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How to shoot YouTube Videos (feat. Pixel 4a & DJI Pocket 2) // Getting started on YouTube (Pt. 2)
In the second part of my series on getting started on YouTube in 2021, we learn how to shoot YouTube videos using your mobile devices (features the Google Pixel 4a and the DJI Pocket 2). We will talk about the gear you should use, the settings to select, how to compose talking shots and how to get b-roll that drives the story to create compelling YouTube videos.
📕 Complete Script https://geni.us/dji-mavic-air-script
📹 Final Video https://youtu.be/_l3gIrggkIY
1️⃣ First Episode https://youtu.be/KvBZXJtZJPI
🎞 Original Footage https://1drv.ms/u/s!AohbiZbX_aR5pu8xhqT_PyiPoloplA?e=0HglgH
#gettingstartedonyoutube #mobilevideography #googlepixel4a
✋ COME SAY HI!! ✋
- Instagram: @loic.bellemare.alford (http://bit.ly/lba_instagram)
- TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@loic.bellemare.alford
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/loic294
- Facebook: https://fb.com/lbaphotographie
📖 CHAPTERS 📖
00:00 - Introduction
00:42 - What gear you should use?
01:14 - What setting to choose?
01:49 - How to compose & capture a talking shot?
04:11 - Types of B-Roll
04:35 - Overlay B-Roll
05:56 - Transitional B-Roll
🖼 SHOP FOR PRINTS 🖼
- My online store: https://store.lbaphotographie.ca
🎶 MY MUSIC 🎶
- Affiliate link for Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/referral/iu5gau/
📸 GEAR I USE ON YOUTUBE 📸
https://kit.co/loic.bellemare.alford/youtube-gear
- DJI Pocket 2 Creator Combo https://geni.us/dji-pocket-2-combo
- 128 gb MicroSD card https://geni.us/sandisk-extreme-128gb
- Canon 6D Mk https://geni.us/canon-6d-mkii
- Google Pixel 4a https://geni.us/google-pixel-4a
- Canon ZOOM LENS EF24-105mm F4L IS II USM https://geni.us/canon-lens-24-105
- Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 Lens https://geni.us/canon-lens-16-35
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L-IS II USM Lens https://geni.us/canon-lens-70-200
- VANGUARD VEO 2 265CB CARBON FIBER TRIPOD https://geni.us/vanguard-veo-265cb
- DJI MAVIC AIR https://geni.us/lba-dji-mavic-air
🌍 MY PERSONAL WEBSITE 🌍
Hello everyone. Today have an exciting video where I will talk about how I shoot my videos and how you can shoot your first video too, by using only your mobile devices, let's do the intro channel. I'm Loïc Bellemare-Alford a young photographing filmmaker on a journey to become better at this art. This is the second part of my series on how to create YouTube videos from planning to publishing. In this video, we're going to talk about what gear you should be using, how to get grid talking shots and how to film some B roll that drives your story. Let's get started! The phone we will be using to shoot. This video is my Google pixel 4a and my DJI pocket 2. I also own a DSLR to use to film my videos, but I want to keep this video as simple as possible and show that they can get great results by only using the mobile devices that you might already own. The other piece of Gira is very important is to get great audio. And this is my library and microphone with my dead cat. On top of it, this whole set up is about $25 and you can plug it directly inside of your Google pixel for you, or the DJI Pcoket 2. This is a great way of getting high quality audio without spending too much money. Another thing we're going to talk about is the settings we're going to be using. And for this, we're going to be using 1080p at 30 frames per second. Both camera can go to 4k, but it's not very useful to be filming at 4K because it can be much harder to edit it afterwards. So I'm going to stick to 1080p and 70% of the people who are watching my videos, watch them on mobile devices. So 1080p is going to be more than enough for most people. Finally, I'm not going to be using any more advanced settings or ND filters because I really want to keep it as simple as possible because when you're filming your first video, you should focus on the content you're providing, not the settings and the gear that you're using. Now let's start capturing some video. And for this, we're going to record the intro for our fake review about the DJ Mavic air. And I have the link in the description down below where you can see the script we wrote last week. So for this, we want to have a talking shot and usually want to have a talking shot. That is about from your head to your waist. If I move too close to the camera. So if I move really close up here, you're going to see this just feels awkward because I'm way too close to the camera. If I'm far away, you miss this personal connection that you might have with your viewer. So you want something in between the two, the right framing for talking headshot, whether it's behind a desk or in the wild is going to be something about like this one right here. So you want to be sure that you're centered inside of the frame and that you have everything from the top of your head to about your waist inside of your shot. So this is what is good enough because it's not too close that it's awkward and not too far away, that you're losing the connection with your viewer. None of that, we have our shuts set up. The next thing we need to do is learn our text. So for this, I like just reading my texts right before I record, but not learn it by heart. Every word I want to deliver it in a natural way. So I just kind of improvise afterwards, but I still tried to keep the main ideas from the script I wrote when delivering it. So now we're ready to finally film this intro. Hello everyone. Hello everyone. Today, we will be doing a longterm review of the DJ Mavic. Hello everyone. Today, we're going to be doing a long-term review of the DJ Mavic air and talk about if it's still worth buying it. Hello everyone. Today, we're going to be doing a long-term review of the DJ Mavic air and talk about if it's still worth buying it in 2021, you might have noticed that I had to retake it a few times essential, and this is perfectly normal. When I set it out, I would get really stressed out if I didn't get it right the first or second time. But now I know that if I retake a shot 10 or 15 times, this is perfectly normal. Even the best YouTubers like MKBHD still have to retake a few times their shots before getting them right, but this is the beauty of editing because you can cut out everything you want afterwards and only keep the good parts for your final video. In my opinion, the most awkward part of filming, talking shots. And also the hardest one is to look directly through the lens. So it's always very tempting to be looking at your screen or other things around, but you want to have a look directly inside of the lens because you want to connect your eyes with the eyes of your viewer. The other types of shots they usually have instead of video are B-Roll, I have two types B-Roll, but don't quote me on this because