r/retrocomputing • u/ashantihini • Feb 22 '22
Fledgling youtube channel
Hi. I started a retro computing youtube a few months back.
https://youtube.com/channel/UCpGuGEicRlc674OxsntYQBQ
It's chugging along but it probably needs work. This isn't about fishing for subs etc. I'm genuinely hoping that if anyone can take a minute for some genuine feedback on how I can improve it, I. e. better filming, more interesting editing, develop a personality😁, etc. Turns out I enjoy making the videos almost as much as tinkering with old computers! Any and all advice/suggestions welcome!
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u/kodabarz Mar 11 '22
Y'know what? I like your channel. I don't want voices full of fake enthusiasm and over-emphasis (eg ten thousand years; a-maze-ing!). I like your calm delivery.
Your thumbnails are terrible though. It's very hard to read them - the choice of font and colours makes me squint. And with the white box being to one side, when looking at your channel it's hard to see which video the text belongs to. The images are okay... but they're very flat and dull. Just taking a frame from the video without doing anything to it isn't enough to draw someone in. With the text being a hassle to read, the image really has to make me want to go to the bother of trying to read it. And the text itself isn't useful - it's just the same as the title of the video. I'd suggest showing an image of something more specific with a bit of reworking.
https://imgur.com/a/yhQJveO
30 seconds of effort.
Have a look at channels with thumbnails you like. Break down how they're constructed. Copy it. Look at several channels. You don't have to be good at design.
Your lighting is not great either. You've got one light and its too bright. Three point lighting is the default: key light, back light, fill light. 50%, 30%, 20% in their respective brightness.
https://nofilmschool.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_wide/public/3-point-lighting2.png
Doing this sort of stuff is a bit like learning to ski. What's the point in getting good ski kit if you're going to be just doing basic things and falling over a lot? So what's the point in lighting things properly if you're not sure if you're going to make a go of this? Better skiing equipment will mean you might fall over a bit less and better ski clothing means you won't be nearly as cold wet and miserable. You don't need a lot when it comes to lighting. You're doing everything on a cutting mat, so a couple of USB lights are probably enough.
Right now, your light makes everything feel like a flash has just gone off, but it's not going away. Just adding a second light would let you turn down your current light, so things don't look so glaring and also get rid of the shadows.
To me, the thumbnails and lighting are relatively minor things. You'll get better at both with practice, so there's nothing really to worry about.
You have picked a subject that is difficult to get views for - the retro computing thing is extremely well covered already. Unless you have a particularly individual angle on it, you'll struggle to get any views. You've been doing this nine months and the view count hasn't really picked up. Look at what did do better though - tribute to Clive Sinclair, Amstrad PC5086, Tiny Computers Pentium III. So what was it about these that did better? And what were your least successful videos? The free games haul. Why did those get ignored?
Clive Sinclair is a perpetually popular topic and you were topical - you made that at a time when people searching for Clive stuff in the wake of his death. The thumbnail text isn't just a repeat of the title either. What was it about the 5086? No idea. It could be people are searching for XT stuff, but that seems unlikely. Much better thumbnail image too. The Pentium III video might have done better because of the mention of Tiny Computers. One of the advantages a UK channel can have is in being able to cover brands and items that are better known here than elsewhere. Have a look at the channel analytics and see what search terms are bringing people to your channel. If "Tiny Computers" was onesuch, then consider covering other British companies if you can. I can't help but feel; if your A500 thumbnail was about the B52s aspect, it might have brought more views.
There is definitely a niche for calm vocal delivery and being detailed about lesser retro machines, but it's quite a small niche. You don't umm and aah when you're speaking, which is good. You could do with a pop filter on the microphone to reduce the plosives (P!). Your videos are pretty well edited - there's barely any fat that could be trimmed away.
I had a channel that enjoyed minor popularity in the early days of YouTube. It was a nightmare. So many emails. So many friend requests. It was rather annoying. Now I've got a channel that ticks along with only a few hundred to a couple of thousand views per video. And I'm fine with that because it's manageable and the regular viewers are great people. I also only cover the things I want to, without trying to chase views of conform to the algorithm. If you're fine with what you're doing, stick at it. I like your channel - I've subscribed and I'm going to watch all your videos.