Well, it finally happened. Anyone on the planet can now make a bustling, lucrative career by talking to a camera and uploading the footage to the internet. In fact, huge communities can form around vloggers and video content creators. You’ve seen these people on the news, talk shows, and even on the big screen in films! All it takes is a good idea or concept, then it’s up to you to turn it into reality.
But what about all that, like, technology? Video content is more than just sitting down in front of a webcam. There are a handful of important factors to consider, and many of them rely on electronics. Luckily, the consumer electronics market is so large and competitive that you can get a solid vlogger setup for an affordable price. (We are assuming that you already have a camera on lock-down!)
5 Must-Have Tech Accessories for Vloggers & Video Content Creators
Along with your video-capable camera and a nearby window for natural lighting, all you need are these five pieces of equipment and you’ll be setting yourself up for a luscious film-making career!
External Hard Drive
Before you do anything on the internet with video you’ve created, back it up onto a hard drive. I can’t tell you the number of videos I’ve watched from vloggers who are nearly in tears because they didn’t back their content up before their computers died. Video files are mighty large as they include both motion and audio files, so the size of your external hard drive should reflect that. A very popular size for external hard drives is 1TB (one terabyte). You might think that these mega-huge hard drives are still super expensive, but 1TB drives are as low as $50 each!
High-Powered Laptop
If you watch a lot of video bloggers, you might think that you need an expensive Apple laptop in order to create content. This just isn’t true! PC laptops are excellent video processors, and the best part is how customizable they are. The laptop or computer you use to process video is the most important item on this list, and the reason should be obvious. With the amount of video editing you’ll be doing on your computer, you need to be sure that the laptop you have is strong enough to handle high volumes. This might mean the laptop you currently have is good for a lot of things, but not good for video processing, and it’s highly recommended that you find one that is.
There are literally hundreds of laptops to choose from when it comes to buying a new one. This is why you absolutely, 100% must look at reviews before buying a laptop for editing video. Become as informed as you can so when you discover the perfect laptop for your needs, you can find it for the lowest possible price.
Microphone
You might be thinking, “but my nice video camera has an on-board microphone!” Trust me, that’s not good enough. In order to achieve crystal-clear, professional quality sound, you need a real-live microphone, just like the pros.
There are microphones that fit on top of DSLR cameras as well as mics that plug in to your laptop via USB, or into your camera through an audio cable. That way, whether you need directional audio recordings or voice-over samples, you can achieve both with your single microphone. You’ll be shocked and amazed at how tiny these little microphones can be, and that makes them perfect for vlogging and on-the-go video.
Smartphone Lenses
Have you ever played with lenses for your smartphone? When promoting your content on social media, these little lenses are an amazing tool. Not only are they completely analog, which means they don’t need batteries, but they can give you incredibly unique, high quality photos straight from your phone! Record video clips using your phone when you can’t bring your normal video camera. Use wide angle lenses, macro lenses, or even telephoto lenses that clip right over your normal camera.
Camera Remote
While your camera undoubtedly has a self-timer, having a handheld remote control can really speed things up. Instead of waiting for your camera’s shutter to engage, hold the remote under your tabletop or in your pocket to subtly cue your camera to start recording.
This way, you can set your camera up on a tripod up to 30 feet away and hop into the frame just the way you want. This will also help you trigger the shutter without touching or bumping the camera. If you love crisp, unwavering, steady footage, a camera remote is a must!
With these five gadgets, you’ll be on your way to setting up the perfect video editing studio. After that, it’s all about turning your ideas into images and cultivating a loving, supportive community. There’s nothing quite like sharing your life with the world, so be sure you have the gear to show it best!
Photo by Gavin Whitner