By Martyn Davies
Around 4 years ago I made the decision to start filming my sessions whilst out on the bank after toying with the idea for quite some time. If I’m honest, at the time I didn’t really have a set in stone plan in what I wanted to achieve but I did have a few ideas bouncing around in my head and now 4 years on, I am glad I made the decision to keep producing my content.
If you follow me on any of my social media, YouTube channel or even my website, then you will notice that over the years I’ve created a uniformed look and approach to my online presence as personally I think its key for creating a brand, your brand, YOU!. It was something I had done back in my early twenties when I was Dj’ing and it really worked well, having an identity and gaining a following when you’re putting yourself out there amongst many others it certainly makes you stand out.
This has developed over time and something I have worked on over the years continually updating my content to remain fresh in an ever-changing scene. Believe me getting off the starting block with content is tough as we all have to start somewhere so there has been plenty of chopping, changing and head scratching throughout, ideas will pop into my head at random times of the day so I just jot them down and look to explore them when I feel the time could be the right.
Whilst out on the bank, filming has always been secondary to my fishing because if you have ever tried to video a session as a one-man band you will realise just how hard and time consuming it can be without the beauty of having a videographer capturing your every movement. What I didn’t want from my filming was for it to get in the way of me trying to put maximum effort into ultimately trying to catch carp. A lot of what I do doesn’t even make it in front of the camera let alone a final edit as it is just isn’t possible to do. If there is one thing, I would pass on it would be do not underestimate just how much work goes in to making even a simple video outside of just talking to the camera.
Over the past year with the many challenges of lockdown I have really started to vary my videos in which thankfully have been welcomed by my viewers so creating content such as my 2 Minute Rig Clinic’s, Up Close Reviews, Lockdown Live Streams and more recently Bait- Edges, Tips and Tricks. With the In-Session type videos being far less due to limitations on movements I found that putting together these types of videos were a great way of giving something back, passing on my knowledge and information I’ve picked up through the years. Like any of my content I knew these wouldn’t please or be of a benefit to everyone, but I decided what I wanted to do is create a channel & website full of information across the large spectrum of the carp fishing world. Filming these types of videos are a great way to boost your confidence in front of camera as they only need to be short informative videos about a chosen subject, well worth a try!
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So if you are looking to put yourself out there here’s a few things that may be worth thinking about:
Why do you want to do it?
So, before you even think about reaching for the camera ask yourself, why do you want to do it? If it’s for money, fame then you are certainly barking up the wrong tree as believe me making fishing videos will not make you either of these.
Dare to be different!
When thinking about your content do not feel like you must follow a trend as doing the same old stuff as everyone else will rapidly find you just blending in. Be bold, dare to be different and don’t be afraid to take a new spin on things as this will make you stand out from the crowd.
It’s all about you!
How you portray yourself on camera will ultimately decide how successful your channel becomes. For me you need to be passionate otherwise what’s the point? Viewers want to share the moment, the highs and the lows so having a personality goes a long way!
Growing your channel.
For me it’s all about regularity and creating the content that will keep the viewers coming back for more. Leaving it weeks or months between uploads will see your channel just disappear into a YouTube blackhole, believe me I’ve been there, so if you can keep your content steadily uploaded ideally weekly then you will soon start to see more interaction on your channel.
Mix it up!
As viewer and a creator no one wants to see your face too much, even I am bored of seeing my own face so I would recommend making sure you capture plenty of filler clips such as scenic, wildlife, your set-up, rigs etc as they really help set the scene. If like me, you have one camera it can be time consuming and a lot of effort, but it really does make a difference to the finished edited upload.
Comments & Trolls.
The internet is full of weird and wonderful people and YouTube is certainly a platform that people like to express their opinion so I guarantee now you will get some comments that aren’t nice and probably leave you questioning why you bother, I’ve been there. There’s one simple way to deal with such accounts... BLOCK! Oh and don’t take it personally! Easier said than done I know!
But apart from the above, just enjoy it, enjoy your fishing and don’t take yourself too seriously! Life is way too short!
Martyn
