OT? YouTube Video Earnings

[Baz]

I agree with 754 and a lot of others' postings. Adding that I see no reason whatsoever for a machinist video to show the wittering face or belly of the protagonist and the '30 second introduction' can be a 10 second voice over a picture of the finished item maybe rotating so I can see it all to decide if I need to see how it was made. Mostly I don't need much more to work it all out. Like a machinists haiku.
Yet still tomorrow we will see some bozo coming on here with " hey look I started a channel".

Please explain: Is there a technical difference between 'setting up a channel' and just posting some videos?
Apart from youtube how many other video platforms are there I should search for perhaps more obscure material?
Would there be a value for us here in having a thread in which to post requests for a video on a subject not found in searches, like how to reverse thread a grollybong, so that someone could then make a worthwhile film next time they are doing one?

[RB211]

The real money for YouTube creators is Patreon support. AvE, for instance, is estimated to get $44,000 A MONTH from his supporters. https://creatorhype.com/top-patreon-creators/

Over at Linus Tech, he started a service called "Float Plane" that allows content creators to bring their audience over to their service. No adds, no left wing leaning rules, but the catch is you subscribe and pay money to see the content. Potential to make the most money with that, but I will be surprised if it succeeds. People won't even pay 99 cents for a mobile game.

[Bob Engelhardt]

The real money for YouTube creators is Patreon support. AvE, for instance, is estimated to get $44,000 A MONTH from his supporters. https://creatorhype.com/top-patreon-creators/

[Glug]

Neighbor kid's band had music vids up on it. They made a couple hundred a month from it.

You might make a small fortune if you put some videos of that Dell laptop problem up there

"Video channel livestream of laptop, waiting for it to hang"

[alanganes]

Start every video with a thirty second or so explanation of what you're going to build and why someone would want to build it. After you've made the video measure its length and then edit it to half that number.

+1

This is one of the key weak points I see in so many videos. There is a nondescript thumbnail picture and a description that says something like "Handy metal bender I made from scrap!" and then the video starts out showing some rusty angle iron and rolls into 5-10 solid minutes of marking with a pencil, cutting with a side grinder, and zapping parts with a welder. In the end, even if I wanted to duplicate the project, I can hardly do so because at no time did the presenter show dimensions or offer other useful detail. And it either has some silly music playing or nothing but the sound of the side grinder as a soundtrack.

Please start off showing the finished product and giving a brief description of what it is, how it works, what's so cool about it, and why I might want to learn how to build one. Then I might actually watch the video.

I know that learning stuff from watching videos is all the thing these days, and I have learned my share that was as well. But in so many instances a 25 minute boring video could easily be replaced with half a page of text and a few photos and drawings.

[RB211]

Camera's compared to the human eye in regards to picking up light are horrible. As others said, do not under estimate how much light you need, you need a LOT.

[Ohio Mike]

My question regarding that $2/1000 views is, is that only during a certain time frame, or is that as long as the video is up? Time limits on that? Mr. Pete has videos that are almost a decade old, is he still making bank on them?

No, virtually nobody watches older content and those videos were released back with Mr Pete had a fraction of today's subscribers. Which is exactly why he is releasing (aka RePete as he calls it) his older videos.

[wierdscience]

You're on the homemadetools forum, Paul. Watch the DIY videos there, if you can. Most of them are boredom made solid, even if run at double speed. I've pretty much given up on them unless they come from someone with an established reputation.
.

This, wholeheartedly, if it takes a 45 minute video to explain how to cut a inch long 1/4 inch wide keyway, you're doing wrong.

Now some have broken a ten minute job down into four half hour videos spread out over two months

[wierdscience]

I started a channel mostly just to show relatives some of the stuff I do for a living (some still think I work on lawnmowers, go figure??). I don't make any money off it, but to date my most popular video isn't even a real video, it's just a slideshow with onscreen descriptions of a woodworking vise I restored. I never would have believed it would get almost 5,000 views.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LOkb8gbWMY

I will also say that IF a video goes viral for whatever reason, you can make a lot of money off it. Consider the "Superglue trick the cops don't want you to know" video that got 19 million views-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCvGpkw2P-k

[The Metal Butcher]

What I find boring and off putting. Posting every basic machining job on you tube.. the simple stuff. And worse , we have had people come on here and post links and ask people to watch... Hey checkout .. Jimmy makes a Bushing ! , ,! Featuring drilling and BORING.. and as a bonus PARTING and facing !
...There are already hundred of videos showing the basics. Imo....

