Allow me to gaze upon your channel...

[Klink]

@webprofessionalz

This will most likely be my most brutal review/critique I've done thus far. Before I continue I want to state for the record that I mean the following not out of spite nor malice or to offend you. Everything I will write down is done to help you as best as possible.

Everything about your channel, your website, your entire brand needs a complete overhaul. You claim you're a web professional, specifically to help small businesses but looking at what you have tells me you're anything but a professional. Designing your logo in MSPaint, creating logo stings and title cards with Powerpoint, editing all of your videos with Windows Movie Maker and having your website use a template that you can pull from a multitude of sites (like themeforest.net as an example) makes everything feel incredibly cheap.

Before you continue I want you to look at your competition in this market space, specifically someone like @Stephen Mottershead earlier in this thread. Look at his branding, his videos, his audio quality and the overall quality and presentation of his videos. When I think of "professional" I think of that. You're up against some stiff competition and if all you have to bring to the table is what you have now, you will lose, no 'ifs' or 'buts' about it.

The core concept of your channel is on the right track but everything currently surrounding it tanks it completely. Hire a designer, commission a logo or an entire graphics package suitable for your videos, buy a font/typeface if you have to and while you're at it, buy yourself a decent microphone. Make a request in the "Graphics, Intros & Music" forum or seek advice in the "Branding and Channel Design" forum. Whatever you do, you need to do it now because your branding is actively working against you.

As hard as it may be to accept, if you claim to be a professional at what you do then you better start looking like one.


@darkstarmedia

The same principles you use for photography are also applied to video as well. Glad to hear you're using a shotgun microphone; all you need to do is aim it right and you're set. You're on the right track, so keep it up!

 

[webprofessionalz]

@webprofessionalz

This will most likely be my most brutal review/critique I've done thus far. Before I continue I want to state for the record that I mean the following not out of spite nor malice or to offend you. Everything I will write down is done to help you as best as possible.

Everything about your channel, your website, your entire brand needs a complete overhaul. You claim you're a web professional, specifically to help small businesses but looking at what you have tells me you're anything but a professional. Designing your logo in MSPaint, creating logo stings and title cards with Powerpoint, editing all of your videos with Windows Movie Maker and having your website use a template that you can pull from a multitude of sites (like themeforest.net as an example) makes everything feel incredibly cheap.

Before you continue I want you to look at your competition in this market space, specifically someone like @Stephen Mottershead earlier in this thread. Look at his branding, his videos, his audio quality and the overall quality and presentation of his videos. When I think of "professional" I think of that. You're up against some stiff competition and if all you have to bring to the table is what you have now, you will lose, no 'ifs' or 'buts' about it.

The core concept of your channel is on the right track but everything currently surrounding it tanks it completely. Hire a designer, commission a logo or an entire graphics package suitable for your videos, buy a font/typeface if you have to and while you're at it, buy yourself a decent microphone. Make a request in the "Graphics, Intros & Music" forum or seek advice in the "Branding and Channel Design" forum. Whatever you do, you need to do it now because your branding is actively working against you.

As hard as it may be to accept, if you claim to be a professional at what you do then you better start looking like one.


@darkstarmedia

The same principles you use for photography are also applied to video as well. Glad to hear you're using a shotgun microphone; all you need to do is aim it right and you're set. You're on the right track, so keep it up!

Reported for harassment! Haha j/k thank you though, it is good to hear an outsider's perspective.

 

[NuSpirit]

@NuSpirit

Your branding is consistent for the most part. Thumbnails and your avatar share the 'NU' diamond logo but your channel header and end card have it written as 'Nu' with no diamond. Place your diamond logo infront of 'Spirit' and see how it looks.

For your content, your voice is clear and easy to understand and your microphone quality is top notch. Editing is also spot on and your collaborations make your videos entertaining to watch (while also helping to get your brand/channel out there). At this point all you really need to do is be consistent with your uploads. You're already seeing success on the channel and it'll only go up from here.

