Good Stuff

[skb12172]

I've known this guy since he was a kid. His parents are music professors, his older brother and sister are professional, classical musicians, and while being a professional level trumpet player and pianist, he makes his living making videos with a musical bent for firearms advocacy. His real name is Jordan. This is a good introduction to his stuff. He's also on Facebook as Fx Hummel.

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[skb12172]

Also…the Tacticool Song.

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And "Buy a Shotgun: Biden's Song."

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[Aesop]

...he makes his living making videos with a musical bent for firearms advocacy.

You can make a living at that?

Tell him to try a tripod, or even a $100 hobby-level steadicam rig; and I highly recommend learning to attenuate obnoxious levels of trumpet with a decent mixer, either flesh-and-blood, hardware, or software. The audience frantically stabbing at the "mute" button for one's video isn't going to bump up view counts.
But I give him kudos for doing the HD right (instead of abysmal cellphone cam) and lighting his shots well.
He needs to ditch the hat and shades, and add a decent off-camera mic or two, along with better shot-composing and he's on his way.
At least he's doing something, and it's a learning progression.

[skb12172]

Part of it is his "image" too. Like a costume. I still think it's pretty clever.

[Aesop]

Image is a human factor: folks respond poorly to artists who hide half their face, esp. the eyes.
I can understand wanting to hide the 'hawk, but there are ways around that that aren't a ball cap.
Unless you're Red Green or one of the Duck Hunters, the hat should go. The other exceptions are C/W singers in Stetsons, or mariachis in sombreros. He's neither.
He obviously knows his way around a piano, but he's got a mug for radio in all that "image".
Let's note all the pro-Second Amendment types in media with a mohawk...



















So maybe it's time to align the image with the audience, just a touch.
If he's really making a living at this, he should take the time to either find a theatre program at any JC entitled "Acting for the camera" or equivalent, or just read a decent book or two on same from Amazon, focusing on the mechanical details. The same way he learned to play music.
He has the on-camera instincts of a trumpet player, but he could tune up his presentation and come off 100% better with minimal effort.

[skb12172]

I'll let him know. Frankly, I'm not sure he's put that much thought into it. He hit on a niche and had immediate success, so I don't think tweaking his presentation is even on the radar. I'm sure he'll at least consider it and, like you said, it will only improve his product.

Unusual family, btw. Mom and dad were music professors and homeschooled all three kids. Older brother, who is actually the one I'm closest to, is in the Pittsburgh Symphony. Sister is a Juilliard graduate. He was in a military band for awhile, but is now making a decent living freelancing in Pittsburgh, teaching privately, and doing this stuff. Despite the music/academic background, they are from West Virginia, which overrides the leftiness of their background/professions.