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Welcome to Audio Network’s streaming camera awards, where we will be crowning the winners of the best cameras for streaming – taking into consideration different budgets, requirements and streaming applications.
Keep reading to find out who wins Best Camera for Streaming Under £100, Best Camera for YouTube Live Streaming, Best Web Camera for Live Streaming and more. First up: Best HD Camera for Streaming.
Contents - The Best Cameras for Streaming:
Best HD Camera for Streaming
Best Camera for YouTube Live Streaming
Best Web Camera for Live Streaming
Best Camera for Facebook Live Streaming
Best Camera for Streaming Twitch
Best camera for streaming under £100
Best camera for streaming under £250
Best camera for streaming under £500
Best camera for streaming over £500
Best HD Camera for Streaming
Winner: Canon XF705
Price: £4,093.00
We’re in the 2020s, so when we talk about ‘high-definition cameras’, what we're really concerned with is 4K Ultra HD cameras. So, what is the crème de la crème of 4K streaming cameras? It’s the Canon X4705.
Complete with an IP streaming feature, the professional-level camera may carry a hefty price tag but its unparalleled picture and impressive capabilities make it a great investment for any serious content creators.
In the video below, Charles Zablan – Senior Trainer at Canon USA – shows viewers how to set-up the X4705 for streaming.
Best Camera for YouTube Live Streaming
Winner: Panasonic Lumix G7
Price: £389.99
YouTube is one of the most popular platforms for live streaming, and the most sought-after camera for YouTube live streaming is the Panasonic Lumix G7. By no coincidence, it’s also the best.
The Lumix G7 is a 4K digital mirrorless camera that comes with a slew of neat features – including an OLED viewfinder, live MOS sensor and built-in image stabilisation technology. And thanks to the addition of a HDMI port, it’s ideal for YouTube live streaming.
Best Web Camera for Live Streaming
Winner: Logitech Brio Ultra HD
Price: £190.54
Although, technically speaking, all of the cameras that appear in this post are ‘web cameras’, here we’re looking at the classic kind of webcam – the portable type you can easily perch on top of your laptop.
The small-but-mighty Logitech Brio Ultra HD webcam is our winner of Best Web Camera for Live Streaming because it's hard to fault, especially when considering its size and price point.
The Brio has a spectacular 4K camera (fun fact: it was the world’s first traditional-style webcam to film in 4K), an infrared sensor, dual microphones and more.
In the video below, veteran digital artist vlogger Aaron Rutten explains why the Logitech Brio is such a ‘killer camera’.
Best Camera for Facebook Live Streaming
Winner: Logitech StreamCam
Price: £54.95
Popularly used by publications, independent brands and influencers, Facebook Live Stream allows Facebookers to go live on the social media application using their phones, tablets, laptops and desktops.
Logitech StreamCam is, as the name implies, a webcam created specifically for streaming. Complete with smart autofocus technology, the HD 60fps camera is praised by tech critics and vloggers alike, especially for its compatibility with the Logitech Capture software.
Best Camera for Streaming Twitch
Winner: Razer Kiyo
Price: £63.60
Serious gamers either watch live-streamers on Twitch or are live-streamers on Twitch. If you fall into the latter category, you’re going to want to know about Razer Kiyo.
The affordable webcam – which wouldn’t look out of place in a Star Wars flick – is created by gaming hardware company Razer and can be easily attached to any laptop. Call us vain, but our favourite feature is the built-in ring light – it gives the streamer a healthy glow.
Check it out in action in QGinHQ’s Razer Kiyo unboxing and review.
Best Camera for Streaming Under £100
Winner: Logitech Pro C920
Price: £62.79
The Logitech Pro C920 is what we’re calling the best camera for streaming under £100. (Yes, really; another Logitech!) What makes this budget camera better than the rest? For us, it’s the camera’s dual microphones and automatic low-light correction technology.
Best Camera for Streaming Under £250
Winner: Logitech C930e
Price: £79
Logitech are really crushing it now. And this one – the Logitech C930e – is a souped-up version of the aforementioned C920.
So, what makes the C930e worth the extra cash? Well, there’s its Rightlight 2 technology, 4x zoom, and external privacy shutter. Oh, and its 90° field of view.
Tirrell from YouTube channel Exuberant Gaming shows viewers how they can get the most out of their Logitech C930e for streaming in the video below.
Best Camera for Streaming Under £500
Winner: GoPro Hero 9
Price: £200
The GoPro Hero 9 takes incredible photos with its 20mp camera, can shoot stunning videos in 5K resolution and can be used as a HD camera for live streaming. In essence, it's the full package in a small package (71 x 55 x 33.6mm and 158g to be precise).
Steaming Cameras FAQ
Can Any Camera Be Used for Streaming?
Sony has been making sure that their latest cameras are all fit for live streaming. But what many may not know is that most digital cameras with a USB or HDMI port can be used for live streams.
Can I Use My DSLR for Streaming?
Although there are rumours that streaming from a DSLR will cause it to overheat, these rumours are, for the most part, untrue.
Therefore, the answer is, most likely, yes – your DSLR is suitable for streaming.
What Cameras Do Streamers Use?
As you can tell from our picks, most streamers opt for Logitech cameras as they’re portable, reliable and packed with top-rate features. Oh, and they’re usually very affordable.
However, as streamers all have different requirements, there’s a range of different cameras that they use.
What Is the Best Camera for Streaming?
If you’re talking about the quality of your live stream’s picture, the best camera for streaming is the Canon XF705. But, if you’re wondering what’s the best camera for streaming when it comes to price, we’d suggest the often-overlooked GoPro Hero 9.
Background Music for Your Live Stream
If you’re planning on running a live stream, you may want to consider purchasing one of our many background music tracks.
Our catalogue is jam-packed with tracks appropriate for Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and more. Discover the background music for you today by using our smart search bar or exploring our New Releases page.
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
When you’re trying to create a successful film, there are many different stages you have to go through. You need to find your story, your characters, the setting and, of course, the dialogue. Struggling to begin and want a tip on how to get started? Whether your magnum opus is a drama or a romance, an action-filled superhero extravaganza or a comedy, kick off the process by writing a film treatment.
What Is a Film Treatment?
Put simply, it’s a short document that presents the story of your film, outlining the plot and giving a description of the characters.
It can be useful to prep a film treatment before you start writing your script, to map out what’s going to happen and break it down into manageable chunks – not to mention turbo-charging your creative process.
Film treatments are also used to pitch your film to producers, studio execs and potential financiers, directors or actors.
Why Do You Need a Film Treatment?
You need to know how to pitch your film effectively – not only to studio execs, but also to a potential audience. The more you can hone your film at this stage, the easier the writing – and selling – process will be. So, you need something amazing to seal that deal!
Once you’ve figured out how to communicate your passion and vision through the short form of the film treatment, then it’s easier to work out how to tell that story – and for a director to be inspired to turn it into a reality.
It’s also a great way to identify what elements your story needs to make it work. Some of the key points to bear in mind are:
How to set up the world of your film
Lay out your story structure
Create the characters in detail
As you work through these points, you may also find that there are characters that are either unnecessary or, conversely, should play a bigger part in the story than you originally thought. And you can potentially identify plot holes, or story arcs that need more development.
Your film treatment can also be used as:
A reference for a screenwriter to give a framework for the full script
A detailed summary to share a plan for the script, prior to it actually being written
A deconstructed summary of an already-written script, distilling it down and simplifying it
A way of ‘stress-testing’ plots, characters or scenes before writing a draft
Writing a Film Treatment
When it comes to how to write a film treatment, there are some key things which you need – such as a title, a log line and a description of the action – and some which are down to you, like how long your treatment is.
Here are the ‘must-have’ elements:
Title
Logline – this is your story, summed up in one or two lines
Characters – give a description of the main characters – this is your chance to make the reader fall in love with/be wowed by them…
Summaries of all three acts, including plot points and characters
The important scenes and sequences – capture the ‘big moments’
Convey the tone of your project
And, of course, don’t forget to include your name and contact details!
How Long Is a Film Treatment?
Some scriptwriters will produce a single page, some will run to fifty pages or more – the short answer is, there’s no set length! However long it is, though, the treatment should be your story, broken down into an easy to follow document that grabs the reader’s attention. It needs to be long enough to cover all the relevant points and convey the story, whilst also being snappy and engaging.
If you’re writing for a reader at a production company or studio, then ask them what level of detail they’re looking for and a specified page length. As a rough guide, a quick read is 1-10 pages, a fairly detailed treatment is 10-20 pages, and a full, bells-and-whistles one runs to 20+ pages. James Cameron is known for writing ‘scriptments’ that are 70 pages or more. But then, Cameron’s Titanic clocked in at an epic three hours thirty minutes, and Avatar was two and three quarter hours – there’s a lot of ground to cover. But honestly? There’s only one James Cameron, and he’s already one of the world’s biggest directors. Remember, for pretty much all of us, time is money – keep it a reasonable length, and leave ’em wanting more.
How to Write a Treatment
Right, let’s get down to how to put together something that not only snags your reader, but also helps you to organize your vision.
The key thing is that it’s written in prose – in a style that evokes the tone of your film - and is a synopsis, with action and possibly some snippets of dialogue. It’s written in the present tense, describing events as they happen.
Here’s a ‘starter for 10’ way to write a film treatment:
The title
The logline – your one or two sentence summary which sets out the plot, the central conflict and the main characters’ goals
An explanation of the first act. What’s the film about? Where’s it set? Who are the main characters and what are their motivations? Is the tone of the film funny or tragic, action-packed or romantic? What’s the ‘inciting incident’ (the thing that sets the story in motion)? What are the stakes – either physical or emotional?
Act two – aka ‘the conflict’ – what brings your characters together, or breaks them apart? They start going through big changes as a result of what’s happening. How, and why are they changing?
Explaining Act three – your characters confront their problems. How do they get out of a situation – or not? How does the story come together and what’s the resolution?
The wrap up – what happens at the very end? Where are we leaving the characters? Could there be… a sequel?
What’s the best way to keep people reading? Make sure that the emotional beats are heightened. Those romantic highs? You want to feel butterflies in your stomach, or as though no-one’s ever been in love quite like this before. Crushing lows? They need to be devastating.
And some don’ts? Don’t be too specific – especially don’t hang your ideas on a particular actor’s looks or style – there’s no guarantee that they’d be available for the project.
