Hi. This is Mihnea. Welcome to Romanian Hub, the Ultimate Romanian Language Learning Portal.
How long does it take me to make a video lesson?
It is official! Romanian Hub has already passed the 250 video lessons mark and has become the biggest resource of Romanian Language Lessons on YouTube. We are now one step closer to truly becoming “the Ultimate Romanian Language Learning Portal”.
I was actually planning to write this article once I uploaded the 300th video lessons, but then a recent comment asked: “No episode for today?” When I read that comment I had two distinct feelings: one of joy and one of… I’m not sure how to describe it… let’s say of urgency.
So, in this article of Romanian Hub Blog, I want to share with you the process and the time that goes into making one of my language videos.
There are 10 steps involved in making a video lesson:
Step #1 – the idea
The question of what to make a video about is very real in my head all the time, especially that I always want to take my channel to the next level. That is why, your requests in the comments section are like a real fuel and inspiration to me.
Time spent deciding on the next day’s video: 10 minutes.
Step #2 – the research
Most videos need some sort of research which includes fact checking and fact finding on the internet or in my home library.
Time spent doing research: 15 minutes.
Step #3 – the script
Once I have the idea and the research done, I start writing the script. This is usually done in one go, without any interruption or postponement to another day. After I’m done writing it, I proofread it, and then print it out.
Time spent writing the script: 30 minutes.
Step #4 – setting up the recording studio
I know the studio looks fancy in the video, but actually, the shelves behind are part of our living room and, every time I record, I need to set up the tripods for the camera and the lights. After that I need to fine-tune the shot setup and the direction of the lights.
Time spent setting up the recording studio: 15 minutes
Step #5 – the recording
Most videos take about double their length to record (sometimes even more), depending on how many mistakes I make or the noise in the building. When the neighborhood dogs start barking, they don’t stop immediately…
Time spent doing the recording: 15 minutes
LEARN MORE: Check out the FREE Romanian Language Lessons archive!
Step #6 – downloading the recording
While I rearrange the living room and put the camera, lights, and tripods in their corner, I start downloading the files.
Time spent downloading the recording: 10 minutes
Step #7 – the first draft
Then I start editing by adding the files in their chronological order, doing rough cuts, and optimizing the light and sound.
Time spent doing the first draft: 15 minutes
Step #8 – the final draft
Adding the titles and checking the flow of the video takes the most part of the editing. This is the nitty-gritty part which sometimes can be frustrating, especially when trying out new things. Once I’m happy with what I’ve made, I click the save button.
Time spent editing the final draft: 40 minutes
Step #9 – the graphic design
Creating the thumbnails for each video has become a big part of my YouTube channel as they attract more views. Working in Photoshop to create an attractive image for the video lesson has become somewhat faster than a few weeks ago, but it’s still quite a detailed job.
Time spent on graphic design: 20 minutes
Step #10 – scheduling the video
I try to schedule the videos as many days in advance as possible, especially for the weekend, but sometimes I do it day by day. Internet in Thailand is not that great, so uploading takes a long time, plus then there’s the description and the tags which need to be addend, and finally the cards at the end of the video. I have also started adding subtitles (or closed captions) which I believe are helpful for everyone.
Time spent scheduling of the video – 50 minutes.
Once the video is live, the process begins again, but not before I spend more time distributing the video link on Facebook and Twitter. Then I concentrate on one of my favourite parts: reading and answering to the comments.
So, to have one video online takes around 220 minutes. That is 3 hours and 40 minutes! But, in truth, I manage to save about 1 hour on each video by recording several videos on the same day and doing all the other tasks in bulk. Somehow, I’m more productive when I write 3 scripts in a row and then spend an hour brainstorming for new ideas.
I hope this article gave you an idea of what happens behind the scenes at Romanian Hub in my Bangkok studio. My motivation is the ambition that I have to make this program the Ultimate Romanian Language Learning Portal. My wife is a constant support and you guys are my fuel that keep this flame burning.
Thank you for being here, thank you for reacting to my end of video prompts, thank you for taking the time to add a comment, thank you for coming back. It means the world to me.
Join our mission. Follow this link to the Patreon page and consider making a pledge to help Romanian become the most popular language in the world.
Now watch the presentation of how I make a video lesson
(with all the key words in Romanian too):
Until next time, this is Mihnea, singing off from Bangkok.
