On this page
In the summer of 2017, I decided to start a YouTube channel. Fast forward to now, and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made.
Like everybody does I started from the ground up: with 0 subscribers and 0 views. It took a year and a half for me to reach 100,000 subscribers - which in all honesty I didn't think would ever be possible, and now I have over a million subscribers.
If you'd like to do the same - start up a YouTube channel, have a creative outlet, build an audience online and create a business from doing so, then I reckon this page you're looking for.
📕 Getting Started
The best way to get started is by learning what you can about YouTube. To fast forward the process I have two courses which will help: my SkillShare class on video editing, which is free if you take out a two month free trial over there and the Part Time YouTuber Academy - my own course where I break down how to grow from 0 to 100,000 subscribers.
Skillshare
Part-Time YouTuber Academy
The Part Time YouTuber Academy is a four week live, interactive course where you'll have classes with me every week. It works on a cohort basis, but the link above (and this one here) goes into way more detail about how it works.
🎥 My Videos
Over on YouTube I regularly talk about different aspects of my channel: tech, how much money I make from YouTube AdSense, Q&As. I've linked a couple to get you started (and if you're starting from the ground up, I'd jump into the 'How To Film YouTube Videos Using Your Phone' first, which I've linked below).
YouTube
🎬 YouTube Gear
If you're thinking of starting a YouTube channel, my advice is always to start today.
You don't have to wait for a fancy camera to start filming; it gives you a chance to suss out your direction. When you can though I do recommend taking the quality of your videos more seriously and to do that, I'd take a look at your video quality, light, sound and framing so your content stands out.
📷 Here's Where I'd Recommend Starting
My camera gear has changed a bit over the years, mainly as I prioritised upgrading when I was able to. I'd start with kit that's easier for you to access, your phone or a reasonable 'point and shoot' and from there, potentially take it up a notch.
Camera
The Sony A6500 is a great place to start. If you're looking for something under £500, the Sony A6000 is still capable of decent performance (and I actually mention that one here, in my Recommended Tech for Students video)
Microphone
I can't stress enough how important sound is on YouTube. The in-built microphones in cameras aren't always the best, especially if you're vlogging outside so I'd recommend getting the Rode Videomicro.
Lighting
I'd start off with a simple set-up here, something that'll enable you to record even on dull days. Making sure you're well lit will take your videos up a gear, so I'd recommend you could start with something simple like the Godox SL60W. (You'll also need a soft box and a light stand to support that too).
📷 The Kit I Have Now
I realised quite early on that I wanted to invest in my kit and it was one of the best decisions I made.
Camera
Up until recently, my workhorse was the Sony A7 III and it works great with a Sony 24mm F/1.4 G-Master. It served me well over the last few years - it's a great piece of kit but just as a heads up, it doesn't have a flip screen (so I now use it as my overhead camera).
I'm currently using the Sony A7s III and it's a solid piece of kit - it's super fast, compact and is something I use nearly every single day.
Lenses
As I use full-frame cameras (A7siii and A7iii), I have full-frame lenses. If I could only use one lens forever, it'd have to be the Sony 16-35mm f2.8 GM.
Microphone
I've also recently upgraded my microphone to this Rodemic.
If you'd like more detail on the kit I use - especially my progression throughout the years and all of my recommended accessories and lenses, I cover this in detail in the Part Time YouTuber Academy. You can find out more about it by clicking on the below link.
Part-Time YouTuber Academy👍 If This is Helpful
You might also want to check out these pages too:
Productivity - being able to increase my output over the last few years has really helped me balance everything. I started my YouTube channel when I was still at university and for two years, I worked full-time for the NHS (National Health Service in the UK) and still uploaded on my channel three times a week.
Book Summaries - I take notes on all of the books I read and some of these have inspired me with my YouTube journey, even though none of them are specifically about YouTube itself (and honestly, I cannot recommend the Kindle Paperweight enough).