If your movie has a twist in it, then don’t reveal it in your treatment until the point where the audience finds out. If you knew Bruce Willis’s character in The Sixth Sense was dead on page one, would you have been excited about how the story played out? Your reader needs to experience your story the same way an audience would.
Film Treatment Template
There’s a range of existing film treatments online, which are great for research. Find your favourite films and see what story beats they included or left out in their treatment – not to mention how the original treatment differs from the finished film.
You can divide your treatment into sections, such as Theme, Concept, Characters and Synopsis – which can be useful if your reader wants to quickly skim your treatment, or pick and choose which sections they want to read.
Looking for a film treatment template? Try this one from StudioBinder.
Here are some film treatments which demonstrate different approaches:
1. Aliens (Aka ‘Alien II’)
This treatment, by David Giles, Walter Hill and James Cameron, demonstrates the ‘scriptment’ route – albeit at a more manageable 46 pages.
Mr and Mrs Smith is a sexy, stylized action-comedy that’s a duel to the death between the world’s top two assassins… who happen to be husband and wife, hired to kill each other.
You definitely want to know more about that set up.
This treatment clearly shows how to execute a more straightforward Overview/Character/Story treatment structure.
3. Godzilla
This treatment features headings, like a novel’s chapter headings, making it super easy for an exec to skim it: you can read the whole story just by reading those. What’s happening to Godzilla? He’s ON THE MOVE and CAPTURED. It’s clear enough to get the story across, but there’s plenty of detail missing, so that you still want the full story from a finished script.
Need to create a short film treatment? Follow all the steps above; the principle is the same, no matter what the length of your film. Just remember to keep it super snappy!
Documentary Film Treatments
A documentary film treatment will be between one and ten pages long and should summarise your project’s essentials: the topic, the budget, where filming will take place and who’s involved. It’s your who, when, where, what, why and how.
It’s similar to the treatments above, in that you need a logline to introduce it and grab the reader’s attention. The proposal then details the scope of the project, the filming schedule, proposed budget and the production plan. As with a film treatment, you’ll need to include a synopsis of what the documentary is about, and who is involved – such as the film-maker and photographer. You’ll also need a list of participants, for example, who you’ll be interviewing – and where the interviews will take place, depending on the nature of your story.
Documentary director and producer Nina Rosenblum takes you through the three act structure of documentary-making and how to create a highly effective treatment in this video:
A documentary treatment is useful to map out which scenes you’ll need to shoot, and to help you to craft a compelling story, as well as identifying how it appeals to an audience (and what that audience might be.)
An effective documentary treatment needs to make the story come alive - describe your prospective situations, people and characters in vivid detail, with both narrative and visual descriptions. Plus, you need to capture the personal elements of the story – or where the drama will come from in, for example, a nature documentary. Is it the fight to survive in a hostile environment? The change in seasons and how that affects the wildlife you’re focusing on? Or perhaps a heartwarming tale of one particular animal group, showcasing the different generations. Keep your focus on the story – you don’t need to include shot lists at this stage.
Want a bit more guidance? Ira Gardner covers creating your documentary film treatment in this video (from around 2 minutes in), with examples to help you.
So, now you know how to nail your film treatment, what else might you need? We’ve got a whole range of expert advice, from camera shots to video editing software. And, of course, there’s all the music you could possibly want, from intro music to playlists for every style, mood or production genre. Plus, we refresh our playlists every fortnight, so you’ll never run out of options or inspiration.
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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Welcome to the ultimate battle between the world’s leading video-sharing websites – YouTube vs Vimeo. Both heavyweight platforms have pros and cons and are considered equally suitable for content creators. But are they?
What is YouTube? What is Vimeo? Both are video-sharing platforms – YouTube has been around since 2005 and is one of Google’s many subsidiaries. Vimeo has been around since 2004 and is a subsidiary of IAC.
Here we explore the similarities and differences between Vimeo and YouTube, and what makes creatives, businesses and producers favour one over the other.
Looking for more creative tips and tricks on how to get started with video production? Check out our expertise to find out everything you need to know, from what equipment you’ll need to start a YouTube channel to how to create the best film treatment.
Or perhaps you’ve found yourself here looking for some production music to use in our YouTube and/or Vimeo video(s). In this case, please feel free to head on over to our production genre page where you can find playlists such as comedy, drama, tv music themes and more.
The Differences Between YouTube & Vimeo
Round One: Quality
As one may expect, both of these global video hosting platforms allow content creators to upload in 4K definition. However, it’s well known that YouTube compresses videos more than Vimeo. This means that pictures appear clearer and more vivid on Vimeo than they do on YouTube.
But don’t just take our word for it! Watch the two 4K videos below and see if you notice a difference.
‘Business’ is an extremely broad term which makes this round extremely hard to call.
For example, business may mean that you’re looking to upload your videos online for your creative portfolio. In this case, Vimeo is the more suitable option. Why? Well, because Vimeo is recognised in the industry as a platform that’s a little more – dare we say it – professional than YouTube.
However, if by business you mean you’re an aspiring vlogger looking to reach high engagement numbers, or you’re an independent business looking to spread the word about your goods, we’d suggest you upload your video to YouTube. Not only do more people use YouTube on a daily basis than Vimeo, but a YouTube video is much more likely to rank well on Google, as YouTube is a Google subsidiary.
In the below video, Brighton West evaluates the business benefits of both video hosting platforms.
Winner: Draw
Round Three: Copyright
Now, this round is much easier to call. YouTube scans each new upload for copyright issues. If YouTube detects copyright infringement, the user will be alerted almost instantly after they upload their video. Vimeo, on the other hand, doesn’t scan users’ videos. Therefore, Vimeo is unlikely to notice if a video is breaking copyright laws. That being so, YouTube is the safer option of the two.
Watch the animations below to discover more about Vimeo and YouTube’s take on copyright laws.
Yes, it’s possible to make money by uploading content on both Vimeo and YouTube, but the question is: how?
Content creators can earn money on YouTube by showing adverts before and during their videos. To monetise their channel, YouTubers must first join the YouTube Partner Program – commonly referred to as the YPP – which you can read about right here.
As Vimeo is an ad-free platform, content creators do not have the option to earn money via ads. Instead, they can sell videos and subscriptions directly to their viewers with Vimeo OTT (Vimeo Over The Top). To start selling videos on Vimeo OTT, content creators must first have a Vimeo Pro subscription.
Check out the videos below to find out more about YPP and Vimeo OTT.
Filmmakers may automatically assume that they’ll gain more views on YouTube than Vimeo, but that may not necessarily be the case.
There’s no denying that more people use YouTube than Vimeo on a regular basis – two billion people have a YouTube account and 170 million people have a Vimeo account. But 170 million people is still a huge number, which is why it should be considered by filmmakers – especially those who are inexperienced.
Another reason filmmakers may favour Vimeo over YouTube is that Vimeo feels like an online community. Creatives who use both platforms find people engage with their Vimeo videos more than their YouTube videos. Vimeo viewers regularly leave positive and constructive comments under videos and also watch videos from the beginning all the way to the end.
Winner: Vimeo
Round Six: Pricing
Is Vimeo free? Is YouTube free? Well, both video platforms can be used by creators and viewers for free; however, YouTube is much kinder to its free users. Here’s why. As YouTube relies on ad revenue, their primary aim is to drive as much traffic to their site as possible. For this reason, YouTube allows its free users to access almost all of its features.
As Vimeo relies on subscription revenue, however, they dramatically limit the features non-paying users can access. For example, the weekly upload limit for free Vimeo users is super-low – encouraging serious content creators to pay the subscription fee.
Winner: YouTube
Round Seven: Weekly Upload Limit
As mentioned previously, the Vimeo weekly upload limit for basic (free) users is eye-wateringly low – to be precise, it’s 500MB a week. To put things into context, that’s around a 15 minute-long high definition video. Plus, basic users are limited to 10 uploads every 24 hours. Naturally, Vimeo users with a paid membership have a higher weekly upload limit: Plus members have a 5GB limit; Pro members have a 20GB limit; Business, Premium and Enterprise members have no limit.
On the other hand, YouTube has no weekly upload limit in place for any of its users, including free users with a verified account. One of the only restrictions YouTube has in place for its users is a 128GB limit or 12-hour limit for each video… Yes, per video. Below, is an example of a super long YouTube video.
Winner: YouTube
Final Verdict: Is Vimeo Better Than YouTube?
YouTube wins! But, ultimately, the decision is yours; you must decide which video hosting platform is most suitable for you and your content. To help you make your decision, here’s a brief overview of the pros and cons we’ve covered:
YouTube vs Vimeo: The Debrief
Why Vimeo Over YouTube?
So, we’ve established that YouTube is, overall, a more practical video platform, especially for those looking to make money without spending. So, why do people still choose Vimeo over YouTube?
Vimeo is a space for creatives to share their work with like-minded individuals. Explore Vimeo, and you will discover high quality, judiciously created content produced by aspirational visionaries and respected professionals.
As we all know, the downside of the freedom YouTube grants its users is that the platform stores a tonne of videos of questionable merit. Unfortunately, disreputable videos can potentially sully YouTube’s reputation; this is not the case for Vimeo, which is often considered a more prestigious platform. Thus, if you’re a creative (think videographer, animator, musician etc.) who’s looking to share their work with potential clients and/or employees, you may consider choosing Vimeo over YouTube.
Making Money on Vimeo
As we touched on above, Vimeo is free of commercials, which means Vimeo users are unable to make money in the same way as YouTube users, but they do have the option to make the most of Vimeo OTT (over the top). Let us run through the ins and outs of the service.
Essentially, Vimeo’s OTT service allows Vimeo Pro users (and those above Pro statue) to create their own subscription service, something akin to Netflix, Disney + and Amazon Prime. They have the opportunity to store their high-quality content on Vimeo, and subscribers will pay a fee to access the creator’s online player and stream videos.
Vimeo’s team of experts – who proudly offer support round the clock – are also on hand to help you develop and launch your very own custom website and streaming app! If this isn’t a content creator’s dream, we don’t know what is.
Vimeo Ad Revenue
As you now know, there are no ads on Vimeo, meaning that there’s no such thing as Vimeo ad revenue. Interestingly, Investopedia claims that the platform would earn around $25 million a year if they forced their 170 million unique monthly viewers to sit through commercials.