Thank you for feedback

About my Logo and Text Logo - I tried to combine them, but it just didnt seemed to fit well together (it felt to me like it was a bit chaotic). So that is why I use them both (most of the time together - "NU" as avatar, "NuSpirit" as header/background). To connect them a bit together I made the "Nu" part in text with same gradient as background on logo

 

[Oliver Andersen]

Thank

@AbstractTheater

Looking specifically at the latest video ("PUSH IT! - CS:GO #3"), the audio mixing is a lot better and I'm loving the text being edited into the videos. Overall the editing on that video is perfect. Use that video as the basis/benchmark for all your succeeding videos and try to raise the bar every time.

My comment on the title/end card was refering to the actual screen size of it, not so much on what it actually is (I understood right from the beginning that it was a film reel projected onto a screen). It simply doesn't fit the full 16:9 aspect ratio like the rest of your video. All you need to do is re-render the title/end card in a 16:9 aspect ratio (1920 X 1080 for your videos specifically) and you're all set. Just be sure not to stretch it to fit the screen, actually re-render it in the appropriate aspect ratio so it fills the entire screen but keeps your logo intact.


@NuSpirit

Your branding is consistent for the most part. Thumbnails and your avatar share the 'NU' diamond logo but your channel header and end card have it written as 'Nu' with no diamond. Place your diamond logo infront of 'Spirit' and see how it looks.

For your content, your voice is clear and easy to understand and your microphone quality is top notch. Editing is also spot on and your collaborations make your videos entertaining to watch (while also helping to get your brand/channel out there). At this point all you really need to do is be consistent with your uploads. You're already seeing success on the channel and it'll only go up from here.


@Faraz

You've got a strong start to your channel which is good to see. Got your avatar and channel art with the same font/typeface but it doesn't carry over to your thumbnails. Work on the thumbnails so it's reflective of the logo/channel art and they're good to go.

Audio quality is lacking so like many other channels before you, I recommend saving up and investing in a decent condenser microphone. It'll help immensely. Content wise, you may want to consider doing other games besides CoDBlops3 so your channel has a range of content to view.

It's a good start to your channel. All you need is a regular upload schedule, fix the issues I've pointed out and you're set.


@darkstarmedia

First of all it's good to see you already critiquing your own work and looking on how to improve it. I'm not going to comment on either of the points you've made since you already know what needs to be done, although my only advice for your branding is to keep it consistent across your thumbnails, logo, channel art etc.

For a vlog channel it's great to see a range of content (DSM Language and Smarter in Seconds) and the videos themselves are well edited and entertaining to watch. For recording video I recommend turning off the auto focus. You tend to move around a lot when you speak (speaking with your body to help emphasise what you're saying) but because the auto focus is switched on, it's trying it's hardest to correct itself every few seconds. It becomes a bit disorienting to watch as you're constantly switching between focused and unfocused within a matter of frames.

I'd also recommend getting a microphone to help give more punch to your voice. Normally I would suggest a shotgun microphone, however because of your body language it'll make the audio inconsistent. I should probably explain the difference between condenser and shotgun microphones at this point.

A shotgun microphone is directional, meaning it will pick up everything pointed directly infront of it. If set up right (meaning pointed directly at your mouth or if hanging from above, pointing past your mouth and towards your chest), your voice will come out clear and crisp. The issue with your videos, since you tend to move around a lot, is that you'll be off axis for the most part, meaning the audio will be wildly inconsistent.

A condenser microphone commonly uses a cardioid pattern (like a heart shape) that picks up audio from the front and the sides. Even when you start moving around a lot your voice will be clear and picked up evenly. The catch is that because it picks up audio from the sides, you'll need to find a way to isolate the sound or you'll start to have a lot of background noise creeping in.

Definitely consider investing in a condenser microphone with a reflection filter or, depending on your budget, consider getting a lapel/lavalier microphone. It's the little microphone that you clip onto your shirt (or hide underneath it) that most broadcasters and field recorders use. Think of it like a mini shotgun microphone - clip it on your shirt (or hide it underneath with adhesives you can buy) aim it towards your mouth and away you go.

Good luck with your channel. You're already on the right track!


