Exploring new directions in video self media - physical and mental exhaustion and loss
After deciding to live independently, I first began exploring the path of video content creation. The first step was choosing a theme. Since I’ve been fishing a lot lately and watching fishing videos on Bilibili, I decided to try out the fishing genre. Through my videos, I want to convey a sense of leisurely enjoyment of life. People in fast-paced big cities are often rushed by life, like zombies, without their own time, and under immense pressure. They long for a free and relaxed life. I hope that after watching my videos, they can feel mentally and physically relaxed, and see the attitude of enjoying life by taking it easy. Of course, this requires me to already have a relaxed mindset to capture that feeling in my videos.
Shooting material is time-consuming and exhausting, both physically and mentally. Due to the hot weather, fish are only easier to catch early in the morning or late in the evening, so I have to wake up early to go fishing. The heat makes it even more tiring. Before filming, I did thorough research on how famous fishing content creators shoot their videos, their stylistic features, and why they have a large fan base. I also studied why some creators have fewer fans or have stopped updating, identifying the reasons behind their lower follower count and the differences compared to popular creators.
The main expenses were on equipment, including a tripod, a neck-mounted phone holder, and a wireless microphone. I used my iPhone SE 2nd generation for shooting, considering that since I’m just testing the waters, I didn’t buy action cameras, drones, or other cameras. If I receive positive feedback, I plan to purchase an iPhone for third-person perspective shots and a better microphone.
Editing is a new skill and craft for me, something I had to learn from scratch. Fortunately, there are now many new editing software options that have greatly lowered the learning curve, such as Jianying and Wondershare Filmora. It took me an hour of exploring Jianying to roughly understand how to cut clips from a video. I must say, though, that the official guidance and tutorials don’t really cater to beginners. However, the SVIP fees for Jianying are quite high, making the cost a bit steep for a video newcomer, so I had to find a cracked version or an older version.
I’ve felt a sense of loss—a huge gap between having expert-level skills and starting from scratch. Learning editing, filming techniques, camera work, and even acting in front of the camera, especially expressing myself, is a huge challenge for someone introverted like me.
There’s also a significant income gap, from earning tens of thousands to earning nothing, and uncertainty about whether this path will succeed. I need small positive feedback to keep me going.
However, I believe that in the future, I’ll be grateful for what I’m doing now. Even if this path doesn’t work out, I’ll have ruled out a wrong option, increasing my chances of finding the right direction. There’s a saying, “Reading about something is never as good as doing it yourself.” By trying different directions, I’ll gain insights into various industries, which will be beneficial for understanding business.
