From time to time, we'll highlight interesting views on video from around the Web. Please add links to any articles you found inspiring or helpful in the comments below.

Kickstarter posted this blog post over a year ago. In the piece, they asked one of their participants, Robin Sloan, what he did to make such a great video for his book-writing project. Though the tips are positioned as specific to Kickstarter videos, they actually provide general, good advice about lighting, sound, editing and more. Check it out: http://blog.kickstarter.com/post/173046259/creators-guide-to-video

Well, the equipment list from Shane Dawson was so popular, we're pleased to now have vlogbrothers' Hank Green revealing his essential toolkit:

Camera: Canon Vixia HF-20

Microphone: 1 cheap audio-technica wireless lav mic and 1 Equation DS-V7 (with an XLR to 3.5 mm adapter)

Tripod: The cheapest one Best Buy had

Lighting: Two $10 halogen work lights from ACE Hardware. I need to get some blue gels for them because they're too yellow

Editing Program: Final Cut Express 4

Computer: Macbook Pro

Other: Western Digital 500 MB Hard drive – a big piece of green cloth

Advice: "Have a good time. Seriously. You have to work hard, you have to understand your audience, but if you aren't having a good time, everyone will know it...and so will you."

Proudest video: "I'm just gonna say my '15 hours in Target' video, because it's something I said I'd do, I did it, and I think it forced me to be really creative."

From time to time, we see questions in the Creator's Corner forum asking for advice on the best tools to use to make videos. So we thought it might be helpful to ask popular YouTube users which products got them to where they are today; one nugget of essential advice for any videomaker, and which of their own videos they're proudest of.

Shane Dawson of ShaneDawsonTV and ShaneDawsonTV2 was kind enough to be our first subject. Here are the tools of his trade and some important words of wisdom:

Camera: Panasonic GH1

Lighting: Pro light box kit

Mic: Plug into camera microphone

Editing: Final Cut Pro

Computer: Mac

Advice: "Make videos that YOU would want to watch. If you aren't enjoying your own videos, chances are no one else will!"

Proudest video: "'Happy Fatherless Day.' It was a chance for me to open up about my childhood and help other kids deal with the troubles of having one or no parents. Reading comments on that video makes me realize why I make videos in the first place, to connect to others. It's an amazing feeling."



Leave a comment on this post with other folks you'd like to hear from, and we'll do our best to include them in this series.