6 APAC creators share inside knowledge on how they create
Jun 28, 2023 – [[read-time]] minute read
What does the creative process look like for creators on YouTube? We asked 6 APAC creators to share more about their creative journey, what inspires them and their advice for other rising creators. Get a glimpse into how these creators plan, film and share their videos and how they keep the ideas coming.
Mousumi Kundu (India)
For those who have yet to follow you, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your channel!
Hi, this is Mousumi Kundu. I create content mostly on beauty and sometimes on skincare and fashion, with some interesting transition shorts and some informative long videos on makeup.
We saw that you are actively sharing both Shorts and long-form videos - how are the processes for creating Shorts and long form videos different? Any tips for other creators on leveraging different formats on YouTube?
For my channel, I have seen Shorts fetch a good amount of both views and subscribers. But my audience wants to watch my long format videos as well for information related to makeup. For other creators, I would suggest they also post in different formats, as Shorts might get you a good amount of views and subscribers, but long form videos are the best for better engagement with your audience.
Many creators watch your videos to gain inspiration and learn from you! Who are some of the creators whose videos you enjoy watching and what makes it interesting for you?
Besides make up videos, I love watching dance videos. I follow Team Naach, Jodi Anoorabh, TheQuickStyle and many more dance channels. For makeup, it’s always Ankita Chaturvedi (Corallista), NikkieTutorials, Kaushal, Smitha Deepak who have inspired me a lot and there are many more other beauty channels which I still follow. And I also love TheMermaidscales, Wonder Munna and MostlySane.
You are known for your fashion and beauty Shorts - can you share a bit more on how you plan, film and edit your videos? How did you learn to film and edit?
In the beginning, I had zero knowledge about filming and editing videos, and YouTube has helped me a lot in gaining the confidence to start my content creation journey just using a mobile phone and daylight. I researched and experimented everything on my own to get a better output and I am still learning how to do better than yesterday.
You always come up with fresh and authentic ideas for your Shorts. Where do you find inspiration for your videos?
In the beginning I used to follow international and Indian content creators for ideas. But the more I was creating, the more I realized that it’s not always about following the trend - if you want to leave an impact of your work on others, you have to become the trend. When creating my makeup, fashion and music related content, my culture (i.e. Bengali culture) attracts me the most and helps me with fresh and authentic ideas.
And lastly, I would say obviously the negative comments can sometimes be inspiring in getting some good ideas and motivation for better work.
What do you do when you run out of ideas?
I give myself a break for a few days, and never pressurize my brain. And when my brain relaxes, ideas automatically come whether it's bad or good.
We hear Gen Zs watch your channel for fashion and beauty tips! How do you make sure they are able to relate to your Shorts?
As I mentioned previously, Bengali music and culture is the source of my video ideas. I think culture is something with which people can relate to easily - not only people from Bengal, but also those from other cultures find it interesting. Also, I share simple makeup looks that are easy to adopt, and share my personal experiences through my video which my audiences find especially relatable as there are many girls out there like me.
There are a lot of creators or aspiring creators who love your channel and want to explore fashion and beauty - What advice do you have for them?
Be consistent, create quality content and use your creative mind!
Willie Salim (Indonesia)
For those who have yet to follow you, introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your channel and your creative journey!
Hi! My name is Willie Salim, and I’m 21 years old. I actually started as a content creator by accident, but I’ve been aspiring to become content creator since I was young because I grew up watching YouTube videos, and still watch a lot of videos from YouTube creators like Edho Zel and others.
I was in high school when the pandemic started, and I started to create videos on YouTube. I started with Shorts, and became more and more consistent in creating videos. When I started to earn money from creating content, I realized that the money that I earned could help others. During the pandemic, lots of small businesses struggled to sell their products, so I created a video where I bought all of the products and gave it back to the community. Ever since then, my content has gone viral. I didn’t expect it! After that, sharing and helping the community around me has become my inspiration and mission. Because when I create such content, it makes everyone happy. I’m happy to do it, the small business owner is also happy, and the audience is happy!
Everything is very different from creation to production! During the creative process, I use bullet points for Shorts so that I don’t go ‘out of script.’ For long videos, I ‘go with the flow’ so it feels more natural to the audience.”
Willie SalimWe saw that you are actively sharing both Shorts and long-form videos - how are the processes for creating Shorts and long form videos different? Any tips for other creators on leveraging different formats on YouTube?
Everything is very different from creation to production! During the creative process, I use bullet points for Shorts so that I don’t go ‘out of script.’ For long videos, I ‘go with the flow’ so it feels more natural to the audience.
During production for Shorts, I only use a phone camera to record everything. For long videos, I use at least 2 cameras.
