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What do you get that creative person in the family for Christmas this year? They’ve outgrown coloring books, don’t paint, and Hobby Lobby only caters to a certain kind of creator. Yours though, you know they have a dream of being the next Mr. Beast on YouTube, or maybe a Joe Rogan with their own podcast. But this isn’t your world, you don’t know what’s good and what isn’t. And the last thing you want to do is buy something inferior that is like buying Wrangler jeans when they really wanted Levi’s. (Yeah, I went through those days too).

Well, in this blog post, I’ll want to lend you a hand by sharing with you some of the tech gear I’ve used now for more than 4 years making videos and podcasts for my various social media platforms. From the inexpensive beginnings to the more advanced items that cost a little more. I have no doubt there will be something here for your budget and that new influencer’s dreams.

A Camera

Yes, if they’re wanting to become the next YouTube or Tik Tolk sensation, they’re going to need a camera. But I’ve got some great news for you! They probably already have one in their pocket. That’s right, if they’ve got a cell phone they’ve got a great camera already at no additional cost to you. But, if you want to help them up their game, I’ll tell you the most popular YouTuber camera today, especially for beginners, is the Sony ZV-E10 at just under $700. Trust me, this one is a hot buy these days for a good overall great YouTube creation tool. It shoots 4k resolution and has a screen then can face the front so they can see themselves, as well as has interchangeable lenses for when they are ready to go more dynamic.

I personally use an older Sony A7II which is a full frame camera, that I had purchased when I was shooting photography. This is a still an awesome, very capable, camera for today’s creators and it about half the price of the Sony A7III with the kit lens that produces excellent image quality. You can find these for just under $1,000.

If Canon is your brand, (or theirs), the Canon EOS R50 is similarly priced and spec’d as the Sony ZV-E10.

The Camera, and if you want or need a computer, is the most expensive purchase. That’s why I say, for the budding movie star, start them out with their phone and buy them the accessories that will help make their production better.

A Microphone

Yes, a cell phone that has a camera in it, also has a microphone. But let me tell you, if they want to be a creator, sound plays a huge role, in many cases more than video quality. So, let’s put our funds their. Some of these will make great stocking stuffers!

Earbuds? Yes, you’ll see a lot YouTubers and Tik Tok’rs wearing the Apple Air Pods. They do have great sound quality but aren’t the cheapest option out there. But they’ll play a dual role cuz I promise you if that future influencer doesn’t already have a pair, they’ll be listening to music through them more than talking with them. The 2nd generation AirPods will set you back about $100, which is not bad I promise you. If you’re feeling super Santa like, and want you kid to have the coolest set, step to the greater AirPod Pro buds at about $240.

Don’t want to buy into the Apple hype? Samsung’s “Galaxy Buds-Live” are a great comparable option to the 2nd generation AirPods at just $70. I personally have these and they do work well. Of course, just like Apple, Samsung has an upper level bud called “Galaxy Buds 2 Pro” which run about $170.

Look, I started out with a pair of $30 Tozo T10 earbuds for my first videos. While I didn’t make a whole lot of videos with them, they did get me started with something better than my old Samsung S10’s built in microphone did. And I kept wearing these things for my music during workouts for 4 years! I just upgraded to the Tozo NC7‘s for $50 a couple weeks ago.

I had actually moved to a wired lavalier mic for a while, but many of our phones today do not have a jack for mic inputs anymore. The old Apple wired earbuds do have a nice mic built in too and are just $13.

Today, if I’m outside or something, I’m grabbing my top dog, DJI wireless mic set. These things are sick! Again, you’ll see a lot of creators using these in their videos because they are so versatile. And they have a safety backup recording internally that has been known to save some creator’s recordings when all else failed. These are running about $250 these days.

Another option is the shotgun mic from Rode called the Rode VideoMicro is an on camera shotgun mic (directional mic) that with the right adapter can also be used on cell phones. At $40 it’s another great stocking stuffer for sound on the go. While I haven’t tried it myself, I love this Sennheiser Pro Aido MKE 200 mobile kit because it has it all, including the smartphone clamp and the tripod! All this and the awesome Sennheiser name and quality at just under $80!

