What does it take to be a YouTube star

http://news.asiaone.com/news/digital1/what-does-it-take-be-youtube-star?page=0%2C0

Do you aspire to become a famous YouTube star? A working camera, a simple video editing software and the Internet are all you need to start you off the road to fame, said YouTube personalities Dee Kosh, Joseph Germani and Annie Love X Stereo.

Joseph Germani, an Internet celebrity from Malaysia famous for his comedy sketches about youth life and culture, said: “One just needs any camera that works, and, a nice compact camera does the job well enough. Content is more important than camera quality, I suggest a camera that they can feel comfortable using and is easy to work with.”

Home-grown YouTube personality Dee Kosh, who is also a 987FM radio deejay, said that one need not start out with a fantastic suite of gadgets.

“I posted my first few videos with just a lousy webcam. The amazing thing about YouTube is that all you need is a camera and internet,” he said.

These YouTube personalities revealed their secrets in an exclusive interview with AsiaOne after the Youtube FanFest with HP, held on May 24 and 25 at *Scape.

International YouTube stars such as Ryan Higa, Tosh Rock and Bethany Mota attended the event, attracting more than 2,000 fans to the event.

Selected YouTube artists were equipped by HP with Intel-powered, Windows 8 products such as the HP Pavilion x360 laptop, who then produced a series of videos that captured their favourite moments throughout the YouTube FanFest. Also, students from Republic Polytechnic were provided with HP Workstations – used by companies like DreamWorks Animation – to create and stream videos of the event for online audiences.

“By equipping YouTube stars with a suite of products that help them to create meaningful content, share their work and connect with their fans, HP technology empowers the next-generation of creators to pursue their passions and unleash their creativity,” said Anneliese Olson, Vice President, Personal Computing Category, HP Asia Pacific and Japan.

Q: What products should an aspiring YouTube star possess?

Joseph Germani: One just needs any camera that works, and, a nice compact camera does the job well enough. Content is more important than camera quality, I suggest a camera that they can feel comfortable using and is easy to work with. They can always invest in a better camera when they have found a filming style they would like to adopt. I frequently film and upload directly from my mobile phone and HP VoiceTab as well since it is perfect for videos on the go.

Annie Love X Stereo: It’s flexible – they can use mobile phones, tablets, action cameras to capture the moments and content, and then complement it with a laptop or desktop PC for uploading onto YouTube. When we are in the studio, we would normally opt for more professional gadgets like a DSLR as video and sound quality is important.

Dee Kosh: It’s not necessary to start out with a fantastic suite of gadgets. I posted my first few videos with just a lousy webcam. The amazing thing about YouTube is that all you need is a camera and internet. There are different types of YouTubers; some are production value focused, where lighting, video and sound quality is crucial but for YouTubers like me who depend solely on content, it matters a lot less. I only just started using a DSLR after 4 years on YouTube.

Q: Besides having the x factor and the hardware, how about software?

Joseph Germani: Any video editing software works, depending on one’s preference and desire to learn. Nowadays, I prefer to use the PremierPro software. I feel that the more complicated the software is, the higher the need to run it on hardware that can power it, so it is also important that your editing hardware can complement it. I started with a DV camera that my family used and then progressed on to a DSLR when my need for a focus function grew. Editing used to be 1 or 2 cuts, but when you’re more comfortable, you want to do something more adventurous.

Annie Love X Stereo: We use applications on our phones for quick editing of videos that we publish directly. We normally use iMovie for something that needs to be heavily edited. Videos should be edited to improve both sound and visual quality, to remove bloopers and to move the sequences around to form a video that flows smoothly.

Dee Kosh: I started out not knowing how to edit. My videos would be taken in just one shot, without any cuts, but I’ve gradually learn that it is important to know how to edit because it can simplify the filming process. I started off with Windows Movie Maker, moved on to iMovie and now PremierPro. Hardware that can support the intense workload of video editing is crucial. We sometimes promise our fans that a new video will appear at 10pm, for example, and it can get very frustrating if the editing software keeps crashing and when we have problems uploading them.

Q: YouTube has given everybody the platform to upload their videos, and the cheaper gadgets have made filming more available to a wider audience. Are there any new and exciting trends that have caught your eye?

Joseph Germani: Action cameras provide a unique and interesting filming experience, you are able to film quick scenes like one jumping into a pool and also create videos in slow motion, which can be hard to achieve on a regular camera. I was on blogtv years ago, but now, one can also broadcast live on YouTube and connect with our audience easily.

Annie Love X Stereo: We do live stream performances on YouTube to further engage our fans. We use our action cameras in our car for road trips and also attach them to our gears during performances.

Dee Kosh: I am currently addicted to Vine, because one is only allowed 6 seconds of air time. The upside is that with three videos, and in just 18 seconds, you might score a new fan. It narrows down the competition because of its time constraint. However, only those with an outstanding x-factor can truly build a following on Vine, making it a highly exciting challenge.

ngkaren@sph.com.sg