Why does Vimeo shy away from earning money from ads? Well, it roots back to the company’s mission to be the world’s leading credible, respectable platform. There’s something a touch more professional about sharing a video that’s not preceded by a commercial. Just imagine your client having to sit through an ad for boxer briefs before checking out your content!
Vimeo Pro vs Business
Currently, there are five different Vimeo plans to choose from – Plus, Pro, Business, Premium and Enterprise; and most content creators find themselves stuck between the Pro and Business plans. The Pro plan is priced at an affordable £16 a month (billed annually), has a 20GB weekly upload limit and allows three team members to access the account, whereas the Business plan is priced at £40 a month (billed annually), has no weekly upload limit and allows 10 team members to access the account. Here’s a summary of what each plan has to offer:
Plus
To understand the differences between the Pro and Premium plan, it’s important that you’re savvy to the available features of the cheapest plan, the Plus plan. Here are the noteworthy features a Plus member has access to for just £6 a month:
250GB upload limit a year
Create and publish unlimited videos (supports 4K & HDR videos)
Unlimited screen and webcam recording
Customisable video templates and video player
Video file transfer capability
Analytics dashboard with social stats and custom reports
Support within four hours during US business hours
Custom end screens and playback speed control
Unlimited bandwidth
Domain level privacy
Pro
As well as offering everything that comes with the Plus plan, the Pro plan also includes a slew of other benefits. Here are the features a Pro member has access to for £16 a month:
1TB upload limit a year
Customisable showcase sites
Premium video templates
Unlimited stock photos, videos and licensed music
Review and approval tools
Custom sites with your own domain
Customisable portfolio
Engagement and duration graphs
Support within two hours on business days (including overnight)
Sell your videos directly to fans worldwide
Premium
Building on the features the Plus and Pro plan offer, the Premium plan also includes extra features. Here are the additional advantages to the Premium plan:
5TB total storage
Video creation with custom branding
Showcase SEO
Access to Google Analytics
Custom cards and calls-to-action in the player
Collect contact information from leads in the player
Marketing software integrations
Support within one hour on business days (including overnight) and limited weekend support
Music for Your Online Videos
Once you’ve decided on your preferred platform, it’s time to start creating content.
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
The rise of MTV in the 1980s made music videos one of the biggest new art forms for decades.
Add in the global reach of YouTube and TikTok and dance videography is not only hugely influential, but one of the most impactful ways an artist can create and build their identity and brand.
So, how do you make a great dance video? We’ll take you through the essentials:
Choosing the right song to dance to
Choreography and style
Equipment
Planning/rehearsals
Moodboards
Budget
Filming
Editing
Choosing the Right Song to Dance To
If you’re looking to make a high concept video (think Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’), then obviously choosing the right song to dance to is the first thing on your list.
A great song could be what takes your choreography to another level – plus the genre may also dictate the look and styling of your video. Think of the story that you want to tell in order to find the right track.
Try searching on Soundcloud for a track that fits your choreography style, or the concept of your video – or find a cool cover or remix of a track.
If you’re looking for music to license, then our catalogue has everything from pop to hip hop, R&B to dance – and we add new, original music every fortnight.
Choreography & Style
When it comes to making a dance video, you’ve got masses of different styles to choose from.
There’s your one-shot extravaganzas, such as the opening sequence to La La Land’s ‘Another Day of Sun’, which is nearly six minutes long:
The secret to successfully pulling off a one-take video is a lot of rehearsal, some very carefully planned camera moves and choreography that’s polished to within an inch of its life.
A one-take can result in something truly spectacular, such as Kiesza’s ‘Hideaway’, which features awe-inspiring choreography, but it’s not something for the faint-hearted.
Alternatively, watch a wide variety of different videos and ads that feature choreography for inspiration.
You might want something where the choreography is showing a story or a concept. What feeling are you trying to express?
The blend of storytelling, music and choreography is particularly effective in this promo for the official song from Euphoria by Labrinth and Zendaya, ‘All for Us’:
AXA UK shows dancer and choreographer Taylor Haine’s determination to succeed in its ad, ‘The Dancer’, which expertly pairs its soundtrack – Karen O’s ‘I Shall Rise’ – with inspiring visuals of Taylor, who was fitted with a prosthetic leg from a very young age and whose passion has always been dancing.
Let’s Dance – Choreography
Is your choreography going to be modern or street style, classical or freestyle – do you want to bring in some ballroom steps to create an interesting fusion?
If you’re creating your own choreography, you need to study the music. By knowing it inside out, you can design dance moves that work with both the beat and the lyrics.
Watch the pros for inspiration; whether it’s dance-focused musicals, such as Chicago, or competitive series like So You Think You Can Dance, study the styles and combinations of movement – as well as how the dancers are conveying emotion:
Top choreographer Arlene Phillips – an ex-Strictly Come Dancing judge – advises that you should plan out your most impactful elements first, then work in additional steps around them.
She also suggests challenging yourself with unique rhythms, styles and techniques.
Equipment
What equipment will you need to film a dance video? Well, it can be as simple as just using your phone!
Check out Steezy’s expert hacks for shooting dance videos on your phone:
But if you want to up the quality, then you’ll need to either buy or hire a camera and some lights at a minimum.
Cameras
You don’t have to invest a huge amount of money in cameras to create a dance music video that looks amazing. But a top tip is to have a few cameras on-set so that you can capture footage from various angles – this will give you plenty of options when it comes to editing your video.
The best camera for dance videos? Bestoflens.com recommends the Olympus OM-D E-M1 Mark III, while Cameragurus.com plumped for the Fujifilm X-T4 (which also has a feature to record slow-motion) or the GoPro HERO9, which is great in low light.
A top tip for filming dance videos is to get a wide-angle lens, as you want to show as much of the dancing as possible, by shooting at a wide angle.
To stand out from the crowd, and create really high-end video, then the best option is to rent the most expensive cameras the pros use (such as the RED), rather than buying them, as a more affordable alternative when you’re starting out.
Lights
If you’re filming in a dance studio, then make it look more interesting and give it depth with clever lighting – and even effects such as a smoke or fog machine.
Spotlights create a harsher light that looks more dramatic, as there are more shadows, whereas soft box lights create a softer look, which is the most flattering for people’s faces.
A useful element when you’re planning your dance video is to create a treatment, outlining the video’s concept, direction, aesthetic and style. A treatment doesn’t have to be complicated – it provides the building blocks and the structure for everyone to follow.
Often, when creating your treatment, you may realise that your concept will take you way over budget. Or that your concept is out of sync with the style or tone of the music, so it’s a useful exercise in lots of ways.
The most effective dance music video treatments have plenty of visual images for reference – don’t make it too descriptive, as people reading it may tune out.
Listen to the track at least 20 times, to figure out what will best bring out the emotion or themes. Then, depending on your budget, think of a location, together with planning what kind of lighting, camera movements and camera lenses you’ll need.
Plus, who else do you need on your team? From dancers to a director, a choreographer to a lighting assistant, make-up artist and a stylist, the list will depend on your concept, and your budget.
Rehearsals
If you’re filming a choreographed dance, then try to attend as many rehearsals as you can, so you know what movements the dancers will be making, and how to track them with camera movements.
Can’t get to the rehearsals? Ask for video footage that you can study.
Moodboards
Creating moodboards (also known as idea boards or theme boards) can help you to put together a succinct treatment and will provide the foundations for a storyboard and shot list.
Moodboards are a practical way to take your creative ideas and bring them to life in the real world.
Your dance video moodboard can include shots illustrating the choreography, location, costume and make-up looks, to share ideas with your team, from the director to the stylist.
There are various free apps to create moodboards, which include templates to make life easier. Online moodboards can include images, video, links and colour references, such as stills from previous shoots, or images you’ve saved from Film Grab, Instagram or Pinterest.
Budget
It would be nice to think you’ve got a massive budget to play with, but the reality is you probably won’t have.
So, if your location is a dance studio, or somewhere that’s fairly plain, add in interest with accent lighting or effects such as the fog/smoke mentioned above, plus make the most of environmental textures and colours.
You could even try shooting with green screen if you want to bring in something more dramatic, or out-of-this-world.
When dividing up your budget, work out what your priorities are – is it the equipment? Paying for a professional choreographer and dancers? The location, set design, costumes or effects? Your treatment and moodboard should help with this.
Filming
When it comes to how to film a dance video, if you’re filming outside, then aim to shoot during ‘golden hour’ – the hour after sunrise, or the hour before sunset.
Make sure the sun is behind your subjects, which gives you a nice backlight to work with. When shooting indoors, the experts recommend turning off all the fluorescent lighting, so you can choose the amount and type of light that’s going to work best for you.
When it comes to camera movements, match them to the feel and pace of the song. Slow, smooth movements will fit an emotional ballad or love song.
Try to match the speed of your movements to the pace of the track – obviously, if you’re shooting a track with a much faster bpm, then quicker movements and speedy edits will fit the bill.
If you’re shooting in different locations, then when you’re putting together your shotlist you’ll need to work out which parts of the song will be filmed in which location – and how you’re going to transition between the two.
Through watching the choreography rehearsals and listening to the track multiple times, you should be able to work out ‘action points’, which are moments where there’s a change in the vocals, the tempo or the instruments.
This is where you can put in specific action or dance moves to heighten the dramatic or emotional impact of the video.
How to Edit Dance Videos
There’s a wide range of video editing software options; however, if you’re doing minimal editing, then the software on your computer – e.g. Windows Movie Maker or iMovie – may be good enough.
Adobe Premiere will give you a lot more flexibility in terms of video editing – and there are plenty of video tutorials to help you get started. If you’re new to editing, then go with the adage ‘less is more’ – keep it simple and follow your instincts.
Dominique from Neek Films talks you through the process of editing a dance video with Premiere Pro.
From selecting the best part of each take to ‘editing to the dance’, adding effects and, most importantly, not ‘overpowering the dance’ – you need to be able to see the full choreography in the video:
What Are the Best Dance Videos?
Here’s our pick of the top 5 dance videos of all time.
Madonna – ‘Vogue’ (1990)
The Queen of Pop has nailed pretty much every music genre and dance style during the course of her career, from pop to disco, country music to R&B and dance.
You might know about voguing from POSE, the award-winning TV series about New York City’s Ballroom culture – in 2019, Billy Porter became the first openly gay black man to win in an Emmy lead acting category (Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series).
But arguably most people’s introduction to voguing was through Madonna’s black and white video, directed by David Fincher, and choreographed by Karole Armitage.
