting philosophy on your reviews and keeping them authentic. Um, it seems like you also like you you've you've been able to find that balance between sometimes when you make a product-based video, it can feel like you're just making a commercial for that product, even the video's not sponsored or anything, but you're like, I want to get glamour shots of the thing, and I do that. And you're like, Am I just making an ad? Like, I don't think I want to make an ad. How do you approach the the gear-related content in that way of keeping it authentic, keeping it val like valuable for the audience, and staying true to yourself?

SPEAKER_01 47:41

Yeah, it is tricky, I think, if you're not mindful. I am extremely mindful of what I'm creating. Um, there's a lot of intention and a lot of thought put into everything. And I always go back to why I started the channel, for one, which was to actually help people, you know, like I said, being straightforward to the point. But there's also that aspect, like what you're saying, is when it comes to products, yeah, it feels like a product video or a commercial or something like that. And it it kind of falls in that category at times. But for me, when it comes to how I'm conducting that video, there are a few things that I'm definitely aware of, which is what it what would I want to get out of this if I'm watching this? A. But B, what's the value in it? You know, uh, what am I gonna walk away feeling like, ah, this wasn't just you know a commercial for this product?

SPEAKER_02 48:40

Right.

SPEAKER_01 48:40

And I think for me, it's I always am trying to deliver something. So um, yes, it's information at the end of the day, but I'm delivering it from a perspective, perhaps. So that perspective that I'm always looking to do it from is it's kind of selfish because um I'm a very hands-on person. Like I want to, I want to go there and I'm like, this is it, and I want to click the buttons and you know, turn it on, turn it off, see how it looks, see how it feels. So I do come on it from that perspective because I know everyone, everyone wants that. Like everyone hates online shopping. Everybody wants to go to the store and like hold it, feel it, use it, test it out, you know, rent it, whatever. So having that mindset going into it, I know that like the things that I'm gonna talk about are going to fall on those type of things as well. Like, okay, if you can't touch it yourself, how can I visually do that? And then explain it to you. Like, okay, when I got this out of the package, it was a piece of junk, like it fell apart within a week. Um, things like that. Those things are helpful. So those are points that I try to make. And what I something I think that maybe it might be normal, it might not be, but I I try to make a point to explain what I feel is a negative aspect to a product. Not on purpose. Like if it does not really have a strong one, fine, whatever. There's no point in like looking for a flaw. It will have a flaw. Products have flaws. So I'm not purposely like, oh, where's the flaw in this? But to be sure to incorporate that, to mention that, to say, hey, it has fan noise. Um, hey, this thing is not as good build quality as it should be. It needs to be better. And I'll make points, I'll make things, you know, sometimes I say something that, you know, five months later it's wrong because maybe it got fixed, or maybe it's maybe it's a non-issue now. Um, and that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that. But I do make a point, and I think that's something that comes across authentically, is that I have been in the situation where I purchased a product because someone raved about it, you know, and there's nothing worse than watching a video where you feel like you're just being hyped a product and oh, it's amazing, it's wonderful, and oh by the way, it's got bad fan noise. You know, like they speak behind their hand really quick and they're like, ah, and you, you know, you don't even catch the con because they're just hyping it so much. And I've bought a product like that, you know, and I tried it and it was not, it was not designed for someone like me, you know, and that's not their fault necessarily, but I had watched multiple videos before I bought the product, you know, every single one of them was like hype, hype, hype. Oh, by the way, this product was sent to me by so and so. And you're like, hmm, yeah, are all products that are sent to people this way? So yeah, I do make a point, especially with the ones that are sent to me, to be like, let's be real about this. What are the problems with this? Because granted, it's probably gonna have some. And and then a big step, and something I'm trying to incorporate even further, um, is to really show its real life applications to say, okay, this is how I've used it. And this is this is how it went. Or, you know, sometimes it went great and it's fine, no issues. Um, it's not that the lapse of time or the lapse of use and you know, situations is it's only like authenticating factor, you know, like, oh yeah, okay, she's legit and so is the product because she took five months to make this video. No, it does look really good though. Uh and I've done that before. I'm like, you know, I refuse to do a product review on this because it's it needs time to be tested. There are some products that just need that. So that's another element to my product review stuff is that um I make a point to not just throw together the content and make it, you know, woo, it's done, it's real quick, it's fast. I've even been requested to that, you know, people are like, oh, you should you should start banging out content really fast. And I'm like, do you expect it to have the same quality then? Do you honestly think I can be truly as authentic as possible? But yes, I agree. There's a there's a way I could probably be a little faster on some of this, but there are there's an element of I don't even know. It's not legitimacy or whatever, but there's something like I guess what we're talking about is being authentic. When you're like, I I know this product for me. I'm never it's so selfish. And it's something I was even just thinking about last night where it's like, as much as I'm making the content for helping other people, it's still for me. I want to know I know that product. I want to know it's a good fit. If I was the person buying it, how would I feel if I watched my video and all I did was rave about it? And then I being the person who, you know, wasn't me, but whatever, I go out and buy it and it's it falls apart, it doesn't work. It's not meant for me, perhaps. I would really be disappointed in that person, and I've been disappointed in other people in those ways because that's what happens sometimes. You can't be perfect, don't get me wrong, my reviews will never be perfect, but I want to do as much as I can on my my part to say, okay, these are the situations I've used it in. It's definitely not all it can be used in, but this is how it went. I do think it's great for these ones specifically. It's worked really well. You know, this is a good light, or it's a pretty good light, for instance, because I do a lot of lights. It's a pretty good light, but uh it's it needs some work, you know. That was kind of like one of my most recent videos. I'm like, it's good light, but there are things that could make it better.

