Why Do I Never Use the Video Gear I Bought?
Jun 21, 2023You bought the gear and it is still sitting there. The block is almost never the equipment. It is not knowing how to use it, when to record, or what to say, so the job feels enormous and gets pushed. Break it into one small step, get instruction, and set a deadline you will actually keep.
Why does the video gear end up sitting unused?
Ridge built the Desktop Studio so professionals could record at their own desk without booking a crew. Early on a pattern showed up. People set it up, used it for a month or two, and then stopped touching it.
"Many folks invest in all the tools and resources to create content like ring light, look at my fancy light, my fancy DSLR camera only to get stuck and never actually using them properly, even if it's all been systemized." - Chris Schwager
The hardware was never the gap. Nobody had shown them how to use it, how to implement it, or how to turn it into something repeatable. Equipment at your desk stays equipment at your desk until there is a process wrapped around it. Learn why a system beats better gear every time.
What actually stops you pressing record?
Chris names five blockers in this episode, and he splits two that normally get lumped together. Feeling overwhelmed is the sheer volume of decisions in front of you. Fear of failure is the separate worry that what comes out will be rubbish. On top of those sit technical intimidation, perfectionism, and time.
Perfectionism gets the bluntest line in the episode.
"The desktop video studio is not for procrastinators." - Chris Schwager
That is not the tool judging you. It is the recognition that a one-click setup only removes the setup. It does not remove the decision to sit down and record. See why you should stop tinkering with your gear.
How do you break video down so it stops feeling huge?
"How do you eat an elephant? And that is one piece at a time, one chunk at a time." - Chris Schwager
The bites are small and specific: script it, turn the equipment on, record it, present it. One at a time, done properly, then on to the next. The whole thing stops being a project and becomes four short jobs.
Chris is upfront in the episode that this sounds simpler than it is. The payoff, though, is measurable once the process is in place. How Heather Hukins cut video production from two hours to twelve minutes.
Do you need a coach, or can you work this out yourself?
Chris, who had been running a business for 21 years when this was recorded, says Ridge only cracked the process because it had a business coach. He now does the same job for clients, on video.
"I've got a business coach, I've got a life coach, and now a video coach." - what Chris's clients tell him
The scope is the reason all three exist. A business coach is not going to sit with you on your messaging, your on-camera performance, the tech, and the week-to-week implementation. Those four are what Video Coaching covers, and the pillar page walks through how it works if you want to get confident on camera.
How do you stay with it once the novelty wears off?
Set real deadlines, break bigger projects into milestones, and give yourself credit when a video is finished rather than when it is flawless. Chris's own example is blunt about it: the video looks rough, and it is still better than the last one, and that counts.
"Don't expect that you go from zero to rockstar video marketer overnight." - Chris Schwager
Then there is accountability. Peers, a mentor, a group you report progress to. Chris's point is that being accountable to a business partner works right up until neither of you knows the answer, which is where someone with the experience saves you months.
Frequently asked questions
I bought video gear before and never used it. What makes this time different?
That is the most common worry Ridge hears, and it is a fair one. Clients who buy gear independently often leave it unused. What changes the odds is everything around the hardware: a setup that stays built, a recording process you repeat rather than rebuild, and weekly coaching so there is somewhere to bring the work. The equipment was never the hard part.
Is this just procrastination, or is something else going on?
Usually both. Chris separates feeling overwhelmed from fear of failure, then adds technical intimidation, perfectionism and time pressure on top. Calling all of that procrastination and stopping there does not help, because each one has a different fix. Work out which is actually holding you up, and deal with that one first.
I already have a business coach. Do I need a video coach as well?
Chris says plenty of his clients end up with all three: a business coach, a life coach and a video coach. The reason is scope, not duplication. A business coach is not going to work on your messaging, your on-camera performance, the technical setup and the implementation cadence. That is a separate skill set and a separate habit.
How long before I am any good on camera?
Longer than one recording, and shorter than you fear. Chris's line in this episode is not to expect zero to rockstar overnight, and to treat early attempts as learning rather than output. Give yourself credit for finishing a video that beats your last one. That is the milestone, and it is what keeps the cadence alive.
