Does the equipment matter?
Yes and no.
Our start has a lot to do with how we chose our equipment. In the "Welcome to YPC" blog, I shared more of the why it started. Due to my love for the industry, I have always paid attention to it in more ways than just admiring it or enjoying the entertainment of it. I loved watching behind the scenes, interviews, and seeing the equipment. I dreamed of being apart of it.
When I became a mom at sixteen, the idea of pursuing anything felt impossible and I always felt called to be a mom so focusing on my family became number one. But my love for it never left. The hot coals remained under the ash.
Fast forward years later through many twists and turns, that would take too much time now, I had the opportunity with very minimal knowledge and zero experience to do a video for my mom's mission. All I possessed was that burning passion and that was enough. I had, for other reasons, began looking into how to interview, edit, capture sound, have good lighting, etc. Now I could use it and I was so excited. The fire was being rekindled again.
Without sounding cliche, I wasn't looking to pursue it, it came to me. It would prove to be a very slow creaking door beginning to open.
TJ and I weren't in a position to purchase cameras, microphones, lights, and all the gadgets I would have loved to have. But I had a nice phone, a lavalier microphone and I bought a $30 tripod on the way. I love that I can still look back on that video and smile. While some cringe at their first works, I still feel proud of what I accomplished with what I had.
One thing to know about us, we love the fancy stuff but we live within our means, we find ways and fight hard to be excellent with what we have. So that's what I did.
I learned how to use what I had with the capabilities it possessed and I am still doing that to this day. So do I think equipment matters?
YES.
I can't capture the ideal sound that focuses on what I want to be heard and lessen what I don't without a microphone that is built for that.
I can't have clear, balanced video without a camera that can capture light, or lack thereof, and objects well.
Having not only good lights but a variety of them that help set the desired mood and focus is great or limits the ability to do so.
The equipment is important. It allows creatives to do more and do it better.
We can all clearly see how new technology has opened up so many options for creatives to increase quality and effects. It has also allowed those who have the gifting and passion for it but need to start from smaller beginnings.
I saw a behind the scenes reel of the first Star Wars not long ago and couldn't believe the size of the cameras. And the quality was still less than the thing that fits in our pockets can capture today.
No.
Because anyone can have the latest and greatest. It's not the equipment that makes the creative great, it's the creative that knows how to use it to make something great.
We still capture with our phones and love it! We have upgraded some equipment along the way to match our knowledge to use it and the need for it as certain projects required. When TJ joined in about 2 years ago, what had been more of a hobby started to feel like it could be more. So we launched YPC(more on the name to come) this year.
While I still research, learn and geek out over the fancier stuff, I enjoy the simplicity of what God has blessed us with in this stage. It has allowed me space to grow without the pressure to pay for it.
Does it hurt when we have received comments that made us sound less qualified? Yes it did. Did it cause me to question myself and whether I can offer what our clients deserve and expect? Yes it did. Even if just briefly.
In conclusion, know what you want so you can choose the team that can provide the result you want to see and the experience you want to have.
I take time to address this because I love finding a connection when trying to choose companies to work with. The ones who take time and space to share who they are and why they do what they do. I want you to know us before you know us. To know where we come from, where we are and where we hope to go.
I also know our equipment is probably unexpected in a video production company. We want you to know that we work hard and spend hours learning our equipment so we can continue to give our best.
Thank you for the time you took to get to know us. By now, you know that we just want to capture stories people need to see and have fun doing it.
We can't wait to hear yours and help you tell it!