MrBiffo
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SKIPPING (THIS WEEK) FOR JOY...
🕑 Added 2021-10-29 08:51:52 +0000 UTCHello, you lot. I’m skipping both Digi and BYAMPOD this week, which does mean that the Digi Halloween Special will now just be a regular Spooky Special. It’ll be worth the wait though. There’s still a bit to film with Gannon, but it’s already feature-length – just like last year’s one was. So far, it’s one of my favourite videos we’ve done for a while. Not only is there an exorcism, not only were we on form, but Sanja and I taste the worst thing either of us has ever put in our mouth.
Something I’m realising is how much I enjoy the creative process when our videos are a bit more on the creative side; when it’s a Digi Deluxe, or there’s a character, or set dressing going on. Something I can get my teeth into. It takes time to do stuff like that though, but I think the end result is more satisfying than the times when we feel we *have* to get a video done every week. I’ll have to mull over what that means.
It’s odd, but Digitiser continues to buck the trend of perceived YouTube wisdom. It seems that our longer videos do better than our shorter ones, we’ve just had a massively successful crowfunder despite having a relatively small audience, and I’m wondering whether we’d actually benefit from changing our video schedule a bit, to give me more time to work on each video, and kind of alternate between really simple chatty vids that don’t need a lot of editing or thought, and more complex ones, like the Supernatural Worlds, or Golden Beans. Don’t know. All food for thought.
Anyhow, yes… you’ve probably seen that the Kickstarter is now done and dusted, barring the collection of the donations. Absolutely amazing result. Thank you to those of you who contributed.
Though that’s obviously for Digi Level 2, I think you should see some knock-on benefits to the regular Digi eps. Basically, once the money arrives, we need to spend as much of it as we can right away, so that we reduce the inevitable eyewatering VAT bill. We’ve started making a list of the kit we need for the series, and that kit will obviously also be available for the filming of our usual weekly episodes.
I suspect we might also be trying out some things on the regular eps before we do them on Digi Level 2. One of the big changes we’re considering is moving over to shooting on iPhones. The new ones are so good for video, and so simple to use. The Canon DSLRs we currently use are, by comparison, clunky and limited. You can only film for 30 minutes at a time for a start. iPhones are just kind of point-and-shoot. Anyway. We’re thinking about it.
That’s it for now. Just a quick update. Have a super-natural Halloweeeeeeeen, and you’ll see us next week.
Paul
Comments
Jeff King
Don't worry about holding to a weekly schedule. We'd all rather see you put out videos that you enjoy making but take a bit longer.
Simon Lee Tranter
Switching to using iPhones is an interesting idea. They'd be perfect for locked off, mainly single camera setups like the average Digi video, but I do wonder if they would cut it for a larger, studio based production like Digi The Show. It's hard to beat a DSLR or dedicated video camera for adaptability, input/output options, and quick focus/zoom/exposure control. iPhone shooting settings can be altered, but it's more fiddly to do on the fly, unless you use an app like FiLMiCPro. A DSLR or video camera can be connected to microphones, lights, monitors, headphones, and power supply (all vital for a studio setup), and the option of attaching different lenses is a big plus. With only a single Lightning port, adding multiple accessories and power at the same time is tricky on iPhone and requires bulky adaptors. To overcome the 30 minute recording limit found on many DSLRs, there's the option of outputting directly from the camera and recording the video with a dedicated HDMI capture device, such as the Atomos Ninja V. It's worth noting that some modern cameras no longer have the 30 min recording limit, for example the Panasonic GH5 MkII. Another consideration is that iPhones have fixed internal storage, so unless you buy the more expensive, larger capacity models, you might struggle with available recording time. For Digi The Show, perhaps the best of both worlds would be to have a high quality DSLR or video camera as a main camera, and then a couple of iPhones for B-Camera and insert footage? I believe that using the FiLMiCPro app for iPhone, you can output a clean HDMI signal direct from the phone, so you could again use something like the Atomos Ninja V to record. The Atomos also accepts external mic inputs and has motoring for video and audio, which gets around the connectivity limitations of the iPhone as well as the potential storage limitations.
Paul Dennett
I'd much prefer that you put out videos that excite you a bit more than having to meet a weekly obligation. I'd be all for you changing your schedule to accommodate that. You being happy with what you make translates to better videos for us in the end, so it can only be a good thing. Filming on iPhones sounds like a no-brainer too if it makes the process less clunky and irritating.
Simon Carlson
Here's my (utterly disjointed due to typing on mobile in a tiny box) 2 cents. Your channel has a lot in common with one of my other long time favorites, redlettermedia. I sense that your average audience is older than general YouTube audiences. I would also wager that many of your audience can also be considered "creatives" in some way, meaning that they have an appreciation for the creative process and can sense that your product is born of passion and a desire to create rather than money/fame/power/etc. Though I am greedy and love your weekly updates, I also think that based on the type of audience you attract, you will only find more success and satisfaction in doing the videos that really call you to be made.
PixelRatedGames
Ooooh, exciting times ahead for Family Digi! Can't wait for the spooky episode! Thanks Paul!
Chai
Thank you for the update! I'm excited to see what you make and do. iPhones definitely makes sense - even 5 years ago at college they were telling us that the latest iPhone was a better camera and more convenient than most low-to-mid range cameras, and the cams in them have come SO far since 2016. Consider it EDUCATIONALLY APPROVED lmao. Excited to see what you do, I hope you're all well <3
