11 Tips for beginner Elevator Enthusiasts:I'm never sure where my time on elevator filming is, but some drastic changes could come 2016 regarding on where I go and what I film (and how often I film). But I think it's time for me to pass on some tips for starting a channel.
One of the biggest mistakes new elevator filmers make is that they shoot too high too soon. The biggest pieces of advice I would offer are: 1. Do not expect to be Dieselducy right away. That will never happen anyway. 2. Do not expect to get the attention of Dieselducy right away either. Find a smaller elevator enthusiast (less than 300 subscribers) and get their attention first. They are most likely to be the most interested in your content because they were in your shoes at one time recently. 3. DO NOT ask people to subscribe to you or watch your videos! Anyone who built their channel without begging or advertising vehemently hates it when people beg for subscribers and views! The best thing you can do is link a similar elevator you filmed in the comments section of the video and compare them. 4. Practice, Practice, Practice! Do what you can to make the best possible elevator video. Start in an empty parking garage on a weekend, and run through the process step by step. 5. Elevator photography is as much an art as it is a science. Try different things, and don't be afraid of mistakes. 6. Be yourself. It is ok to copy another elevator filmer at first, but you'll eventually want to stray off on your own path, because your channel should reflect you in some way. Everyone's different and can bring different ideas to elevator enthusiasm. 7. Be open to criticism. This should go without saying. This includes not disabling comments. 8. Just make content. Generally, it is better to start out posting 5 or 6 videos right away so people don't have to make a judgement call of your channel based on one video. 9. Be your own boss. I generally don't accept requests unless I ask for help finding elevators (you can read more here). You should prepare to deal with requests. Some enthusiasts love taking requests, but others like me hate them (you don't call your favorite TV station and tell them which episode to play next, do you?). There are ups and downs to both options. 10. Define what you want to do. The concept of a "variety channel" was popularized by Dieselducy and at one time claimed that it's the reason his channel is the most popular, and that "elevators" is a very limited audience. That never settled well with me. It's better to have a primary interest, which is about 85-95% of your videos, and a secondary interest, for the other 5-15%. Also, add all your secondary interest videos into a unique playlist for those interested in your secondary interest! 11. Have fun. If you don't enjoy what you do, don't do it! I don't film elevators for the money or the views/subscribers, I do it because I enjoy it! If I wanted to make money or do YouTube for the views, I would film myself screaming profanities at video games. AUTHOR'S NOTE: Most of the details are specific to me, and may not represent all elevator enthusiasts. However, I think all elevator enthusiasts would agree in general that they want you to know these things. 1. We're not a threat
Most security guards and building owners are under the false impression that allowing photography of a non-tourist facility compromises security. Popular Mechanics proved in 2010 that third party cameras actually enhance the security of the facility. Now if we're physically interfering with normal operations or police operations, then you can be concerned. 2. We're all different Just like any enthusiast group, we have issues with the ways others do things. Since there is a large age range for elevator enthusiasts, some may be more or less experienced than others. Just because one enthusiast comes in to a facility and does something he shouldn't doesn't mean that the next enthusiast will. 3. We have a respect for the handicapped others don't While I don't have any disability, many of us do. Autism is the most common among elevator enthusiasts, primarily Asperger's syndrome. Also, those in wheelchairs can greatly benefit from our videos. 4. We love to talk to people Sometimes being antisocial is part of elevator enthusiasm, since we try to film at times in which we can disturb the fewest number of people. But if you ask what we're doing out of interest and not out of suspicion, we'll open up about it. 5. If you have a problem about one of our videos, take it directly to us Every now and then, we'll find an elevator that is not so stellar, or has some problem with it. If you own the elevator in question, the best thing you can do is fix it and invite us back. Now if something in the video is questionable, see #9. 6. We respect private property, but we want you to know what we do. But a lot of places do not explicitly state photography is banned, which leads to mixed signals. We'll stop if you want us to stop, but we want to make our case too. PS. Non-residential buildings on public universities are not private property, unless it's designated as a restricted area. 7. We have opinions about elevator companies Almost all elevator enthusiasts have strong preferences for older elevators, because they have "character" to them (i.e. distinguishable personalities). Most modern elevators, regardless of brand, are generic. At the same time, many older elevators set the standard for quality because they have withstood the test of time, and most modern elevators can't always live up to that. Some elevator companies do it better than others though. It seems like a taboo topic that shouldn't be. I notice trends among companies and any bashing I do is well-deserved. 8. But that doesn't mean we're biased We'll try to show every elevator we can in a good light as much as we can. Modernizations are hard. While it replaces old, aging parts with newer ones and makes elevators last longer, it tends to take the character and historical aspect away from the elevator. 9. We don't mess around We've ratted out our own on illegal actions (e.g. using elevator keys without permission or authorization, minors under 18 operating freight elevators, tampering with emergency equipment...etc). Feel free to call us out, but be professional about it. Older elevator enthusiasts (over 18) are generally more trustworthy. And the most important one is... 10. We're normal people We have social lives outside of elevators. However, they are a passion of ours, so expect to hear some about it. Sometimes, we prefer to be quiet, and we hate to see people we know personally when filming elevators. See #2, as everyone has different tastes and preferences. I keep my personal life and my elevator filming separate. |
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