PS Vita And YouTube – Becoming The Face Of Your Channel

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In previous instalments in this series about creating PS Vita YouTube videos, we’ve talked about hardware and tips for getting exposure for your content. Most of that has focused on content created using the Vita itself. But what if you want to create videos making an appearance on screen as a creator? It’s not as complicated or expensive as you might think…

What Can I Create?

The most obvious question you would have is what type of video could you make. Content creators have a lot of scope for on-screen appearances, but is it really possible for PS Vita YouTube videos to be done without needing the console?

In reality, the answer is that of course it is. The most obvious choice would be vlogs – there’s still plenty to talk about where the Vita is concerned. And we all still have opinions about all aspects of the console truth – past, present and future. But it doesn’t stop there. Most of us are still actively buying games so you can create content showing off your latest purchases either directly or as unboxing videos and a lot of Vita owners are doing just that.

Involving The Vita

Alternatively, if you want to involve the Vita more in your videos, you could consider unboxing videos showing off your latest purchases on camera to your audience. This could be retail finds, online purchases or even something as simple as opening sealed games on camera that you’re planning on playing.

At the same time, for those of you still thinking about doing game reviews or playthrough videos, its quite possible to do these as an on-screen reviewer. You could either alternate between game footage and yourself on screen, or position yourself in the corner of your video and create a picture-in-picture effect. Just opt for whatever works best for you as a creator.

Is The Equipment Expensive?

This is a myth when it comes to getting started as an on-screen YouTuber. In fact, you’re probably holding the most expensive piece of kit that you need in your hand right now to read this… A few years ago, to create high quality video content for YouTube, a good video camera would have been a necessity. However, today almost any modern mobile phone will be more than capable of delivering superb quality high definition video footage. The make and model of your phone really isn’t an issue as long as it can deliver a stable image. And that’s the only physical equipment where you’ll need to spend any money.

One thing that is going to be an essential purchase is a tripod and some form of lighting for your phone. This isn’t as expensive as it might sound though. A LED ring light and tripod capable of holding most mobile phones can be picked up for under £50. With that in place, you’ll be set for recording some great content.

Setting The Scene

You won’t want to film your videos just anywhere. Try to film them in front of your collections or at least use some geek related collectibles or display as a background. It will help set the tone and help build a connection with your viewers. However, if you’re willing to invest a little extra cash into your set-up and you have the right compatible video editing tools on hand, a good sized green screen will set you back around £90 (with tripod) giving you almost unlimited potential for where to stage your videos! For my videos I started off with a basic screen/tripod from Amazon, although now I use a collapsible green screen from Elgato. While it’s a more expensive option coming in at £150, it’s better quality, more durable and gives me a more stable screen to work with.

If you’re doing an unboxing video, make sure you’ve got somewhere to put everything that you open near by as well. If you’re in front of a green screen, make sure you have a small table off-screen so you can place things in front of it. Alternatively, sit at a tidy desk/workstation and do your videos there.

Plan Ahead

When it comes to filming, it’s important to plan things out. You don’t need to be meticulous about every tiny detail but a little bit of planning before you start filming will work wonders. One of the most obvious things is to be mindful about what you are wearing. I know that sounds obvious, but I recently prepared to record a few mystery box videos for our channel, completely forgetting that I was wearing a green Kermit The Frog t-shirt! Suffice to say that my recording session was postponed for a few days!

Apart from that, make sure you’ve got everything to hand that you need before you start setting your equipment up. If you’re filming using a phone turn off all your notifications and turn the volume off and make sure you have a drink on hand. The chances are that you’ll need to do a few takes of some of your footage and you’ll need to keep your throat prepared. Don’t worry about doing several takes and stopping to take fluid breaks – your footage will be all the better for it.

Wrapping Up…

Well, that’s pretty much it. We hope this series has not only covered the basics that you need to get started with creating exciting PS Vita-related YouTube content, but also inspired some of you to give it a go and maybe start your own channel. We’d love to see some of the videos you’ve produced and see your channels so let us know what you’ve done in the comments.

If you’d like to see us expand more on video creation as well, just let us know.

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About Simon Plumbe 1089 Articles
Husband, father and lifelong geek. Originally from the West Midlands, now spending my days in South Wales with my family and a house full of animals. Passionate about video games, especially retro gaming, the Commodore 64 and PlayStation Vita. Love pro wrestling, sci-fi and I'm an animal lover and vegetarian. Enjoyed this and my other articles? Why not buy me a coffee: http://ko-fi.com/simonplumbe