HOW I MAKE REACTION VIDEOS 2021!!!

CLICK FOR ALL THE THINGS!!
MY MAIN CHANNEL: / nataliegoldreacts
MY INSTA: @nattiegold
MY TWITTER: @natstaygolden
Channels mentioned:
Brandon Likes Movies: / thebhopexperience
The Slanted Lens: / theslantedlens
Harris Heller: / @senpai
Gear I use:
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from using the links below.)
Canon EOS Rebel: amzn.to/3jnwnpI
Blue Yeti Nano: amzn.to/325O9GH
SteelSeries Arctis 3 Headphones: amzn.to/3joKpqx
Tripod: amzn.to/3n3eizA
LED Lighting Kit: amzn.to/3owGnzP
LED Color Changing Light Bulb: amzn.to/2XDwNze

[@Ryanmilky14]

can we get a updated 2023 version of this please nattie ? im just about to start recording my first movie reaction your a huge inspiration

[@SP_877]

Detailed timestamps for those who are interested: 00:00-2:31 Intro 2:32-3:36 Audio (i.e. the most important element): General Info 3:36-4:32 Audio: Using an iPhone/Smartphone (best for beginners) 4:33-6:37 Audio: Using a separate mic (buy a good quality one) 6:38-8:10 Audio: Recording reaction & movie audio separately 8:11-9:39 Lighting: General Info 9:39-12:35 Lighting: Soft Light (lights & flatters face) 12:36-14:11 Lighting: Practical Light (adds depth/color/interest to video background) 14:12-15:22 Lighting: Hair Light (lights hair/head/shoulders---Natalie doesn't generally use this one) 15:23-16:23 Cameras: General Info/Advice 16:24- 18:05 Cameras: Webcams 18:05-19:24 Cameras: Other Options 19:25-20:09 Filming: OBS Streamlabs software 20:10-20:18 Filming: Other Options 20:19-20:47 Filming: Syncing Audio 20:47-22:20 Editing: Use free/cheap software in the beginning 22:21-27:45 Editing: Tips for staying within Fair Use/avoiding copyright strikes 27:55-28:58 Outro Thanks, Natalie! It was neat to get an idea of how people make these things.

[@nerdywithautism99]

Thanks for the detailed timestamps your awesome...

[@RiSkyNick]

"React to the movie and record it later. Then edit" That was so helpful. I suspected that this is how it's done, but NOBODY talks about it....

[@djlow9915]

Great to get to go behind the scenes of the Nattie G magic. No ears were damaged in the making of this video! 😃 So many things you've learned and changed along the way. I still remember your bulbs going out mid-reaction! Your mood light is fun to match up to the movie your watching. Great, informative video Nat. Thanks.

[@edrk14]

Thanks for doing this, you actually answered a lot of the questions I had. I don't comment much but I just wanted to say that I love your channel and your videos always brighten my mood in these stressful days, so thank you!

[@ChristianRocker]

This is the kind of video I have been wanting to see for a long time. Like you said nobody really goes into the details about how its made dealing with copyrights and what not, so thanks!

[@smallmanbigmouth2699]

I love Brandon’s channel I’ve been following it just a little longer than I thought yours! Top quality content

[@steved1135]

Bravo. Typical Nat: thoughtful, kind and considerate.

[@kassandrajeffery7035]

Thank you so much for this vid! It's great to see an in-depth video that explains EVERYTHING. Like you said, there are a ton of videos about how to edit, or what equipment/programs they use, but nothing about the 'dangers' of being a reactor and what to do to try an avoid being slapped with the copyright gauntlet. Anyway... back to watching ;)

[@jpmixer183]

You're the only person who went into detail how you record your videos. Thank you. I enjoy your movie reactions!

[@JonTCO95]

This video is awesome!! You've answered so many questions that I've had about how to properly get started. Thank you for posting!

[@jons8607]

Nice video Natalie. I like how you put things in simple terms and relatable scenarios. Keep up the awesome videos. Cheers!