@Oliver Andersen

You're a car enthusiast, that much I can tell from your favourited videos and your uploads. If you're serious about making a name for yourself on YouTube then there's a lot of work ahead of you. You need a logo, channel art and thumbnails initially, then think about logo stings, end cards, social media etc.

Look at other car shows for inspiration, the big one of course being Top Gear. Obviously you haven't got $500k lying around to film an episode like Top Gear but take note of how the videos are edited - what angles they use, the colour correction, the style, what music they add in etc. Get inspired and work out where you want to take your channel.

If all you want to do is film cars then you need to invest in a decent camera and a stabilising rig. Most film makers will try and tell you that the type of camera is not important, it's how you use it. What they won't tell you is each camera has their own unique aspects that can help or hinder you depending on what you want to shoot. Want a high quality camera that is relatively easy to use that works right out of the box? A Canon C100 might be right up your alley. Want to do slow-motion shots? The C100 is completely useless so you're better off getting a Sony FS100.

Keep in mind cameras aren't cheap. The ones I've listed are easily above $5k and even if you just want a DSLR camera, you'd still be looking at slightly below $5k or at least a couple of hundred dollars at the lower end. Again, this is depending on how serious you want to take YouTube. If all you want to use it for is a place to share some cool clips with your mates then keep doing what you're doing. If you plan to make a career out of it then be prepared to spend a lot of time and a lot of cash to make it work.

Thank you very much for your detailed review this will differently help me to improve and I want to make a career of it as well and I am going to take a look at the cameras you recommended for me thanks for that it means a lot

 

[Hypa Gaming]

I was wondering if you would review mine please klink???

 

[Spuddy]

If you could review my channel, that would be great, let me know what you think!

 

[Faraz]

@AbstractTheater

Looking specifically at the latest video ("PUSH IT! - CS:GO #3"), the audio mixing is a lot better and I'm loving the text being edited into the videos. Overall the editing on that video is perfect. Use that video as the basis/benchmark for all your succeeding videos and try to raise the bar every time.

My comment on the title/end card was refering to the actual screen size of it, not so much on what it actually is (I understood right from the beginning that it was a film reel projected onto a screen). It simply doesn't fit the full 16:9 aspect ratio like the rest of your video. All you need to do is re-render the title/end card in a 16:9 aspect ratio (1920 X 1080 for your videos specifically) and you're all set. Just be sure not to stretch it to fit the screen, actually re-render it in the appropriate aspect ratio so it fills the entire screen but keeps your logo intact.


@NuSpirit

Your branding is consistent for the most part. Thumbnails and your avatar share the 'NU' diamond logo but your channel header and end card have it written as 'Nu' with no diamond. Place your diamond logo infront of 'Spirit' and see how it looks.

For your content, your voice is clear and easy to understand and your microphone quality is top notch. Editing is also spot on and your collaborations make your videos entertaining to watch (while also helping to get your brand/channel out there). At this point all you really need to do is be consistent with your uploads. You're already seeing success on the channel and it'll only go up from here.


@Faraz

You've got a strong start to your channel which is good to see. Got your avatar and channel art with the same font/typeface but it doesn't carry over to your thumbnails. Work on the thumbnails so it's reflective of the logo/channel art and they're good to go.

Audio quality is lacking so like many other channels before you, I recommend saving up and investing in a decent condenser microphone. It'll help immensely. Content wise, you may want to consider doing other games besides CoDBlops3 so your channel has a range of content to view.

It's a good start to your channel. All you need is a regular upload schedule, fix the issues I've pointed out and you're set.


@darkstarmedia

First of all it's good to see you already critiquing your own work and looking on how to improve it. I'm not going to comment on either of the points you've made since you already know what needs to be done, although my only advice for your branding is to keep it consistent across your thumbnails, logo, channel art etc.

For a vlog channel it's great to see a range of content (DSM Language and Smarter in Seconds) and the videos themselves are well edited and entertaining to watch. For recording video I recommend turning off the auto focus. You tend to move around a lot when you speak (speaking with your body to help emphasise what you're saying) but because the auto focus is switched on, it's trying it's hardest to correct itself every few seconds. It becomes a bit disorienting to watch as you're constantly switching between focused and unfocused within a matter of frames.

