How to make the perfect YouTube video

[ylop]

I've never really got in to Vagabond, and Delos seem to have gone down the same path. It's hard to keep it interesting once you have a kid.

I think Ran managed well with a little'un and have transformed into a building channel. The reality is having a kid takes a lot of free time, whether you have a sailing channel or not.

Agree, if they can work out what they are trying to be they'll be a great channel, they're not there yet and although I did like them, my other half has taken to shouting at the TV any time they're on and I'm starting to see her point. If they want to be the "British sailors" they'll need to start showing Britain without pretending it's like the Caribbean and editing it so heavily.

you see, I'd disagree. I've no objection to showing Britain through rose-tinted glasses and highlighting where its beauty is outstanding. But to be "British sailors" they need to do a bit more sailing - whilst the dog is the most entertaining of the three of them, watching them walk a dog is not a sailing channel. I actually think sailors with dogs have a harder job that sailors with kids - it becomes about the next trip ashore for the dog.

as if they'll be fired from YouTube for not posting weekly (the algorithm doesn't actually care). I really want to see them get there, I think they have the skill and they're an easy watch

I suspect they are actually working out what does work from a revenue perspective. Test and repeat the stuff that gets views/money. I think RedSeas do a better job of the production - and I'm pretty sure that's not because they are somewhere sunny.

 

[Daverw]

We like this British couple who have quietly sailed round the world over 6 years, no kids or dogs just them and sailing and visiting places and spending time, all on the same boat and not continuously looking for the next blue water boat at viewer’s expense

https://youtube.com/@SailingYachtFlorence

 

[lustyd]

showing Britain through rose-tinted glasses

Oh neither do I, but using photoshop to completely change the colour scheme is a bit much. Plymouth is nice but the water and sky are not the same colour as a Caribbean island

 

[Praxinoscope]

Use the same three rules that are needed in a novel :

1. Include a bit of Religion
2. Include a bit of sex
3. Include a big of mystery.

e.g. Oh my God, I’m Pregnant, who was it?

Unfortunately there is no easy way, good script/story, good quality filming and audio then a ‘magic’ touch in editing.

 

[steveeasy]

Cadoha, Yuck. Now the Bumbling sailor, he’s no fool. Erik, he’s cool and finding it harde but sets the standard in every way. Christian Williams always has something worth listening too. Madz, well he found his niche in life and I am pleased for him.

Steveeasy

 

[Kelpie]

We like this British couple who have quietly sailed round the world over 6 years, no kids or dogs just them and sailing and visiting places and spending time, all on the same boat and not continuously looking for the next blue water boat at viewer’s expense

https://youtube.com/@SailingYachtFlorence

Agree, the only channel I make a point of catching every episode. They only put one out every fortnight which helps.
It's thanks to them that we built a nesting dinghy.

Magic Carpet are maybe 2nd on my list. Beautiful boat, interesting people, good music.

 

[ylop]

Oh neither do I, but using photoshop to completely change the colour scheme is a bit much. Plymouth is nice but the water and sky are not the same colour as a Caribbean island

Hey, they are just marketing a product! of course if their audience don’t like it they will stop watching part way or unsubscribe and they will have all the analytics to learn quickly what works for them to find a niche. I think their problem is they haven’t quite worked out what makes them special. They have however made a bigger impact than lots of other me too channels. One thing they do seem to mostly get right which a lot of people don’t is audio - if your sound is full of wind noise or the volume is all over the place mute it and add a voice over later.

whilst it’s engines not sails Donny Wilcox does a good job of telling a (sometimes fanciful) story of his low budget exploits around the west coast. He took very good photos beforehe did video and I think that and the story telling is key to the formula.

 

[jac]

Hey, they are just marketing a product! of course if their audience don’t like it they will stop watching part way or unsubscribe and they will have all the analytics to learn quickly what works for them to find a niche. I think their problem is they haven’t quite worked out what makes them special. They have however made a bigger impact than lots of other me too channels. One thing they do seem to mostly get right which a lot of people don’t is audio - if your sound is full of wind noise or the volume is all over the place mute it and add a voice over later.

whilst it’s engines not sails Donny Wilcox does a good job of telling a (sometimes fanciful) story of his low budget exploits around the west coast. He took very good photos beforehe did video and I think that and the story telling is key to the formula.

Agree re Cadoha and their niche.

I think part of their problem is that they are trying to do it in the UK where the weather is against them. Looking up the boat on AIS and i see she hasn't even had her AIS switched on for 6 months so no undersail material . SO how do you film enough material in 6 months to last the whole year, especially when 2 parts of your content ( sailing and foraging) are highly seasonal and the boat fixing & upgrade is very niche

 

[lustyd]

Looking up the boat on AIS and i see she hasn't even had her AIS switched on for 6 months so no undersail material

The AIS doesn't change a lack of under sail material. When it is on and you check the weather, it's obvious why they turn it off just before the fuel pontoon. I actually don't mind that much, it's supposed to be aspirational content so if they can tell a story it doesn't matter if it's true or not.
Probably ought to stop picking on Cadoha though, they are nice people making good content and taken individually their videos show off how to make a good YouTube video very well and there's a lot to learn from them.

