Looking to start a YouTube channel

Communities
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I would like to contribute to the Tek somehow, in anyway possible really, as I'm fully aware that the Tek team are swamped down with work and I love what they're doing, I've been watching their content for years now.

However there's kinda an issue, i'm aware that Logan needs help right now, but he recently made a Topic about receiving help in Seattle.
https://forum.teksyndicate.com/t/tek-syndicate-needs-help-seattle-area/84838

'15 - 18 hours every day'... This is what I mean by swamped down with work.

That could be quite the issue for someone like me, considering I'm quite a walk away, 4,622 miles, may take sometime getting there and it's not like I'm even able to move to America, considering I'm about to start university and I don't have anywhere near the money that would be needed. I have enough money to invest into developing a YouTube channel. I could also create a website for myself, I could also make use of something like Django to create a blog, that's what I've used in the past and I've thought of it as quite nice to make use of.

I have fellow nerdy friends who would like to get involved, I'm close friends with someone else that's going to also study computer science in the same university as me, I'm also friends with someone else who's currently studying engineering and someone who's going to be studying engineering.

Anyway, enough blabbering, do you guys have any advice on how I could kick start this YouTube channel idea of mine?
- I've been thinking about doing it for sometime, but I've wanted to work with other people too, get different views and opinions on different topics & subjects. The sort of content that I'd like to cover would be very similar to the content that's covered in the Tek videos, reports on science, news, politics and technology.

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Are you basically looking to start making videos in the same format as the tek, but with your own topics and opinions? And would it just be yourself or more than one host/presenter or whatever you would call it?

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I would gather a team of people to host the videos, and I would do similar stuff to what the Tek do, hence why I'd love to join the Tek, but I'm a bit far away for that, I think Logan and the rest of the team actually want people there in person. Keep in mind, I did use the word think...

It would be great if I could start a UK version of the Tek or something like that, but realistically, I haven't had any experience with YouTube, as of yet, so I highly doubt they'd want me to make a channel that could possibly ruin their reputation. Of course, I'd do my best to maintain the reputation, if not, improve it somehow, but I can totally understand if the Tek just turned around and said no to making a UK version.

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No harm in asking, right?

Why don't you make a sort of pilot episode? Or try to gather some topics and write a script/ bullet points on what you would say?

I think what you are talking about sounds pretty cool and would offer help if you would like it, although I have no experience with YouTube either haha

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True, there's never any harm.

That's exactly what I was thinking about doing, is having all of the content that I'd go over, in some sort of bullet point/script format, so that I don't have to try and remember everything I'd like to talk about off of the top of my head.

Thanks though, I think it would be a fun and interesting project, but it's just the issue of getting started more than anything else!

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Check out - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5d3vzUrw9W3oY8YS6CJCIEnt4FRt-PZy

Some videos apply to video game commentating, some things will be useful though.
If you watch the 1st video start at 2:23.

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Hell, anything would help for a complete newbie!

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A first trial run might give you an idea what you are up against. Take a topic that you are passionate about and can talk about for hours. Then record yourself talking about it for a while. Then try to edit it (don't bother with fancy intro stuff, that is not important for now). If you are able to listen to your own voice you might want to step away from that idea ;)
You will also know the steps of what you need to do for an episode of your yet unnamed show.

And you better have an Ikea shelf behind you in the frame, otherwise that whole endeavor is doomed ;)

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9

So, I assume that you want to start your own channel and just work together with people you know or potentially other youtubers? The thing about youtube is, the vast majority of it is personality driven. You could have amazing production values and really spot-on info and presentation, but if that is not coupled with an interesting personality that viewers enjoy (or hate, that is also a valid strategy to rake in views) then you won't end up with a large following. Maybe a few dedicated fans who really enjoy your niche content, but that's about it.

As harsh as this may sound, that's the reality of it. Of course that's only if you really want to get big and grow your channel to that size, if you're okay with producing quality content for a few dedicated fans then you don't necessarily need to fulfill all of those requirements.

And there's the next point, you can definitely plan and achieve a large following on youtube "by design", people have done that in the past and it works fairly well if you're dedicated enough to work on that. However, it is never guaranteed to succeed, even if you do everything right, so most people tend to recommend doing it "just for fun" and then seeing where it goes. 2 different approaches to the whole thing, one is more business minded while the other one is the "normal" way of becoming a youtuber.

With all that in mind it's up to you really, you can always try to "just do it for fun" in your free time, or you could dedicate some (potentially wasted) extra time to it in order to plan and build a channel from the ground up.

Those are the basics of youtube, nothing is guaranteed but you can do an awful lot to increase your odds of succeeding. My first-hand experience on the matter is very limited, I just spent some time looking at statistics of some growing channels over the years and got to know some people who do youtube. So take what I said as you will, but I think most of it is common sense anyway.

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Well according to people I know in person, I'm quite a rare and crazy character, I mean, some things I do, just on a daily basis, you'd probably think 'is this guy taking something funky?' ... Personally, I'd do it mostly for fun, I'd try to make it entertaining, but at the same time, not try too hard, because that's just, awful, when people try too hard...

I was going to do it for fun in my spare time, see how it goes over 'z' period of time, if it's getting somewhere, then I'd consider taking it to the next level, if not, then I'd just carry on doing it for fun, simply because it's what I enjoy doing!

But I am aware that nothing is guaranteed, it's partially a gamble, and partially people skills, like you said, you can have incredible content that would mind blow people, but if you're boring, have a dull voice, who's gonna watch it? ... Not a hell of a lot of people, other than dedicated fans, sadly, like you said, that is the truth.

I wish I new YouTubers with experience, but we were just gonna do this, all as newbies, a couple of friends, who have similar hobbies and interests, odd people, currently in university, so it doesn't sound like an awful idea to me, but that's just me, I need to know what other people think, I'd be doing it for fun, for myself, but I'd also like it for other people to enjoy. I wouldn't want to make money off of it to be perfectly honest, I'd want to do it just for entertainment.

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I doubt they would want a UK version (as much as i would like it mate) and definely without meeting you etc.. I am very interested in your idea, keep me/us in the loop of your progress, :)

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Kind of like how seeker daily and testtube have their format laid out, but are in the same network.
or ETC news/machinema.

Just like how the forums here have different topics. Is sure as shit couldn't hurt to ask/send in a pilot. The worst thing they'd say is "No." or "it doesn't fit our mission statement."

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Yeah I would definitely ask (despite my previous comment saying I doubt they would) as its always best to ask and see.

Dont know how the best way is to get in direct contact with them is though

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10/10 loled ;D