DEFINITION September 2019

SET- UP | V I DCON SHOW REV I EW

CREATOR CRAZE YOUTUBER TECH The YouTube creator video market is a hotbed of innovation supported by smart, low-end technology

WORDS & PICTURES ROBERT TAK ATA

O nline video streaming has created megastars, though most people do not know who they are. A YouTube vlogger may have millions of followers and views, but still not be a household name. At VidCon – the Comic-Con for YouTube stars – the focus is on the famous, but none would be known without the tech that supports them. A decade ago, this hardware and software was for professionals – now it is being used in bedrooms and back yards. In just ten years, VidCon attendance has grown from 1,400 people in the basement ballroom of a hotel, to 75,000 tech providers, creators and fans filling the Anaheim Convention Center in Southern California. Panels, workshops and discussions in the event’s ‘Creator Track’ include end- to-end production on a mobile phone, beginner-to-advanced tutorials on cameras, lighting and editing, tips on using Adobe Premiere Rush and Pro, a sponsored session from Blackmagic Design, and workshops on picture and sound editing, audio post, colour correction, motion graphics and streaming content. On the show floor – along with the superstar dogs, make-up companies and fans ogling their online idols – were dozens

of hardware and software manufacturers covering a wide range of production needs. Here’s our breakdown of old and new companies courting the VidCon generation. This year’s VidCon featured a separate, well-attended industry track, with major content companies talking about the next generation of content. VidCon started as a fan show, but its place as a top destination for media industry pros seems certain. GOPRO Not all contemporary content creators are streaming or posting video from their bedrooms. GoPro is promoting the Hero7 Black to the YouTuber market, which may cause a rise in the number of 24-hour challenge videos shot on a mountain bike path or ski slope. The latest upgrades to the Hero line are sure to appeal to sports enthusiasts and less adventurous content creators alike. The biggest advance is improved image stabilisation via the company’s ‘HyperSmooth’ technology. GoPro says that the new tech, eschewing optical stabilisation for an electronic option, rivals a gimbal. For those who take their vlogs to the streets, smoother video will eliminate complaints about handheld romps through the city or late-night car rides.

The addition of built-in live streaming capability, via a smartphone app, is also a big draw for this market. The camera can stream to Facebook Live right out of the box, as well as to platforms like YouTube, Twitch and Vimeo, using an RTMP URL. CREATOR KITS – B&H FOTO AND ELECTRONICS B&H – the popular photo, video and audio retailer – has been successful in changing with the times. The company went from a humble brick-and-mortar store in Tribeca, New York, to a Ninth Avenue superstore, to a website with thousands of products just a click away. Continuing to see the way the wind is blowing, B&H has put On the show floor were dozens of manufacturers covering a wide range of production needs

10 DEF I N I T ION | SEPTEMBER 20 1 9

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