[@adorkability]

Great video! I always enjoy seeing the behind-the-scenes of how other people make their videos. It's especially great when they not only show, but also explain the "hows" and "whys" of their techniques. Good job!

[@OnMyMindEntertainment]

This was amazing!! Answered a lot of my questions about longer form reaction videos. Thanks for the great video!!!

[@anandupadhyaya1656]

Thanks so much for sharing! I enjoy your videos, and they are part of what is inspiring me to start a channel myself. I’ll probably do more commentary than reactions, but this has been so helpful!

[@shanghaikid43]

This was so helpful, feel like I got a lot of great lighting tips for my videos, thanks Nat!

[@garygauvin5933]

Always a good day when Natalie pops up. Fun to have an informative video. Congrats on the engagement

[@cbiggs4635]

Is it really a Natalie video without crying or an "I'm sorry! What!?"

[@djlow9915]

The box of tissues is to hand, just in case.

[@1000thGhost]

Thank you so much for this video!!! I have loved your channel since Star Wars and look forward to see new videos, they really make my day.

[@Heximal248]

I’ve been playing with the idea of doing my own and this was awesome to take in. I’ve been running a watch party page on Facebook and figured I might reinvent it as my reaction page. Thanks much!!!

[@itsmancer]

I've literally made all these mistakes lmao! Such a great video Nat. Thanks for sharing this viable information :)

[@ClutchSituation]

I'm still on KZbin because I've set boundaries for myself and have kept it fun for me. The instant it stops being that, I'll be done. Great advice Natalie!

[@tankntot77]

This takes some of the mystery out of the process. Thanks so much! Love your stuff!

[@thepowerofone4225]

Nat, i cannot tell you how much this helps! I just started back in December but alot of these tips will really assist me, especially the Fair Use information! There isnt alot of plain information out there. You are a national treasure!

[@cubonemaker5080]

Brandon Likes Movies is the man! Thanks for this video Nat!

[@3DJapan]

As for lighting, I bought a kit on Amazon that was $100 but it came with 4 light stands, including 2 umbrellas and 2 softboxes. It also came with a backdrop stand and 3 backdrops, white, black, and green. I've only used the green. That may be overkill for reaction videos but for mine I'm mainly standing up behind a table. I use the umbrellas to light the green screen and the softboxes for me.

[@romero329]

The Thing was the first reaction video of yours I saw. Glad I found your channel (channels). Keep up the good work. 👍

[@llamalianna]

This is so interesting, thank you!!! 🥰I'm not going to be making videos but I loooove reaction videos so learning how they work is so fascinating.

[@essentialreactions8694]

Thank you so much for making this video! It’s been a lot of trial and error over on my channel but it’s also been a lot of fun.

[@amarlene94]

Thanks a lot for this video. I've been trying to figure this out and I learned so much more too.

[@sugoizoe]

ahhh I wish I saw this ages ago, been demotivated making reactions because of the effort it took but the tips you've said have given me hope :D thanks Nat!!

[@manzell]

In OBS Studio, I record my desktop audio to tracks 1 & 2 and my mic to tracks 1 & 3, that way I have a synced and separate audio tracks.

[@anandupadhyaya1656]

Question. So I am probably going to record video on my iPhone, and audio onto my laptop (not a Mac) using a decent mic. So OBS stream labs can be used to record audio tracks onto but not to edit on? Would I need to dump the video and audio into a separate editing program? And if so, would it be better to just record audio into something like audacity and then edit in some freeware editing software?

[@manzell]

@@anandupadhyaya1656 OBS is not an editing platform - it's for recording your screen/certain windows, audio, and optionally piping the output directly to a stream such as Twitch or KZbin streaming, or to a video file for you to edit and upload to KZbin later.

[@anandupadhyaya1656]

@@manzell That’s very helpful. Thanks for clarifying!

[@kurtdunne1234]

Hey dude just watched this video and saw your comment I know it's 3 years later but thought worth ago. I gonna start a reaction channel and know nothing. I gonna use obs studio. So am I supposed to record my movie and movie audio together at the same time and then record my reaction separately with no audio and just use headphones ? Any help would be appreciated thanks

[@manzell]

@@kurtdunne1234 I would record your audio and video of your face totally separately and then manually sync them (this basically means you cannot hit pause on the video or you'll have to manually re-resync throughout your edit) when editing. But I also have done very little of this type of content - ask around more as well!

