Welcome back to The Tech Behind series! Last time, I featured Isa Rodriguez of GadgetMatch. That was really fun in itself! With that in mind, I want to introduce you to the next one I’m featuring: Joshua Vergara!
Normally I would give you an introduction as to what he does, but I’ll let this guy do it himself:
Get to Know Joshua Vergara!
With that out of the way, let’s move on to the next part. I actually interviewed Josh late last year. I was really fortunate that I got even a bit of his time and I’m grateful. Here’s that interview:
Utterly Random Techie (URTechie): How did you first start getting into video?
Joshua Vergara (Josh): At an early age, my father had me record our vacations. We had different camcorders and for whatever reason, I was always on filming duty. Later on in highschool and college, I had an interest in video tech and I sometimes did what you could have called vlogging back then. My interest in proper photography (when I started getting into DSLRs) then led me closer to the world of YouTube. After my first job out of college, I was brought on as a new video content creator for a small blog called Android Authority. The rest is history.
URTechie: What do you do besides doing great work at Android Authority?
Josh: A lot of self improvement and a lot of self experimentation, particularly regarding my health. I’m very passionate about food though as a type two diabetic, my passion has shifted towards healthy alternatives. I really enjoy playing video games but I don’t have a lot of time to do so. I like finding new ways of sharing my stories. Aside from Android Authority, I also have a personal channel where I talk about the topics above and more. YouTube.com/JoshuaVergara
(Update 6/22/2018): As of this writing, Josh already left Android Authority. He’s now doing his own thing on his YouTube channel! You can check out his farewell video below:
Inspirations…
URTechie: Who are your inspirations in making videos?
Josh: When I started at Android Authority, my inspirations we’re basically all of my competition. I’m proud to say that I can call many of those competitors my friends now. In terms of my personal channel, my current inspirations are big vloggers like Casey Neistat and Peter McKinnon. You can also say that every YouTube channel I follow religiously serve as my inspirations, like Game Grumps, for video games.
About them gadgets…
URTechie: What are your daily drivers right now?
Josh: If we’re talking about phones, I’m rocking the Pixel 2 XL. That phone is connected to a Skagen hybrid smartwatch and is currently usually paired with the Pixel Buds so that I always have Google Assistant at the ready. They also play the soundtrack to my life. However, when it comes to taking general notes, logging into my gratitude journal, and my to do list, I also always have a Field Notes notebook in my other pocket. There are some things I like to keep analog.
URTechie: I did a similar one for Isa’s feature! Who’s your favorite YouTuber and why? ^_^
Josh: GameGrumps! Not only am I a big fan of video games but I also love podcasting. They have successfully merged the two. They’re really fun to listen to, I can always go to them for a laugh, and they are also inspirational creators who are genuinely good people.
URTechie: What gadgets and apps do you use when making videos?
Josh: I swear by Panasonic and I’m currently using the GH5. Fun fact: I have owned almost all of the GH cameras.
For production work, I have a few different microphones and recorders for high quality audio. My favorite microphone right now is my lav mic which allows me to record on location. My vlogging rig is pretty typical. The GH5 on the Gorillapod 3K with a Rode Videomic Pro.
I’ve never used a Mac in my life so that means I use Adobe products for editing. Adobe Premiere Pro is my jam.
Now for some tea talk…
URTechie: I’m curious about Bulletproof Coffee and all of your teas. How can one start to get into those?
Josh: I recommend that everybody go through the same research process that I do – that is, read and listen and try. There is so much information out there and what a lot of people do is dismiss what sounds different without trying it themselves. This is true for Bulletproof coffee, this is true for new tea, and this is good for becoming a healthier person. I try to practice this philosophy and share my experiences at my YouTube channel!
I feel I should give a concrete answer, though – if you want to get started, go to your local store, grab a pack of green tea and replace your daily sugary drinks with it. Take your time, but make an effort. If you start drinking that tea regularly after a week, you are already farther along than most.
I try not to talk about Bulletproof Coffee to everyone because it is a completely different beast – it’s literally putting organic grass-fed butter and coconut oil blended into a cup of hot coffee – but if you are looking to get started on it, there are a ton of resources online, including the Bulletproof company itself.
Some YouTube advice.
URTechie: What can you tell people who are just starting out on making videos?
Josh: In light of recent events on YouTube, I would actually tell people not to view everything as content. Especially if you are getting into vlogging and daily life videos, remember that there is a time and place for recording. The following piece of advice is easy to follow for tech videos because they are inherently structured, but when it comes to filming anything, I would implore newcomers to always think about what a video will be about before hitting the record button. And it should be specific – “recording my day” is very different from thinking “recording my lunch at a famous spot AND THEN recording my reactions to a local show or performance”. Being more specific about your content keeps you from blindly recording anything and everything -it also allows you to keep time for what is important, like spending time with the people around you.
Super duper thank you to Josh for taking the time to do this! That is all for this edition of The Tech Behind. Did you like it? Is there anything you would want this series? Comment below! Watch out for the next one soon!
Follow Joshua Vergara on:
Facebook: facebook.com/jvtechtea
Twitter / Instagram: @jvtechtea
He has great advice for beginner YouTubers! I think everyone who’s starting out can learn something from it.
I’ve researched a lot about bulletproof coffee since my previous task at work involves writing about coffee. I have to say it’s a bit controversial, but I’m very curious about it. Also, tea is definitely gold!