Content Creation: Be Authentic and READ THIS!!

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Christopher Powell

I've Got It
Hi All,

I want to take a short moment (i.e. long forum post!) to talk about content creation. For my day job, I am a trainer for an oil & gas company, responsible for Europe & Africa region. It is my job to inspire the best in the people I deal with, and I have exposure to a wide variety of cultures and outlooks. One thing is common throughout everywhere I work, and that is the people involved. We are all, at the end of the day, human. We have an inbuilt desire to create, and this leads me to the question: How can we create in the era of the internet?

Why Create?
Probably the most important question you can ask when starting out is 'Why should I create?'. These days, it seems that content is driven not on the uniqueness of voice, but of a desire to become famous. The internet is a great place, and yes it has spawned a generation of new celebrities, but they have done so through a passion for what they do.

If you do want to become internet famous, and let's be honest we all have that in mind, focus on the content you create, not your subscriber amount. They will come as you grow, find and develop your voice, and start to be confident in expressing yourself through a new medium. People who create content ONLY to get followers/subscribers will produce content which isn't authentic to them as a person, and ultimately they will never get the recognition they seek.

Why Produce?

In at number two, is the real technical element of what we do. Unless you are going for a stream-of-consciousness format which is completely unabridged (for the older crew, think Talking Heads) then you are going to need some level of post-production. Thankfully these days, editing software is easy to use, and getting easier all the time. Be prepared to spend HOURS editing a single video. Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration! Some programs have a steep learning curve, so you need to be prepared.

Tackle projects you will never publish, create content you will never show anybody, and allow yourself to be stupid! Truly great content is a combination of killer raw content and brilliant editing, and you need to be both star and executive producer!

What Kind of Person Are You?

This question is fundamental to what you produce. There is a mad desire to be popular these days. It is linked into the above point regarding internet fame. Producing something everybody else is doing is all well and good provided you ACTUALLY like that kind of content, and are passionate about it. There is no use producing game videos if you yearn to be a blogger, and vice versa.

Now this is by no means an absolute. People change throughout the course of their lives. I change all the time. Humanity, is by it's very existence, one of chaos and change. I want to produce comedy, travel videos, rants, music videos, challenge videos, experimental music videos, the list goes on. I have an entire document with creative goals that I will try and either like or dislike. The point is to be true to the kind of person you are.

Be bold! Be unafraid! Try new things and do them spectacularly! There is a famous quote:

Why is the sky the limit when there are footprints on the moon?

It's All About Planning!
Prior planning prevents p1ss poor performance! Never have words rung so true! If you want to be serious about your channel/content. PLAN IT! It's as simple as that! I have a spreadsheet that lists ideas, what phases there are, any files I find relating to it (if I take pictures, find articles online, etc.), and if I need to write any content for that, then I have a process to follow. It isn't inhibiting creativity, it's enabling it by removing the practical elements from my head. If I have a schedule to follow, a list to guide me, I am free to refer to it as needed and then get on with the business of creating.

Now, it doesn't have to be this rigid. In fact, I am a VERY organised person in this respect, so perhaps it is a little anal of me to say, but you need to have a place to record your ideas, track their progress, and follow up on anything you may have dropped. Treat it like a business - if you have this information outside of your head, then you declutter it and focus on the doing. There is fortune in boldness, but being bold comes with great care and planning!

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Anyway guys, that's me done with this post. Please let me know what you think/share your own experiences in this regard!

Thanks, and have a great day!! Get creating, and I wish you every success!
 
I wouldn't necessarily agree that planning is for everyone. Look at movies like Borat, it was mostly free scripted and unplanned and it's so incredibly funny. I think some of my best ideas come completely ad-lib, but that may just be preference.

Agreed Borat was unscripted, but don't think for a moment it was unplanned! Haha! The story was rigorously planned, as were the stunts. It's the same with most comedies. The scenes are planned , but not scripted to allow that spontaneity.

Ultimately it is personal preference. If you prefer to create as you go, that is fine too! :D
 
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