[@simchakaplun1800]

Thanks Nat! Love your videos!

[@WorldInHazel]

Thank you for sharing with us what you do with your videos to try and avoid issues with copyright. I'mreally enjoy reactions and was thinking about doing some myself maybe next year but was scared about getting a strik and my channel take down. But your video really helped me figure out the basics and what to look out so. Thank you! :)

[@Pygmegoat420]

Starting up a knew channel and this helped quite abit, thankyou and sending love from London ❤

[@chanceshouseofhorror6053]

Thank you so much Nat! Just starting my YT journey and wasn't sure how to get the reaction and movie recording separate. Also the editing part was very useful in regards to fair use. Again thank you!

[@turboqueer666]

You literally taught me about the clapper thing directors use! I never knew that! Awesome video!

[@fazel4546]

Thank you so much for this exactly what i was looking for! So helpful

[@emmy10537]

you're a queen for this thank you so much

[@arifkarim4184]

i like all the tips and info that you gave especially the ones related to filmmaking/videography, like it kinda proves more of what my lecturer said about the importance of those stuff in filmmaking/videography and seeing how you did those for your vids does it for me and which might also been the reason why i love watching your vids cuz of good video quality overall + your whole talking thingy LMAO😅😂 also, it would be nice to see some vids or vlogs of you with Tyler (or just you) talking about more filmmaking/videography tips or doing some filmmaking stuff or something :D

[@adrianax182]

I wish I had this info months ago when I started my channel 😂😓 thank you for sharing!! Love your content

[@TemperYourExpectations]

Awesome and insightful video! I know the pain of having recorded both my mic and desktop audio through OBS. I had to scrap two reaction videos because of it. Ugh lol Love your reaction videos! You're an inspiration for my own channel. Keep up the fantastic work! :)

[@blitz34]

You and Brandon are my main reaction channels, nice

[@butterflyclaps9964]

Thanks so much for all the information!

[@thezeppo1138]

Thanks, Nat, this helps a lot! I've been having all sorts of problems.

[@Leon-wz1js]

Rooms may reflect back sounds that increase the projection of sounds. For instance, if you "talk to" a wall, or window the sound might reflect back louder than you're saying it. By putting a sound absorbant barried between the wall and microphone, may reduce this reflection. Something soft like cardboard, or foam works, but the harder it is, like wood, or glass, the more it will reflect. Also, objects in the room may increase or decrease this reflection. A couch is soft, made with foam and cloth. A rug on the floor (not a short pile or berber carpet, but a tall pile) would likewise reduce reflective sounds. Hard objects like wooden shelves, and tile floors reflect sound and increase levels. Malls, hospitals, bathrooms and government buildings, no matter how low people talk, amp up any conversation. Why? Tile floors, metal and or glass, and possibly tile walls (in hospitals and bathrooms) reflect the sounds made within. I'm an interior designer by trade. Purpose or use for a room, are critical information for decisions of how a room is designed, and what furnishings go into it.

[@Trucker360Vision]

Thanx Natalie, I really appreciate you making this video. I really like your explosive yells, and your crying is a gem on your reactions. (Tony Stark dying) I'm just getting started and I'll be using your advice to really be good on my own channel. Again thank you.

[@PearlyRose734]

Thank you so much, so kind of you to share ❤

[@silver9wolf6]

This was awesome, thank you for sharing! 😃👍

[@anyadocious]

Great advice and video, love the clapping part and pro tip!

[@TechMan042]

Thanks for sharing Nattie!

[@MegaReacts]

Great video. I learned a thing or two I didn't know. Thanks!

[@itsmartha9727]

My reaction when I pointed my ring light at my wall..... You're the best!!!

