What do you look for in a youtube vid?

[Yondanchris]

As some of you know I will be starting a weekly (hopefully) youtube channel on
American Kenpo Concepts and Principles. I wanted to get some input
before filming as to create the best content possible.

What do you like about your favorite youtube channels/videos?

What keeps you coming back to that particular channel/contributor?

What do you look for in instructional videos?

How Long/Short should each segment be?

Or any other comments and suggestions you guys might have!

Thanks!

Chris

 

[Touch Of Death]

I watch the feet.

 

[crazydiamond]

My own personal preferences as a beginner :

1) Some videos with general common topics - challenges all beginners face from injuries, common mat rules, selecting and using gear, common mistakes, starting at different ages, exercises/stretches to help with this MA, how to spare safely, etc

2) Videos that are labeled by level (Basic, intermediate, advanced) and clearly state the moves or techniques. Example with Fundamentals - videos labeled "five basic kicks you need to master for JKD", "how to hit the heavy bag for beginner", etc.

3) Graphics before each move, for example on five basic kids the words "front kick" show on the screen before you talk or demonstrate the front kick. This allows me to return and fast forward to those sections or moves I need to revisit later.

4) Time limit - 3-7 mins each video. If you need longer - break the video in to two or more videos.

5) Multiple angles and speeds "Here let me show you this from this side, or let me do this move at half speed"

6) Except on general videos - limit the talking. I have seen videos where the actual moves dont take place until the last half of the video.

 

[Yondanchris]

I watch the feet.

LOL funny TOD...funny!

 

[Touch Of Death]

LOL funny TOD...funny!

But seriously, as a former Army Video guy (I know, it was tough), you need to remember to leave a ten percent space above peoples heads, or it chops their heads off, on playback, and if you do hand held video, we won't like it. It will make us sick, seriously. Use a tripod. God gave us the tripod.

 

[Mephisto]

Keep your Intro short, I swear some 5 minute videos are really only a minute of content or less. You've got Intro credits/animations, sometimes a clip reel, talking, then actual content, if advertisements are included it gets even worse. This is why i hate watching most martial arts videos.

 

[Koshiki]

I actually like a bit of a longer vid, say 8-10 minutes.

If there's an intro, I prefer it as short as possible, like 10 seconds max.

Demonstrating the technique several times, right away, makes me happy, then I can see if I want to watch the rest of the clip.

Then a minute or two of basic walkthrough, to figure out the real gist of whatever they're doing is always good.

Finally, after all that, THEN I like in depth analysis, discussion, personal tips, etc.

I like that pattern, of starting with a full demo without a breakdown, and then getting progressively more in depth

 

[Argus]

I actually like a bit of a longer vid, say 8-10 minutes.

If there's an intro, I prefer it as short as possible, like 10 seconds max.

Demonstrating the technique several times, right away, makes me happy, then I can see if I want to watch the rest of the clip.

Then a minute or two of basic walkthrough, to figure out the real gist of whatever they're doing is always good.

Finally, after all that, THEN I like in depth analysis, discussion, personal tips, etc.

I like that pattern, of starting with a full demo without a breakdown, and then getting progressively more in depth

I agree. I prefer longer, slightly indepth videos. Most 3-5 minute videos are kind of superficial / lacking in content, and usually just aren't worth my time.

Or, a better guideline might be to make the video as long as it needs to be to cover what you want to cover. What is the purpose of your channel, though? Is it supposed to be quick little advice / instructional blurbs, or just to show what you do and discuss things?

I generally enjoy just seeing how people train, seeing what's out there, and explore concepts / methods that I might not have considered or been aware of before.

I agree with advice to keep any intros/outros short and simple.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

What do you look for in instructional videos?

I don't like the following video:

- your opponent punches at you, you respond to it. Since your respond depends on your opponent's attack, you have just add one extra dependency on how to apply your technique.
- your opponent punches at you, his punching arm freezes in the air, you hit him several times, he then drops. In reality, you make a move, your opponent will make a move too. You should not assume that you are several times faster than your opponent.
- You stand on the edge of the cliff, when your opponent attacks you, you move to the side, he falls off the cliff. In reality, nobody will be that stupid and make that kind of full commitment.

I like the following video:

- You attack, your opponent responds, you then respond to his respond (A -> B -> C).
- You attack, your opponent responds, you then respond to his respond, he then responds to your respond, you then respond to his respond again (A -> B -> C -> D -> E).

Since you will never be able to predict what respond may come from your opponent, this kind of training will be more realistic.