Inspired by the LGBTQ+ subculture of the African-American and Latino communities throughout the 1980s and 90s as well as 1970s disco influences, the song set a trend, bringing voguing into mainstream pop culture. And with that ‘Vogue’ became the world’s bestselling single of 1990.
Also referencing the style of Hollywood’s Golden Age of the 1920s and 30s, the video won three awards at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards, out of a total of nine nominations.
It may not be cool, but in January 2022, ‘Baby Shark Dance’ became the first YouTube video to surpass 10 billion views – it’s now clocked up well over 11 billion.
It’s probably not going to be winning any awards for its choreography, but it’s super easy for kids to pick up and the cartoon visuals are bright, colourful and ideally tailored for its audience.
Add in the fact that the song will get stuck in your head for weeks at a time, and you’ve got the perfect blend of song, choreography and video.
Lady Gaga – ‘Bad Romance’ (2009)
When it comes to extreme visuals matched with, ‘I have to watch that again’ choreography, no-one does it better than Gaga and ‘Bad Romance’ has it all. There are weird, white pods in an underground bunker, with dancers dressed like white latex versions of the creature in Alien.
Gaga appears in a selection of futuristic outfits and wigs, from Goth to glam, her character morphing from passive to powerful. Plus there are dance sequences in a variety of outfits (were the white/red colourways inspired by Kylie Minogue’s ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head’ video?)
Directed by Francis Lawrence, it was nominated for ten MTV Video Music Awards, winning seven, including Video of the Year. Billboard went one further and hailed it as the best music video of the 21st Century.
The video’s concept is that Gaga is kidnapped by supermodels and sold to the Russian mafia – by the end of the video, though, Gaga’s got her revenge and is lying next to the remains of the man who bid for her, on a dramatically burned-out bed.
Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars – ‘Uptown Funk’ (2014)
Snappy outfits, (extra props for the shots of Bruno, Mark and the crew sporting curlers in a hair salon), a big white limo and some awesome dance moves have made this one of the most-watched videos of all time, with over 4.6 billion views.
It’s a great example of a classic ‘let’s do the show right here’ street location, which has the feel of an old-skool Hollywood backlot (helped by the fact it was shot at 20th Century Fox Studios’ ‘New York Street’ backlot in LA). Then the action shifts for the final third to a neon-lit club.
The retro feel is enhanced by the late 70s/80s clothes, leading the Guardian to praise its, ‘super-slick, Jackson-like group choreography, glossy production and retro styling.’
The track itself won three Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, and the video is another black and white favourite, showing that you don’t need massive sets or elaborate costumes to make the best dance music videos – you can create something truly iconic on a very low budget, if you’ve got the talent and the moves.
Directed by Jake Nava, who also directed ‘Crazy in Love’ and ‘Beautiful Liar’, the amazing choreography was put together by Frank Gatson Jr and JaQuel Knight – the inspiration was a 1969 Bob Fosse routine called ‘Mexican Breakfast’ on The Ed Sullivan Show, featuring Fosse’s wife, Gwen Verdon, and two other women.
The video shoot apparently took about 12 hours, with multiple performances being filmed and then edited together to give the impression of a single take.
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Looking to quit your job and start a new career as a YouTuber? First things first, it's paramount that you study the best vloggers making a living from the video platform. Which cameras do they use? What's their go-to editing software? How do they record fantastic audio? Where do they get their high-quality background music? To help you get started with your research, we've put together a list of the best female YouTubers, including UK lifestyle YouTubers and so many more.
Below, we introduce you to 30+ female YouTubers who are constantly raising the bar, including Huda Kattan, Jackie Aina, Shameless Maya and Miranda Sings. Naturally, we will also be drawing your attention to our collection of YouTube-appropriate production music that can instantly elevate a vlog.
Political Female YouTubers: Contrapoints, Lauren Chen
Richest Female YouTubers
Did you know that a handful of the savviest businesswomen in the world actually started out on YouTube? Off the back of producing enticing vlogs, they soon established a staunch following, so when they then founded brands and followed new career paths, they knew full well that their fans would support them. Evidently, it's a recipe for success.
1. Huda Kattan
Subscribers: 4.8m
Estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of $510–560 million (estimates vary), Huda Kattan is the beauty blogger and entrepreneur who founded make-up company Huda Beauty in 2013 and Wishful Skincare in 2020. She stepped back from Huda Beauty's CEO role in 2020, then returned to reclaim the title in February 2024, saying she was "finally taking back my power as CEO."
Huda's YouTube channel has close to five million subscribers who are all eager to discover her beauty tips, listen to her stories and be the first to find out about her ventures.
2. Lilly Singh
Subscribers: 14.2m
Lilly Singh rose to fame on the back of her comedy videos satirising Indian and Punjabi culture; unsurprisingly, the ones in which she impersonated her parents have always been super popular.
Her NBC late-night show, A Little Late with Lilly Singh, was cancelled after two seasons in 2021, but she's stayed busy since: she launched Hyphen8, a media network supporting South Asian creators, joined the ownership group of WNBA side Toronto Tempo, signed with talent agency UTA, and starred in the 2025 film Doin' It.
She's picked up over 14 million YouTube subscribers along the way, and is still commonly estimated to be worth around $20 million.
Most Subscribed Female YouTubers
3. Yuya
Subscribers: 25m
Mexican content creator Yuya joined YouTube at the age of 16 after winning a make-up contest. How did she attract an audience? By creating engaging content covering topics such as beauty, fashion and styling.
After building up a loyal fan base, Yuya started launching her own products, including a perfume (#True), a cosmetics line and, more recently, her own brand, Bailando Juntos. She stepped back from YouTube for an extended hiatus around 2022 to focus on motherhood, returning sporadically from April 2024 onwards – so while she remains one of the platform's most-subscribed Spanish-language creators, uploads are now occasional rather than regular.
4. Jenna Marbles
Subscribers: 19.4m
Kick-starting her YouTube career with 2010 viral video 'How to Trick People into Thinking You're Good Looking' – a video which now boasts 71+ million views – Jenna Marbles used this launchpad to become a hugely successful YouTuber, comedian and actress.
In June 2020, Jenna announced she was stepping away from YouTube indefinitely, and the channel has been dormant ever since – no new uploads since that announcement. Her subscriber count (19.4 million) has barely moved as a result, and her net worth remains estimated at around $8 million. She may no longer be posting, but her back catalogue – including a line of dog toys inspired by her own canine friends – still holds up as some of the platform's most influential early comedy content.
Top Female Beauty YouTubers
Beauty is one of the top-ranking topics on YouTube as thousands of makeovers, how-tos, reviews and hauls are uploaded every day. We've already mentioned two of the biggest hitters, Yuya and Huda Kattan, so, who are the best of the best?
5. SaraBeautyCorner
Subscribers: 10.6m
Slovenian vlogger Sara Lawler's fun approach to make-up and fashion attracts plenty of teenage fans. She has over 10.5 million subscribers, and she's confidently proclaimed that she has the 'coolest and funniest beauty videos' on the net.
Seemingly, there is method in her madness as one of her 'school pranks' videos has clocked up over 160 million views. We've got the feeling Sara owes some of her success to her fitting music choices, which truly help her stand out from the crowd.
6. Michelle Phan
Subscribers: 8.5m
Michelle was one of the earliest beauty influencers: she established her channel all the way back in 2006. She pivoted into the beauty business with monthly subscription service Ipsy, though she stepped back from Ipsy's day-to-day leadership around 2017 and took an extended break from YouTube between 2015 and 2019 before returning to the platform. She still shares beauty tips and make-up tutorials with her 8.5 million subscribers.
Altogether, Michelle has generated over 1.1 billion lifetime views, and is still widely estimated to have a net worth around $50 million – built on ventures including cosmetics line EM Cosmetics, women's lifestyle network FAWN (For All Women's Network) and music platform Shift Music Group. Not bad for someone who, 'didn't have a roadmap; I just did it because it was meaningful to me, and I wanted to disrupt the beauty industry.'
7. Jackie Aina
Subscribers: 3.4m
Jackie aims to, 'Change the standard of beauty, one video at a time.' Her content is centred around all things make-up and skincare, and she's known for her vibrant, positive energy. In 2026, she was named to TIME's TIME100 Creators list, which credited her advocacy for pushing brands like Too Faced to expand their shade ranges for darker skin tones.
She remains an outspoken advocate for the representation of people of colour in the beauty industry, has had brand partnerships with Sephora, Too Faced and Anastasia Beverly Hills, and has more recently expanded into lifestyle, travel and interior-design content after signing with talent agency UTA.
Top Fitness Female YouTubers
Over the past few years, YouTube exercise classes have been a saviour for those of us stuck at home. But who are the top female fitness YouTubers?
8. Yoga with Adriene
Subscribers: 13.6m
If you haven't heard of Austin-based yoga teacher Adriene Mishler, then where on earth have you been? She joined YouTube in 2012 with a mission to connect as many people as possible through high-quality free yoga videos. It's safe to say she's succeeded – her subscriber count has grown by more than 3 million since we last checked in.
Why do people tune into Adriene's vlogs? Well, she's down to earth, friendly, and still includes cameos from her adorable dog Benji, including in her hugely popular annual January beginners' series. On her channel, Adriene has everything from Yoga for Beginners to a variety of 30-day challenges so – no matter what level you're at – she's got the content to keep you motivated.
9. Kayla Itsines
Subscribers: 417k
Aussie personal trainer Kayla began her YouTube journey in 2012. Her experience as a dynamic fitness influencer has earned her the top spot on Forbes' list of Top Fitness Influencers; plus, she's also been named one of Time magazine's most influential people on the internet.
She's best known for her fitness app, BBG (Bikini Body Guide) workouts and line of bestselling books. In 2023, she and co-founder Tobi Pearce bought their app business, Sweat, back from iFIT – she's now head of the brand, with Adam Koch as CEO. And we've got to mention that she's built an Instagram following of around 14–16 million. In short, she's dominating every field she can, even if her YouTube channel itself stays fairly modest in size.
10. FitnessBlender
Subscribers: 6.6m
Husband and wife duo Daniel and Kelli have hundreds of free, full-length workout videos on YouTube. Far from slowing down, they scaled up significantly in 2025, releasing over 250 new workout videos and 18 new training programmes – up from a previous pace of just a handful of programmes a year – by growing their team of trainers, dietitians and physical therapists.