[@Leon-wz1js]

Years ago, a "pop filter" was designed in recording studios by making a wire hanger into a hoop, about 4" - 6" diameter, then stretching a nylon stocking over it. This reduces some of the explosive word segments people say when talking or singing (sounds like "puh," "cuh" or "tuh"). It reduces air traveling over the microphone that causes sharp spikes in recording levels. When using one, it's critically important to NOT attach it to the mic, as it may transmit vibrations through to the mic. Modern recording studios still use them for voice actors and singers. Modern pop filters are a little more professional looking and only cost about $10, but they are still made the same way. It's not a miracle cure, but it tends to normalize spikes.

[@mitchellscott6367]

I'm a sound engineer for live events. Ideally you would set your gain for your mic so that it can handle anything from a whisper to a jet engine, but a $100 mic isn't going to be able to cope with recording a jet engine, so we compromise! And on that, I'd like to suggest having two mics recording at the same time. One with a lower sensitivity/gain (or further away) so that if you blow out your normal mic while screaming, you can simply mix in/out the mics to suit the required sensitivity while editing. I've done this before manually mixing live broadcast a few times. Smooth fades and people won't even hear the change! The alternative is to get a single mic with a high SPL tolerance and then run that through a compressor.. but that's just making things expensive AND complicated. You do you, though! Love what you do and how you do it. I just love trying new things, because you never know! - An Australian fan

[@mitchellscott6367]

And also feel free to pick my brain if you need a simple explanation of how to extract decisions from the mic specs. it's always hard to find the right context for some of the specs, not to mention marketing tactics..

[@Pianodean]

Very informative and helpful! Thank you, Nattie!!!!!

[@IggyStardust1967]

Thank you for this one, Nat! I'm looking to start doing this as a hobby(not going to monitize)... So tips to avoid mistakes are appreciated.

[@mikegarrens5286]

My favorite nat reaction... THE THING!!! We still got to get her into cobra kai in 2021.

[@notmee2388]

Cobra Kai Cobra Kai Cobra Kai!

[@The_Dudester]

Thanks Nat. I am starting a film production company sometime this year and in movie after movie I see lighting mistakes. I was curious about sound and equipment. You saved me from six months of film school. Your presentation was like the Cliff's Notes version of film school. With that said, I want to hire you (in the future) as a voice talent on an animated movie and you answered my question today on what was needed-the animation or the recorded voices.

[@weeklyentertainment7876]

This is a very helpful video and I really thank you for being so open about your own success with your fans. My only question is how do you screen capture series like Mandalorian that are original from a platform and you can’t screen record?

[@DataLal]

OBS Studio would work for that. Although I would think that any screen recorder should work for things like Netflix, Prime, etc.

[@ligli500]

Thank you for making this video! It was really informative and insightful, you definitely shed light on things like copyright strike. I was wondering how useful it is in your opinion to do things like flipping/darkening/editing the movie itself. I've seen that on quite a few channels, but I'm curious how much that helps.

[@MagzAndChawz]

thanks for doing this!

[@dannyzoofoo]

I really wish I saw this about a year ago while building my horror channel reaction. I had to learn so much on my own. but I'm still glad to hear all the information thank you 😊

[@Myaccount923]

Any tips? I am starting a reaction channel on my own

[@3DJapan]

4:09 In my film classes they would tell us if you're filming inside to unplug the refrigerator while you film because it makes noise. For my screen captured videos (software tutorials mostly) I bought a Blue Snowball but I found it on ebay for $30. The seller said her son used it once then never again. 😂 It works great for me.

[@thethesaxman23]

I didn’t know that about the click at the beginning of scenes in movies. That was cool! I use DaVinci Resolve for video editing, and I would probably recommend it for someone who is experienced with editing software and whose main issue is price!

[@Mr59Kenzo]

great video Nat

[@jimmark8065]

I had no idea how much I didn’t know about filming a reaction video. I was impressed with myself when I sent my sister a 20 second birthday clip with my iPhone. lol

[@RandyReviews1990]

this is my first nataliegold video and shes great!

