 Today, we're on a mission to separate fact from fiction by debunking five popular video creating myths. Hey, it's Herman here again on Artlist, and I know figuring out video creation can feel like trying to figure out a puzzle with no picture. You've probably heard a ton of advice, and I know it's tough to know what to believe. You may have seen a TikTok claiming that shorter videos are the key to success. Or you heard your Uncle Paul say that creativity is something that you have to be born with. While Uncle Paul is not the boss of you, and today we're going to be breaking down five video creation myths you've probably come across more times than you can count, so that you can create videos that'll make even Uncle Paul proud. Now let's kick off with a burning question in every creative field, can creativity be learned? Now some say creativity is a born talent, while others believe that it's a skill that we can build. But the truth is, it's a little bit of both. Think of creativity like a cake. Your natural talent is the base, and the skills that you gain through practice are the icing and toppings that make it eye-catching and tasty. Now I want cake. So how do you learn creativity? It begins by exploring. Expose yourself to various creative works like movies, music, art, and books to develop your taste and find your style and, you know, uncover what inspires you. For example, I watch anime and sci-fi films, so my visuals are very heavily inspired by them. I also listen to a lot of electronic music, which gives my videos this energetic vibe. Austin Cleon's book, Steel Like an Artist, has great insights on this. He says that nothing is truly original, and creative work builds on what came before. Don't hesitate to steal ideas and get inspired. Just remember to credit your sources and add your own unique spin. Then comes the next step, practice. Just like learning to ride a bike, wait, I didn't learn that one yet. Just like learning to play an instrument, practice is key for growing creativity. The more videos you create, the better you get at figuring out what works and what doesn't. James Cameron didn't just wake up one day with no filmmaking experience and saying, let's make avatar using non-existent tech. My guess is that he honed his skills, practiced, and pushed the boundaries of his creativity. So, is creativity a natural born talent? Sure, to some extent. It means that you have potential, but just raw talent isn't enough. With the right mindset, dedication, and of course a healthy dose of curiosity, anyone can develop their creative muscles. So creativity can definitely be learned. Next up is a myth that I believe for the longest time, and it's that it's too late to start a YouTube channel. With YouTube overflowing with top creators like Casey Neistat, Peter McKinnon, or Sam Kolder, you might be wondering to yourself, why bother stepping onto an already crowded stage? And that's the feeling that I had before I started my own channel a couple years ago. So let's first talk numbers. Last time I checked, there were over 2 billion logged in monthly users on YouTube. Yeah, the billion with a B. With so many people on YouTube, there's bound to be an audience for whatever you're passionate about. Whether it's video creation tips, synchronized swimming, or paper art, there's a niche for everyone. Now, let's point out the big fat elephant in the room, competition. Yeah, there are loads of channels out there, but that's actually not a bad thing. It means that people are hungry for fresh content and new perspectives. So to stand out from the crowd, focus on your unique strengths and personal experiences. Maybe you're great at simplifying complex ideas, or you have a witty sense of humor that makes even dull topics interesting. For me, I lean on my interest in futuristic elements and use a little bit of VFX to spice up my videos. Now, keep in mind, YouTube success doesn't just happen instantly. It takes time, consistency, and dedication to build an audience. But with all the resources available, there's no better time to start than now. So don't let this myth stop you from sharing your passion with the world. This next myth is also one that I've fallen for and even preached, and it's that shorter videos always perform better. Now, it's no secret that people today have shorter attention span, but that doesn't always mean that shorter videos are always the way to go. When it comes to YouTube, the most important factor isn't the length of your video, it's the value and engagement it offers. If your content is captivating, informative, or entertaining, then viewers are more likely to stick around, whether your videos are two minutes long or 20 minutes long. I jumped onto the bandwagon of talking faster than an auctioneer in my Instagram videos and cutting out breathing space on my YouTube videos. But to my surprise, my longer videos perform better if the content was solid. In fact, a recent trend in the film industry supports this idea. Lengthy movies like The Batman or the latest Avatar movie