No equipment is needed to work out with Daniel and Kelli, so pull up your leg warmers, grab a bottle of water and get started!
11. Nikki Blackketter
Subscribers: 674k
Nikki hails from LA and posts lifestyle vlogs on fitness and weightlifting, together with adventures with her friends, family and her cat. Plus, she's a committed gamer – she still runs a separate gaming YouTube channel!
Moving back to her fitness channel, she describes her speciality as 'glute/booty and leg lifts'. With over 670,000 subscribers, it appears quite a lot of people are keen to attain Nikki's physique.
12. POPSUGAR Fitness
Subscribers: 7m
Do you want variety? Get yourself subscribed to POPSUGAR Fitness – now rebranded as PS Fit, part of PS's 2024 rebrand of the wider POPSUGAR brand. It's literally got something for everyone. Host Anna Renderer works out alongside an expert team of fitness professionals – including some of Hollywood's most sought-after celebrity trainers who take on everything from tabata to barre, hip hop to HIIT, no equipment abs to dynamic yoga.
The channel remains one of the most-followed fitness destinations on YouTube, though we couldn't pin down an exact up-to-the-minute subscriber or view count for this piece – worth a quick manual check of the @PS_Fit channel before you quote a precise figure.
Inspirational Female YouTubers
13. Shameless Maya
Subscribers: 1.16m
'What would happen if I shamelessly promoted myself for 365 days?' This was the question and social experiment that kick-started Maya Washington's channel in 2012. Sure, Shameless Maya may have begun as an experiment, but now it's the multifaceted talent's lifestyle.
She shares videos on lifestyle, inspiration, transformations and techie content for 'aspiring geeks' and has racked up close to 100 million total views across her channel.
14. Bethany Mota
Subscribers: 9.3m
Bethany's subscribers – known as 'Mota-vators' – helped her build one of the most-watched lifestyle channels of the 2010s, covering style, travel, comedy, beauty, cooking, positivity and more, alongside anti-bullying and tolerance messages.
Since publicly stepping back from the internet in 2020, Bethany has posted only sporadically, and there's no sign yet of a return to her old upload schedule. If Bethany doesn't mota-vate you to be a better person, no one will – even if you might be waiting a while for the next video.
15. Rosanna Pansino
Subscribers: 14.8m
Recipe queen Rosanna runs a channel that features everything from videos focusing on fun holiday treats (her Spider-Man candy apples have racked up 66 million views) to 'How to make a Disney Princess sisters cake', a vlog viewed an astonishing 223 million times. Mostly by parents whose kids are huge Frozen stans, we're guessing.
The success of her cooking show, Nerdy Nummies, has led to Pansino publishing three cookbooks and launching the Rodiculous Podcast in late 2024. In September 2025, she announced she was scaling back her output to manage worsening PMDD symptoms. With over 14.8 million subscribers, 5 billion+ total views and a net worth of around $9 million, we're rooting for a full recovery and whatever she does next.
16. Nikkie Tutorials
Subscribers: 15.4m
Also known as one of the best female beauty YouTubers, Nikkie de Jager, aka Nikkie Tutorials, is one of the most inspirational and influential figures on the platform, with over 15 million subscribers and views well over 1 billion.
Her online fame kicked off when her 'The Power of Make-up' transformation went viral over a decade ago, and she's built a thriving career in the beauty industry since. Her earlier role as Global Beauty Advisor for Marc Jacobs Beauty is worth noting as a past credit rather than a current one – that colour-cosmetics line was discontinued around 2021–2022 and relaunched later under different ownership, with no indication Nikkie remains attached to it.
Nikkie's 'Layers of Me' series takes you behind the scenes of her life as a vlogger, and her fans remain as engaged as ever with what goes on behind the camera and the ring lights.
Funny Female YouTubers
17. Miranda Sings
Subscribers: 10.3m
Colleen Ballinger is the woman behind Miranda Sings: a channel that she originally created as a joke for her theatre friends. If you're not familiar with the YouTube character, know that she is a homeschooled teen from Tacoma, with misapplied lipstick and a strong belief in her own singing talent (despite the fact that she couldn't actually carry a tune in a bucket).
It's worth flagging that Colleen's public standing has changed considerably since Miranda Sings' viral heyday. In June 2023, several former fans publicly raised concerns about her past conduct toward young followers; her response video, in which she addressed the allegations through song, was widely criticised and amplified the backlash rather than resolving it. Multiple sponsors and collaborators distanced themselves afterwards, and she's since taken further breaks from content, most recently in early 2025. Her channel (10.3 million subscribers) and her Netflix show Haters Back Off remain part of the historical record, but this is an entry worth discussing internally before publishing, given the reputational context.
18. GloZell Green
Subscribers: 4.5m
GloZell shot to fame when her hilarious Cinnamon Challenge video went viral in 2012. It's racked up tens of millions of views and half a million-plus likes.
She's been sharing humorous videos on her channel with her millions of subscribers since 2008, and even interviewed Barack Obama in a YouTube Livestream hosted at the White House in 2015. She's slowed her upload pace considerably since her mid-2010s peak, but she's still around – she appeared on Food Network's Worst Cooks in America in 2025 and posted about the experience on her channel. Basically, YouTube changed her life, even if these days it's just one part of a broader career.
19. Liza Koshy
Subscribers: 16.6m
Liza began her career on Vine in 2013, before switching to YouTube. She's now an actress, TV host and comedian who has increasingly moved into film and television – recent credits include the Naked Gun reboot, animated series Primos and a lead role in Family Affair (2024).
She still ranks as one of the most popular female YouTubers, with over 16 million subscribers and combined views across her two channels well past a billion, even though she now uploads far less frequently than during her YouTube-first years. She's received four Streamy Awards and was named to the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 Hollywood & Entertainment list.
Black Female YouTubers
20. Nyma Tang
Subscribers: 1.3m
Born in Ethiopia to South Sudanese parents in 1991, Nyma Tang moved to the US as a child and later launched her online career with YouTube series The Darkest Shade, in which she reviewed the darkest shades of products from different make-up brands. One of the key reasons she started this series was to highlight the under-representation of deeper skin tones within the beauty industry.
Nyma remains a well-known beauty vlogger and activist, and her 1.3 million subscribers continue to support her fight against discrimination.
21. Patricia Bright
Subscribers: 2.7m
Former investment banker Patricia Bright is, quite fittingly, a ray of sunshine in our lives, and the lives of the rest of her 2.7 million subscribers. The Brit is a total all-rounder: she's been giving us advice on everything from fashion to beauty to home interiors for over a decade, and, to date, has racked up nearly 400 million views.
Patricia has posted much less frequently in recent years – she's discussed "why she stopped posting" as regularly on a recent podcast appearance – but she remains a wife, a mum, and a critically-acclaimed author: check out her motivational book Heart and Hustle: Use Your Passion. Build Your Brand. Achieve Your Dreams.
22. Lyn Allure
Subscribers: 424k
On her channel, Lyn Allure discusses self-improvement, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, personal finances and all things money – from making it in life to saving and investing. Her series Good Girl Gone Boss looks at side hustles, money management, the law of attraction, personal development and more; essentially, the series is about transitioning from being an employee to becoming your own boss full time.
Lyn's upload schedule has become more irregular in recent years, though her wider business – memberships, workshops and a budget workbook – is still up and running. Her 424,000 subscribers are testament to the following she built at her peak.
Asian Female YouTubers
23. Weylie Hoang
Subscribers: 1.75m
Weylie Hoang is a Chinese-American vlogger in her early 30s who describes herself as, 'the sister you never had… or the sister you never wanted'. Most of her content is lifestyle-based, from food to fitness, but she also talks about her relationship, mental health and her quest to learn Chinese.
Having grown up Chinese-American, Weylie uses her story to encourage her 1.75 million subscribers to embrace their culture, whatever that may be. She and partner Wah Nguyen also run a joint channel, WahlieTV, with a further 400k+ subscribers. Now that's an inspiring way to use a platform.
24. Jenn Im
Subscribers: 1.75m
Weylie Hoang is a Chinese-American vlogger in her early 30s who describes herself as, 'the sister you never had… or the sister you never wanted'. Most of her content is lifestyle-based, from food to fitness, but she also talks about her relationship, mental health and her quest to learn Chinese.
Having grown up Chinese-American, Weylie uses her story to encourage her 1.75 million subscribers to embrace their culture, whatever that may be. She and partner Wah Nguyen also run a joint channel, WahlieTV, with a further 400k+ subscribers. Now that's an inspiring way to use a platform.
25. Hana Lee
Subscribers: 319k
Hana Lee does everything from styling videos based on her favourite anime characters to fun make-up inspired by the 'mean girl' and 'nice girl' tropes from K-drama.
Hana also loves K-Pop and is learning Korean. She's still uploading roughly weekly, keeping her audience of 319,000 subscribers well fed with new content.
26. Mayuko Inoue
Subscribers: 535k
California-based Mayuko Inoue built her channel as a Japanese-American vlogger and software engineer, having worked at Netflix and a handful of Silicon Valley companies. In other words, she's super cool.
Mayuko's channel has been quiet for a couple of years now – her more recent bio describes her as an "iOS Engineer at Apple… ex-YouTuber", suggesting she's shifted back to software engineering as her main focus. Her back catalogue – covering everything from 'Fostering Creativity as an Asian American' to 'What Does "Senior" Software Engineer Mean?' – is still there for her almost 535,000 subscribers to enjoy.
British Female YouTubers
Who are the Brits you should be liking and subscribing to? Well, there’s quite a few. Our little nation stands up well in the world of YouTube.
27. Carrie Hope Fletcher
Subscribers: 624k
Carrie is a West End star, singer-songwriter, musician, author and lifestyle YouTuber whose subscribers love her candour and attitude. Since her time in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cinderella (which closed in 2022), she's played Queen Elizabeth in The Crown Jewels, starred as Jovie in Elf the Musical opposite her husband Joel Montague, led the UK/Ireland tour of Calamity Jane, and is currently starring as Jenna in the Waitress UK/Ireland tour from March 2026. She's also taken her own solo show, The Ghost Light Tour, around UK cathedrals, and published a new children's book in 2024.
Alongside theatre-centric videos, Carrie keeps her 624,000 subscribers entertained by discussing fashion, literature, self-care, marriage and, more recently, motherhood – she and Joel welcomed daughter Mabel in March 2024.