[@WhatsTeeWatchin]

This was soooo helpful! My subs been asking for Hannibal reaction but I cannot get it pass copyright approval. After listening this, I might have found the reason why. Thanks sis❤

[@josepablolunasanchez1283]

Silently we watch. And we enjoy your videos. You see nothing, but you have a happy audience.

[@teenwolfedits_t6311]

YOUR LITTERALY AMAZING

[@johnlindquist9873]

I very much appreciate your attention to these details. I guess I’m an easy audience though. As long as I can hear “grab a drink and grab a snack”, I am in. (Seriously, when you remind me I pause and do it.)

[@Ian-xx1xb]

Really enjoyable watch very interesting indeed and will definitely help anyone wanting to get into reacting without a doubt 👍 I see your tissue box is looking a little sparce you haven't been crying have you Nat 😉😃

[@atcarlosjimenez]

sorry if you've answered this already, but how do you record the film/series(with audio)? and do you compress your videos to reduce file size? if so, how? thanks in advance! this video was super helpful :)

[@MoviesandCoffee]

Very helpful, thank you 🙏

[@acdragonrider]

Nice! I have a T6I. Canon rebel cameras do really well. I also appreciate how much you comment in your reactions. It’s a so entertaining and your highly enthusiastic laughing always makes my day. But everything you say is also so constructive. What kind of work does your fiancé do? I am a film student and always love to see other people’s work.

[@doro626]

I knew there was a window behind the camera. but Good Googly moogly, that window is HUGE! So Nat filmed herself talking about the lights, then went back and shot additional footage of the lights. I was wondering how video was playing but the camera lense was covered. Nat, when you mention your second channel, you make it seem like its only gamming, but I Think this is a lovely video, your main channel viewers would be interested in.

[@thefknzipster9137]

Just came across this and its helpful but would love to see you doing the actual editing part so can see how it actually happens. Want to try do a bit of reactions to help with my mental health thanks

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Coincidence that you post this the day before I'm planning to film my first reaction to WandaVision? :) Thanks for the tips!

[@manddreact]

This was very helpful thank you for creating this! I was curious about promotion, do you just rely on youtube/algorithm or did you promote externally on social media, etc?

[@JogiB6]

THAAANKS!!

[@chichiejioforanita2161]

Hey Natalie,I was wondering how many hours it takes to edit? ps:loves your videos!!

[@SpaceRampage]

Don't know if it works for a reaction video setup, but in obs or streamlabs obs you can record different audio sources (mic, desktop) to different audio channels at the same time that should show up separately in your video editing software.

[@briaelle]

I was so concerned when you pulled out the gloves 🤣 I was like… ma’am I think they scammed you 😅 but yes, you can totally DIY that

[@dervel123]

Hello Natalie, please could you share how you record the footage from the film? Thanks!

[@Heximal248]

Just uploaded my first reaction video!!! Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@mrdsn189]

Thank you!

[@blitzgirl6522]

I have been recording video game let's plays and the Blue Yeti Nano is what I've been using. It took me a while to figure out the right settings in OBS Studio to make the mic work for my quiet voice without picking up background noise. I started off with the built in webcam and mic on my laptop but eventually upgraded to a little Logitech HD webcam, the Blue Yeti Nano, and now recently got a 3.5" ring light (that's surprisingly powerful!) that comes on a gooseneck clamp stand that also can hold my Logi webcam! And all of these have been very affordable. It's a shame I didn't get myself a light until just the last few weeks! Editing is the only thing I don't do for my let's plays, since the free program on Windows can't edit .mkv files and make my video files larger when I export them, which then makes videos take waaaaaaaaay longer to upload to KZbin since my internet sucks. Internet quality is the main reason why I just don't bother with certain things, sadly.

[@nattiegold]

keep it up! honestly editing can be a headache sometimes... I have issues with Adobe all the time 😂

[@blitzgirl6522]

@@nattiegold Yeah I just don't bother editing, but I have the luxury of making video game let's plays where it's not as much of a big deal. It basically becomes mandatory for movie/TV show reactions, and I think you've been doing a great job. =)

[@chichiejioforanita2161]

@@blitzgirl6522 hey ,I read the part that you said it makes your video size larger, you can use an app called "HANDBRAKE" to make your video size smaller without losing quality of your video and hence uploading on KZbin easier.

