I Started Vlogging!

I don't know what has gotten into me that I am now creating vlogs. Maybe something has bitten me, or someone has transfused a vlogger's blood into my veins. I don't know. But I think it's a good thing. Right? Righhht???

Vlogging has always been listed at the far end of my bucket list. Maybe it was caused by my lack of correct equipment, which was why it got to the lowest part of my priorities. But it ranks higher in the list of my wants and I am so proud that finally, I was able to do it last Sunday, July 26, 2020.

If you haven't watched it yet, here's the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYHKM3upNcI&t=1s

The reason why I pushed myself on doing it was that I checked with my new netbook that the test video recording I saved was qualified for a somewhat-okay vlog standards. The audio wasn't as convoluted as the one usually recorded on my phone, the video wasn't grainy, wasn't blurred. All I needed was the initiative. And maybe it was the high I got from drinking too much coffee that made me do it. And I'm glad I did! Blessed be the coffee gods!

Among the challenges I faced here was the awkwardness of speaking directly in front of the camera, for I checked my recording of speaking directly in my reflection and it didn't go well. You should really be talking on the small lens, as if you were speaking to someone in front of you. And I sucked at it a big deal.

I have written a short script first and tried enunciating them, recording the practice as I speak, so that if they're good then they could get to the final cut.

It had taken me a lot of tries to get the hang of it.

But the end product was okay, I think? Okay to be considered a first vlog.

I chose programming as my content, because it's what I do for a living. And since I'm pretty sure that my past students are gonna be the ones who will watch my videos, I designed the script with them as my target audience.

The content I have for my first vlog was inspired by Jenna Moreci's video, "10 Worst Worldbuilding Tips" and it was made purely out of sarcasm. After watching that, it made me think, "Hey, I could do that!" Not in writing, because it would look as if I copied her totally, but in programming—which I'm sure no one, or only a few, did already.

The hardest part for me here was assembling the video.

I have not anticipated that after importing my raw videos on Adobe Premiere Pro, those audio and video of my recording were out of sync.

I found out that these files have Variable Frame Rate (or VFR) which causes the frame rate to actively change during playback. After a few research, I learned that converting them to Constant Frame Rate (CFR) videos would solve the problem.

I downloaded several converters but only Handbrake worked. It was free, lightweight, and easy to use. And it helped me big time. I was already losing hope that afternoon, so my discovery of it was a pure blessing.

After formatting my videos and successfully importing them into the editor, I trimmed every dead airs in the video with my sweaty hands, adjusted the audio, added title cards, added a royalty-free background music and adjusted again the decibels of the audio, so that the background noise won't take over the video.

I rendered it around 6PM and tweeted to my friends, teasing them about my first vlog.

And after it was done, I jumped like a kid in my room, squealing as if I won the lottery.

I still have plans on making another video. Actually I already have a topic in mind and I'm gonna record it this coming Saturday.

I just don't know until when I am going to do this.

But as long as I'm having fun, there's nothing wrong with pushing this shit right?

God bless me.