Firearms themed YouTube channel wish list?

[rat-man]

For a bit I've entertained the thought of starting a YouTube channel of firearms-related videos. I enjoy a plethora of them, including MAC, TNP, Hickok45, etc... so I wonder if the market is pretty-well saturated, especially when I don't have anywhere near the connections these folks might have in being able to procure different firearms.

I'm by no means an expert, but that was kinda gonna be my whole angle of the videos, if I had any general direction in mind. The main thing I was going to focus on, as a film professional, is production quality. I've been waiting for an excuse to purchase a certain camera, and this would keep it busy when I'm not.

So the questions I have to pose to INGO members, what do you like, what do you dislike about the channels/videos you watch often? Is there any value in ANOTHER video series of firearm reviews? Anything missing that you'd like to see or a differing perspective on said reviews? I actually would like to see more political commentary and 2nd amendment issues, firearms news and updates among this genre, and would like to focus on police-state issues and the importance of an armed public.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[jason867]

All the political stuff you mentioned would be nice I think.

Perhaps if you get the number of viewers that the other popular youtubers get, then maybe we could spread the gun love message a bit more to people who need to hear it.

So maybe just a mix of everything?? Cools stuff to draw in big crowds, and then the educational political stuff to better educate the masses...

 

[rat-man]

Honestly surprised there's only been one response.... guess I have my info!

 

[Exo594]

I subscribe to a wide variety of channels, based on my various hobbies, but I would say to a starting channel that you need a fair camera with a fair mic. Don't get a bad camera just to save some money. I'll say this: talk about what you want to talk about, respond to comments, etc. Post video responses to larger channel's videos, and you can attract some more attention. You'll soon become known for you typical setting. For instance, Moss Pawn's gun counter. Or TYM's safes. Or Hickok's range. I personally don't like really long videos, I think 10 minutes is long enough for most things. When reviewing guns, keep it simple and short, but you can go over your usual time if you want to go in-depth. One thing I'd like to see is time-lapse shoots. Just go to the range, film your shots, especially the first 500 rounds of shooting a new gun, then time lapse it, and return to normal speed when you have a malfunction. And don't get all safety-freakish on camera. Just drop the mag and lock the slide/bolt, casually, or show it like that in the beginning when non-shooting handling it. That's all I can think of right now, but it's a good place to start.

 

[jason867]

I subscribe to a wide variety of channels, based on my various hobbies, but I would say to a starting channel that you need a fair camera with a fair mic. Don't get a bad camera just to save some money. I'll say this: talk about what you want to talk about, respond to comments, etc. Post video responses to larger channel's videos, and you can attract some more attention. You'll soon become known for you typical setting. For instance, Moss Pawn's gun counter. Or TYM's safes. Or Hickok's range. I personally don't like really long videos, I think 10 minutes is long enough for most things. When reviewing guns, keep it simple and short, but you can go over your usual time if you want to go in-depth. One thing I'd like to see is time-lapse shoots. Just go to the range, film your shots, especially the first 500 rounds of shooting a new gun, then time lapse it, and return to normal speed when you have a malfunction. And don't get all safety-freakish on camera. Just drop the mag and lock the slide/bolt, casually, or show it like that in the beginning when non-shooting handling it. That's all I can think of right now, but it's a good place to start.

+1

I have to agree with all of his points, some people can be way overly safe. I can't fault them for it, but it does get annoying when it seems someone is overly obsessed with it.

The quality camera and microphone is a good recommendation. Hickoks videos jumped up in quality a bunch when he upgraded his camera. They're just more pleasant to watch. I personally like to use the Hi-def feature on youtube, my computer can handle the 720p setting as long as the video is 100% buffered. Better PCs can take advantage of youtubes 1080p setting. Of course you have to record you video and upload it in hi-def to take advantage of that ability.

You should definitly plan each video out ahead of recording, print out an outline, so you can follow schedule, get things said that need said, keep the video short and to the point without a bunch of rambling.

 

[rat-man]

Trust me, the technical details concerning the cinematography will be second-to-none. I've been in the filmmaking business since the late 90s and work in the camera department as an assistant, technician, and colorist on everything from corporate videos to Michal Bay action films.

This is all still a big "IF" however, so the content is where I need to focus more so than the technical side of production that I feel I have covered. That being said, I plan on normal acquisition (non high-speed recording) at 1080, but will probably master for the web @ 720. I don't really see the need since if watched online, screen size will most likely max out @ a 27 inches, and besides Fox networks broadcast their HD as 720. Plus, it's all going to get squeezed through YouTube's compression anyway, so the starting acquisition point does matter.

Good suggestions, I think maybe I've had some bad timing posting on a holiday with the OP. keep 'em coming!

 

[rat-man]

things are in the works to resurrect this idea. I'll post once things take more shape.

 

[cmr13]

Personally I like TNP best, and I am also subscribed to Sootch00, and tnoutdoors9.

The things I like best on TNP are the long reviews with a lot of data and info and opinion all mixed in. And I also like the adventuring videos with lots of small talk and maybe a bit of shooting thrown in.

I like tnoutdoors9's ammo tests best, because they help me learn about different types of ammo and how the different speeds, bullet designs, weights etc affect the performances.

Sootch00 I like because he does a large variety of reviews on different things, and, well I don't really have another reason, I just like his channel.

The one thing I dislike about Sootch00 is that he edits his videos too much in my opinion. There is a cut about every 10 seconds and I find it very annoying. I like TNP because reviews are 99% of the time done in one take, with no cuts. I just like that style better and it feels like it flows a lot better. If you will be doing reviews and political statement videos the only advice I would have is to not edit videos too much. If you are doing insert footage that you are talking over, then that's fine. But if you are doing something on camera, either sitting in front of the camera talking into it, or showing a gun/knife/gear item, then it makes the video seem much more flowing if it is done in one take. Even if it takes you longer to make get that one take right, in my opinion it is worth it.

Just my .

 

[rat-man]

Like I said, the technical side of things will be taken care of, but I can't see a static shot and rambling 45-minute review as being the style of this as it comes to fruition. TNP does that well, and it's for some, not others.

We'll see how it goes. Development continues.

 

[Cannon762]

You're right in that there are several different gun channels out there, however I'd be more than open to subscribing to another. What I look for in a video is *real* information. That's the one trend all those successful channels you listed have in common, imo, is that they usually always teach me something interesting either through their visual or descriptive talents of showing what x firearm does and what makes it different. What are it's strong points? What are it's weak points? What's unusual about it compared to similar firearms or accessories?

If I'm about to buy a firearm or accessory, I will watch *EVERY* video in existence that I can find on it. I rarely will say "I wish there were less videos about ______". So do it, man!

 

[Chase515]

I say start one, I'll watch your videos if you watch mine. I am kicking around the idea of reviewing the firearms I own and have a lot of friends who would let me review their stuff also. So shooting and pointing out the pros and cons I see would be the best I could offer. Politics is not my thing but focusing on how good we have it here in Indiana might gain some attention.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zuz5kPeS84g

 

[Faine]

I have to say that I watch a fair amount of you_tubers and I have found I lean to watching series that have running themes, like Eric and Barry's "5 guns" "gun gripes", and Hickok's comparison videos. I also watch a plethora of training and tactics ideas but I don't think that's the direction you're leaning. You can't go wrong with gear review and comparison videos, there are a lot of holsters, slings, optics, range bags, rifle cases, etc... And the market for those things is ever expanding. I think it would take some serious in house support or a new concept if you wanted a quick response on something like this. I'd almost recommend doing a little of everything and see what takes off, then focus on the areas that people seem to gravitate towards.