[@JohnPatricio661]

Thanks for all the great info! How do you record the movie itself that you're recording, tho? I tried using Quicktime to record the screen but there's no audio.

[@DomanickWilliams]

How do you find/download the movies themselves as files to use?

[@ExcelsiorsDomain]

I've got a Blue Snowball, it's a spherical microphone but sound seems OK - about half the price of the Yeti at least here in the UK? I started using what I had to hand which was a headphones mic which was pretty variable, and I'm being generous, so I would definitely endorse what you're saying about getting a decent mic as a starting point. Now it would just help if I had a laptop that wasn't ancient!

[@MH90]

Have you considered a double mic setup? Record with a close mic (most likely a lavelier) set to a comfortable level for your ordinary speech volume, and set up a second mic at a slight distance with lower input settings to capture louder moments with minimum peaking/overload. It would mean editing between the two channels but it should be easy to identify the loud moments from the audio waveform, and there shouldn't be any phasing issues if you're only actually using one track in the edit at any time. Definitely a luxury rather than a necessity, but just a potential route if you really want to maximise audio quality :) Also, a lot of sound recorders (or sound recording software) allows for dual recording, recording two tracks - one your normal input setting and a second set to a lower input level. It doesn't quite fix awful blown out audio, but I commonly use this as a commercial filmmaker in interview scenarios where I want to maximise the key input level, but also want a backup recorded at -6 or -12db lower than the key input level just in case.

[@MH90]

Also, I love that the lighting cutaway maintains the audio sync on the computer screen. Nice touch!

[@woolybear]

Also, EpochCam Pro by Elgato gives you the possibility to use your phone with OBS pretty easily, and it's dirt cheap!

[@ExcelsiorsDomain]

Sorry for commenting so much, but I guess you're used to that! I just wanted to say thank you very much, definitely going to watch this with my son who like you is a chatterbox when it comes to watching films! He's a little young to be doing this sort of thing but he does TikTok and will probably tell me he knows it all already but I don't! I have shied away from putting myself on camera to this point, I use a slideshow sort of approach because I felt that was a good way to avoid copyright issue. I've had the odd claim but typically where my commentary was a similar length to the original episode so I guess the algorithm thought the frames were close enough that I was copying the episode. I've pushed back on a fair use basis and the claims have been rescinded so that was good. I now tend to try and keep more concise to avoid that problem. If I could ask, when you say you record the films separately, how do you do that? I generally use DVDs and just screen shot them while I take notes but it would be nice to be able to be a bit more dynamic. Thanks for producing this, I wasn't even looking for this topic but I had your Serenity reaction recommended and very much enjoyed it, I've lost track of how many times I've watched it. I do love Whedon's work. OK, stream of consciousness done!

[@candylandrants6806]

Thanks ❤❤❤

[@cottongarlic8632]

Great vid🧡 I have a question, If you record your reaction and the video you reacting seperately (so you can edit sound and image seperately), how do you sync it if you pause throughout the reaction when/if needed?? Or the only option is to sync it at the beggining and then not pause? 😩

[@domkovell5828]

Tip #1: Don't accidently watch half the movie without recording. :P

[@IggyStardust1967]

LOL! I remember that one.

[@BanthaTube]

Isn't your Blue Yeti Nano a "side address" microphone? You seem to have the top pointed at your mouth but it is actually recording out of the side - so it is actually pointed at your lap. For better sound, point the front (side) of the mic at your mouth and make sure the pattern is set to cardioid (the bean shape) so it isn't recording all of the reverb off of your window. Great video. Thanks for the behind the scenes peak!

[@acidlzx]

Hey Nat, are you still using the t3i for filming it did you upgrade? Also, are you using the Canon Webcam Utility software via usb or going the clean capture hdmi route?

[@emilyconnon1350]

I’m sincerely begging you to react to ‘A Monster Calls’. My cousin wrote the book but died halfway through and it was finished for her and turned into a movie