https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbX8M-iPJhE
YouTube is one of my favourite websites to date. You can find so many cool things there. You can learn how to Tibetan throat sing, fake an Irish accent or how to do your hair as if you were in the 1920s. You can also find a lot of cool people! They could be beauty gurus, be masters in DIY crafts, nerdy baking, good old vlogs, and they could perform very funny comedic skits.
YouTube is an incredible site that connects people around the world. It has allowed creative individuals an outlet for their ideas and helped expand themselves in their field. All of those people that we subscribe to started out somewhere, an idea.
A lot of these cool people can seem very far away and though the idea of maybe starting your own YouTube channel has come across your mind, it’s fleeted due to thinking it an impossibility.
Meet 17 year old Albertan YouTuber Brendon Whatley. He started posting videos on his channel in 2014 and throughout that time he has gained almost 2,000 subscribers and counting. Brendon grew up in a quiet, supportive Albertan household with his only sibling Evan. Throughout his life, Brendon was heavily involved in visual arts. To this day he still loves drawing & painting, he has even decided to take up animation in post secondary. However he has another passion on the side, making YouTube videos. Creating a channel has been an interest of his for quite a while but only recently has he decided to pick it up. He has poured hard work and dedication into all of his videos and is keen to improve his content with each new video as he goes on.
It’s hard to find YouTubers that aren’t on the other side of the world. Since it’s rare to find an active and engaged YouTuber near my tiny little world I thought it’d be interesting to interview him and ask him questions that perhaps you wanted to know as well about things YouTube related.
“If you’ve thought about it, do it. Don’t second guess yourself, that only wastes time, and if it turns out you don’t like doing it (for reasons other than hate) then stop, at least then you’ll know for sure.”
What inspired to start your YouTube channel?
I had always wanted to make a channel ever since I discovered YouTube, like 6 years ago but I thought I was too young, and no one would watch me or that I would get a lot of hate, so I never did start. But then just last year I found channels like NerdyAndQuirky or jennxpenn that are both around my age who also started quite a while ago. I immediately regretted not starting sooner, and I began regular uploads that summer.
What kind of style is your channel?
I like to think of my channel as “genre-less.” I use YouTube as a creative outlet, and I don’t like to be limited to a certain area of content, sure I don’t make beauty tips videos, nor would I even be good at that but I create what I want to create and that’s how I like it.
What inspires you to make each video or just in general?
I get a lot of my inspiration just going about my day to day life, if I see something, read something, learn something, or if something happens to me it might spark some sort of idea to which I later expand on.
How do you come up with original ideas?
Personally, my brain is all over the place, and I think of random stuff all the time. Every once and a while, I realize “hey I could make a video on this.” And I type it out on this list on my phone before I forget. Then when it comes time where I’m in the mood to film I go to my list, pick an idea, write down some key words/topics I want to talk about in my video and begin filming.
Where do you want your channel to go?
In the end I just want my channel to be found by who it needs to be found [by], I love being able to cheer anyone up and if being goofy on the internet is the way to do it, so be it. I want to be able to turn someone’s day around, because sometimes a good laugh is all it takes.
Who are your favourite YouTubers?
Personally, I like anybody like Grace Helbig or Ricky Dillon because our sort of personalities are the same, I have the same humour mindset, and I can relate to them.
How did your family and friends react to your YouTube escapades?
My mother was a bit weary at first because she believed every other person on the internet is a pedophile, but I managed to convince her that wasn’t true. As for my friends I actually kind of hid my channel from that at first because I figured they’d tease me about it. They eventually found out and to my surprise they actually enjoy it a lot, so I hid it for nothing.
Was it awkward talking to a camera at first? Do you plan on doing vlogs? How do you think you’d handle talking to a camera in public?
It was IMMENSELY awkward haha. But I got used to it and now it’s just like talking to a friend, except they don’t talk back. I can’t even imagine public vlogging though, like I already get weird looks from neighbours if I film outside or if they drive by my window. If I do vlog in the future, I’d only do it if a lot of viewers genuinely wanted me too, and I’d probably make a separate channel.
What are your career plans and does it involve YouTube? What does the future of your channel look like? Are you going to continue YouTube in college?
If YouTube is ever able to provide me with enough income to live off it, I still think I’d have a casual job on the side, preferably something in the visual arts. I’m going to university in the fall for a 2 year diploma in 3D animation, throughout that I plan to still do YouTube, although it may cut back on my current two videos a week schedule.
Who’s your target audience?
I like to keep my target audience as wide as possible but primarily for people around my age since they’ll be interested in the same things as me.
If someone is on the edge of creating and not creating a channel, what would be your advice?
If you’ve thought about it, do it. Don’t second guess yourself, that only wastes time, and if it turns out you don’t like doing it (for reasons other than hate) then stop, at least then you’ll know for sure.
What negative factors have you had to overcome in starting your own channel?
I’ve been very blessed not to get much hate on my videos, but I still do get a few comments here and there. The hardest factor to pull through is channel growth. It is so so easy to want to give up especially when you have less than 100 subscribers because growth seems impossible, when it honestly just takes time. I’ve learned to look at analytics actually as analytics and nothing more, not as a discouragement or motivator but as an insight as too how I’m doing, and what people like.
How long does it take to edit?
WAY TOO LONG. Editing usually takes longer than filming its can take me anywhere from 1hour to 3hours, yes it is hard, and no it’s not a quick and easy process.
How much have you invested in this?
I invest roughly 8 or so hours a week into my videos. And all the money I’ve spent was this past summer when I was starting up. In total I’ve spent probably $1300+ since I started but that’s over the course of several months and someone doesn’t need as fancy things to make good quality content. You could probably get the same quality for $500 or less if you’re thrifty enough.
How do you get viewers?
For views to come in you need videos, so the more videos you have out there the more likely someone is going to stumble across one of yours and find your channel. Also, I make sure to keep active on social media and I have my channel link in your bio wherever I can, it helps draw in just that bit of extra traffic and lets viewers stay up to date with me.
What’s your equipment? Do you others in your life help you in the making of videos? Do you get help idea wise?
I use the canon T5i which you really don’t need if you want to do YouTube, I just like it because I enjoy photography as well. If you’re just making videos, and you want a DSLR I recommend the canon T3i, its HD and it works great, but you can also just use a digital camera for way cheaper. Just make sure it’s got at least 720p HD on it. I have a really cheap tri pod that was literally $20 and for editing software I use Hit film express, but I also got it for free on a promotion. I strongly advise against paying for editing software especially if you’re just starting out, they are very expensive, and you can just live off 30 day trials or the default editing software that comes with your computer. Help wise, I’m actually quite independent, I don’t know why. I come up with my own ideas and what not but for filming my mom has helped me get a few tricky shots before, other than that I just work by myself.
How did you get connected to other YouTubers?
Twitter and YouTube go hand in hand. It’s probably the best way to get talking with another you tuber. If you make a channel I strongly suggest making a twitter account for it. If you want to get connected with someone, just leave some nice comments on some of their videos, tweet at them say you like their stuff and don’t be afraid to direct message them on twitter if you can. As long as they’re a smaller channel they will more than likely reply. Just be nice and genuine, maybe suggest a collab with them even, and you’ll be friends in no time.
So there you have it. Wise words from our fellow Albertan. You should definitely check out his YouTube channel over here.
His other social media can be found bellow:
Instagram @brendonwhatley
Twitter @BrendonWhatley
Make sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel to stay up to date!