I'd also recommend getting a microphone to help give more punch to your voice. Normally I would suggest a shotgun microphone, however because of your body language it'll make the audio inconsistent. I should probably explain the difference between condenser and shotgun microphones at this point.

A shotgun microphone is directional, meaning it will pick up everything pointed directly infront of it. If set up right (meaning pointed directly at your mouth or if hanging from above, pointing past your mouth and towards your chest), your voice will come out clear and crisp. The issue with your videos, since you tend to move around a lot, is that you'll be off axis for the most part, meaning the audio will be wildly inconsistent.

A condenser microphone commonly uses a cardioid pattern (like a heart shape) that picks up audio from the front and the sides. Even when you start moving around a lot your voice will be clear and picked up evenly. The catch is that because it picks up audio from the sides, you'll need to find a way to isolate the sound or you'll start to have a lot of background noise creeping in.

Definitely consider investing in a condenser microphone with a reflection filter or, depending on your budget, consider getting a lapel/lavalier microphone. It's the little microphone that you clip onto your shirt (or hide underneath it) that most broadcasters and field recorders use. Think of it like a mini shotgun microphone - clip it on your shirt (or hide it underneath with adhesives you can buy) aim it towards your mouth and away you go.

Good luck with your channel. You're already on the right track!


@Oliver Andersen

You're a car enthusiast, that much I can tell from your favourited videos and your uploads. If you're serious about making a name for yourself on YouTube then there's a lot of work ahead of you. You need a logo, channel art and thumbnails initially, then think about logo stings, end cards, social media etc.

Look at other car shows for inspiration, the big one of course being Top Gear. Obviously you haven't got $500k lying around to film an episode like Top Gear but take note of how the videos are edited - what angles they use, the colour correction, the style, what music they add in etc. Get inspired and work out where you want to take your channel.

If all you want to do is film cars then you need to invest in a decent camera and a stabilising rig. Most film makers will try and tell you that the type of camera is not important, it's how you use it. What they won't tell you is each camera has their own unique aspects that can help or hinder you depending on what you want to shoot. Want a high quality camera that is relatively easy to use that works right out of the box? A Canon C100 might be right up your alley. Want to do slow-motion shots? The C100 is completely useless so you're better off getting a Sony FS100.

Keep in mind cameras aren't cheap. The ones I've listed are easily above $5k and even if you just want a DSLR camera, you'd still be looking at slightly below $5k or at least a couple of hundred dollars at the lower end. Again, this is depending on how serious you want to take YouTube. If all you want to use it for is a place to share some cool clips with your mates then keep doing what you're doing. If you plan to make a career out of it then be prepared to spend a lot of time and a lot of cash to make it work.

Thanks a lot

 

[HausofN7]

Oh wow I think this could help me out a lot! If you wouldn't mind I would like for you to review my new channel as well.

I know I can do more with my voice, I need to find my big girl voice lol I get nervous though with putting myself out there you know and I think I hold back when I start recording!
I know I can do a better intro! I just wanted to start small and work my way up.

I know there is probably more and I'm nervous as all heck but it would help me to get someones opinion(besides family, etc.)

Thank you!

Link is below!

 

[Mattaxol]

@AbstractTheater

Looking specifically at the latest video ("PUSH IT! - CS:GO #3"), the audio mixing is a lot better and I'm loving the text being edited into the videos. Overall the editing on that video is perfect. Use that video as the basis/benchmark for all your succeeding videos and try to raise the bar every time.

My comment on the title/end card was refering to the actual screen size of it, not so much on what it actually is (I understood right from the beginning that it was a film reel projected onto a screen). It simply doesn't fit the full 16:9 aspect ratio like the rest of your video. All you need to do is re-render the title/end card in a 16:9 aspect ratio (1920 X 1080 for your videos specifically) and you're all set. Just be sure not to stretch it to fit the screen, actually re-render it in the appropriate aspect ratio so it fills the entire screen but keeps your logo intact.


