KEEP MAKING THE VIDEOS YOU ENJOY MAKING.
Build a rhythm that keeps you creating without turning something you enjoy into another job.
You enjoy making videos. You've got interests, experiences and things you want to share. But sometimes the hardest part is simply knowing what to make next. And when you stop making videos for a while, getting back into it can feel harder than it should. Make The Damn Video gives you a reason to keep picking up your camera, with weekly challenges that give you fresh ideas, regular practice and new techniques to try.
MAKE VIDEOS OFTEN ENOUGH THAT YOU DON’T KEEP STARTING OVER.
“I want to keep making videos, but sometimes I just need a starting point.”
You finish one video, you run out of ideas or life gets busy. Then you realise you haven’t made another video. Week turns into months, and suddenly you're trying to find your way back to creating.
I've found that the more regularly I make videos, the easier it is to stay in the flow. One idea leads to another; I experiment more, and I stop overthinking and overplanning. That's what MTDV is built around. You get enough structure to give you a starting point, but enough freedom to make videos about whatever interests you and what matters to you.
It’s a way to give you regular practice that keeps you making the videos you enjoy making, whether they’re to share on your YouTube channel with your audience or just for you and those close to you.
THE WEEKLY VIDEO RHYTHM.
Every week, you'll receive three prompts via email designed to get you making videos and practising skills. The prompts give you an idea, direction, and method of execution, but the subject you choose to film is entirely up to you. One person might make videos about gardening. Someone else might document a long trip they’re on. Someone else might share something new they're learning or a hobby they got into.
Same prompt. Different people. Completely different videos.
One of the cool things about MTDV is seeing how differently everyone approaches the same prompt. And because each prompt stands on its own, you can join whenever you're ready. There's no catching up on previous prompts; one prompt doesn’t rely on another.
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One long-form video prompt. Three days to develop your idea, film and put it together. You’ll create a complete video (no fixed length) exploring an idea, experience, process or subject.
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A practice prompt. A focused exercise to improve one particular skill in filming, editing, audio or storytelling.
This doesn't necessarily require you to produce a complete, publishable video. The point is to practise and develop your skills.
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A short-form video prompt. Make a standalone short video of up to 60 seconds.
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No new prompts. Live your life, work on unfinished videos if you want to or leave the camera alone.
EVERYONE RECEIVES THE SAME PROMPTS AT THE SAME TIME.
And with access to the MTDV community, you can share what you're making, see what others are creating from the same prompts, have conversations and enjoy being around people doing the same thing as you.
(Below is community activity from previous Monthly Challenges)
MAKE IT YOUR OWN.
SPECIFIC IDEAS FOR YOUR INTEREST
Every MTDV prompt is designed to be interpreted in your own way, giving you the freedom to create videos around the subjects that interest you. Whether you're into travel, cooking, gardening, family life or creating content for your business, the same prompt can inspire completely different videos.
And if you'd like some ideas tailored specifically to your interests or niche, just start a post in the MTDV community, tag me and tell me what you enjoy filming. I'll suggest a couple of ways you could approach the prompt, giving you even more inspiration to make something that's uniquely yours.
PRACTICAL WORKSHOPS.
ON YOUR SCHEDULE.
Learn how to make better videos with a growing library of pre-recorded workshops covering filming techniques, editing workflows, storytelling and more.
Each workshop focuses on a practical skill or common challenge, with demonstrations and guidance you can apply to your own videos.
New workshops will be added based on the questions, challenges and interests of the community, so you'll always be learning something genuinely useful, rather than more for the sake of more.
Watch whenever it suits you, pause when you need to, and put what you've learned into practice at your own pace.
READY TO MAKE SOME DAMN VIDEOS?
A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING…
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Absolutely. Everyone receives the same prompts on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7am UK time. If you join between prompts, you can access the current prompt straight away.
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Yes, anytime. Your paid access continues until the end of your current billing period, at which point you’ll no longer receive prompts or access to new workshop recordings, but you're always welcome to remain in the community, even after cancelling.
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That's fine. The prompts are there to give you ideas and structure, not deadlines to stress over. Work on the prompts whenever you can, at your own pace.
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Each video prompt gives you a specific direction or idea to work from, but how you interpret it is up to you. The prompts are designed to work across niches and interests, so the videos you create will be different to someone else's, even though they based off the same idea.
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That’s fine. You don’t have to talk directly on camera; you can take different approaches, such as using a voiceover with contextual footage, or even on-screen text.
The aim isn’t to force you into one style. It’s to help you make videos in a way that feels natural to you, so never feel like you have to be on camera if you don’t want to be.
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Not at all. Some members share every video. Others keep everything private. Whether you're documenting your family, your business or just yourself, what you choose to share is entirely up to you.
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I’d advise learning the basics of filming and editing before jumping into the challenge. The Weekly Challenges aren’t technical filming or editing courses, so I won’t be teaching you how to use your camera or editing software from scratch.
You don’t need advanced skills, though. If you can record a clip, trim and arrange footage, and export a finished video, you’ll have enough to take part.
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You’ll need basic editing experience to take part in the challenges. If you can import your footage, trim and arrange clips, add basic audio if needed, and export a finished video in the editing app you already use, you’ll be fine.
You don’t need advanced editing skills or a specific piece of editing software; use what you’re comfortable using.
WHY I CREATED MAKE THE DAMN VIDEO.
For the last decade, I've been figuring out how to make filming fit around real life, not perfect days. Building a business, raising two young kids, and trying to capture moments without feeling like I had to turn every outing into a film production.
Over time, I realised the biggest obstacle was my over-the-top camera setup and my mindset. I was the one getting in my own way. I would overthink. I’d want everything to be perfect, and I was obsessed with making every video “cinematic”, which made the process (and whatever I was actually doing) less enjoyable.
So I started simplifying the way I filmed (while still making decent videos), and I simplified the gear I carried with me. I focused on documenting and sharing my thoughts, perspectives and experiences, instead of manufacturing content.
This allowed me to film in a way that naturally fit around my busy life instead of competing with it, and that's exactly what Make The Damn Video is all about. Getting you to make the damn videos in the first place, without worrying about trying to be perfect or overthinking your way out of it.