All of these items are great for the creator on the go, or even in the studio. And when it comes to the studio, there’s a few more items to add to the list. Do they want to be a Twitcher? Are they into video games with friends on the computer and watching Ninja do his thing in Fortnight dreaming they could be him? If so, we’ve got you covered too!

A Switcher for Your Twitcher

I know, that made absolutely no sense and probably came off as corny as it was. That’s ok, let me explain. A switcher is what allows the streamer to stream multiple sources through one device…the switcher. That means you can bring multiple camera angles, or say your computer screen with Fortnite on it, and their camera showing them in their gamer gear playing the game. I suggest the most well-known, the Atem Mini Pro at just under $300. There are other models at a higher cost, but this one is the most complete for most streamers.

Stream Deck

A Stream Deck device allows the streamer to add in functions from sound to automations while in their stream with just the push of the button. I would suggest the 15-button model, the Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 for just $150. Don’t even waste your money on the little 6 button version at $70. They’ll outgrow that overnight.

Desk Microphones

Ok, let’s go back to microphones real quick. Many of us, myself included, do most of our recording from the desk in talking head videos. Whether it be reaction, educational, or podcast videos, a great desk mic is a must have. However, they do not have to be expensive. I got by with a great sounding FiFine USB mic from Amazon for just $40 for 3 years!

Many creator today will suggest two different mics to start out with. Both of which are about $60-$70 bucks. The Samson Q2U and the Audio-Technica ATR2100x. Both of these mics can be connected using USB or XLR cables, and both are a definite step up from the FiFine USB mic or “Blue Yeti” you might have heard about (don’t buy it!). They do both come with a little desk stand, but I’d recommend a boom arm in most cases…and these can be cheap at about $30 to $100. I bought this boom arm for my Q2U and it works great at $40.

But you want your little influencer to be the next Joe Rogan, right? Well, if that’s the case, then he needs what Joe has for a mic, and what many, MANY, YouTube creators use, the Sure SM7B! She is a beut at $400, and awesome sounding tool. But it will require a device between it and the computer to get it sounding proper and to use the XLR only hookup.

To get sound from the Sure SM7B, she needs power. Some say get a Cloudlifter Preamp gain device, which at $149 isn’t enough on its own to connect it to the computer. You’ll need another device for that. Computers don’t have XLR connections, only USB. So, for the Sure SM7B you need a USB audio interface like the Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen USB Audio Interface. That’s a mouth full right? This will run you another $90. So, for the Sure SM7B to work, you’ll need to invest a total of $640 or so (need one more XLR cable too), to get that mic to work well. Which brings me to another super versatile device that will take care of this problem and add flexibility.

For my Sure SM7B, I have the Zoom PodTrak P4. For just $150, this device has the preamp power for the Sure SM7B and takes a XLR connection in and connects to the computer via USB. But wait! There’s more! The Zoom PodTrak P4 can add 4 XLR mics! It can even have a phone connection for one of the mics for that remote podcast connection. But wait! There’s even more! That’s right friends, if you will purchase the Zoom PodTrak P4 for $150 today, we will give you a potable podcast recorder at no extra charge! That’s a steal! Yes, the Zoom PodTrak P4 can be battery powered so you can take it and a mic with you on location anywhere to record your podcast.

Hey, I applaud you for wanting to help that young person, or old person with a dream, to get into the creator economy. It is a booming time and helps feed passion and imagination as well as serving others by sharing their words and vision with others. They may have a message that just the right audience needs to hear. So, foster that creative spirit God has given them, and you never know, they could be the next great evangelist using the media of today to win souls for eternity.

There are plenty of other accessories to think about to so here’s a short list:

Ulanzi Camera Tripod

Joby GorillaPod

Elgato Keylight

Elgato Wave Mic Arm

Peace and God bless friends!

All links in this blog post are Amazon affiliate links. This doesn’t increase your cost at a bit but allows me to make a little extra income from Amazon.

Let me know if you bought something and how your creator is making use of it!