SPEAKER_00 53:45

Yeah, and you were super clear about that too. Yeah. Which again, it does, it just it's both sides of everything. I really like this, but it's not purple. Yeah, you I like that you there's no videos on your channel that say you need in all caps this thing, the one lens that you need, this light you need. And it's like, as soon as I see if it says I need a product, I'm just like, I'm probably not gonna be watching this video.

SPEAKER_01 54:08

What's funny though is psychologically, it almost makes you want to click on it because you're like, what do I need? But then at the same time, you're so mindful of that, you're like, don't fall into the trap.

SPEAKER_00 54:17

Oh no, no, I can totally fall into the trap. Like, oh, I did, but I need it, like he said. Exactly. Why would someone go on the internet and just lie?

SPEAKER_01 54:23

My philosophy is with making these videos, because it's so easy to do clickbaity things like that, is that I have to think of being that person because I still am sometimes. Look, I might be a YouTuber, I might have some decent following. I don't make enough money. Okay. I can barely pay rent half the time. So some people think I've got like all this money and all this gear, and I'm just like rolling around in the luxury of YouTubing life. I'm not. But what's what I have to keep in mind is that there's a person on the end of that screen who's watching it, whether you know they actually want the product or not, but let's assume that they do. They're interested in purchasing it. I do them no service if I tell them it's great without telling them that there's problems. I do them no service if I don't tell them who it's good for or what it's good for, at least with my experience. It's always based on experience in this case, right there. But I also do them no service if I tell them to go out and buy the dumb thing, because who do how do I know how much money they have? I've been the person who's like, oh my gosh, it looks like that's the thing I need. I'm gonna go out and buy it. You go out and buy it, it does not fulfill the need that you needed it to fill. Granted, no product's perfect, but but I want to be sure I am servicing those people who are watching my stuff. I'm conscious of it. Though I make the content for myself, so to speak, the person I was six months ago, I am so aware because I hate being on the other end of those videos. The other end is so miserable when you're like, oh my gosh, it's a purchase, uh, it's $400. And like, do I make $400 to spend this month? No. And yet you kind of at a situation were like, I think I need this, it might help with my next client video, which barely makes enough money. You know, we've been there. We all started somewhere. And so I'm very conscious of those people. I don't care if you're a person who watches my video and you have all the money in the world, you don't care if you blow it. I'm fine with that. But I am so conscious of that person where money is so sensitive because I value the trust people are giving me. They trust me with their time. So I make a 12-minute video, I want it to be to the point that you know every second of it is as to the point as possible. They're getting as much out of it as possible. I value their time. I'm showing them that they in turn are giving me a sense of like their trust, basically. They're saying, okay, I'm trusting you with my time. And then some people go even a step further and they trust you with their wallet. And when you break the trust of time, people will forgive you on some level. Even though they shouldn't, we we as a society have missed the concept of how valuable time is. I do believe that.

SPEAKER_00 56:51

I agree 100%.

SPEAKER_01 56:52

Yeah, but people are so, so much more sensitive to when you break their the value of their wallet. When you you convince them to buy something, for instance, you were the person that did it, granted, yeah, how do you know? But whatever, you did it, and they make that purchase and it fails. I'll tell you that I've been there and you have no trust for that person anymore. And you it takes a long time to build it back if if you're going to trust them again with your wallet. But ultimately, it's so much harder for that person to look at you and say, okay, yeah, what everything that they're saying now, you know, I can believe, I can go with, I'll, I'll, I'll trust it, you know. So yeah, there's this element that granted, maybe not everybody has as much of a, I don't know, logical way of looking at things and can, you know, look at life that way, maybe the same way I do. But that's how I'm looking at it, is that people are trusting me and I don't want to break that. It's just how I would act in person. It's that I'm talking to you right now. We have a connection here, right? And it would be so cruel of me to not understand that you're trusting me with time, at least in the conversation, and that we might share things, being like, oh yeah, life sucks and you know, it's miserable and we're both broke. Cool. We're trusting each other with, you know, vulnerableness or at least emotions or concepts or thoughts. Those things are personal, those things are important. And then money is equally as important for a lot of people. Some people don't have a lot of it. So to be unaware of that and to be so thoughtless with the content I'm creating, to me is so morally wrong. And I do wish other people were just a little more conscious of how their content is perceived in that way.

