Chapter Two for my Uncreative Chumps
Over half way through 2023... where are we? | 2 min read.
Pioneers!
Thanks for the patience on the last missed upload. Tbh, we are writing when we know we can provide you value and some weeks, we don’t have anything!
Not this week though, we have a fresh log full of golden nuggets of info…
Tehas, take it away.
Chapter two for all my uncreative chumps.
In making my second video of the season, I came to a crucial realization. Like many of you, I have an operator brain… you give me an Excel spreadsheet and tell me to create a dashboard, I can whip that out like nothing else. That type of work is all about cranking through steps… it’s linear.
Whereas today, when I’m in an edit or scripting, it’s much more abstract… and as someone who is obsessed with productivity, gosh this fucking sucks. Last week, I found myself sitting in front of my unfinished script just staring at the screen. In terms of traditional productivity (how many things you can get done in a set amount of time), it was horrible. Extremely unproductive.
However, that action of staring at a screen and having a mental boxing match happening in your head is creative productivity. I needed to have these stuck moments where dust settled on my keyboard to come to a conclusion that wouldn’t have been possible without it.
Think of it like a progress bar. In making an Excel dashboard, the progress bar goes up with every cell you click, every function you add, and every sheet you add. If you step away from the keyboard, the progress bar halts.
In scripting or editing, that progress bar also goes up with every cut, sentence, and overlay added… but even when you step away and take time to think through the big picture, that progress bar goes up.
It’s a subtle thing but realizing this gave me comfort in creating.
CHRONICLES:
Previous week's goal: Get into the edit! One week left before upload!
Next week’s goal: Be 90% done with the next edit!
We are doing it! We are in the race I’ve wanted to be in for the past two years. YouTube baby. The momentum is there, the uploads and creativity is following. Let’s keep it going :)
Some people view storytelling as divine intervention, when really it’s like baking a cake.
And all cakes have recipes.
Here’s how to make a Dodford documentary, in 6 simple steps.
First, gather your ingredients:
1 compelling character
1 empty Google Doc
1 image-based editor
1 video-based editor
~4 weeks of time
Step 1: Choosing a Subject
Preheat brain to 200 C.
Pick 1 subject that captivates you and your guests.
Lightly squeeze for ripeness – look for compelling stories and social issues.
Juice subject into document. Write a basic introduction, and look for an angle.
Add one cup of packaging. Simmer.
Step 2: Gather Soundbites
Consume several baskets of content about your subject.
Scan transcripts and search for keywords.
Hyperlink soundbites into your document for easy reference.
Ensure quotes are organised by creating categories.
Step 3: Building Story Structure
Arrange quotes into chapters, representing the story’s flow.
Identify hook, climax, and message.
Sprinkle soundbites into desired order.
Be open for experimentation.
Drain.
Step 4: Form Script and Paper Edit
Develop the script. Fill gaps with narration. Leverage groundwork.
Annotate script with visual editing ideas.
Compile list of assets and sources to collect.
Collect assets.
Step 5: Editing
Record voiceover and slice into small segments.
Follow script and assemble edit. Knead laboriously.
Add music, sound and graphics. Marinate.
Bake for 2 weeks.
Step 6: Finalising and Promotion
Send sound to an expert for mixing.
Seek sponsorship approval from brand.
Finalise title and thumbnail.
Whip up hype with promotion.
Remove from oven and serve to guests.
Just like cooking, practice makes perfect. Don’t rush into a Baumkuchen before perfecting your Viccy Sponge. Bon appétit!
Previous week’s goal: finish research and structure for next video ✅
Next week’s goal: complete edit assembly and look for shorts editors
What a surreal week, but things are resuming back to normal now. Hard at work on the next video, which I’ll publicly announce here to you VIPs as… Drew Barrymore. Some really powerful topics in this one. Ahead of schedule on the edit, and hoping to upload by the 23rd! I’m also keen on creating shorts that match my brand. Not the usual cookie-cutter long-form cut-downs, but original pieces of content that live on their own, like my Glover one. If you’ve got the chops to edit something similar, hit me up on Twitter!
If you can fog a mirror, you know that one of the mainstay reasons of becoming a content creator is to cultivate a community. But with so many niches, methods, and types of content you could make, what’s the best way of doing that?
While there’s not necessarily just one answer, a section from Cal Newport’s book Digital Minimalism caught my eye. These concepts were originally written through the lens of ridding your life of unnecessary digital distractions, but they’re also very applicable to your journey as a content creator.
Newport draws a delineation between “connection” and “conversation” as he cites MIT professor Sherry Turkle’s work from a few years prior. “Connection,” she says, defines the low-bandwidth interactions that define our online lives. Think likes, short comments, and spontaneous shares - the things that make you engage with a creator’s work. These actions all serve a purpose, but they hardly stack up against “conversation” - a place where human beings learn to listen and empathise with one another.
It’s one thing to “engage” in the online space - whether that be through posting your own content, or expressing your admiration on someone else’s post. Though the online social environment is predicated off those “byte-sized” interactions, they tend to be one-sided, quick, and shallow.
How can you use these concepts to foster a community that actually cares about you? Here’s some ideas:
Ask questions - Be genuinely curious about your audience, and ask questions of them that elicit a response - preferably one that you can then respond to.
Be vulnerable - Allow yourself to open up and share things beyond surface-level view-garnering pixel-pushing videos.
Be provoking - Seek out opportunities in your content to make an actual statement. Have an epiphany that invites viewers to inquire further.
Social media is for connecting (of course,) but that alone does very little to further an audience’s affinity to a creator. Conversation (though obviously better suited in-person) is where real relationships are built, maintained, and allowed to flourish.
If you want to be a creator that’s remembered for more than just flash-in-the-pan viral videos, then it’s vital to create space for conversation.
Chronies
LWG: Write ❌
NWG: Write next YT video
Nothing wrong with a little relaxation. No real excuse other than work kicking into high gear and also me remembering that I love the show New Girl. Short-form machine’s still chuggin’ along just fine, and I’ll pop around to the next long-form video when inspiration strikes :)
Loved the idea of "creative productivity". Thanks for the blissful ride friends!