Listen to the episode
Transcript
Read the full transcript
Chris Schwager
It is common for people to face obstacles when diving into new creative endeavors like video production. But here's the thing that baffles me. Many folks invest in all the tools and resources to create content like ring light, look at my fancy light, my fancy DSLR camera only to get stuck and never actually using them properly, even if it's all been systemized. It leaves us wondering, to a certain degree, you know, is it, is this just procrastination? Or do people lack the proper knowledge and direction. I'm your host, Chris Schwager, and this is the Video Made Simple podcast.
[00:00:40] Where is this all coming from? Well, it's always been around with the rise of online platforms. It's easier than ever to reach an audience, and it's natural to be inspired by those success stories. For me. Gary Vaynerchuk, of course, you might have heard me talking about him. These content creators who started from home, from nothing. That's why many individuals invest in video production tools and services to make their mark in the digital world.
[00:01:07] So much so that we developed the DIY Desktop Studio for desktop, the DIY video creators to make things look a lot more professional and make it easier for them. But here's the twist, after a month or two, some folks ended up in a strange limbo, never touching it again. And that was the earliest stages. And the reason for this was because the, the lack of knowledge and education. So equipment, even if it's kickass and it's work and it's beautiful looks, makes you look and sound amazing at your desk will always be equipment at your desk, unless you have the proper instructions of how to use it, how to implement it, how to systemize it so that you can get the maximum benefit. So let's explore some possible reasons why individuals may struggle to begin creating videos despite having the necessary equipment.
[00:01:58] Well, one feeling overwhelmed and fear of failure. I think there are very two different things, feeling overwhelmed, like there's so many things that they've gotta consider. And then the fear of failure is probably the separate point. But starting a new video project can be overwhelming, especially if one lacks experience or confidence in their abilities. The fear of failure or producing subpar content can hinder individuals from taking the first step. Hmm. I'm sure you've heard of many of people doing that process. And it was funny that 10 years ago, digital marketers and experts got up on stage and they said, Hey, you've got an iPhone in your pocket. You are a video producer. Go forth and start producing video content. And that is right and that is wrong. That works for some people. That doesn't work for others. Right? And so, the missing link in that, in that quest to create ongoing content, morning, noon, or night from your smartphone is always going to be why? What's the implementation? How do we get it going? How do we make this streamline? How do I not suck on camera? Still so many variables that come with that ease, that mobility of being able to have that video production suite in your pocket and that is what all this is about. If you enhance that knowledge and that technical skillset, you'll also be able to do both. You'll have the the video production studio in your pocket, and you'll have a good understanding of how to implement it.
[00:03:39] Some individuals may feel intimidated by the technical aspects of video production, um, presenting on camera, turning the equipment on, finding the right software to get recorded and edited and whatnot. And, uh, limited knowledge or skills in these areas can make the process seem daunting and discourage people from starting.
[00:03:58] Perfectionism and high expectations. These are also really serious things, and it's not just perfectionism in video. It's perfectionism in life, isn't it? Striving for perfection or setting high expectations for the final outcome can be paralyzing. The fear of not meeting superimposed, superimposed standards can prevent individuals from even starting the video production process. So let's think about this for a second. The desktop video studio is not for procrastinators.
[00:04:32] Look, time constraints and prioritizing are some of the most difficult things in business, not just in video, but in business. If you can't prioritize time. You, uh, it's gonna be very hard for you to get things going in the way that you want them. Busy schedules and competing responsibilities can make it challenging to allocate time for video creation. People may prioritize other tasks or feel overwhelmed by their ex existing commitments. Leading to this sense of procrastination.
[00:05:05] Here are ways to overcome all of these barriers. Are you ready? Are you ready for it?
[00:05:11] Number one, break down the process into smaller, manageable tasks. So, How do you eat an elephant? It's the analogy here, and it was, this is what was taught to me years ago as we found it very difficult to break down all the different tasks in business, not just in video, but in business was okay, you've got an elephant. How do you eat an elephant? And that is one piece at a time, one chunk at a time. Just focus on getting biting off one thing and do it right, get it done, learn from it, and move on to the next bite by focusing on one step at a time. Example, scripting, turning on the equipment, recording, presenting. The overall process becomes less overwhelming. Now, what I've just described to you there. Has been overly simplified and I understand as a business owner operator for 21 years, I understand that that still is and can be seen, seen as a daunting exercise. I. Yeah, and the only reason we deciphered the code and got a process that was methodical, that was committed to muscle memory and just over time just became, you know, just like any other task in the business, very, very simple, very easy was because we had a coach. You know, quite frankly, I, I put all of these years of getting this right down by having a. Business coach for us, that simplified the process. And for me now coaching others in business through video, having a video coach is the trilogy. In some cases, for a lot of my clients, they say, I've got a business coach, I've got a life coach, and now a video coach.
