One of our subscribers asked us how they can tell better stories in their vlogs. well with a little filmmaking knowledge and some storytelling
Techniques we can help you make your vlogs more entertaining, informative, and engaging all without spending a single penny. welcome to the film look
This video is sponsored by rocketstock.com. check out their creator video element pack for logo reveals, end screens,
subscribe animations, and much more. all designed with vloggers and content creators in mind. links in the description below
firstly let's define what a vlog actually is
It's a broad term so let's put down some ground rules. a vlog is a piece of video content posted by creator
Who features as themselves
In front of the camera and shares their thoughts and knowledge on something. to put it simply vlogs are videos of people
sharing their world. "my camera isn't good enough"
Let's get this first one out of the way. your kit is the last thing you have to worry about when making vlogs
You don't need a fancy camera, cool lights, and a top-of-the-line microphone. as long as your footage
isn't blurry and we can hear you clearly it's gonna be good enough for a vlog. most smartphones including what I'm recording on right now
Are good enough for a vlog so don't blame your tools!
"I'm not interesting" when something isn't quite right with your vlogs the first thing you'll probably do is blame yourself
"I'm not interesting in front of the camera". You might say. Wrong! It's not that you aren't interesting
It's that you are not interested. successful vlogs are about people who love what they do
They have a passion. whichever subject It is you are talking about you must be invested in it
This is your course subject and it's this single core subject which will help you give your vlog more structure
Cody's lab is a prime example of being interesting by being interested
He makes videos about mining ore, smelting, and science experiments
He even has a series about beekeeping. until I watched his videos
I had literally no interest in beekeeping, but because Cody is so passionate about his core subject
I just kept watching. you don't have to be the most charismatic and exciting person in the whole world
But by simply having a real interest in what you're talking about
you will automatically shine on screen. "have a plan"
A mistake a lot of new vloggers make is hitting the record button on the camera and waiting for something
Interesting to happen in front of them. unless you are a rich superstar rapper who ends up in a crazy situation every single day
You'll need to plan your vlog to make it more entertaining
Write down some subjects, topics, places, and things you want to cover inside your vlog. just make sure there are things that interest you
Before you go out for the day you should have an idea of the type of video you want to make
This will give you a stronger backbone when you shoot
It will give you a focused subject
And it will help you craft the story as you go along
Storytelling 101. "character conflict goal" is an essential storytelling technique. every great story follows this rule
And your vlog should too if you want to stand out. so who is your character? You are! interesting characters have strengths and weaknesses
So don't be afraid to show what you are afraid of, can't do, and don't like, as well as the positives
What is your goal? tell us about what you want to achieve inside your vlog. in the filmmaking world this is called exposition
It's the information the audience needs to know in order to follow along with the plot. for example in the movie Inception
they need to explain the whole thing about dreams, implanting memories, and stealing thoughts in order for the audience to be able to follow along
So tell your audience your goal, document your journey, and show the obstacles that get in your way
"Arriving late and leaving early" you see this executed in film and TV all of the time
It's that cut mark between the police officer grabbing his jacket off the chair and arriving at the scene
You don't need to see everything in between to understand the change of time and location. your brain works this all out
You can use this technique to help improve the pace of your vlogs
If you want to show the passage of time for example you can actually do this in very few shots. End your scene by picking
Up your jacket. insert a quick shot of your watch
Then close the door at the next location
We understand in just a few seconds that you've left one place and arrived at the other without using loads of filler
material. if you are simply telling the audience that you're moving location you don't need a show
tying your shoes
grabbing your food
Closing the door, shots of your feet, getting in the car... at the end of the day none of this is all really that
Entertaining and it's no longer efficiently telling our story. your shots give the audience visual information
So don't give them too much useless
Information just to fill up the timeline. use your time wisely and try to cut the fat from your edit
Some people may prefer the organic no format whimsical style of a vlog and that's totally fine
But if you want to compete with the best
Using some storytelling and filmmaking techniques will certainly help you stand out
And if you have any advice for others about telling better stories inside a vlog leave them in the comments down below
And we will all share the knowledge. and why not subscribe if you liked this video we make filmmaking videos every Tuesday and Sunday
Here's a quick shout out to rocket stock for providing the video elements used in this episode. Their creator pack features over
250 elements made with social media
Influencers in mind. so next time you've got videos to post online pay them a visit. links in the description below
Thanks for watching another episode of the film look and remember to achieve it 1 vlog at a time