@NuSpirit

Your branding is consistent for the most part. Thumbnails and your avatar share the 'NU' diamond logo but your channel header and end card have it written as 'Nu' with no diamond. Place your diamond logo infront of 'Spirit' and see how it looks.

For your content, your voice is clear and easy to understand and your microphone quality is top notch. Editing is also spot on and your collaborations make your videos entertaining to watch (while also helping to get your brand/channel out there). At this point all you really need to do is be consistent with your uploads. You're already seeing success on the channel and it'll only go up from here.


@Faraz

You've got a strong start to your channel which is good to see. Got your avatar and channel art with the same font/typeface but it doesn't carry over to your thumbnails. Work on the thumbnails so it's reflective of the logo/channel art and they're good to go.

Audio quality is lacking so like many other channels before you, I recommend saving up and investing in a decent condenser microphone. It'll help immensely. Content wise, you may want to consider doing other games besides CoDBlops3 so your channel has a range of content to view.

It's a good start to your channel. All you need is a regular upload schedule, fix the issues I've pointed out and you're set.


@darkstarmedia

First of all it's good to see you already critiquing your own work and looking on how to improve it. I'm not going to comment on either of the points you've made since you already know what needs to be done, although my only advice for your branding is to keep it consistent across your thumbnails, logo, channel art etc.

For a vlog channel it's great to see a range of content (DSM Language and Smarter in Seconds) and the videos themselves are well edited and entertaining to watch. For recording video I recommend turning off the auto focus. You tend to move around a lot when you speak (speaking with your body to help emphasise what you're saying) but because the auto focus is switched on, it's trying it's hardest to correct itself every few seconds. It becomes a bit disorienting to watch as you're constantly switching between focused and unfocused within a matter of frames.

I'd also recommend getting a microphone to help give more punch to your voice. Normally I would suggest a shotgun microphone, however because of your body language it'll make the audio inconsistent. I should probably explain the difference between condenser and shotgun microphones at this point.

A shotgun microphone is directional, meaning it will pick up everything pointed directly infront of it. If set up right (meaning pointed directly at your mouth or if hanging from above, pointing past your mouth and towards your chest), your voice will come out clear and crisp. The issue with your videos, since you tend to move around a lot, is that you'll be off axis for the most part, meaning the audio will be wildly inconsistent.

A condenser microphone commonly uses a cardioid pattern (like a heart shape) that picks up audio from the front and the sides. Even when you start moving around a lot your voice will be clear and picked up evenly. The catch is that because it picks up audio from the sides, you'll need to find a way to isolate the sound or you'll start to have a lot of background noise creeping in.

Definitely consider investing in a condenser microphone with a reflection filter or, depending on your budget, consider getting a lapel/lavalier microphone. It's the little microphone that you clip onto your shirt (or hide underneath it) that most broadcasters and field recorders use. Think of it like a mini shotgun microphone - clip it on your shirt (or hide it underneath with adhesives you can buy) aim it towards your mouth and away you go.

Good luck with your channel. You're already on the right track!


@Oliver Andersen

You're a car enthusiast, that much I can tell from your favourited videos and your uploads. If you're serious about making a name for yourself on YouTube then there's a lot of work ahead of you. You need a logo, channel art and thumbnails initially, then think about logo stings, end cards, social media etc.

Look at other car shows for inspiration, the big one of course being Top Gear. Obviously you haven't got $500k lying around to film an episode like Top Gear but take note of how the videos are edited - what angles they use, the colour correction, the style, what music they add in etc. Get inspired and work out where you want to take your channel.

If all you want to do is film cars then you need to invest in a decent camera and a stabilising rig. Most film makers will try and tell you that the type of camera is not important, it's how you use it. What they won't tell you is each camera has their own unique aspects that can help or hinder you depending on what you want to shoot. Want a high quality camera that is relatively easy to use that works right out of the box? A Canon C100 might be right up your alley. Want to do slow-motion shots? The C100 is completely useless so you're better off getting a Sony FS100.