[00:06:58] That tri, that trilogy of coaches is what is making them real rock stars, real. Uh, Uh, instruments, communicators, strong communicators, getting their thing out to market because they're freed up their time. They are less stressed and less overwhelmed, and they're getting more valuable content out to the market, out to those people who care. And also allowing themselves the time to rest, the time to spend time with their loved ones, to work on the business, to interact and engage with their clients, the things that they ought to be doing. But sometimes they've been bogged down because they've gotta record a video.
[00:07:40] All right, let's get onto two. Seek support and resources. Look for educational resources, tutorials, or workshops that can help you build your knowledge and skills. Join a community or or forum where you can seek advice. Listen to this podcast. You know, we'll be sharing the progress, receiving constructive feedback for you and helping fellow creators through this process. And you can also reach out to us and, and ask questions and come to one of our workshops as well that we run monthly. So, They are really great. Start sub Submersing yourself. Don't expect that you go from zero to rockstar video marketer overnight. It takes time just like it takes time to li learn all these skills in your business. How to market, how to sell, how to manage your finances. They're various, very similar, similar things. Okay, and how do you run a video arm of your business?
[00:08:31] Let's go to three. Adopt a growth mindset and embrace imperfection. Look what I think that again is overly simplified way. Oh, adopt a, you know, bing, I've got a growth mindset. You know, I think that, I think that's very easy to say, but takes time and focus and persistence. Uh, approach the learning process with enthusiasm. The more of a smile you put on your face and go, you know what? It's gonna be hard. It's gonna be a challenge, but if I gravitate towards the things I hate, the things I don't want to do, then you will understand the process and also what you can possibly outsource and move to someone else later on. And understanding their initial attempts may not be perfect, but they provide valuable learning opportunities for improvement.
[00:09:19] Okay, four. Set realistic goals and deadlines for your video projects. Break down larger projects into smaller milestones to give yourself a sense of accomplishment and motivation throughout the process. I think that's important. Give yourself a pat on the back when you've done a video. Do you know what I mean? Like, Hey, you know, like it looks like shit, but hey, it's bloody better than what I was doing, you know, that that is a milestone. Do you know what I mean? You should acknowledge that. Uh, because I guess, uh, that's a bit of a rags to Rich's story in some way because once you invest in the DIY Desktop Video Studio, you are gonna kick ass and you're going to acknowledge the, the times that you were there stuck in your car for eight hours, trying to perfect your one minute video on your iPhone.
[00:10:04] You're gonna acknowledge those as you know. Sort of like playing in the dirt, if you like, and how you've been able to come out of that and, and look for ways to streamline the whole process.
[00:10:17] And finally embrace accountability and support systems. And I think it's very easy for us, we've always been told, you know, you're in a partnership, shouldn't you both be able to, you know, be accountable to each other and, you know, figure it all out in business? And it's like, yeah, we are accountable to each other. However, when we don't know, then what? Are we just trying to bite off that massive elephant we don't know anything about? No, we, we call on a business coach. We call on somebody that has experience and can lead us down a path far quicker than we would ordinarily do ourselves. So surround yourself with a supportive environment where you can share your goals and progress the with peers or mentors. Explore those challenges, group projects, collaborations to hold yourself accountable and find motivation to start creating.
[00:11:04] Remember, addressing these challenges requires understanding your unique needs and motivations. It's important to acknowledge and emphasize it's important to empathize with your own struggles and seek practical solutions and support to overcome inertia. By doing so, you can embark on your video creation journey with confidence, with vigor and make meaningful progress.
[00:11:35] Wanna know about how to overcome video production roadblocks? Well, our team of experts provides personalized coaching. That's video coaching to help you break through barriers and optimize video creation processes. Contact us today, learn how we can support your video marketing journey, and don't forget to subscribe to our channel for valuable tips and insights on creating impactful videos.
[00:11:54] That's all for this episode. Thank you so much for listening, and see you next week.
Which of these sounds like you?
"Setting up takes so long I end up not recording." That is what the Desktop Studio removes. Installed for you, one click to record.
"I record, but I don't like how I come across." That is what Video Coaching is for: messaging, performance, tech and implementation, worked live every week.
"Honestly, both." Book a call and we will work out where to start.
