Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

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white belt
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by white belt »

AxelHeyst wrote:
Fri Jan 13, 2023 11:41 am
Some things I see, to improve for next video:
  • Frame face on a rule of thirds intersection
  • Figure out how to DoF the background a bit
  • Shift over so the wall immediately behind me isn't the temporary junk plywood
  • Try a more contrasting background - maybe, record at night and simply have it be much darker than my face.
  • Trim my effing beard
Any other ideas?
Your skin tone will look less washed out if you use a contrasting background color because it will make it easier for the camera to pick out the different tones. That’s why some people use blue LEDs in the background because it contrasts well with lighter skin tones. It’s good to have some sort of visual interest in the background as well, even if it’s just wall decor, a desk with a lamp, or something along those lines. There might be more ways to improve the video quality but I’d have to know what kind of camera and software you’re using.

In terms of lighting, you can get a more cinematic feel by having one side of your face slightly more lit then the other side. Most YouTubers accomplish this with multiple key lights or a key and a fill light, but you can also accomplish the concept with some combination of existing lighting. My key light is a desk lamp with a paper napkin taped over it to diffuse and my fill light is just an overhead light that’s off to one side of where I film. I also use a desk lamp with a warm bulb on a bedside table that sits in the background just to add visual interest.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Nice, thanks whitebelt.

Camera: pixel3
Sound: zoomh5 with lapel mic
I edited ep10 in Blender, which I don't really recommend. I'll probably use DaVinci Resolve for the next one, which I've used before.

white belt
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by white belt »

AxelHeyst wrote:
Fri Jan 13, 2023 6:50 pm
Camera: pixel3
Sound: zoomh5 with lapel mic
I edited ep10 in Blender, which I don't really recommend. I'll probably use DaVinci Resolve for the next one, which I've used before.
Sounds like you have a decent setup for what you're doing.

I use an old iPhone as my camera, Blue Yeti as my mic, and OBS Studio because I'm recording screen gameplay at the same time. I use Kdenlive for editing because that was the free program I tried first. I actually kind of hate Kdenlive, but is usable for the basic editing I do. I do my audio post-production in Audacity because I found Kdenlive's audio features to be pretty bad. Although in theory OBS already adds a compressor and other effects in real time, I find I still have to add a compressor to the recording in Audacity to get a better sound. I then import the improved audio track to pair with the video in Kdenlive and delete the original audio. I've got my mic close enough to my face to allow me to crank the gain down and still get good clear audio without background noise (I've tweaked it to the point where you can't even hear my mechanical keyboard or mouse clicks). Your audio sounds pretty good so I'm guessing you already know the basic audio production tricks.

Almost 4k subs on Youtube is pretty impressive, but I'm guessing that's from your previous career since it looks like you were uploading a lot of videos 10+ years ago?

For beard trimming, you can check Youtube for some techniques on how to match the beard shape to your head shape. I remember this video goes into it a little bit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydfyM48MtsY

Edit: Another possibility if you want to go further is to add more visualizations (charts, tables, graphs) to your videos to pair with what you're discussing. For example, you talk about the tier system around 7:20 that could maybe be supplemented with some kind of visual representation. Similarly, you could split your script up into sections with different subtitles to make it easier for the viewer to follow along. All this takes time compared to just recording audio, so it just depends on whether you think it's worthwhile to put more time into video production. With Youtube being a visual medium and all, that sort of extra effort is what will make the information more accessible. On a related note, you did include some pictures but I might consider editing in such a way that you just become a small square in a bottom corner while discussing the picture rather than having it cover your entire face. Even when listening for mostly audio content, people will naturally like to see the expressions on your face to better digest what you're saying.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

white belt wrote:
Fri Jan 20, 2023 3:41 pm
Almost 4k subs on Youtube is pretty impressive, but I'm guessing that's from your previous career since it looks like you were uploading a lot of videos 10+ years ago?
Yeah, ironically, 95% of my subscribers I got for my MEP Revit tutorials, which are about the most paint-dryingest boring thing you can possibly imagine unless you're under the gun for a deadline and don't know how to update the parametric equipment schedules. But no one else was putting out tuts on the topic (because most people just had their companies send them to 3rd party trainers for $$$) at the time. I literally had new hires being shown around the office, get introduced to me, and were like "Axel? From youtube? omg I learned Revit from you!" :lol:

Really great feedback, thank you wb.