has been crushing the box office despite being around the three-hour mark. This shows that audiences are willing to invest time in gripping and engaging content like binge-watching an entire series in one sitting. Even the popularity of podcasts is another example of long-form content being very effective. Don't get me wrong, shorter-form videos are also important in growing your social media, but long-form videos will always have its place in entertainment or education. So, what does that mean for your videos? Instead of obsessing over length, focus on creating content that connects with your audience. Ask yourself, what do my viewers want to see? How can I provide value in an engaging way? If you put your energy into that, I guarantee that you'll see results. Our fourth myth is one that... I'm starting to see a pattern here. I just realized that I've been tricked by all these myths before, but it's pretty cool that I've grown as a creator because I can see how wrong they are. So, let's tackle myth number four, sound matters less than visuals. There's been a trend going on of creators focusing on good sound design in recent years, and I'm all for it because you just can't sit through a video with bad audio. Don't believe me? Here's me talking with high-quality audio but terrible picture quality. And here's me with a crisp picture, but audio is so crunchy, it's like listening while chomping on a bag of tortilla chips. Can you imagine handling another minute of that? Studies show that viewers are more likely to tolerate low-quality visuals than poor audio. This means that sound can be even more crucial than pictures when creating engaging videos. But what does that mean for you? Prioritize sound quality in your projects. Invest in solid audio gear like a good mic, headphones, and spend time in the edit ensuring that your audio is clean, well-balanced, and well-synced with your visuals. And let's not forget the power of sound design. Music and sound effects play an essential role in setting the tone, conveying emotion, and keeping your audience engaged. Imagine watching an action movie without any heart-pounding music. It would be like watching you paint dry on a wall. That's why I never compromise on finding my perfect song and sound effects on Artlist. With their massive library of selections, finding high-quality music and sound effects is as easy as finding cat videos on the internet. They also have footage, templates, and plugins, so check them out for all your video editing needs. Make sure to give your audio the attention it deserves and your viewers will thank you for it. Or at least not click away in frustration. Alright, myth number five! The spiciest one! Oh boy! Brace yourself if you are a video editor because our last myth is going to sound like nails on a chalkboard. Myth five is that you can fix it in post. Ugh. Now, you have probably heard this phrase thrown around by overconfident directors. But is it true? Can you really fix everything in post-production? The short answer is no. Sure, post-production is a super powerful process and talented video editors can pull off tricks that would even impress David Blaine. But as the saying goes, garbage in, garbage out. If your raw footage looks like it was shot during an earthquake or your audio resembles a chainsaw symphony, even the best editor will struggle to polish that rough diamond. That's not to say that post-production can't help enhance your videos. Skilled editors can color correct, adjust audio levels and add VFX and so much more. But these tools should be used to improve upon what's already there and not as a magic wand to fix fundamental issues. Audio is especially difficult to fix in post so check out our blog post for some pro audio tips that you don't want to miss out. Okay, sometimes I'm asked to erase an honest mistake on set like managing a C-stand or a logo lurking in the background. But if you expect me to make an entire busy street disappear, I'm going to be ghosting your message faster than you could say abracadabra. So please, please, please don't encourage fixing it in post like it can be a band-aid for every problem. Focus on capturing everything as close to perfection in camera from the start and let post-production enhance your video. As you continue your video creating journey, don't let these myths hold you back. Embrace your creativity, prioritize quality content and never underestimate the power of good audio. Artlist has a bunch of high quality assets to help you out with that from music and sound effects to footage and templates. So check them out for all your video creating needs. So what's the myth that you used to believe in? Drop a comment down below because we're curious what else needs to be debunked. And if you want to watch more videos like this, then make sure to subscribe to the Artlist channel. And if you're a fan of uncovering the truth, then check out this video where we debunk 10 viral video hacks to see if they actually work in the real world. Otherwise, I'll see you in the next one.