During editing, I cut everything for Shorts and just put the “essence” of what I want to convey in the video. I also talk faster and more concisely without pausing. My intonation is also different - on Shorts I look as if I am ‘screaming’ to the audience, whereas I’m more relaxed on long-form videos.
I feel Shorts is a great platform for new creators to start creating, as it’s easier and also cheaper during production. Shorts could also help new creators gain an audience and be discovered quickly. For new creators, it’s also important to be consistent, know what your audience likes and also be open to feedback because sometimes what you think is cool and interesting may not be cool and interesting for other people.
Many creators are watching your videos to get inspiration and learn from you! Who are some of the creators whose videos you enjoy watching and what makes it interesting for you?
I watch a lot of other content from different creators, both Indonesian creators and other international creators, especially those who post content similar to mine. I’m also a big fan of MrBeast. I feel like I have a similar vision as him in terms of content creation and I really want to collaborate with him!
I also like to watch food videos on YouTube, and am a fan of Mark Weins and Strictly Dumpling. Actually, when I was little, I wanted to be a food vlogger because I love to explore culinary ideas.
You are known for your huge snack/food shopping haul and challenge Shorts/videos - can you share a bit more on how you plan, film and edit your videos?
I think of all my content ideas myself. Usually at the start of every month, I take 1-2 days just to think, write, and plan my content ideas of the month. This includes what goals I want to achieve or what things I want to develop in that month. Then, I make a weekly plan out of it. If my content plan doesn’t work or if the video performance is not as good as I want, I will adjust my plan and experiment on something else.
My team will help me mostly during production for filming and editing, but they will also give feedback on my ideas.
You always come up with fresh ideas for your Shorts and videos, where do you find inspiration for your videos and what do you do when you run out of ideas?
I usually take the time off from creating content and just go on a holiday if I run out of ideas. I think it’s very important to slow down, take some time off, and just relax. Because usually when you do that, fresh ideas will naturally come. I also find that walking helps me think. I just walk and take one of my team with me to write down everything that I say about when I’m walking with him.
Not only becoming the first creator in Indonesia Shorts Creator Community who reached 10M subs, you have also shown consistency in the number of views, likes and comments. How do you maintain your engagement with your audience? How do you make sure they are able to relate to your Shorts and videos?
I have two rules when it comes to creating content:
- I create content because I want to create it, I enjoy it, and I feel satisfied with it
- I create content because I know my audience will like it
Knowing your audience is so important, and you can do it simply by checking comments on your video and seeing what they’re talking about. You also can stay relevant to your audience by checking the calendar of events during that month and knowing what’s happening around you. Also, don’t be afraid to use your imagination. Even childhood imagination! For example, when you’re a little kid, you want to live in a castle, right? That’s why I called my house a “castle” on my videos, to live up everyone’s childhood imagination!
There are a lot of creators or aspiring creators, what would be your advice for them, especially for new creators?
I have three tips:
- Be brave. When you want to be a content creator, you have to be ready and be brave to face all of the consequences. There will be hard times as well, like negative or hate comments for example–which you don’t really need to read if you don’t want to.
- Be innovative. You don’t need to create something new, you can create from something that’s already there. You can follow it but put your own twist. Look out for viral contents, take the ‘essence’ of it, and tweak it to make it your own.
- Be diligent. Not only do you need to be consistent, but you need to strive for the better so you can always improve yourself.
Atom Pakorn (Thailand)
For those who have yet to follow you, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your channel.
Hello, I'm Atom from Atompakon. I'm an art and craft content creator from Thailand.
We saw that you are actively sharing both Shorts and long-form videos - how are the processes for creating Shorts and long form videos different?
The most important thing is to ensure that our viewers understand what we are presenting. Long and short videos have very different storytelling methods. The nature of the two video formats is different, so the thinking process must be different.
Many creators are watching your videos to gain inspiration and learn from you! Who are some of the creators whose videos you enjoy watching and what makes it interesting for you?
I'm very impressed with Kevin Parry's YouTube channel. He is a stop-motion animator and his work is always worth watching. I can always learn new tricks and techniques from him.
You are known for your Arts and Craft Shorts/videos - can you share a bit more on how you plan, film and edit your videos?
One of the things I've learned from making YouTube videos for a long time is that it's always better to experiment and plan before doing anything, whether it's art or craft. Do make sure that you’ve tried the concept before the shooting day. Test and learn the concept off-camera first, and there will be no surprise on the shooting day.
We heard many Gen Z are watching your channel. How do you make sure they are able to relate to your Shorts and videos?
‘Shared experience’ is the key for keeping the audience and the content connected to each other. Despite the difference in age, there are always those mutual encounters that we’ve shared and they can keep us together.