Western Red Cedar
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by Western Red Cedar »

white belt wrote:
Fri Jan 20, 2023 3:41 pm
Edit: Another possibility if you want to go further is to add more visualizations (charts, tables, graphs) to your videos to pair with what you're discussing. For example, you talk about the tier system around 7:20 that could maybe be supplemented with some kind of visual representation. Similarly, you could split your script up into sections with different subtitles to make it easier for the viewer to follow along. All this takes time compared to just recording audio, so it just depends on whether you think it's worthwhile to put more time into video production. With Youtube being a visual medium and all, that sort of extra effort is what will make the information more accessible. On a related note, you did include some pictures but I might consider editing in such a way that you just become a small square in a bottom corner while discussing the picture rather than having it cover your entire face. Even when listening for mostly audio content, people will naturally like to see the expressions on your face to better digest what you're saying.
I had the same thought about visuals. I would actually recommend just having charts/graphs/images completely covering the screen while you are talking for certain sections of the podcast rather than using some level of transparency or putting your face in a box. One of your strengths is the 3d images, charts, and visuals you've created that highlight your projects, thoughts and philosophy. Lean into that strength!

*Assuming you are okay with the additional time committment

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Both your comments are reminding me of a thing I read about, where it's generally uncomfortable to have just one view held on one POV for long periods of time. Something about feeling like you're too zoned in and unaware if a sabertooth tiger is sneaking up on you. I notice in 'good' talking head videos, even if there are no supporting visuals, they switch between two cams to avoid this.

For me, yes, switching to fullscreen visuals (with or without head in a small box mode) is in the cards for next video.

white belt
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by white belt »

Most Youtubers also make judicious use of jump cuts, zooms, and text on screen for emphasis. This requires significantly more editing time, so since you're editing your own videos, you'll have to decide what constitutes "good enough" when it comes to video production.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Okay: ep12 and 13 are up! Conversation with @mooretrees and DH.

Youtube Part 1 and Part 2.

Western Red Cedar
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by Western Red Cedar »

I really enjoyed the recent episodes. It is great hearing about the day-to-day experience of ERE forum members. Such a positive example for people with families.

Keep them coming!

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Episode 14 is up! (<--youtube) Trying out a monthly update style episode. (Post with links and rough transcript.)

Narrowly got the yt uploaded before inverter low-voltage tripped off. Real nail-biter there at the end.

dustBowl
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by dustBowl »

I've really been enjoying what you've put together here, especially the interviews with other forumites. There's just a different humanizing effect to listening to someone speak vs reading their writing, even if the writing is good.

I also thought the early episodes did a nice job of condensing some potentially complicated philosophical content into a very approachable form. I'd feel comfortable sharing this with family members or friends as an intro to the kinds of stuff I'm thinking about these days.

I'm looking forward to future episodes!

(One small piece of feedback would be that on spotify, the volume for Advanced Retroadaptics seems to be significantly lower than the volume for anything else. In a few instances, I turned my volume almost to max in order to hear your voice, only to get my ears blown out when spotify auto-played something else. Not sure if this is the case on other platforms since I've only listened on spotify)

Gilberto de Piento
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

I just listened to the first mooretrees episode. I enjoyed it but it was hard to listen to because it overall was quiet and Axel was really quiet. Two suggestions:
1. Overall bring the volume up.
2. Have everyone sit the same distance from the mic.