Keep in mind cameras aren't cheap. The ones I've listed are easily above $5k and even if you just want a DSLR camera, you'd still be looking at slightly below $5k or at least a couple of hundred dollars at the lower end. Again, this is depending on how serious you want to take YouTube. If all you want to use it for is a place to share some cool clips with your mates then keep doing what you're doing. If you plan to make a career out of it then be prepared to spend a lot of time and a lot of cash to make it work.

Ah. Thank you so much man! I shall continue to edit like that and raise the bar, and I'll fix the outro. Thank you!

 

[Klink]

@Hypa Gaming

Already reviewed your channel my friend. You probably missed it so I'll repost and add in additional thoughts:

Your whole brand needs an overhaul. The channel art is nice but it doesn't reflect what you have in your thumbnails, avatar or your title cards/logo stings. (Note: You changed your channel header since I first reviewed you channel. It still needs a lot of work as it's quite low quality). At the moment your channel isn't telling me anything about you at all or what you channel does. Instead, it's just a mash-up of things that look great with no thought into how everything should be laid out or how those things work together. Also, definitely save up some cash and buy a condenser microphone as your audio needs serious work.

Take a moment and think about you. Who are you? What do you enjoy? What are your favourite colours? What are you like as a person? Ask yourself as many personal questions as you can and write them all down. That should be the basis of your brand and thus your channel. Do you like the colour blue? Then blue should be the primary colour that is consistent throughout all of your art. Do you enjoy sci-fi? Choose a font/typeface that looks very futuristic and incorporate the colour blue into it.

Your channel is still new so you have more than enough time to work out the issues I've mentioned. Once you get all that sorted you should see your subscriber and view count increase significantly, as it shows you're taking YouTube seriously.


@Spuddy

Whatever you're doing for your later videos, keep on doing it! You've got a decent microphone, the videos are well edited and they're entertaining to watch. If there is any critisism I have it's to do with your thumbnails. They're designed well, don't get me wrong, however they don't visually tell me that the videos belong to you. Try to incorporate your logo in them (maybe replace the little G-Mod icon you have in the corner with your logo) so you're free to experiment with different text styles for different series of videos (as in, have a consistent text style for your G-Mod videos, a different text style that is consistent for your Black Ops 3 videos etc).

You're on your way to 1000 subscribers. As I mentioned earlier, keep on doing what you're doing and you will succeed.


@BabyBunnyFuuFuu

I started with your very first video (Just Cause 3) and was going to mention your overall volume was too low. I'm pleased to see that issue was fixed up. It also sounds like you've got yourself a decent mic setup, although I suggest you get a pop filter to knock out the plosives (Ps and Bs etc).

What I'm having difficulty understanding is the direction you want to take your channel. Do you want to do Let's Plays or Long Plays? Let me elaborate. Generally Let's Plays have what is described as 'cult of personality', where it's not so much about the game but who is playing it. The person playing will be making constant commentary and be engaging with their audience and when editing videos, will generally cut out all the loading screens and parts that aren't exciting to watch. A Long Play by comparison is the complete opposite - it's all about the game and the person playing takes a back seat. There's no commentary, loading screens and cutscenes are left in and the game is played to absolute completion (all collectables, achievements etc).

When I look at your channel I see a mix of both. It's a Long Play (although segmented) in that you're willing to show everything in the game (load screens, cutscenes, even deaths/failures) but it's a Let's Play because you're also providing commentary in certain places. If you want to lean more towards a Let's Play channel then you need to start talking a lot more which is pretty difficult when first starting out. Natural gamer instinct is to dedicate all your time and attention to the game but if you want to make your videos exciting you need to learn how to play while talking and being engaging.

For your branding, it's quite inconsistent. I like the typeface of the 'HAUSOFN7' you have watermarked in your videos, your channel header and your end card but it's not used at all in your avatar and thumbnails. Looking at the thumbnails of your video, I can't tell that these videos belong to you. Going back to your channel header, it's over designed and should be simplified. Sometimes less is more. The way you've designed the 'HAUSOFN7' watermark is great and should be used as the basis of your branding - it should be your channel header, avatar (at least the N7<logo> part), thumbnails, logo sting and end card.