 

[hoshin1600]

what do i look for in youtube vids? hot girls...yeah hot girls. for every clip there is a little picture to represent that clip in the list. (not sure what its called) you will find that pictures of girls will get you more clicks than good content. this applies to martial arts clips too. the self defense clip of the student girl in jean shorts gets more views than the clip with the dude making a mean face with his fists up. marketing 101....but then after that you need good content

 

[Tony Dismukes]

Check out the Tristar Gym YouTube channel with instruction by Firas Zahabi. I think he has some of the best instructional videos out there.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Many clips show "how to execute a hip throw". But not many clips show "how to set up a hip throw" when your opponent also tries to knock your head off.

Information about how to create an opportunity to set up your technique in a full combat environment will be valuable.

 

[Flying Crane]

LOL funny TOD...funny!

It's no joke. The feet can tell the viewer volumes about how much skill you, the guy in the video, has or do not have.

Generally I don't like most of what I see on YouTube. It's mostly junk, done by people who lie to themselves about how skilled they are not. Most people who are making videos fall into this trap; I don't recommend it. That, and I think it's an extremely poor medium for trying to teach martial arts. So much so, that I recommend someone take up running, or swimming, or biking, or weight lifting, just about anything else for exercise is a better way to go.

 

[crazydiamond]

what do i look for in youtube vids? hot girls...yeah hot girls. for every clip there is a little picture to represent that clip in the list. (not sure what its called) you will find that pictures of girls will get you more clicks than good content. this applies to martial arts clips too. the self defense clip of the student girl in jean shorts gets more views than the clip with the dude making a mean face with his fists up. marketing 101....but then after that you need good content

So you subscribe to the YouTube channel "mmacandy" then ?

mmacandy

 

[ShawnP]

Check out the Tristar Gym YouTube channel with instruction by Firas Zahabi. I think he has some of the best instructional videos out there.

Thanks for that Tony Dismukes, i enjoyed that youtube channel.

 

[Andrew Green]

As some of you know I will be starting a weekly (hopefully) youtube channel on
American Kenpo Concepts and Principles. I wanted to get some input
before filming as to create the best content possible.

I guess the first question would have to be what your goals for the channel are and who your target audience is? A channel for practitioners with some experience is going to be different then a channel that is for local promotion aimed at prospects for your school.

If your audience is experienced martial artists of what sort of background? Keno only? all styles? self-defence geared?

Are you planning on using it independent of your school? Is it aimed at growing your school? Maybe attracting higher level practitioners to start getting interest in hosting you for seminars?

I think a channel is at its best when it knows what it's trying to do and not trying to just do everything

 

[marques]

I like short videos (5min...), short talk.
Detailed technique. Slow motion if necessary (during or post-recording).
Sparring / technique with opposition is also interesting to see all working together.
One topic per video.
Show (only) your best and the best of your style, which I don't know well (I mean, almost nothing) and would like to have a good first impression from you.

 

[mograph]

In addition to what the others have written:

1. The instruction should be rehearsed so it is clear and concise and presented in the best order for teaching. It should also be rehearsed so the camera operator knows where to move and when, if necessary.
2. Yes, use a tripod ... or use image stabilization if you *have* to move.
3. Yes, show the whole body, with a little space above the head and below the feet. Get a friend to verify your framing.
4. Only cut to a medium shot (half-body) or closer as a repeat of the master (full-body) shot.
5. The on-camera mic picks up the surroundings at the expense of the speaker, so use a Lavalier (clip-on, wireless) mic if spoken words are important.
6. Keep titles short (cut on and off, no fancy transitions, no Star Wars crawls, no long series of production credits), but keep them on screen long enough to be read out loud. (They can be faster, since we can pause to read them if necessary.)
7. Lighting should be even. Don't shoot in dappled sunlight & shadow: the shadow areas will go black.
8. If you are shooting two fighters moving around, make sure you can move freely so you can place the fighters at left and right in the frame, so you can see both fighters. Watch the framing so you can obey rule 3.
9. Be ready to do multiple takes if it's practical.
10. For God's sake, shoot in landscape (wide) format, not portrait (tall).

This is no reflection on the OP, just on some bad videos I've seen.

 

[Buka]

I love youtube. I use it for a lot of things. As a visual learner, I've learned to cook a dozen fantastic dishes from youtube. If you're willing to wade through the chaff, there's all kinds of gems on youtube concerning all sorts of subjects.

As for Martial Arts - you know how it is, some of what you seek will be okay, some of it will really suck, and some of it will be really, really good. If you're a visual learner and don't take advantage of the resource - who's fault is that?

Some really talented people are on youtube. It's not like you have to get off the couch.