What is one thing you do in all your videos to stay engaged with your audience?
Imperfection. This leads to the sense of authenticity which the audience deserves.
You've always been supporting Pride, what would you like to share with the world!
When we were children, we were always trying to find answers to the question of who we should be. We were always trying to fit into a certain mold. But as we grew older, we realized that there is no mold. There is no limit to who we can be.
There are a lot of creators or aspiring creators who love your channel and want to explore Arts and Craft content. What advice do you have for them?
Don't let the numbers from the Analytics tool destroy the joy of creating and break our fragile hearts!
BEN EAGLE (Vietnam)
For those who have yet to follow you, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your channel.
I am Ben Eagle, building my career in Saigon as a martial arts trainer and action film director.
I started my YouTube channel on December 9, 2021. I only post Shorts and I received the silver button after 3 months, the gold button after 9 months and became one of the fastest growing Shorts channels in Vietnam. My Shorts channel has the following format: martial arts instructional Shorts, funny situations involving martial arts, skits that involve good people doing good deeds, using martial arts to help people in need. In general, it all revolves around martial arts.
Many creators are watching your videos to get inspiration and learn from you! Who are some of the creators whose videos you enjoy watching and what makes it interesting for you?
I also watch a lot of martial arts content on other YouTube channels to find new ideas for myself and learn more from them.
Some tips to stay engaged with my audience: An opening that sparks curiosity, an unexpected ending, a catchy soundtrack and tempo, very thorough scripting and editing to infuse an entertainment element”
Ben EagleYou are known for your martial arts Shorts - can you share a bit more on how you plan, film and edit your videos? How did you learn to film and edit?
I will spend a whole day once a week shooting 15-20 Shorts , and then I will edit and post them gradually throughout the week. Additionally, whenever I get ideas while filming or teaching martial arts, I will invite my friends to shoot 2-3 more clips per day. This is to ensure that I have enough materials to post 5 new clips every day on my channel at a fixed time. I do the majority of the scripting for my videos, but in the near future I am thinking of hiring one more person to help as I intend to invest more in my channel.
You always come up with fresh ideas for your Shorts. Where do you find inspiration for your videos? What do you do when you run out of ideas?
I draw inspiration from my fans, because they love me very much and always support my content. I am also inspired by big martial arts stars in the world, as my childhood dream is to become a worldwide martial arts star just like my idols.
When I run out of ideas, I will get inspiration from my most-viewed Shorts and think of similar content with a different feel for new Shorts. Another way I get inspiration is by looking at good content on other platforms and trying to recreate it in a format that fits my channel.
We heard many Gen Zs are watching your channel. How do you make sure they are able to relate to your Shorts?
It is true that my fans are mostly Gen Zs or young people. I create my content with my main target as young people, the future generation of the country. I want to instill in them a spirit of chivalry, positivity, heroism, helping others, etc., so our society can become safer and more civilized.
I have some tips to stay engaged with my audience, such as:
- An opening that sparks curiosity.
- An unexpected ending.
- A catchy soundtrack and tempo.
- Very thorough scripting and editing to infuse an entertainment element and ensure that the audience can both watch martial arts and be entertained.
What brought you to the profession of martial arts and martial arts acting? What prompted you to do those things on your YouTube channel?
When I was a child, I was bullied and beaten by my friends at school. I was so frustrated, and I channeled that energy into learning martial arts with the purpose of defending myself. It was unexpected to discover my passion for martial arts, and before I knew it, 25 years had passed.
What motivates you as a creator?
What motivates me to always stay on YouTube is the ability to connect with my community and society. There have been many times when I have been recognized and welcomed on the street, which makes me very happy. In addition, I can also earn more money to take care of my family, my parents, and my younger brother, as well as helping to improve the lives of my fellow disciples.
TEAM1LLUSION (South Korea)
For those who have yet to follow you, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your channel.
Hello, I am Noh Seong-yul from Team 1llusion. Our channel features tumbling content using martial arts tricking and acrobatics, and we are currently focusing our content on completing various challenges using the body. I run an academy called Martial Arts Tricking & Acrobatic Team Illusion in Gangnam and Ilsan. During Covid-19, we were having a hard time as the number of students who signed up for our academy dwindled. I was then recommended to start YouTube by a member of the academy who is also a creator, and started uploading videos during my free time.
We saw that you are actively sharing both Shorts and long-form videos - how are the processes for creating Shorts and long form videos different? Any tips for other creators on leveraging different formats on YouTube?