28. Georgia Marie
Subscribers: 225k
Now in her early 30s, Georgia Marie is a creator who loves sharing stories from history (most of them, lesser-known) as well as unsolved true crime cases. Different, right?
Each video is feature-length and Georgia is a great storyteller, no matter if the story is spooky, awe-inspiring or mysterious. Her upload pace has slowed a little, but her channel is still active for her 225,000 subscribers.
29. Niomi Smart
Subscribers: 1.45m
Niomi built her name on plant-based lifestyle content, and her channel has since broadened out into wellness, spirituality and personal growth more generally, alongside her long-running interest in wellness, everyday recipes, healthy food swaps, organic make-up and sustainable fashion.
One of Niomi's most viewed series is What I Eat in a Day. These vlogs have been filmed everywhere from LA to Bali to Thailand, and it's always interesting to see how she finds tasty food everywhere across the globe.
30. Rose and Rosie
Subscribers: 970k
Married couple Rose and Rosie are on a mission to dispel myths surrounding the LGBTQ+ community as they talk about their lives, play video games and make up songs. They marked ten years together in 2025 and have since become parents to two children, with their content shifting accordingly towards family life alongside their usual mix of relationship talk and comedy.
It's impossible not to love Rose and Rosie's warm, honest approach, especially when it comes to sex and relationships. They also run vlogging channel The Roxetera (around 475,000 subscribers) and a gaming channel called Let's Play Games.
Female Gamers on YouTube
31. SSSniper Wolf
Subscribers: 35m
Lia – aka SSSniperWolf – has around 35 million subscribers to her gaming channel, launched in 2011. In case you're wondering, the name SSSniperWolf came from Sniper Wolf: the name of one of the main antagonists and bosses of Metal Gear Solid.
SSSniperWolf's tips for YouTube success? 'Don't do it to make money. You should genuinely care about your audience and want to make people happy, entertain them, and help them escape from any problems they may have that are bothering them.' Worth noting: she's also been in the headlines for a few less positive reasons in recent years, including an ongoing legal dispute with her estranged husband over their shared company and a 2025 FTC settlement tied to undisclosed paid game promotions – a reminder that, love her or not, she's one of YouTube's most talked-about creators for reasons beyond subscriber count. Find out how to follow in Lia's footsteps with tips on the best gaming software.
32. iHasCupQuake
Subscribers: 7.1m
Tiffany Herrera is a famous gamer, better known by her YouTube handle, iHasCupquake. Guinness World Records still lists her as the holder of the "Most Popular Female Games Broadcaster on YouTube" title (their own published figures for the record date back to 2017 and haven't been refreshed, so her real numbers are considerably higher than what's shown there). She's since amassed over 3 billion views.
iHasCupquake has over 7 million avid subscribers, and continues to post regularly. In other words, she's a hard worker who is reaping the benefits of the effort she's put into her channel.
33. LD Shadow Lady
Subscribers: 7.5m
Looking for the best female Minecraft YouTuber? Check out British gaming girl Elizabeth Dwyer, who originally created a channel to perfect her Call of Duty skills. Of course, that's before she discovered Minecraft and became fascinated by the game's endless possibilities.
Lizzie ended up developing her own games within the Minecraft universe and has clocked up over 3.6 billion total views from her 7.5 million subscribers along the way. After a quieter spell, she returned with a new "Forever World" series in 2025/2026, so she remains an active fixture of the Minecraft YouTube scene.
34. GamerGirl
Subscribers: 5.9m
Now 19 years old, GamerGirl remains one of the most successful Minecraft-turned-Roblox vloggers around, having built her channel since she was a young teenager.
Karina Kurzawa was born in Canada in 2007, and established her YouTube channel at the age of nine. Karina started out by reviewing toys, food and other things she found interesting, but, as we know, it was gaming vlogs – now spanning both Minecraft and Roblox – where she found her success.
Political Female YouTubers
35. Contrapoints
Subscribers: 1.9m
Virginia-born Natalie Wynn – better known by her YouTube alias, Contrapoints – has made a name for herself by sharing her political and philosophical views online. She's covered everything from race to gender to sexuality in her vlogs that have helped her reach almost 120 million views.
Natalie began making YouTube content back in 2008 when she was 20 years old, and most of her original videos focused on her atheist views. But it wasn't until 2016 that she adopted the Contrapoints identity and started to challenge norms and popular notions. A decade on, Natalie has managed to pique the interest of nearly 1.9 million people who now count themselves Contrapoints subscribers.
Round-Up: Top 10 Female YouTubers
So, who are our favourite female YouTubers? Who do we think you should be subscribing to right now? Who is doing it like no one else? Find our list of the top 10 female YouTubers below (listed in no particular order):
NikkieTutorials
Huda Kattan
Patricia Bright
iHasCupquake
Yoga with Adriene
Georgia Marie
Carrie Hope Fletcher
Rosanna Pansino
Nyma Tang
Jenn Im
It’s Your Turn to Become a YouTube Sensation
So, now you’ve explored our list of the best female YouTubers, it’s time to have a go yourself! Make sure you’ve got all the right equipment and software – and, of course, don’t forget your background music!
Whether you think you’ve got a shot at becoming a successful gaming YouTuber, travel YouTuber or fashion and beauty YouTuber, we’ve got the music that’ll make your project sing. The best way to discover our ever-expanding catalogue? By browsing our playlists that range from Classical Collection to Kick-Ass Women.
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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Growing up, we were told to ‘never judge a book by its cover’. But in the digital age, who can resist the temptation of pretty graphics and photos? And it’s essential YouTube vloggers bear this in mind.
Images are paramount to YouTube ( as important as music for your YouTube videos): they grab potential viewers’ attention, encouraging them to click on your videos and channel.
Using imagery that looks unprofessional could cost you many viewers, as a competitor’s use of graphics may prompt viewers to stray (In 2024, online loyalty doesn’t exist).
For this reason, your images must always look slick and be able to stand out from the crowd.
To ensure your images are perfect, we’ve created this guide, letting you in on everything you need to know when switching-up your YouTube graphics – including YouTube image sizes.
Everything You Need to Know About YouTube Images Sizes
YouTube Profile Picture Size
How Big is a YouTube Profile Picture?
It’s always important to get your measurements right, which is why knowing the YouTube profile picture size is essential. So, what is the right size? At the time of writing, it’s 800 x 800 pixels.
How to Make a YouTube Profile Picture
In the video below, Frozen Fractal demonstrates how to create a profile picture/logo for YouTube.
Aptly, his profile picture logo is both professional and impressive. The vlogger opts for online photo editor Pixlr to design a cosmic-inspired ‘R’ logo.
If you’re not a big fan of Pixlr and you’ve not got access to Adobe Photoshop, there are other applications you can use to create a YouTube profile picture.
Snappa is a graphic design software designed to help you create images for all of your social media pages – including YouTube.
YouTube Banner Size
What Is the YouTube Banner Size 2024?
Wondering what size are YouTube banners?
The YouTube banner dimensions (also referred to as the YouTube channel art size) are currently 2560 x 1440 pixels.
How to Make a YouTube Banner
Now we’ve answered the question ‘What size are YouTube banners?’, it’s time to learn how to make one. Here are a couple of ways that you can create a banner for YouTube.
In this ‘how to’, YouTube channel TheFigCo walks viewers through his favourite online tool for creating YouTube banners – Canva.
The application allows users to make use of a range of fonts, images and other elements to create their dream YouTube banner.
If Canva doesn’t quite cut it for you, you can always try out PlaceIt by Envato.
UK-based YouTuber Alan Spicer has created a step-by-step tutorial to show viewers how to use PlaceIt, which you can check out below.
Alternatively, you can create a banner in Adobe Photoshop.
In the video below, US-based vlogger Seso shows viewers how to create a YouTube banner in Photoshop.
YouTube Thumbnail Image
What is the YouTube Thumbnail Image Size 2024?
It’s vital that your thumbnail image has the correct dimensions or else your chosen image may need to be cropped. Please note that the correct YouTube thumbnail image is 1280 x 720 pixels.
How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail Image
In the video below, Kelechi Mgbemena informs viewers that there’s a lot more to designing a YouTube thumbnail image than simply picking a picture.
Watch the vlog to view the Nigerian-based beauty and lifestyle vlogger demonstrate her thumbnail-creating process using the online application Canva.
YouTube Templates
There are different online tools and software programmes you can use to create art for your profile picture, thumbnail and banner, some of which we’ve mentioned above.
Allow us to bring a few of them to your attention once again.
1. Snappa
Snappa is an online graphics tool that provides users with the option to use their professionally-designed YouTube channel art templates.
2. Canva
Canva is one of the most popular graphic design platforms in the world, thanks to its easy-to-navigate interface and expansive range of templates and features.
PlaceIt is a mock-up and design tool that allows you to create visuals for all sorts of purposes – including branding for your YouTube channel.
PlaceIt’s YouTube templates are some of the best on the web and are used by vloggers across the globe to entice audiences.
Music for YouTube
If you are an aspiring or professional YouTuber, you may want to get acquainted with our music catalogue. Audio Network has over 200,000 tracks from the best artists, musicians and composers in the world. Each of our tracks can be licensed and used in any of your upcoming projects – including your next vlog.
Check out our dedicated YouTube playlist below to find out more.
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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So, you’ve nailed your film treatment, and you’ve got your camera sorted. What other prep do you need to do, prior to starting filming?
Create a shot list. But who makes the shot list, and how do YOU do it yourself?
What Is a Shot List?
A shot list maps out exactly what will happen – and what will be used in a particular shot or scene. And though it’s most often used for films, you can also produce a wedding video shot list, a documentary shot list, an event shot list and more. You could also build a shot list for a photography shoot.
Put together by the director and cinematographer during pre-production, a shot list is a detailed list of every shot that needs to be captured on a specific shoot day. Its primary purpose is to break down a scene into specific steps to serve as a blueprint for your day’s shooting. Creating the shot list can help a director to organize their thoughts before filming begins and will inform the shooting schedule.
Think of it a bit like a shopping list to ensure you’ve got every shot you need to tell your story!
As for what is in a shot list, the specifics are also detailed for every shot: what camera will be used and the lens, what’s the shot size, the camera movement and what shot type you’re creating – from a wide shot to an extreme close up, together with the location, characters, etc.