This is the primary issue I see with a lot of the small machinist youtubers (and older folks tend to be the worst about it TBH) is no sense of time scale. If you can't be comfortable with taking the amount of time you spent on a project and reducing it down 10-100x, then you won't make much money. It's tough. I know. I still tend to make some of my videos too lame, I can see it in the analytics.

Setup? None, minimal if interesting/unique.
Machining? Minimal. If you're doing 40 cuts, show some of your best roughing shots and maybe the start and finish of the finish pass. The other 38? Cut.
Talking? Minimal, unless you're This Old Tony. Jump into the action ASAP. Save your talking for voice overview or at the end. A lot of the most watched channels have no speaking.

My general rule of thumb is that if by your 10th time watching it in the editor you find yourself getting bored and wishing to skip, so will you viewers. Cut more.

As far as equipment goes, lighting is critical. You cannot have too much light. This is why you can always tell videos my Adam Booth instantly. Everything is extremely well lit. Cell phones are a bad idea, and so are most handycams unless they are very new. You'll need a good sized sensor unless you have a tremendous amount of light.

Take this all with a grain of salt, as I still have only a small channel myself. But I certainly know what I like viewing.

[mklotz]

You're on the homemadetools forum, Paul. Watch the DIY videos there, if you can. Most of them are boredom made solid, even if run at double speed. I've pretty much given up on them unless they come from someone with an established reputation.

Start every video with a thirty second or so explanation of what you're going to build and why someone would want to build it. After you've made the video measure its length and then edit it to half that number.

Oh, and remember, advertisers now rate the attention span of the average target at 8 seconds, one less than the 9 second span of the goldfish. Millennial attention span is estimated to be 5 or 6 seconds.

[754]

Yeah I don't need to see 3 minutes of a cut, and hear .l well look at those nice chips eh or other banter while watch a lathe cut under power feed.. yes most of us DO know what that looks like.
make videos with content, not just taking up time. . Want a harsh but real evaluation.. post it here and invite us to tell what WE REALLY think, and inite us to be HONEST..

[Rich Carlstedt]

I have a difficult time watching most Video's because of the poor quality and maybe because my good friend Ron was a Video Professional (TV ) and Industrial Video Producer -
being around him made me more attentive to video "codes of conduct" ( my term)
Some points to mention.
1. Get rid of all clutter around the object of the recording, like no rags in the picture or garbage and if you can , have a white background for clarity
2. (Important !!!!) If the Object moves- Keep the Camera in one place !
I f the Object is stationary, then move the Camera STEADY-
When moving the camera, maintain the same vision as a person would view the object NORMALLY ,
in other words do front- side- back...NOT front- back -- then side - and be smooth ! ( Front- Close up- front again- Side ect
3. For details or close ups , have an abundance of light.
4. For complex machines , show the entire machine first , so the viewer understands the close-up and what part he is viewing
5. Before a detailed view , explain the function ( briefly if possible before details ) so the viewers brain can absorb the thought prior to seeing it ( beware of visual overload during first sight of a new process/operation )
6. Minimize or eliminate BACKGROUND noise if you are recording sound during the recording.----AND speak clearly ( use a script !)
7. Keep your hands out of the viewing perspective ! ( A guy mikes a part and all you see is the back of his hand- have the camera in the proper location !)

So if you plan to do Youtube stuff , be aware that you are not recording a family picnic.
Personally I have trouble watching Youtube machinists because once a cut is started on a lathe for example, I don't want to sit and watch all 5 minutes of turning , complete waste of time looking at chips unless a critical result occurs which should be seen. ( its called proper editing ) . Any more than 5-10 seconds of a cut becomes boring IMHO
Lastly why do most of the programs spend 20 minutes talking before any action ???

Hope Ron's guidelines help others
Rich

[RB211]

Do what others do that work. Abom79, Clickspring, This Old Tony, etc. Be your own worst critic.

[lynnl]

...and don't play loud music some may not wish to hear, or that drowns out any speech.

...and plan out what you're going to say so that you're not saying "...and uh.." or "...like, you know..." two or three times every sentence. And try to come up with a lead in statement other than "Hey guys... ."