QUANTITY OVER QUALITY: The Gospel of Content Creation / How to Define your Own Style

in #dtubedaily7 years ago


Today on DTube, I want to talk about video content, and how quantity is much more important than quality. Because the more you do something, the more comfortable you get with it. I had a conversation with a musician I'm working with yesterday and she said she was getting conflicting opinions. That people were telling her that when you create something, it better be good enough to show off as part of a portfolio. So spend your time on it. But realistically, when is it good enough if that's your mindset? When is your "baby" free to be released into the world? Frankly, never. If you are chasing quality, then you will never be satisfied with the end result, and you will be miserable. But when you are chasing quantity, this generally necessitates a fixed schedule. For me, I release a video on YouTube every single Wednesday. That means that once Wednesday hits, whatever I have is what is being put out into the world. There is no hemming and hawing about whether or not it's "ready". It's just got to be done and out in the world. And this is truly the way I've seen myself grow. If you look back at my earlier videos, they are nowhere near the quality of the videos that I'm shooting now. And I've only gained that confidence in my abilities because I put my hands in my music software or on my camera every single day. That is the only path to true success, and the only path to true fulfillment. Because when you are focused, committed, disciplined, your attention completely shifts towards the process and not the end result. Because you have to release something every week or every day, you have no choice but to immerse yourself in the process until you create something that can be shared. You don't have time to think about whether or not it's good enough. You only have time to finish what you started. And that act of finishing itself is a muscle that you must flex. Like your biceps or your quadriceps, you have to work out this muscle that deals with finishing what you start, and it will get stronger by the day. Suddenly, you'll see yourself and the world around you transform. Suddenly, you own the moment. You own the world that revolves around you. It's the craziest feeling I've ever experienced. The noise and static that is constantly interfering with your mind is suddenly silenced as you have a focused and defined purpose. I just listened to Casey Neistat's interview with Tim Ferriss on Tim Ferriss' podcast, and he stressed very much the same thing. He talked about how he started his daily vlog because he was on vacation for 5 days and said, "yeah I can definitely do this" because there was something exciting going on. But with this mindset, he suddenly realized that his life would become having to figure out how to do something exciting every day just for the sake of his life being exciting for his vlog. Suddenly, his YouTube channel and its needs would be controlling and dictating his life, rather than him controlling his channel. He decided that this could not be what a daily vlog was for him. For him, a daily vlog simply became a public diary of whatever he found interesting in the world. If there was some new technology or some new controversy that sparked his interest, he would just talk about it. It would become like the daily morning news, but hosted by Casey Neistat. It would become The Casey Neistat Show. And that's what drove him to stay on the path of daily vlogs. And although he ended it a while ago, he's back with the daily vlogs in full force for his new company, 368. And they're AMAZING. They tell such intricate stories of his daily working and his goals and ambitions, it's hard to look away. I actually try not to watch them because I know I'll be hooked like it was a good TV show. And that is the hustle that is important. The reason Casey is incredible is because he valued quantity over quality. And because he had the pressure to do a daily vlog, he had to create a style all his own, one that centered not on professional quality video, but actually benefitted from amateur video. The more amateur the video, the more you felt you were a part of his daily life, like you and him could be friends. His quantity allowed him to create something unique, something unlike anyone else's channel, and that is why he's successful. The idea of quality necessitates some basis for comparison. But that means you're comparing yourself against what's come before you, and trying to copy people that came before you. And that's absurd. You'll never stand out that way. Quantity is the key to creating something unique and incredible, and the only way to really see meaningful level of improvement in your work. Fuck quality. It's all about quantity. The quality will come on its own, and you won't notice how radical the improvement will be. So go forth and create you beautiful beautiful people. The world is yours to take. Will you take it?

FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM:
www.instagram.com/nikhilbhatmusic

MUSIC:
"Summer" by BenSound - https://www.bensound.com


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I real want to join Dtube and start doing some videos which I tried but my first challenge is I uploaded a video it playing but the video is not showing anything just blank what could be the problem. Help a brother

I'm not sure man! your video file may be corrupted, try re-exporting it from your video editing software, or try uploading it on youtube and see if it does the same thing. Sorry to hear that, best of luck!

i only make the video with mobile phone. do i need to edit the video with a software before uoloading it ?

I would like to recommend everyone a great video about similar topic:

  • Quality vs Quantity on YouTube

and what is interesting... this video was kinda updated by the author here:

  • Why YouTube Used to Prefer Quality

In general, everyone need to find a middle ground. Once I was stuck, because I was so fixed on quality... and I didn't have much time, to provide it. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not..

I agree with what he's saying, in both respects. I don't think there's necessarily a right answer, I can only really provide my insight and talk about how much I've seen myself grow since I started preferring quality over quantity. I think that the important point I'm trying to make that he's not making is that when you create a lot of content, your baseline talent level increases faster, because you get more comfortable with your tools and storytelling in general. It's about increasing that baseline, so even if you are burned out or tired and you need to make a video this week, it suddenly becomes effortless to make a quality video. And I think that's the level of mastery that I strive for. Thanks for watching!

Great insight...i do agree with y' in the fact that consistency is key to improvement or perfection. One cannot improve well should he keep wanting to only prepare quality stuff. The real origin of quality comes in the process of constant quantity supply. The more y' keep doing what y' do regularly, y' keep improving...that's true. Quality would come by itself...i concord with you. I love your free flow of expression. Thanks much...

No problem man, glad you enjoyed it!

Hey @nikhilbhat, really great video you have here. I agree that quantity is important. Quality is as well. I have found that a combination of the two is when you hit the content creation sweet spot. Glad to know you and thank you for sharing your wisdom.

Yeah it's definitely a delicate balance... hopefully we can all reach it one day! Thanks for watching :)