12-year-old me once dreamed of becoming a Youtuber, obsessed with Bethany Mota’s DIY videos, Zoella’s fashion halls and Back to School vlogs. While this may no longer be my career goal, I love being creative and taking videos when I travel. What if there was a possibility of combining these two passions without the goal of becoming famous?
My newest side hobby to channel my inner creativity and storytelling is making vlogs with friends and using videos we already have on our phones. My friend and I set up a YouTube channel to post videos to showcase our final edited videos. Are the only people who watch our videos my mum and friends? Yes. Do we only have seven subscribers on YouTube? Also, yes. But that is beside the point.
The point is about making these videos for yourself, getting creative with music, editing and adding memes, and using the materials you already have (like a laptop or phone). My favourite video with my friend is our recreation of Before Sunrise, set in Vienna, where we channelled our inner actress and director. We planned where to go in Vienna and filmed short clips in each location. The video is now a little souvenir, something we can always share.
In St Andrews, my friend and I went to the Rusacks Hotel to try the afternoon tea as a little treat for ourselves, which I highly recommend, and we made a video out of it.
I love making videos in my free time because there is no pressure for them to be perfect; you can do it when you like, free of judgement. It is like a visual journal tracking your personal development, thoughts and favourite moments in life. If you are a PowerPoint lover, you will love the vast features the movie editing software CapCut offers. You can add text, transitions, filters, and so much more.
A long Christmas holiday is coming up, so if you ever feel bored or wonder what to do, this article might inspire you to edit some videos using ones you already have on your phone. There is no need to buy expensive software or camera equipment.
Some fun ideas for your videos in St Andrews could be:
1. Day in the Life at St Andrews
2. Food/ Drink taste testing
3. Recreating movie scenes filmed in St Andrews
4. What to do in St Andrews
5. A summary of my year in St Andrews
Suppose you are also looking to be involved in video creation in St Andrews and are particularly interested in climate action or local stories. In that case, I recommend you enter “The Leafies Short Film Competition” organised by the St Andrews Green Film Festival. The competition aims to showcase the creativity and environmentalism of student filmmakers. All you need is your phone! The best film will be shown at the February Green Film Festival and will receive a cash prize and a Jellycat frog. Click here for more details. So get video making!