How to Be More Efficient Than 99% of Youtubers

Introduction to Efficient Content Creation

Do you ever wonder how people like Alex Hermosi manage to run multi-million dollar businesses while still producing massive amounts of content for various platforms? Just like you, they have the same 24 hours in a day. So, what’s their secret? Let me let you in on a little secret.

The Secret: Batch Producing Content

They batch produce their content. Unlike the scattershot approach of writing scripts for an hour here, filming there, and editing elsewhere, they prepare a week or even a month’s worth of content all at once. Then, they film it all in a single day, pass the videos to the editor, and schedule them for release over several weeks. In this blog post, I'm going to show you how you can efficiently create your content by dividing it into distinct phases and batching it. If you're serious about YouTube, I recommend releasing one video per week. To achieve this, it helps to always have four videos scheduled for future release.

Planning and Writing Your Scripts

The first step in creating any video is planning and writing your script. This requires sitting down and doing the work. For me, this is the hardest part as I’m extremely distractible (possibly ADHD). But it’s also a superpower that I channel with mechanisms to force focus. I found a practice that allows me to batch my scripts: I set aside a morning every week, usually Monday, and block it off from other tasks. I head to a Starbucks, switch my phone to airplane mode to avoid distractions, open a Google Doc, and commit three to four hours to writing four complete video scripts. This includes the lines I’ll say and notes on additional video elements like b-roll. Depending on how well you perform on camera, you might need bullet points or a word-for-word script. Eventually, most creators will benefit from reading off a teleprompter. It ensures a concise, effective delivery, prevents tangents, and allows pre-editing for clarity. This also minimizes editing time by reducing retakes.

Batch Filming Your Videos

Once your scripts are ready, it’s time to get them on video. The advantage of batch filming is setting up your gear just once. Prepare a checklist to ensure everything is ready on filming day. Mine includes tasks like charging devices, finalizing scripts, and setting up gear (tripods, lights, microphones, props). Organize your filming environment to avoid interruptions. Ensure family knows you need quiet time, and plan for any b-roll filming during this session. By filming multiple videos at once, you streamline the process and avoid repetitive setups. Keep your checklist evolving to adapt to new gear or insights.

Editing Your Batch Filmed Videos

With your raw videos shot, it’s time to edit. Assuming you’re your editor, start by setting up projects for your four videos. I advocate using Descript, a tool I teach extensively. Import all your footage, including b-roll, into your project and organize it. Rename files or create folders as needed for clarity. Then, proceed with your preferred editing workflow. I've created over 300 videos on my channel to guide you through various editing workflows if you’re seeking ideas.

Efficiency in editing comes from having all necessary footage upfront, reducing the need for re-filming. Execute edits systematically for each video to avoid time waste. For a detailed walkthrough of my editing process, which helped me produce over 500 videos with Descript this year, check out the next video linked in my resources.

Through these strategies, you'll not only streamline your content creation process but also get ahead in the competitive world of content creation on YouTube. Keep pushing forward, and happy creating!