Content Creation
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Writing, YouTube, Digital Illustrations– these are a few of my creative adventures. Some may call it a hot mess because I don’t fit into a “niche”, but I call it a coat of many colors. So, if you’re like me and you have multiple lanes of creativity, lean into it, and remember this saying: A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.
Anyway, this page is dedicated to showing you a little of what I do to create my content! From equipment I use, to the software, and more.
EQUIPMENT - Youtube
CAMERA
I’ve recently upgraded to the Canon T8i for its 4K shooting abilities, but the Canon T5i is an excellent option if 4K is not a concern! The Canon T5i was my first DSLR and it did me justice for YEARS.
Alluminum Tripod
Sunpak 58" 5858D
This tripod can be found at Best Buy! It’s lightweight and great for simple filming or photo tasks if you have a small to midsized camera like the Canon EOS Rebel series.
laptop
Now, by no means do you HAVE to have a MacBook if you’re interested in YouTube. But Apple’s iMovie software is what prompted me to make this investment, and I’ve since upgraded to Apple’s Final Cut Pro X software. My Macbook’s specs are 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.
camera lens
This is a standard kit lens, and Canon usually sells a package with the camera body and this lens together. I highly recommend getting the body & lens package!Â
Camera Lens
The 50mm is by far my favorite lens. It’s excellent in low-light because of it’s large f/stop. I will warn you, if you’re using the Canon EOS Rebel series, there’s a crop sensor that makes the 50mm behave like an 80mm. In short, you have to place the camera far away from the subject because of the zoomed effect.
Camera Lens
The Sigma 30mm is easily my runner-up for being my favorite lens. If you’re like me and you often film indoors in a small room, this is the lens for you. Because of the wide, f/1.4 aperture, I’m able to film in low-light situations without sacrificing my video quality. It’s a little on the pricey side, but well worth the investment.
Lighting
Bower 8" Selfie Ring Light
This selfie light connects to a USB power source (such as a laptop) and extends up to 58 inches tall. If you’re like me and don’t have much space for filming equipment, this is a really affordable option you can find on Amazon or at Walmart.
sound
This mic connects to your phone (iPhone & Android) and records with the voice recording feature on your device. I found mine on Amazon under the name “Wired Lavalier Clip On Microphone for iPhone Android Omnidirectional Mic for Recording with Clip-On for Vloggers and Bloggers.” Yikes. Long name, I know.
computer storage
When it comes to editing YouTube videos on iMovie or Final Cut Pro X, render files take up A LOT of storage. I recommend purchasing at least a 1 TB external hard drive to store your projects on. I got mine from Target!
EQUIPMENT - DIGITAL ILLUSTRATIONS
iPad Pro 10.5" (Refurbished)
I create all of my digital illustrations on my iPad Pro! If you’re going to be using creative software such as Procreate like I do, I think going for an iPad Pro is most beneficial to handle your needs. I got mine for a little over $300 in Apple’s “Refurbished & Clearance” section of their website.Â
Apple Pencil (1st Gen)
All of the drawing I do for my illustrations is with the Apple Pencil. Since there is a second generation pencil out, the first generation pencil is not as expensive as it used to be, so that’s great!
*NOTE: All of my equipment has been accumulated over the course of SEVEN years with the help of my family. Please take your time and practice responsible financial decisions on your creative journey!
Software
IMOVIE
iMovie is Apple’s free video editing software, available on MacBooks, iPads, and iPhones. I highly recommend this software for anyone just starting out on YouTube. There’s ton’s of tutorials on how to use it, but it’s relatively simple.
FINAL CUT PRo
Final Cut Pro is Apple’s professional video editing software. I currently use this for my YouTube videos because I like to do more intricate edits for my videos! It’s a bit of an investment, but Apple does offer student discounts if you’re in college, and it’s only a one-time payment.Â
PROCREATE
Procreate is another Apple Software (similar to Adobe Illustrator) and I use it to create my digital illustrations on my iPad! Procreate is not available for MacBooks, but I do believe there is a Procreate Pocket app that you can download for iPhones.
final Cut Pro Plug-ins
LenoFX: YouTube Subscribe Reminder
LenoFX Now sells the subscribe reminder as a part of their “YouTube Booster” pack. This is one of the main plug-ins I use for my subscribe buttons on my videos!
Motionvfx: Mtuber 2
Motionvfx can be on the pricier side of plug-ins, so I made sure to purchase from them during the Black Firday/Christmas time for a good discount! This plug-in has subscribe animations, logo animations, social media overlays, and more.
Pixel film Studios: FCPX Social Media Mega PAck
This Pixel Film Studios plug-in has a lot of cool features that I plan on playing around with! There’s so many features that trying to describe it here does it no justice. Please see for yourself, it’s really cool!
Motionvfx: Mlut
This plug-in allows you to add LUTs to Final Cut Pro in order to color grade your videos! It’s free and comes with a few free LUTs. I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to experiment with color grading their content.
MOTIONVFX: MJOURNEY
MJourney by motionvfx has travel-inspired titles, effects, and transitions that I think could give any video a creative, more cinematic touch– even if you don’t travel a lot!
OKay, That's it! BUT BEFORE YOU GO...
