In my last post, i mentioned how I was going to start creating videos where I break down complex tech topics and explain them in fun, easy to understand ways.
From Educational…
I started writing some scripts and talking with people about them, and I got the feedback that it sounded like a Khan Academy video.
There’s nothing wrong with creating educational content, but creating that kind of content wasn’t quite what I wanted to create.
To Anything
I thought a bit more about the kinds of videos I used to make when I was younger and realized that I should just let my imagination run wild and create anything I want to create.
If I have an idea, I can just go and make it. I should be making videos for me that I’m proud of. I think that there are still some interesting constraints to work with as I start out making short form content, such as hooking viewers in the first few seconds and keeping them engaged.
Creativity blossoms when it has constraints.
By this I mean if someone had unlimited time and resources to be creative, what would they produce? Maybe nothing because they don’t have any deadlines. Maybe they wouldn’t find innovative solutions because they have unlimited money and don’t need to optimize existing methods.
As I start making content, starting with short videos, I think of these constraints (such as video length, hook, portrait aspect) as things that help my creativity blossom.
I’m starting with short form content because it’s easy to quickly try new ideas and experiment. It’s also the best way to grow right now since your content is very discoverable. Once I have a following with short videos, I plan to start making longer videos. Right now, the danger with making long videos is that I might spend a lot of time on a video only for it to not get many views
Validation metrics for the content I produce should always be internal things that I can control, such as if I am proud of it and if I learned something new while making it or practiced a skill while making it, such as storytelling.
So while I’m not trying to focus on the views or followers and only focus on internal validation metrics, it’s still difficult to ignore if you spend a lot of time on a long video and no one sees it. As an artist, you want to share your work and have others see it.
With that all in mind, I’ve created a few short videos so far that I’m proud of and have done pretty well. I have a lot more ideas for fun short videos that I’ll be working on soon. Each one has a specific skill that I’m focusing on practicing, such as storytelling or integrating generative AI filmmaking.
In cause you’re curious, here are the links to all my pages (including a new instagram account):