The Blog
The archive of my blog (since 2010).
Sad YouTube Economics, Trademarking "React", and Rip Off Artists
In this episode I talk through the sad economics of being famous on the Internet, why you shouldn't try to trademark recording a basic human action, how the world of online publishing is getting harder, and how not to be a rip off artist.
Canon C100 Mark II Review
After filming with the Canon C100 Mark II for over a year, it is about time I got around to reviewing it.
In this video I breakdown who I think the C100 MK II is great for, who shouldn't get it, how it compares to shooting on a 5D Mark III (including side by side test footage), and whether it is worth the money nowadays even if it doesn't let you shoot in 4K.
Gear Doesn't Matter
In this episode of the podcast I challenge you to make videos with what you have and think about whether gear really matters or not.
Audio Technica ATH M30X vs. Sony MDR-7506 Comparison
In this video we review the two best budget options for monitoring headphones, the Sony MDR-7506 and the Audio Technica ATH-M30X. Both of these headphones will serve you well. They are in the same price range and both include a leather pouch and adapter. Perhaps the biggest difference is the cord, straight vs coiled.
Sony MDR-7506 Monitor Headphones Review
In this video we review the Sony MDR-7506. Long considered the industry standard you can find these from sets to sound rooms. Offering a frequency response that covers the range of human hearing, the MDR-7506 will allow you to hear every blip and pop of the edit.
Audio Technica ATH-M30X Review
The ATH-M30X comes in at $70 and delivers excellent flat frequency response that won’t break the bank.
#AskLeb 1 - What's Next for DIY Video Guy?
Over the past couple months I have been looking for a better way to interact with my audience, the YouTubers, bloggers and video makers, in short – you guys.
To better connect, I decided to put more concentration into YouTube. Uploading more videos, being active in the comments and starting a new series AskLeb.
Super Cheap Standing Desk: StandStand Mouse Review
“Sitting is the new smoking”, that’s what people keep telling me anyway. If these people are to be believed then I’m a metaphorical chain-smoker. We all are. Apparently we average 9.3 hours a day sitting. If my math is correct that’s like smoking 37 and three quarters cigarettes a day. Not really but you get the point.
However I didn’t want to spend the $500-$1,000 it would cost to get a standing desk. Even if I did fork out the money and make the switch that would only solve my problem when I was at home. I work from multiple locations.
How to Get a Vimeo Staff Pick (ft. Levi Allen)
Today's episode brings you Levi Allen, a filmmaker out of British Columbia and Founder of Left Coast Media. Levi's most recent film 'Untethered' was featured as a Vimeo Staff Pick in December 2015.
In this episode Levi discusses how he started out making films, the importance of not letting gear stand in the way of creation, why he decided to begin vlogging, the story behind the making of Untethered and why he decided to release his film for free.
RODE VideoMicro Review
If you're recording video on a DSLR or mirrorless camera, you don't want to use the on-board mic for audio. You want to at least pick up a shotgun mic like this RODE VideoMicro, for around $60.
In this video above we review and walkthrough the RODE VideoMicro microphone.
How to Get 150,000 YouTube Subscribers in 1 Year (ft. Thomas Frank)
One of my favorite parts of being friends with entrepreneurs is seeing how far they progress in just a year.
In this podcast episode I chat with Thomas Frank, a four-time guest on the show, to talk with him about how he has grown his YouTube channel to over 166,000 subscribers and almost 5,000,000 views by making weekly videos for just over a year.
How to Raise $200,000 in 7 Days on Kickstarter (BTS of Freedom Journal)
Our last client project of 2015 was a Kickstarter video for John Lee Dumas of Entrepreneur on Fire. The Freedom Journal campaign just launched last week and John's launch team, which includes us and the video we made, helped the campaign raise over $200,000 in the first week.
In this video we give a behind the scenes view on the entire production process. From storyboarding and scripting to filming and editing, we cover the entire project.
Canon C300 Mark II Hands-on Feature Test + Footage
On Saturday I drove up to Canon in Hollywood, CA for an all-day workshop with the Canon C300 Mark II cinema camera. In this video I share why I went, show some of my favorite features of the camera, and share test footage that I shot on the camera.
I currently use a Canon C100 Mark II as my main video camera and it only shoots 1080p, so I'm looking at what my options are for upgrading to shooting in 4K in 2016 and the C300 Mark II is one of the main contenders.
6 Things I Learned Making Videos in 2015
2015 was a big year for me. It was the first full-year of being my own boss, making six figures, filming & editing hundreds of videos, and I also traveled a ton. In this video I share six things I learned specifically related to making so many videos last year.
I also wrote a full annual review with more lessons learned, stats, and financials here.
2015 Year in Review
Looking back at 2015 gives me a lot of reasons to celebrate.
It was also very trying year though too. It started with my wife Jen's third round of surgery to remove cancer from her tongue. The success of that and no further appearances has helped fuel Jen's recovery back to almost full strength again.
Her health challenges have pushed me to work harder, think bigger, make more, and take plenty of time to enjoy life, friends, and family along the way.
But before I look back on the rest of 2015, it helps to look back even further, going five years back to when I start doing work online. Each year while I do my annual reviews I read through my previous ones and I say to my former self, "Oh how little you know."
RODE VideoMic Me Review
If you record videos or livestream on your smartphone and want better audio, there are a ton of options. In this video I unbox, comparison test, and review the RODE VideoMic Me, a shotgun style microphone that plugs directly into a headphone jack.
You can watch the video in this post or on YouTube.
How to Enter a Crowded YouTube Niche (ft. Dave Dugdale)
Dave Dugdale has been sharing his filmmaking journey on YouTube since he first got a Canon T2i in 2010. I stumbled across his videos a few years ago when I first bought a DSLR and was trying to figure out what camera settings to use.
In today's podcast episode I chat with Dave about how he transitioned from making videos about real estate to drive search traffic into teaching video production and making videos for a living instead.
We discuss why you might want to use a mirrorless camera like a Sony A7 series or Panasonic GH4 instead of a DSLR from Canon, give advice for making videos in a crowded niche, and why having a regimented release schedule for your videos might not be the best way to go.
Is Consistent or Quality Content More Important?
Should you put a lot of effort into trying to make something perfect, even if that means you can only create videos irregularly? Or should you have a schedule and stick to it, even if you are releasing sub-par content?
In today's episode we debate consistancy vs. quality and which you should strive for most.
We also discuss how you can go about achieving both, if you should even attempt to do that, and how the types of content you make may decide it for you.