Shorts are usually filmed vertically and are easily filmed and edited with a mobile phone. With our long-form videos, we use a mirrorless camera or GoPro to film it horizontally. With Shorts, we only highlight important details and there are usually many cuts using photos that we’ve taken. It is also important to make it as short as possible so that our audiences do not get bored. We usually rewatch our edits to ensure that we capture our viewer’s attention in the first 3 seconds.
With long-form videos, the process of each movement is highlighted, and we tend to plan how we move in a certain area before filming. It is important to make our long-form videos as interesting as possible. We try to plan and set a certain expectation before making a video and ensuring that we capture scenes according to what we’ve planned. We think a good video captures the story and includes scenes that can show our topic well.
When we gather to shoot, it’s usually 80% play and 20% shoot. This allows us to capture the feeling of fun and play on screen naturally. ”
TEAM1LLUSIONWe heard many creators get inspiration from watching your content! Which creators’ content do you enjoy watching?
Actually, My favorite content is travel content from creators like Pani Bottle and KwakTube. I feel healed and refreshed by watching their content!
You have been gaining huge recognition with various challenging Shorts! Can you share a bit more on how you plan, film and edit your videos?
I’m really making videos without too much of a grand plan! I try to shoot videos while having as much fun as possible. When we gather to shoot, it’s usually 80% play and 20% shoot. This allows us to capture the feeling of fun and play on screen naturally. On top of that, I usually take a lot of photos when practicing, so that helps me know the composition and angle of the shot through experience. With editing, it’s too difficult for me to learn how to edit on a computer, so I use Luma Fusion, a video editing app on my iPad as our videos aren’t difficult to edit. I learned how to edit by watching YouTube videos, and it took 3 hours for me to edit a video at first. I’m getting used to it and it only takes 30 minutes now!
We heard millennials and Gen Z viewers love your content. How do you make sure they are able to relate to your Shorts and videos? How do you stay relevant?
I focus on being fun because the reason I watch YouTube often is to have fun! I want my audiences to enjoy my channel, laugh and receive good energy from watching our 30 seconds video and be happy for the rest of their day!
How many hours does one challenge/shoot take? Please let me know if you had any fun episodes or difficulties while filming.
Some take as little as 10 minutes, and some would take two and a half hours. There also are ones that we don’t succeed in a day and have to continue the next day. Usually, we get together at 10pm to start filming. Once, we filmed till it was time for the first train in the morning and everyone gave up because we were exhausted! And on the next day, we were able to do it so easily so everyone was dumbfounded! There was another time when we gathered at a ski resort at dawn only to shoot a video - that video exceeded 100 million views and I was so happy that our hard work and effort has turned into great results!
What advice would you give to a creator looking to start a new Shorts channel, especially for creators who want to share challenges over Shorts?
Anyone can make a video focusing on the results of the challenge. However, I think the most interesting part is the process of making that challenge happen. Have fun trying and allow that joy to be shared on screen without focusing too much on succeeding. This allows your content to be more relatable and evoke empathy from viewers.
HIRO BEAUTY CHANNEL (Japan)
For those who have yet to follow you, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your channel.
I am Hiro Odagiri, a professional hair and makeup artist. With my channel, I share a lot of beauty-related content such as new beauty information and makeup techniques.
In addition to makeup tips, I also try to transmit the ‘Hiro-style beauty philosophy’ that makes life fun and changes your life with makeup!
What is one thing you do to attract your audience?
For Shorts, I try to choose topics which can attract a wider audience and attract new viewers than long-form contents. For example, your long-form videos target beginners to intermediate audiences while your Shorts engage with audiences who are just starting out with little or no experience. This allows me to deliver content that is easily understood by anyone who may be interested but have no experience.
What are some tips for creating Shorts? How do you plan your Shorts while considering long-form content?
It’s important for me to grasp the viewer’s heart from the very first second. I use bold texts, strong images and framing as a set template to capture my audience’s attention so it’s easy to tell that it’s Hiro Odagiri’s channel from a glance!
I’m also very particular about the quality of my videos. I ensure that product names are audible while incorporating a sense of humor and entertainment to capture my audience’s attention. All my Shorts and long-from content are linked. With Shorts, the information that can be conveyed within one minute is limited. I create in-depth long-form videos with more content so that audiences who have seen my Shorts are able to watch my long-form videos to get more information.
How do you usually plan your Shorts and how do you convey your “personality" through your videos?
Planning is a team effort. We plan to keep the balance of 60% entertainment and 40% practicality for Shorts and 30% entertainment and 70% informative for long-form videos. I also try to create content to be fun but also helpful and educational.
Do you have any advice for people just starting Shorts?
I think it's important to share content that doesn't deviate from your other videos. It's important to try a lot in the beginning and then understand your needs for Shorts! Let's work hard together!