 

[jac]

The AIS doesn't change a lack of under sail material. When it is on and you check the weather, it's obvious why they turn it off just before the fuel pontoon. I actually don't mind that much, it's supposed to be aspirational content so if they can tell a story it doesn't matter if it's true or not.
Probably ought to stop picking on Cadoha though, they are nice people making good content and taken individually their videos show off how to make a good YouTube video very well and there's a lot to learn from them.

Agree re not picking on Cadoha - i subscribe to them, think they do a good job and seem really nice. Would happily buy them a beer if we met! the quality of what they produce is top notch.
The point re AIS though was that i assume they have not moved for 6 months as it's winter, they need to earn money etc. Compare that to say Sailing Florence in the tropics and they can film enough new material to show another episode every couple of weeks. This is mid January on a pontoon on the Itchen wouldn;t really compare!!

 

[mattonthesea]

I've been pondering this question since the OP. I watch four uTubes. Leo's Tally Ho I think he's moved from excellent to nearly excellent, I think because of time or other pressures. Even after nearly 60 years of sailing I have learnt so much and even the stuff I do know already of well presented so still entertaining. And I've never laughed at sponsored content before. Some of the editing is fantastic; getting the hammer blows on time with the music; and the time lapse reviews of the frames going in. The keel moulding! Fab.

Uma I like to watch, some inspired and thoughtful ways of addressing cruising life,
even if they've got a bit boring over the last year. Kika's learnt a style of editing and rarely diverges from it. The same movement music with shots of the boat moving past headland or island or out of port. Or quiet music with stills of the winches and lines hanging. I'm not saying it's bad; it must be difficult to find new ways of showing the same thing after seven years! I like watching to see how they find material for episodes. And I am tempted to count how often they have a holding hands shot.

Sailing Melody I watch mainly because I met them when I have them a wheel drum for an Aries. They are a lovely couple who are overcoming difficulties to get ready to start off. And Jack is delightful; when I offered him a drink he thought for a second and then enquired if I had any earl grey!

But my favourite is the Sailing Brothers. Watching their development of just so wonderful. They are unworldly lads, although they're in their late 30s. They get things wrong, they eat out of saucepans, they worry openly about their plans; and they do it with honesty and humility. Their faces when they got their first American dollars; they felt like they were in the movies.

I did try Expedition Evans for a while but they were just too anodyne, it was like watching Friends but with no humour!

As I've read through these posts I think the OP has been answered. But I'd add the notion of the viewer's personal involvement, and that's not easy for an amateur.

 

[38mess]

If you want to move away from boats I have found itchy boots to be excellent. Currently she is traveling through Morocco on her motorcycle, what a fantastic country with wonderful people. She puts out three videos of excellent quality each week.

 

[GHA]

Some great podcasts out there as well.
Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell Podcast | Free Listening on Podbean App
The Mariner | a podcast by Christopher Stanmore-Major
On the Wind Sailing Podcast | Free Listening on Podbean App

 

[Beneteau381]

We like this British couple who have quietly sailed round the world over 6 years, no kids or dogs just them and sailing and visiting places and spending time, all on the same boat and not continuously looking for the next blue water boat at viewer’s expense

https://youtube.com/@SailingYachtFlorence

Indeed, they have grown on me. Their editing and content skills are superb.

 

[Kelpie]

Some great podcasts out there as well.
Offshore Sailing and Cruising with Paul Trammell Podcast | Free Listening on Podbean App
The Mariner | a podcast by Christopher Stanmore-Major
On the Wind Sailing Podcast | Free Listening on Podbean App

On The Wind was the soundtrack to my dinghy build. I could just stick it on on Spotify and let it autoplay episode after episode. Great when your hands are covered in epoxy and you don't want to touch your phone!

 

[Adios]

Course there are different types of video but, of it's type, here is perfection, a jewel. From an old pro:

Couple of thousand views in 10 years.

.

He films the mundane views that we might forget is actually interesting. Dylan would film slowly leaving a mud berth, with no action, no talking. Its actually what its like being there on your own. Which is what we want. But maybe not what the masses have come to expect or want.

 

[ylop]

…. Dylan would film slowly leaving a mud berth, with no action, no talking. Its actually what its like being there on your own. Which is what we want….

speak for yourself. If I want the reality of sailing, I’ll go sailing. If I want an entertaining video I’ll watch someone who knows how to video, edit and tell a story.

 

[steveeasy]

Dylan had a really good sense of humour and a certain charm like no other. His camera work was outstanding. No Erik but perhaps that was his niche.
Steveeasy

 

[jac]

Dylan had a really good sense of humour and a certain charm like no other. His camera work was outstanding. No Erik but perhaps that was his niche.
Steveeasy

I agree - especially the early work. He seemed to become rather bitter towards the end which i think removed some of the charm

 

[wonkywinch]

Used to enjoy Searching For Coconuts, the animated graphic "how to" stuff but now they've switched to a different "look at us" format and quite dull.

Many You Tubers I follow seem to use the same sponsors, either Nord VPN or Manscape.

https://m.youtube.com/@searchingforcoconuts2248/videos