In episode three, I’m breaking down a recent shoot I did with Charlotte and Gabby from Branford Kia—a fantastic team that’s been consistently killing it on YouTube with their car reviews.

These girls are total pros at presenting, and working with them was a blast. In this YouTube video, I’ll walk you through the gear I used, the challenges I faced, and the creative decisions behind the shoot, which was not only a portfolio builder for me but also a test of how better production quality can impact content views and engagement.

I reached out to Charlotte and Gabby because they have a strong presence on YouTube, with over 130,000 subscribers. They’re masters of consistency, live streaming almost daily and always keeping things fresh with new topics. For this project, I wanted to see how their audience would react to an upgraded production—moving from their usual iPhone shoots to a more professional setup.

The shoot itself was fast-paced, had pesky mosquitoes, and awesome bloopers. I used my Sony FX3 rigged handheld, with a mix of audio gear including the Sennheiser MKH 600, HollyLand Lark M2, and some Rode Podmics for the video podcast segment.

One of the key takeaways from this shoot was the importance of knowing your gear. I made a couple of rookie mistakes with the Lark M2, which led to some audio issues, but luckily I had backup equipment to make it work. Despite the technical hiccups, the shoot went well, and the improved production value definitely made a difference in engagement for their channel.

You can see how the content performed for them in this post.

I’ll dive deeper into how I approached the shoot and the lessons I learned along the way, from gear choices to shooting techniques. Whether you’re working on car content, client projects, or any kind of video work, this breakdown has plenty of takeaways you can apply to your own shoots.