For a beginner’s guide to shot sizes, watch this video from Studio Binder, as they talk you through establishing shots, medium wide shots and extreme close-ups, together with examples of how and why they’re used.
Why Do You Need a Shot List?
Put simply, shot lists are what keeps a production organized – from the biggest-budget blockbuster to the smallest indie films. As most movies, TV productions and even some vlogs aren’t shot sequentially, the shot list helps you to work out the most efficient shooting schedule, both maximizing shooting time, and limiting downtime across departments.
The shot list also has the advantage of making sure that all the different departments’ members know which scenes are being filmed when – and the equipment the camera crew needs, the lighting set ups, the locations and props, plus the actors’ call times.
Also, based on a combination of the script time, the setup time for each shot, and the estimated number of takes, your shot list will automatically generate an estimated shoot time for every shot and scene.
Pull My Focus has tips on ‘lining your script’ to help you to put together your shot list in order to give you plenty of editorial flexibility when you’re editing, as well as building in options when you’re shooting, as you’ll inevitably face some changes when you’re on set.
What Comes First – Storyboard or Shot List?
Storyboarding is a great way to visualise the major shots that’ll move your story along. Use this as a springboard, and then build your shot list around the anchor points that your storyboard has created.
There are two parts to putting together a shot list – the first is to pick and design the shots (the director does this with the director of photography [DP]) and the second is then organising and scheduling the shoots for those shots.
How to Make a Film Shot List
When it comes to how to make a shot list, it can be as simple or as detailed as you want – and, of course, personalise it however you like, with colour coding and even some sketches. These, however, are the core elements that you need to include:
Scene number
Shot number – this is the reference number for the individual shot
Shot description – a short description of the action or dialogue; you can put in as much detail as you’d like for this
Camera movement – how the camera moves within the shot, for example a pan, tilt or tracking – or whether it’s static
Shot size and type – how big/small the subject is in the frame, and the camera angle (eg, eye level, high angle, etc)
Equipment and lens – the type of camera and camera lens you’re using. Minimise set up time by grouping your shot list by lens setups, as well as locations
Location – where you’re shooting
Subject – this can be the actors/characters, a prop, or an establishing shot
Any props required
Prep, shoot and start time
Additional notes – for example, if you’ve got a complex sound setup
It’s best to create your shot list in a spreadsheet, so to start, choose a scene from the script and use the elements above as the columns. Each individual shot has its own row. Thinking about the scene, note down the establishing shot and where you’ll need medium or close up shots to tell the story. Each new shot needs a new row on the spreadsheet.
It may help you to draw a rough sketch or storyboard of the shot list to help you visualise how the scene is going to play out.
Grouping your shots in the same way based on the lens setups will also make sure you’re not wasting any precious set time.
And a pro tip? Marking some shots as a ‘nice to have’ on your shot list in advance means that you can easily prioritise the essentials on set, which is very helpful if you’re running behind schedule…
What does a shot list look like? Well, to make your life easier and help you to get started, we’ve created a downloadable shot list template for you!
Want a quick look at how the pros do it? Check out this video of a selection of shots from blockbuster director Christopher Nolan’s films:
Documentary Shot List
For an interview-based documentary, create a list of interviewees, and suggested locations, then a shot list. Will they be sitting down, and shooting quite close up? Or full length?
The main questions that will help you to put together your documentary shot list are:
Who do you want to interview?
What locations do you want to visit and perhaps shoot?
What activities do you want to capture?
Could your film incorporate some ‘wow’ shots, such as drones or animation, stop-motion, time-lapse or even green screen? Find where you can add this into the shot list, and whether you can cover off different scenarios with, for example, your drone camera, as with the movie shot list advice.
Wedding Shot List
If you’re a wedding videographer, then a shot list can be invaluable to capture all the major moments on the big day (from a variety of angles – and mixing wide shots with close ups) and make sure you don’t miss anything out.
Your locations are likely to include:
The place where the bride/groom are getting ready ahead of the ceremony – plus any bridesmaids or ushers
The location of the ceremony – featuring both outdoor and indoor shots
The reception venue
Some of the key elements to include in your shot list will be:
Shots of the couple getting ready
Guests arriving at the ceremony venue, together with shots of the decoration, such as flowers
The wedding party arriving at the ceremony venue
The different highpoints of the ceremony, including the vows, exchange of rings and the signing of the register
All the action at the reception – speeches, cake cutting, the first dance, guests dancing, etc
The happy couple heading off at the end of the night
From a product launch to a fundraiser, a special gala to a company party, the advantage to building an event shot list is that most of them follow a fairly set structure, so it should be easy to put together.
Here are some of the basics, which you can then demonstrate your creativity with, in terms of your shot choices:
The set up – whether it’s a trade show stand, promo items or signage, make sure you’ve got this covered – get into the venue before any guests/attendees arrive, to get images that show everything at its best
Shots or footage of any VIPs or execs that are important
A variety of close ups and wide shots of any speakers
The guests – again close ups and wide shots, showing that it was a well-attended event
And once you’re editing it all together, don’t forget some background music to bring it all together.
Shot List App
Looking for a shot list app? Look no further! Here are some of the top options:
Pro Film Maker’s app stores the details, locations and notes for each scene and shot, in an easily viewable and editable form.
Offering web-based filmmaking software with a suite of integrated products, Studiobinder has a plethora of features for filmmakers.
For under $20 for its pro version, Shot Designer enables you to block complex scenes and may be the ultimate film app for directors, as it combines camera diagrams, shot lists, storyboards, and animation all in one place. (There’s also a free version.)
So there you have it – you’ve got your shot list sorted and you’re ready to shoot. Why not check out some background music to really make your production fly?
Whether it’s for an action spectacular, a nature documentary or capturing a couple’s special day on their wedding. We have every production genre you could possibly need – not to mention new, expertly-chosen playlists which are updated fortnightly, all of which are straightforward to license globally.
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
Subtitles: they’re pretty great. They allow international audiences to consume foreign-language content; they give the hard of hearing the opportunity to immerse themselves in the worlds of film and television; and they help audiences understand every word of a video’s dialogue, even when it’s quiet or muffled, all while maintaining styles such as an anime subtitle font.
However, they’re only effective if they’re presented in an appropriate subtitle font. anime subtitle font
Now, we don’t mean to sound dramatic but there really is nothing worse than an unpleasant subtitle font – it can completely put you off a piece of content.
For example, imagine watching an epic blockbuster like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Avengers: Endgame or Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, accompanied by a font that’s inappropriate (Comic Sans, anyone?) or, even worse, hard to read. It would completely ruin your experience.
Now that you understand how important it is to use a clear, aesthetically pleasing typeface, it’s time to get an expert view on subtitle fonts.
What Is the Netflix Subtitle Font?
Netflix, the streaming service that once famously used a slightly-robotic Consolas typeface (we were into it), now allows subscribers to change the subtitle font to their liking.
To access the settings to change a font, you must begin by visiting your Netflix account from a web browser.
From here, you can select your profile in ‘Profile and Parent Controls’ and scroll down to ‘Subtitle Appearance’.
Then click ‘Change’ to open up Subtitle Appearance: a page which gives you options to change the font, colour, size and shadow of your subtitle text.
After you’ve made your selection you can hit save and, just like that, your subtitles will change next time you stream Netflix content.
So, what subtitle fonts are available on Netflix? Well, there’s Typewriter, Print, Console, Block, Casual, Cursive and Small Caps. Our go-to? The uber-clean Block font; it feels the most ‘Netflix-y’, in our opinion.
What Are the Most Common Movie Subtitle Fonts?
It’s always interesting to see what subtitle font a film studio, platform or channel opts for as it can either add to the movie’s vibe or, as we spoke about above, ruin it.
For example, imagine if Parasite was paired with an insufferable typeface. Would we have enjoyed watching it so much? Would it’ve won the Oscar? Probably not.
The most common movie subtitle fonts seem to be the kind of fonts we see (and use) every day.
We’re talking obvious choices such as Lucida Grande, Cambria, Arial and Times New Roman.
These styles are chosen because they’re familiar, timeless and easy to process; they feel suitable for every kind of film genre.
What Is the Most Common Anime Subtitle Font?
Anime’s outlandish, thought-provoking narratives aren’t always the easiest to follow – especially when they aren’t dubbed in English.
Hence, anime films and TV shows must opt for an easy-to-read font so that their global audience can comprehend the plot, characters and ideologies of the animation.
One of the most common anime subtitle fonts is Trebuchet: an unassuming, no-frills font that can be read quickly and with ease. However, anime font styles are truly endless!
What Is the Standard Subtitle Font Size?
It’s hard to offer an idea of what the standard font size for subtitles is, as every outlet and service has its own preferences.
For example, if you were to ask the BBC what font size you should use to appeal to their channel, they would suggest you refer to their guidelines which clearly state that subtitles must have a line-height of 8% of the active video height.
However, if you ask Channel 4 what font size they’d prefer, they’d suggest a size 28 (linear fonts) or size 32 (anamorphic fonts) for entertainment content and a size 30 (linear fonts) or 34 (anamorphic fonts) for factual content.
What Is the Best Subtitle Software?
A subtitle software is what it says on the tin – it’s a programme used to create, edit, format and position subtitles.
Here are the most popular subtitle software programmes used worldwide.
What Are the Best Subtitle Font Download Websites?
If you’re feeling underwhelmed by the choices of fonts available in your software, you can always choose to download new fonts from the internet. Our favourite subtitle font download websites include:
We don’t care what any sprightly intern says, transcribing is a tedious task.
But, luckily, there are a plethora of applications available out there – some of which are free – that will automatically transcribe your work and generate subtitles for you.
Here are four of the best subtitle font generators around.
If you’re creating a foreign-language film, TV show or vlog and you’re confident it’ll appeal to an English-speaking audience, you’re going to need more than just a cool subtitle font – you’re going to need some storytelling background music. Why? Well because background music can help viewers grasp the feel of a scene, or help to tell your story, whether they understand the dialogue or not.
Fortunately for you, we’ve got an entire catalogue of background music tracks, brimming with compositions that evoke every kind mood and emotion. We’ve got angry background music, romantic background music, sad background music and more. Check out our new releases, which we pull into hand-picked playlists every fortnight.
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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Want to go out of this world or even… destroy it entirely? Take to the high seas without having to hire a yacht (or feel seasick?), create fur effects or a giant dragon’s scales? You need VFX.