I kind of invented these terms. So first of all, there's overlay b-roll that helps visualize what you're talking about instead of the video. There's also transitional b-roll that helps establish a story that you're trying to tell instead of your video, [music] Filming some overlay b-roll is actually very straightforward. I actually highlight the parts of my script, where I want to be showing visually when I'm talking about. So for example, I highlighted that I wanted to show the size of this drone. One problem I see in all of other videos is that the context of using the device is actually missing inside of the review or instead of video, when you're talking about whatever you're talking about. So for example, when I want to talk about the size of his drone, it's much better to put it inside of my hand and then use my second hand here to film some bureau of the drone. So you can actually see how big it is when I have it inside of my hand. And it gives a really good reference to people of how big it is. And I'd say a good example is if I say it's easy to fly, I should actually show the drone flying around and also show the remote in my hands with my phone when controlling it. So you really get a good idea of how it's actually performing in the real world and not just have some nice cinematic shots inside, but without the drone actually working. And there's one question I always ask myself, when I'm deciding what b-roll I should be shooting, and this is what would I like to see, to understand how the things work that I'm talking about. And the answer to this question is the b-roll I'm going to be shooting for my overlay b-roll. When you see people teleporting from point A to point B, I think it's a missed opportunity to be sharing your journey. If you look at YouTubers like Casey Neistat, Matti Haapoja, Nigel Danson or James Popsis, they all have pretty different types of video, but they all have the common thread that they share the journey of how they get to point a to point B between the talking shots. Now, the question is, how do you share this journey? And for this, it's very important to be thinking in terms of sequences. So each time you're moving from one point to another, you should have a beginning, a middle and the end because you're telling a mini story of how you got from point a to point B. So for example, if I want to be moving with my drone, a good way of showing this would be to have a tight shot of me putting the drone down and maybe getting up in the air and then a wide shot of me walking with the drone, following me behind, and finally another shot of the drone landing and me getting the drone. So all of these little shots when one after the other are going to tell a story. And actually just two stories are telling here the first one is that I got from point a to point B. And the second one is that you can actually see how the drone works and how it can follow me automatically. This was a much more complex example. And most of the time I actually do much simpler sequences. So for example, I can film me leaving the first spot, then have a wide shot of me walking to the second spot in front of me. Another shot of me getting there. And that's enough to tell a little story of how you got from point a to point B. What is very important here is to be very in your shots. You don't want to have always exactly the same shots. So may want to get some wide shots, some tighter shots and really everything in between. You could also go on the more creative styles like Peter McKinnon and do some creative or cinematic bureau to get something very interesting. From point a to point B, it can be completely different and not even show you walking from point a to point B and more focused on the environment from one place to the other. I hope you enjoyed the second part of this series on how to create a YouTube video. If you did definitely let me know by hitting the like button below and also consider subscribing. My next video is going to be about how to edit the video. We just filmed soon. The next one. Bye. Bye.
Video Links
- 📕 Complete Script
- 📹 Final Video
- 1️⃣ First Episode
- 🎞 Original Footage
- Instagram: @loic.bellemare.alford ()
- TikTok
- My online store
- Affiliate link for Epidemic Sound
- https://kit.co/loic.bellemare.alford/youtube-gear
- DJI Pocket 2 Creator Combo
- 128 gb MicroSD card
- Canon 6D Mk
- Google Pixel 4a
- Canon ZOOM LENS EF24-105mm F4L IS II USM
- Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L-IS II USM Lens
- VANGUARD VEO 2 265CB CARBON FIBER TRIPOD
- DJI MAVIC AIR
- http://bit.ly/loicba
What is this video about?
This is the second part of my series on creating YouTube videos from scratch, and today I'm walking you through the actual shooting process using gear you might already have: a Google Pixel 4a and a DJI Pocket 2.
The main thing to understand is that you don't need expensive equipment to get great results. I'm deliberately keeping this simple—the only gear that really matters is a good microphone for audio. I'm using a Lavalier mic setup that costs about $25 and plugs directly into either camera. Audio quality makes a huge difference, and it's often overlooked by beginners.
For settings, I shoot in 1080p at 30 frames per second. Both cameras can do 4K, but I don't recommend it when you're starting out. It's harder to edit, and honestly, most people watching YouTube are on mobile devices anyway. 1080p is plenty. I'm also skipping ND filters and advanced settings—when you're filming your first videos, focus on content first, not gear settings.
The talking shot is crucial. You want to frame yourself from roughly your head to your waist—not so close that it feels awkward, but close enough to maintain that personal connection with your viewer. Center yourself in the frame, look directly into the lens (not at the screen), and expect to do multiple takes. Even the best creators retake shots constantly. That's where editing saves you—you just keep the best parts.
Beyond talking shots, there's b-roll. I think of it in two categories: overlay b-roll that visualizes what you're talking about, and transitional b-roll that establishes the journey between locations. For overlay b-roll, highlight the parts of your script where you need visuals, then shoot footage that shows context. If you're talking about the drone's size, hold it in your hand. If you're discussing how it flies, film it actually flying.
For transitional b-roll, think in sequences. Every time you move from point A to point B, tell a mini story with a beginning, middle, and end. Film yourself leaving one spot, walking to the next, and arriving. Vary your shots—wide, tight, and everything in between. This keeps the pacing interesting and helps your audience follow your journey.
The key question I always ask myself: What would I want to see to understand what I'm talking about? Answer that, and you'll know what b-roll to shoot.