“I get a chance to be creative every single day.”
Jay Lippman is a freelance video editor who shares many insightful tutorials on his Youtube channel, covering topics like ‘How to get started’ and ‘Editing techniques’.
His noteworthy content has drawn the attention of those exploring the field of graphic design due to its role in supporting viewers with great tips. So, whether you are someone who aspires to be a video editor or a professional YouTuber, knowing parts of Jay Lippman’s journey will help you discover your pathway into those professions.
In this week’s Pixlr Spotlight, Jay talks about the beginning of his career as a Youtuber and how he manages audience engagement, addresses the challenges he had faced, and lastly, gives advice to the creatives around the world.
How did you get started in your YouTube/Instagram?
I actually started my channel in an attempt to promote my life coaching business. I started by using my phone as a camera, just like most of us, but eventually I decided to buy a DSLR. My first video with that camera was a vlog style video called Why I’m So Happy, The process of shooting and editing that video convinced me that making videos was all I wanted to do, so I gave up the coaching business and decided to focus 100% on YouTube.
Did you always know you wanted to do this?
Not even a little bit. I got my start in music, and was dead set on being a rock star. Instead, I became an electrician, and I was kind of convinced that I would be stuck doing that for the rest of my life (not that there’s anything wrong with that, it’s just not what I wanted to do). I didn’t even think of YouTube or video editing as a career until I made that first vlog on my YouTube channel.
How and when did you know you can make this a career?
I’m not really sure, to be honest. Once I decided that this was what I wanted to do, I became obsessed. I don’t think there was a question in my mind about whether or not the YouTube and freelance video editing thing would work out. It had to. In my mind there was no other option.
That being said, there was a huge sigh of relief when I became part of the YouTube Partner Program, and I practically jumped for joy the first time I made an affiliate sale and sponsorship deal. So if I had to pick a time that I knew I could make this a career, I guess that would be it.
How do you keep your audience engaged?
The best way to keep your audience engaged with you is to be engaged with your audience.
My community is the most important part of my YouTube channel. I hold weekly live streams where I make myself available to answer their questions about video editing. I also have a Discord server, and I’m very active on Twitter. I don’t want to be one of those YouTubers that becomes separated from their audience.
What do you think is most important when you’re looking for ways to engage with your audience?
I like looking for ways to engage with my audience that makes it feel like we’re just hanging
out as friends. It’s important to me that there are as few boundaries as possible. That’s why I like having the Discord server. It’s basically just a giant chat room where we can all hang out and talk shop. It builds relationships and trust, and when your audience trusts you, it can only benefit your channel.
What do you love most about working in this industry?
Is “everything” an acceptable answer? I love that I get to show up and do what I love for a living. I love that what I love to do helps people do what they love to do. I love the community, the support from other creators, and the fact I get a chance to be creative every single day.
How do you stay current on all the shifts and innovations?
Mostly I just watch a lot of YouTube and hang out on Twitter with other people who make videos related to mine. I also have relationships with a lot of brands, so I get advanced notice of any new products and services that are coming out.
Have you noticed any positive or negative changes in your work since the pandemic?
A little of both. I miss being able to do in-person collaborations with other creators. I think that’s the biggest negative change. Also, like many creators, I have had to dial back on any videos that are filmed outside of the studio (ironic that the pandemic would hit just 2 months after I released a video stating that I would be doing more videos outside of the studio).
On the plus side, a lot of people have taken up making videos as a result of being home from work, which is great to see. I went through a massive period of growth when the pandemic first hit, and it’s been a lot of fun helping people learn how to edit videos.
What’s the funniest story that comes to mind ever since you started working more indoors due to the pandemic?
Well, I was already filming mostly indoors before the pandemic. It kind of comes with the territory of having a channel dedicated to video editing. That being said, the Pandemic did cause my girlfriend to be off of work and my 4 year old (then 3) to be home from daycare.
Prior to that happening, my daughter had never seen me film one of my videos. One day she decided to start asking questions. She had A LOT of questions. After our conversation I got up to take care of some things around the house. I had completely forgotten that I had hit record on the camera prior to our conversation. When I finally figured it out, I had a 2 Terabyte video file with our complete conversation, a lot of dead air, and my cat spending a solid 10 minutes rubbing her face on my favourite lens.
What advice would you give for aspiring creators?
Have patience. If you’re new to making videos, it’s going to take a while to become anything close to good. If you’ve been making videos for a long time but are new to YouTube, it could take a while before the numbers start to grow.
So have patience, celebrate the small victories (because even the small victories are big ones), and above all, don’t give up.
Want more on Jay Lippman’s work? Check out his website or follow his YouTube for some editing tips!
