Everyday essentials of a content creator ft. Sonal Devraj, Team Naach

Sonal Devraj jots down a list of essentials she has learned as part of Team Naach that would help creators deliver better quality content.

When your audience looks at your feed, it’s often difficult to distinguish between the reality of the creator and the ‘spontaneous’ content that may be diligently curated for the target audience. Making it as a social media creator and rocking it are two different ball games altogether. As a social media influencer, I often come across a lot many questions on how to get started with the ABCs of the social media game. Sustaining as a consistent creator on social media to its full potential definitely requires discipline, well-thought strategy, and analysis, along with a few essentials that a creator can never live without. Let’s dive right into it.

Also Read: 9 routines by Sonal Devraj that are straight out of a Bollywood movie

The Social Media Starter Kit: What Goes into the Set-Up?

A lot of youngsters believe that the beginner’s toolkit to get started as a creator requires a heavy set-up and a lot more technical skill than is true. In fact, you’d be surprised at how accessible it is for everyone to put themselves out there if they have the passion for it in today’s age. If you have access to the internet, you’re more than ready to begin. Remember, a basic set-up with absolute essentials is more than enough. Let us list down a few for you.

The camera gear: Having a smartphone comes as a huge bonus for youngsters today. Fortunately, our phone camera is enough to start shooting if you need a good quality photo output for the gram. For beginners, you definitely don’t need the heavy set-up that requires professional expertise. However, you must get to know the right angles and a few tips and tricks to get all the right shots for your vision.

Fun fact: Nicole and I had started out with a very basic camera which came to rule the internet with interesting choreographies.

Your shoot set-up or backdrop: The aesthetics for your shoot are really important to achieve the vision you have in your mind. I suggest you invest in backdrops that you can mix and blend for different shoots if you are actively looking to shoot and create for social media. A lot of these backdrops can be sourced from some really budget-friendly art galleries or thrift stores. Go as pocket-friendly as you can.

Yes, all those dance tutorials are accentuated with the thoughtfully placed backdrops of the studio we shoot in.

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A post shared by Sonal Devraj (@bhaiyajiismile)

Lighting that makes you shine: Lighting is another important aspect of the visuals you should focus on achieving. A good-quality ring light that illuminates your frame well can do wonders for your final output. I’d also suggest you make the most of the natural light that comes straight from your window to the frame. That golden hour light can truly outshine the rest of the elements.

Go for the golden hour for the best shots, and you’ll be surprised. 

The editing table for tailored content: A good shoot is only a job half done. The real task begins at the editing table, where you must tailor the final piece as crisp as possible. Anything that doesn’t add value to the original script must not be there. Tailor it all for a seamless experience and mesmerize your audience with the wonders you can do.

Pro-tip: Plan all the shots in advance. All those transitions and cuts that you see on Team Naach’s channel are the results of tight editing.

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A post shared by Sonal Devraj (@bhaiyajiismile)

Having discussed the essential elements of the everyday setup, it is also important to ensure that your vision for your page is prominent enough in all your content pieces to build and retain the followership you have been aiming for. A serious career in social media requires consistency and a well-curated strategy for your page to grow. It’s often necessary to take a step back and analyze rather than go all out without a plan. Remember, it’s all in your attitude that determines how far you can build.

This article was first published in the Social Ketchup Magazine's September 2022 edition. 

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