this is another A wild year for Marques Brownlee. When WIRED spoke to the video creator known as MKBHD in 2014, the 20-year-old “YouTube celebrity” was busy playing Ultimate Frisbee and was about to graduate from college.Brownlee still play ultimatebut now his business has expanded significantly.
Continuous and smooth video streaming on Brownlee YouTube channel Covers a wide range of consumer tech, from the latest smartphones and electric cars to weird earbuds and retro tech. Notable channel guests include Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Boston Dynamics’ creepy robot dog. He also hosts a weekly tech podcast, waveformin partnership with Vox Media.
A unique voice in tech critics, Brownlee is charismatic on camera, expressing like a smart, unpretentious friend who’s just obsessed with gadgets. The finer details stand out in his videos, with cohesive B-rolls and color-coordinated footage for showing off the equipment.
The videos rarely stray from tech topics, with the exception of the massive 2020 protests over police brutality in the US, titled “reflect the color of my skin. “He reached any participation in the so-called creator economy.
Brownlee is co-teaching with MasterClass Video creation session Offers some helpful advice covering key topics like cameras, lenses, lighting, composition and visual effects. Ahead of his upcoming MasterClass drop, WIRED had a chance to chat with MKBHD about his best practices for creating YouTube videos, what you really need to get started, and how to cover techniques that have an impact on you personally.
young people often fantasize About turning their YouTube channel or TikTok account into a full-time career, but Brownlee cautions beginners against video creation as a money-making endeavor.
“You have to understand that this is something you may never achieve at work. It may be a forever hobby,” Brownlee said. “A lot of people want to be an NBA player, but a lot of people just want to go to the park and play because they love to play basketball. I think you can do that by making a video rather than deciding that you want to be a part of it to make it a Your job. If you know you’re having fun at that level, you’ve won.”
While it’s fun to compare high-end cameras and lenses, it’s beneficial for those making their first video to not get too obsessed with expensive equipment. Instead, focus on making great videos with the equipment you already have.
Brownlee said: “One of the most common questions I’m probably asked is, ‘I want to do what you do. How do I start? Like, I really don’t have that much. I don’t have a RED camera. I don’t have a RED camera. MacBook Pro. I can’t get started. No no no. You’re talking to me on your smartphone right now.”