SPEAKER_00 58:28

I was just telling Heather, my wife, uh, yesterday, I was like, my YouTube feed is just flexing in commercials now. It's just people like, I bought a $16,000 camera, look at my Tesla, here's sponsored by whatever. And yeah. Um, so there's a couple very quick, easy-to-answer questions that I have as we wrap up that I'm curious about. Uh call them my selfish questions. I'm super curious about what your main camera is right now.

SPEAKER_01 58:53

Yeah, yeah, sure. So uh I'm on a Canon 6D Mark II, and I've been on that for a good year and a half or two.

SPEAKER_00 59:00

Such an underrated one.

SPEAKER_01 59:01

It is. But it works.

SPEAKER_00 59:03

It's a very that's a very special camera to me.

SPEAKER_01 59:05

Hey, it is because it's like my only good camera right now. I I would love another camera, of course, don't get me wrong, but uh it works, so why not?

SPEAKER_00 59:12

Well, your videos look amazing. What lens do you use with it mostly?

SPEAKER_01 59:14

Um, I for YouTube stuff, like talking head at least, and a lot of the B-roll even, it's a Sigma Art Lens 35mm. And then my second favorite is so tied sometimes, but also Sigma Art 50mm. Those are my like two go-to favorite lenses.

SPEAKER_00 59:29

Yeah, I have the Sigma 24 right now. The 35 was my like dream lens for a long time, and then for some reason I was like, I'm gonna buy it 24. I don't know, but I really love the 24.

SPEAKER_02 59:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 59:39

Um, but I I'm I was just very curious about those. Uh and then do you have like I know it seems like I mean you've really done a lot of lighting videos lately, but I don't know if you have just a favorite piece of gear in your arsenal, whether it's camera lights, a big thing, just a small thing, just the thing that you're just gosh, I couldn't do my I need this in all caps.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:02

It's hard because ever every single piece of gear has its purpose. So there's that. So if I were like to pick one from a category, and obviously I'm passionate about lighting, so I'd probably pick it in the category of lighting, um, would probably be the Godox ML60. It's a new light. I'm actually putting out a video on it like somewhere the next week. I'm currently finishing the edit on it actually. So um it will be out soon, hopefully by the time this podcast is out, but it's actually lighting me right now because I like it because it's small, it fits in like these little places, it's lightweight, it's extreme, it's absolutely silent. And right now I have it on 1% and it's just bright enough to do this uh Zoom call.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:43

It looks real bright, like it's right, it looks great.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:46

Yeah, and so it's one of my things that I'm like, oh, this is so good. I like this. And I like the fact that it's just small and portable and stuff like that. It's kind of become my go-to light when I'm like, I just need a little something for this product I'm shooting. Ah, cool. This is it. Obviously, more in the in the actual review on that, but yes, so stay tuned.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:03

Or maybe that's how you're hearing this.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:05

Nah, I don't care. You don't have to watch the video, but that's my opinion on it. It's actually a really, really good light.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:08

They do have to watch the video. Um, well, I guess we'll just have to do a part two. Season four will include a part two.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:15

You have me in the new year. How's that?

SPEAKER_00 1:01:17

Yes, 2021. Um, so thank you so much for spending time today. If people, I'll put links to everything, of course, in the show notes, but if people want to reach out to you, you know, where can they find you? Where do you want to direct them?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:28

Yeah, well, it's pretty straightforward. So I'm on Instagram and YouTube primarily. I also have Facebook, but you'll find me on Instagram and YouTube more, and it's just fellow filmmaker at fellow filmmaker. So no complicated anything there.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:41

Cool. Well, thank you again so much for spending your time with me and wrapping up season three of my arbitrary 21 episode seasons. So, and thank you to everyone who is listening. Of course, you can always you know where to find me, and the links are in the thing. Uh, thank you for spending again the most valuable resource. Thank you to Heather for sending your valuable valuable resource of time, and thank you to everyone who listened for spending your time with us. Hope you got something out of this. I had a lot of fun, and this has been a terrific batch of episodes. Thanks for listening, and I will see you all in the next season.