Anyone with a camera, an internet connection and desire to share their experiences can become a VTuber. However, the road to success is not easy. Thousands of people upload videos every day and only the most dedicated ones manage to achieve success. Creating your own unique channel, growing your audience and monetising your efforts takes time and consistency. You need to invest time thinking about what kind of videos you want to upload and how you’re going to stand out from the crowd. As with any creative venture, there are many things that you need to become an influential VTuber. Here are 6 things that will help you make it big!
A Cool VTuber Model
A VTuber model is the basis of what a VTuber is. The term VTuber model is another way of saying the virtual avatar that appears in front of the camera. The VTuber model is essentially the online identity of the VTuber so it’s important that you get it right. VTuber models have to be carefully made, factoring in animation, rigging and other physics that make them more lifelike.
The avatar is tracked onto the person behind the camera to mimic their movements in real time, sorry to spoil the magic. A lot of the top VTubers invest in a professional artist to commission their VTuber model. This means that they can get an avatar made to their specifications without having to design it themselves.
If you’re looking to get ahold of a VTuber model plenty of artists can be found on freelancer websites online or even social media like Twitter. With the VTuber community on the rise some companies like VTuberart, specialise in commissioning VTuber models for their clients.
A Good Camera
The quality of your videos will depend on the equipment that you use. You don’t need to spend thousands but you shouldn’t skimp on an affordable camera either. If you have the funds available, a decent webcam will do a great job of recognising limbs and facial features to track onto your avatar. No one wants to tune into a stream where the main character front and centre is laggy and jittery. So make sure that the camera you purchase is compatible with the tracking software you plan to use for VTubing.
Good Lighting
Good lighting is just as important as a good camera. You might be thinking, well I’m not even on camera what does the lighting matter? But it’s crucial to aid the camera in recognising features. Many VTuber avatars are made to track the fine details of the face to mimic expressions. If there is poor lighting it makes it much more difficult to accurately express the emotions on your face. Considering expressions is one of the main ways to bring VTubers to life you don’t want this to happen.
Also if you plan on having a custom background like a green screen then things arent so bad. But a dark and gloomy backdrop can really take away from the atmosphere you’re trying to create. Obviously if you’re a demon VTuber then knock yourself out!
Watching tutorials online can be a great way to learn about lighting as it’s a very in depth topic. Plus there are plenty of ways to create good lighting without splashing out on loads of fancy equipment.
Good Audio Equipment
When it comes to recording audio, the quality of your equipment matters even more than your visuals. The only real part of you that will be shown to your audience is your voice so it’s imperative that the audio quality is great. Some VTubers are renowned for their voices which wouldn’t be possible if they had bad microphones.
To start out, the mic on a regular gaming headset can suffice but once you start to grow a decent audience you’re going to want to invest in a good quality microphone. Hopefully by that time you will be making some money from VTubing which can be invested back into the business.
Produce Content That Appeals To Your Audience
Whether you’re creating reaction videos, vlogs, gaming or something else, it’s important to have a clear idea of who your audience is. You can do this by researching what your fellow VTubers are doing and what type of content is most popular. Understanding what people want to watch will help you create more engaging videos. You can also use this information to target your audience more effectively and make sure that your videos are seen by the right people, boosting your chances of success.
If you’re a wholesome VTuber who wants to appeal to a younger generation then it’s likely tat you’ll want to avoid using profanity and stream video games that kids like. Things like Minecraft, Fortnite, Splatoon and anything else rated 12 and below should be perfect. On the flipside, older generations tend to like things like competitive, adventure and horror games. So choose wisely.
Networking
Building a strong social media presence will help you to attract new viewers and grow your channel. To do this, you have to find online communities where you can engage with other VTubers and start making connections. You should also join online groups related to the subject matter of your videos. Engaging with other VTubers and helping your peers is a great way to build relationships and get your name out there. You never know who might be able to help you out too! You can also use social media to boost your online presence and get your name out there even if you don’t have a channel of your own. You can do this by creating an appealing avatar and using hashtags to draw attention to your posts.
Once you get a enough recognition you might be able to get recruited by a VTuber talent agency. These are great for creating networking opportunities as they facilitate collaborations all the time. Featuring in a VTuber’s video who has millions of subscribers is exposure that people could only dream of. Some of the biggest agencies are Nijisanji, VShojo and Hololive. So be on the lookout for these names.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are plenty of things that you need to become a successful VTuber. If you want to be successful, you need to be creative and make sure that you have everything you need to record high-quality videos. Once you have all of the things listed above, all you have to do is come up with a great idea for a show and start recording!
