The Black Banner

Hear ye, hear ye, good ladies, gentlefolk, and followers of this pleasant land’s past…

I wanted to ask you all a genuine question.

This isn’t me fishing for compliments, looking for a pat on the back, or trying to convince anyone how wonderful the channel is. I genuinely want your honest opinions.

At the moment, I feel as though The Black Banner is going nowhere.

Most new videos are struggling to reach much more than 100 views, while I regularly see other history channels getting 10k, 25k, 60k or more.

When you spend so much time creating something, I think your own passion can sometimes blind you to what might actually be wrong with it.

Videos such as Cartmel Priory and the William Marshal series have taken me around five weeks each to make, researching the history, writing the story, travelling to locations, filming, recording voiceovers, creating animation and graphics, sound design, editing… you get the idea.

And I absolutely love doing it.

For a while I convinced myself YouTube had taken a dislike to the channel after the Walter Calverley film, which was certainly darker and more graphic than most history content.

But perhaps that isn't the reason at all.

Perhaps I need to look much closer at what I am doing.

Views are down. Engagement is down. So I would genuinely like to know why you think that is.

Nothing you say will offend me. If something needs improving, I would rather know about it.

So, please tell me:

* Are the videos too long?
* Is my voiceover/narration boring or too slow?
* Would you actually prefer an AI voice?
* Do I go too deeply into the history?
* Are the subjects I choose simply not interesting enough?
* Is the editing too slow?
* Do the videos take too long to get to the main story?
* Are the thumbnails or titles not grabbing you?
* Or is there something completely different that I haven't thought about?

Please be as honest as you like.

I love making these films, but I'll freely admit that I am far better at making films than I am at understanding YouTube, algorithms and social media.

If The Black Banner is going to grow, then perhaps I need to listen to the people who actually watch it.

So my thanks in advance to anybody who takes a few minutes to comment. Whether you've followed the channel for years or only discovered it recently, I'd genuinely like to hear from you.

And who knows… perhaps one day we should organise a Black Banner gathering in York and settle all of this properly over a few ales and meads.

With thanks,

Andy
The Black Banner UK

1 day ago | [YT] | 8

The Black Banner

Your channel's health over the last 3 months shows a decline across all key audience metrics:

Views: Down by ~43%
New Viewers: Down by ~50%
Returning Viewers: Down by ~56%

:(

5 days ago (edited) | [YT] | 4

The Black Banner

Time to pay my respects. Only king 👑 I care about.
A man with morals, dignity, and honor not like the lascivious snake traitors who run our once beautiful Christian country. Death to them all. Loyaltie me lie.

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6 days ago | [YT] | 13

The Black Banner

I have started Episode 2 of my William Marshal & Cartmel Film Graphics in After effects. This one is more graphics heavy but all images are real with NO AI, unless I can get to London at some point and film at Templar Church I might struggle for footage. #cartmel #cartmelpriory

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1 week ago | [YT] | 9

The Black Banner

This is a slightly unusual post, and perhaps a bit cheeky, but I’ve always believed that if you don’t ask, you’ll never know.

I’m looking at taking another step forward with both **The Black Banner and my professional filmmaking work, and the camera I’d really like to move to is the Sony FX5.

Obviously, cameras at this level are a serious investment, particularly while I’m rebuilding things after losing my full-time job and trying to establish myself independently again.

So I wondered whether anyone amongst the people who watch and support this channel might be able to help.

Perhaps you work for Sony, a camera retailer, a production company or rental house. Maybe you know somebody in the industry. There might be a demo camera somewhere, a sponsorship opportunity, long-term loan, discount, collaboration or another route I simply haven’t thought of.

I’m absolutely not expecting somebody to simply buy me a camera. I’d be very happy to create films, promotional content or other work in return and find an arrangement that genuinely works for both sides.

I want to keeps pushing The Black Banner further and make the films better with each project, and moving into a proper cinema camera would be a significant step forward for me.

So this is me putting it out there.

If you think you might be able to help me get an FX5 into my hands, please get in touch.

And if you don’t have an industry connection but would simply like to support The Black Banner and the films I’m making, I also have a Buy Me a Coffee page.

There’s absolutely no obligation. Watching the films, commenting and sharing them already makes a real difference, but anything contributed through Buy Me a Coffee goes straight back into helping me make more films and improve what I’m able to produce.

I’ll put the Buy Me a Coffee link below.

And even if you can’t help directly, sharing this post with somebody who might be able to would be hugely appreciated.

Praise be… perhaps the FX5 gods will hear me or I find some hidden treasure 🙂

Linky : ☕ Buy me a coffee → buymeacoffee.com/theblackba2

Thanks for reading and supporting me.

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 3

The Black Banner

"All I am surrounded by is fear and dead men." The Star wars quote which could easily relate to the battlefields of the mediaeval. Happy Yorkshire day everybody.

3 weeks ago | [YT] | 4

The Black Banner

It's going be a while but I have started my Cartmel and William Marshall video graphics. #time. #NoAi #aftereffects

1 month ago | [YT] | 15

The Black Banner

As you may have noticed the channel is currently closed, I will make a video to explain, it's not 'closed' more of on hold. A life change happened, and with so little views now, from 15k to less than 200, I don't have much incentive. I will make a video at the weekend and say hello to you all. #TakeMeBackToThe15thC

Andy.

2 months ago | [YT] | 10

The Black Banner

Ill be at his side 26th August as I always will, to lay a white rose at his grave. Shame Leicester, a historic royal city is now a cesspit, the heart of England ,our people and culture dead, and the rest of the country is going the same way fast. #onlyrealking

2 months ago | [YT] | 12

The Black Banner

Happy Monday 🫅

3 months ago | [YT] | 9