An Answer about Youtube Videos

The benefit of blogging is that it reaches more people.  At any given moment, there are a greater number searching my subject on YouTube than I can find through a blog.  I also prefer writing, but realistically I like an audience that engages, rather than one I can't see or hear.

Please understand that I'm forced to look for that audience if I want to go on being a content creator.  The boat must go to those places where the fishing's good.  If that means leaving behind those fish who want to swim alone, I'm stuck.  I can keep the blog, but it can't take as much of my time as it has.  For months, as l write here in near silence, it's sucking my spirit dry.  I can't keep throwing my net out for maybe one fish to answer.

Video-based content demands lots of things I don't like: proper camera, lighting, wardrobe, adjustments to my physical appearance, etc.  I've been on stage and I can perform, but it doesn't interest me as a career.

Therefore, readers shouldn't expect me to produce some awful YouTube tripe, designed to capture dim young eyeballs.  I'm thinking a calm, sincere delivery ... because I watch videos by authentic creators.   "Authentic" is my brand. 

I like the let's play format, but I'm thinking a low key game where I can both play and talk, without being overly interrupted by the game.  This gives evidence that I'm not editing my speech, since at points it has to address the game, while I can slow the game down, or stop it, or let it run without my interaction, while speaking about what I like.

Four games I'm thinking of include Patrician III, Civilisation IV, Oxygen not Included and Two-point hospital.  I have plenty of experience with all of these.  I could add Euro-truck Simulator 2, but honestly I only have 200 hours and I'm not sure yet that I can talk and drive at the same time.  I can try and see how it turns out.  ETS2 would, in fact, be ideal, since sitting with someone in a vehicle and hearing them talk is an everyday experience.  An alternative would be to have another person play the game, who would also be picked up by the mic, so I could comment on their play, while they commented on their play, and I concentrated a little better on the subject material of the youtube video.

This will, I realise, take some practice.  But I've been thinking about it for four days, waiting to sort out the computer I'm typing on now.  There were cord issues and then mouse issues, but those were solved in Thunder Bay today.  I'm right now on the north shore of Lake Superior, in a motel room literally looking out on the lake.  This has been the end of our fourth day of travelling.

It's because of these youtube issues that I haven't been able to record my journey here.  I'll repair that as I can.  Meanwhile, I felt I should answer some of the concerns I've heard in comments on my last post.  Rest assured I'm not the least interested in doing a "let's play" video.  The screen is just a way of my not having to worry about the production value of my face and background for the sake of appearance, as becomes so necessary once pointing a camera at the presenter.  I'm not a filmmaker.  I don't want to be one.  I don't want to learn how.  I want to present content on my subject, D&D, in a way that others aren't.  No one needs another fat white man sitting at a table gabbling on a bad camera set-up, saying next to nothing about how to run encounters, creating better storylines and why magician classes are so fucking cool.  That isn't me.

Instead, I want a vaguely interesting visual background, a relaxing, informative, intuitive look at elements of the game, as presented by a passionate yet informed voice.

When I return home, some 17 days from now, I'll start experimenting, putting stuff on youtube and not concerning myself with perfection.  As for this blog ... the jury is still out.  I'll consider and write an answer about it soon.