But with so many different VFX software programmes on the market, which are best? We’ve gathered together our pick of the bunch – from Cinema 4D to Adobe After Effects – for all you green screen aficionados and for anyone who wants to create the next MCU, for the visuals to go with your epic soundtrack.
What Is VFXÂ Software?
Before we dive into the best VFX software programmes, if you don’t know, VFX is an abbreviation of ‘visual effects’, which means VFX software is, quite simply, ‘visual effects software’.
It’s what makes you believe that all the animals in Disney’s recent ‘live action’ version of The Lion King are real and the software that enabled the Avengers to smash up cities in order to take down their enemies – not to mention Thanos vaporising half the universe with just a click of his fingers… With VFX, you can travel at lightspeed through hyperspace, or transform an actor into a house elf. Create complex graphics for video games, or collapse whole streets in on themselves a la Inception. The only limits to what you can create are your own imagination.
Which Is the Best Software for VFX?
With so many different VFX software programmes available, the ‘best’ one for you all depends on your preferences. Below we dive into the world of how to make special effects to help you make an informed decision.
Best VFX Software – Our Top Picks:
Side FX Houdini
Cinema 4D
Adobe After Effects
Nuke
Blender
Marvelous Designer
Unity Visual Effect Graph
ZBrush
Adobe Premiere Pro
Autodesk Maya
Autodesk Mudbox
Black Magic Fusion
SpeedTree
RealFlow
Unreal Engine
1. Side FX Houdini
Price: Free – $4,495
Benefits:
If you’re aiming to create some on-screen magic, we suggest you look to Houdini: the VFX and 3D animation software does just about everything.
There are pyro effects, fluid effects, destruction effects and much, much more.
Films and TV shows that have used Houdini:Â Moana, Game of Thrones, Doctor Strange, Blade Runner 2049
2. Cinema 4D
Price: $59.91 a month/ $719 a year
Films that have used Cinema 4D:Â Tron Legacy, Pacific Rim, Inception
Cinema 4D is a powerful software suite, used by professional and amateur content creators, that offers a multitude of tools.
With its intuitive interface and procedural workflows, the Maxon-developed programme is a prime choice for any creative looking to blow their audience away.
3. Adobe After Effects
Price: £19.97 a month/ £238.42 a year
Films that have used Adobe After Effects:Â Avatar, Ender’s Game, Iron Man 3
When it comes to post-production, it’s always a good idea to put your trust in Adobe.
After Effects is Adobe’s VFX software programme adored worldwide for its user-friendly layout, and impressive range of options and affordable price tag.
4. Nuke
Price: Free trial/ Purchase from £426
Films that have used Nuke:Â The Maze Runner, The Lone Ranger, Twilight: Breaking Dawn
Nuke is The Foundry’s node-based VFX application that keeps getting better with age.
Our favourite element of the software? It’s got to be the customisable gizmos. Being able to personalise your layout is always a big plus.
5. Blender
Price: Free
Films that have used Blender:Â Spider-Man 2, Next Gen, Tears of Steel
There’s no denying that Blender is one of the best free VFX software programmes around.
It literally has the same capabilities as some of the paid applications on this list! So, why not try it out?
6. ZBrush
Price: From $39.95 a month
Films and TV shows that have used ZBrush: Westworld, The Hobbit, Edge of Tomorrow Â
ZBrush is a leading sculpting software used in countless film and television productions; so the chances are, you’ve seen it in action on more than one occasion.
The application comes with an array of brushes and other functions to help you to bring your vision to life – exactly the way you see it in your head.
7. Marvelous Designer
Price: $1700 a year
Films and games that have used Marvelous Designer: The Hobbit, The Adventures of TinTin, Assassin’s Creed Unity
Marvelous Designer is the go-to cloth-making VFX programme for creatives worldwide, which includes graphic designers working at Disney, HBO and Playstation.
Used in both live-action and animated content, the software puts users in the seat of a fashion designer, as they use the software to create realistic virtual clothes.
8. Unity Visual Effect Graph
Price: From $200 a year
Games that have used Unity Visual Effect Graph:Â Last Day on Earth, War Robots, Relative Worlds
Judging by the case studies that Unity can boast about so far, we reckon they live up to their word.
9. Adobe Premiere Pro
Price: £19.97 a month/ £238.42 a year
Films that have used Adobe Premiere Pro:Â Deadpool, Gone Girl, Terminator: Dark Fate
As you already know, we’re big fans of Adobe post-production software. And Premiere Pro is another Adobe offering that can be used to create sensational visual effects.
We suggest that if you’re new to the world of VFX, you make this software your starting point.
10. Autodesk Maya
Price: Free Trial/ £234 a month/ £238.42 a year
Films and TV shows that have used Maya:Â Transformers Franchise, Stranger Things, Dumbo (2019)
What software does Hollywood use for VFX? Autodesk Maya. Chosen by Disney, Netflix, Paramount and more, Maya is a first-rate programme that’s responsible for some of the best visual effects in cinematic history.
11. Autodesk Mudbox
Price: Free Trial/ £12 a month/ £96 a year
Films that have used Fusion:Â Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Tree of Life
The second Autodesk VFX software programme to make it to our list is Mudbox.
Primarily used to sculpt and paint, Mudbox allows its user to create intricate visuals with its world-renowned precision tools.
12. Black Magic Fusion
Price: Purchase from £235
Films that have used Fusion:Â Alice in Wonderland (2010), The Martian, Thor, Avengers: Age of Ultron
Your options feel limitless when using Black Magic Fusion: one of the best compositing software programmes available.
Why? We think it’s got something to do with the immersive interface that makes you feel like a professional (whether you’re already one or aiming to take your creativity up a notch).
13. SpeedTree
Price: Free – £1000 a year
Films that have used SpeedTree:Â The Lion King (2019), Black Panther, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
SpeedTree is a vegetation-focused VFX software that makes you feel pretty God-like.
The programme gives you the power to add life-like greenery, of all shapes and sizes, to your content.
We think it’s the best in its field…
14. RealFlow
Price: Starting from €497.50
Films and TV shows that have used RealFlow:Â Once Upon a Time, The Great Gatsby, Vikings
Just as SpeedTree is the place to go for vegetation SFX, RealFlow is the destination for fluid SFX creation.
The easy-to-use software creates mind-blowing effects that speak for themselves – so, go and take a look.
15. Unreal Engine
Price: Free
Film and TV shows that have used Unreal Engine:Â The Mandalorian, War of the Planet of the Apes, Ford VS Ferrari, The Batman
Video effect freeware Unreal Engine may have initially been developed by Epic Games for video games VFX, but film and television adopted it when they discovered the programme’s impressive capabilities.
Now it’s used to create some of the most iconic on-screen visual effects.
Add Music to Your Content
Once you’ve created VFX for your content, it’s time to start thinking about music. Music can instantly transform any scene, which is why you must choose your tracks wisely.
Use our search bar and filter by mood and emotion to find the composition for you.
Need Music for Your Project?
At Audio Network we create original music, of the highest quality, for broadcasters, brands, creators, agencies and music fans everywhere. Through clear and simple licensing, we can offer you a huge variety of the best quality music across every conceivable mood and genre. Find out how we can connect you with the perfect collaborator today by clicking the button below!
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They say creative adults are the children who survived, which explains why so many of us in the media industry appreciate a good animation.
From the believable worlds of 3D cartoons to awe-inspiring magic of stop motion flicks; animation can touch an audience just as well as any live-action film – like the animated short, Sitara Directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy which uses animation and music to tell the story of a young girl in Pakistan.
Here we explore the five different types of animations and list the software that can be used to create each one.
Ready to become an animation expert? Well then, we suggest you continue reading!
What Is Animation?
Let’s start with the animation definition.
Animation is: ‘moving images created from drawings, models, etc that are photographed or created by a computer’.
How Cartoons Are Made
The way a cartoon is made depends on the type of animation the studio/director is opting for.
Let’s explore the five different types of animations.
What Are the Five Types of Animation?
The five types of animations are…
3D
Traditional
Stop Motion
Motion Graphics
Vector
How Do Animators Work?
Let’s run through each of the above types of animations and how they actually work, this way you’ll get a sense for which type of animation is best for your needs or skillset.
1. 3D Animation
Not be confused with animations presented in 3D (with the special glasses) – 3D animation uses computer-generated imagery (CGI) to develop intricately-detailed worlds and characters.
What Popular Animations Were Made Using This Technique?
Since the turn of the millennium, almost all film and television production companies have turned to 3D animation. But the feature films and short films that we associate with 3D animation technology the most is PIXAR.
What Software Is Used to Create This Type of Animation?
Also known as hand-drawn animation and cel animation, traditional, 2D animation was the original animation method, and therefore the go-to method of 20th Century animators.
Traditional animation involves each frame being drawn by hand on celluloid: a transparent sheet which the animator draws directly on to.
What Popular Animations Were Made Using This Technique?
Early Disney animations are the most obvious, and arguably the best example of hand-drawn animation. We’re talking the likes of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bambi and Pinocchio.
What Software Is Used to Create This Type of Animation?
Needless to say, stop motion animation involves the physical movement of objects (commonly created using clay) that are animated by being photographed one frame at a time.
What Popular Animations Were Made Using This Technique?
If you’re anything like us, the macabre worlds of Tim Burton and Henry Selick (think: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride and Coraline) will come to mind when thinking about stop motion animation.
Or, of course, the fabulous creations of animator Nick Park’s Wallace and Gromit films, together with Chicken Run, Shaun the Sheep and Early Man.
What Software Is Used to Create This Type of Animation?
Motion graphic animation is essentially animated graphic design, bringing to life text and images that would otherwise be static.
What Popular Animations Were Made Using This Technique?
This type of animation is frequently used to bring the titles of TV shows and films to life. Some of our favourite motion graphics are created by Marvel, who switch-up their title sequences for every entry in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).
What Software Is Used to Create This Type of Animation?
Vector animation is essentially the modern-day version of hand-drawn animation. It is a method that focuses on 2D graphics, popularly used in both children’s and adult cartoon TV shows.
What Popular Animations Were Made Using This Technique?
Some of our favourite TV shows are created using Vector 2D animation – including Phineas and Ferb and Rick and Morty. We forecast an increase in vector animation within the next few years as audiences are nostalgic for the kind of films and cartoons they used to watch as youngsters.
What Software Is Used to Create This Type of Animation?
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