Edit: I'm using podcast addict in case that helps.
Last edited by Gilberto de Piento on Thu Feb 23, 2023 11:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Thanks for the comments. I've been having a helluva time tracking down the volume issue because it sounds fine on my end. There's something I don't yet understand about how volume is normalized when broadcast on different platforms. I'm going to be sorting that out for the next one, and then presumably I'll be able to remix old episodes and reup the audio.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Episode 15 is up!
Freedom-To, Thru-Hiking, Side Hustles, and Occupy, a Flotilla Chat with Chris, Episode 15.
Youtube

I think I tracked down my issue with quiet audio (needed to run loudness normalization to -16LUFS or so). I tested it on spotify and it sounded loud enough to me. If anyone has a different experience on their devices, please let me know. I'll be going back and remastering some of those previous episodes with audio level issues.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Ep 16 is up. Youtube is uploading, will be live here.

It's a conversation with Matt, a listener or AR and lurker here who emailed me and after a couple exchanges I realized we'd probably have a fun conversation. We talk about

pessimism
xrisk,
risk at the scale of the personal life, and why Matt chooses to introduce more risk into his life,
the lifeboat flotilla,
dissensus,
etc.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

Episode 18 on Polymathic Skill Acquisition is up. (I should have called it part 1 of x because there's a ton I didn't even mention).

I recorded, edited, and uploaded this episode entirely from my phone. I'm hashing out a 'production' process that involves as little chances for me to screw things up as possible and... this actually worked pretty well. Thank you to the people in my journal who gave me the ideas and motivation to give this a shot.

I'll have to see about uploading to youtube from my phone as well, for now there's no yt version. ETA: ah, there's a button for that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJQbV4afU2g unfortunately the image is automatically generated and... not good.

theanimal
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by theanimal »

Check out the app "YT studio" by YouTube. It let's you access the more creative aspects of publishing videos from your phone. A thought is that you could just use a stock image saying Advanced Retroadaptics or something like that and upload it along with the audio. It would be fairly quick.

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

YT Studio doesn't let you create content or even upload, it's all about analytics and managing playlists, but I figured it out with a different app (audiolab) and then upload to yt with the normal yt app.

https://youtu.be/l3iv6zPXsd4 (old link won't work)

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Ego
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by Ego »

AxelHeyst wrote:
Fri Apr 21, 2023 11:00 am
YT Studio doesn't let you create content or even upload, it's all about analytics and managing playlists, but I figured it out with a different app (audiolab) and then upload to yt with the normal yt app.
YT Studio has a built in editor.
First you upload the video and allow YT time to process it. Then select YT Studio > Content > Select the video > Editor.

It is a good basic editor and they have free music.

More here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPgJcpGuSTI

AxelHeyst
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Re: Advanced Retroadaptics Podcast

Post by AxelHeyst »

YT studio on the browser has a built in editor, yes. The YT Studio *app* does not (at least not the version on my phone, maybe there's a tablet version with more features? I'm android if that matters)

I'm working on a phone only workflow (for various reasons, including I'm going to be without a computer for 2-3 months but don't want to stop podcasting).

Also, it doesn't look like even the browser version of YT Studio lets you upload audio and then append an image to it (I could be wrong). The first step is "upload a video".

All good, this phone only workflow is fine for me:
1. Record audio using AudioLab (any recording app will do).
2. Edit in audiolab, including noise removal.
3. Save audio file and upload to my podcast host via the Spreaker app.
4. Go to Canva app, load my template podcast image without episode text.
5. Add episode text and export episode image.
6. Go back to AudioLab and select "Audio to Video" feature, selecting the image I created with Canva.
7. Export video file.
8. Upload to youtube using, interestingly, the standard YT app, not YT Studio.
9. Make further edits to tags, thumbnail, description, playlist, etc with YT studio app.

There's also a video phone-only workflow:
1. Record video using normal camera app.
2. Edit it using YouCut.
3. Upload to youtube using the YT app.
4. There's a button in AudioLab titled "Video to Audio"... assuming it works as advertised, I'll be able to extract audio for pushing to Spreaker if that's what I want to do.

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