Cinematic travel vlogger and storyteller Soumesh Pandey, better known as CameraWaleBhaiya, revealed his signature production formula and explained why he refuses to chase viral metrics during a recent appearance on The Creator Room podcast.
The creator, often dubbed the “Imtiaz Ali of YouTube” for his poignant narration and visuals, told the host that he prioritises the longevity of his stories over immediate subscriber growth.
When presented with a hypothetical scenario of being paid ₹1 crore to ghostwrite and direct for a brand, on the condition that he couldn’t publish on his own channels for two years, Pandey immediately rejected the idea.
“I wouldn’t do it,” Pandey said. “I want to work on myself. I want to peel the layers of my own onion. They might give me crores, but happiness comes from doing my own work.“
Pandey surprised viewers by revealing a counterintuitive approach to filmmaking. While most creators script their videos before picking up a camera, Pandey writes his script last.
“People think I write first and then shoot. But what I do is shoot first, then edit, and write at the very end,” he explained.
He argued that in an era of short attention spans and dopamine hits, the story must be discovered in the edit to ensure it holds the viewer. His goal is not just to hook the audience visually but to retain them with a narrative that feels personal and lived-in.
The 4-Step Storytelling Framework
For aspiring creators, CameraWaleBhaiya broke down his “Gold” framework for cinematic storytelling into four non-negotiable elements:
- Environment: Establish the setting immediately. Use audio (birds chirping, wind) and visuals (drone shots, close-ups) to transport the viewer to the location.
- Character (The Sutradhar): Introduce a guide, often the creator, who acts as the medium for the audience to live the story through.
- Conflict: Introduce a problem. For example, getting stuck in a snowstorm or forgetting warm clothes. This creates investment.
- Resolution: Show how the character overcomes the conflict, often with the help of locals or a new discovery.
Emotion Over Algorithms
Soumesh Pandey, who currently holds 241,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 520,000 followers on Instagram, criticised the obsession with “viral” growth hacks.
He advised creators to stop viewing the algorithm as a mathematical enemy and start seeing it as a reflection of human interest.
“The algorithm is nothing but people,” Pandey said. “If you feed people’s interest, nobody can stop you.“
He emphasised that technical skills, like understanding ISO, aperture, and shutter speed, are merely prerequisites. The real skill, he noted, is knowing when to break those technical rules to convey a specific emotion.
Soumesh Pandey rose to prominence in the Indian creator ecosystem for his high-production travel vlogs that blend philosophy with cinematography. Unlike high-volume daily vloggers, Pandey posts infrequently, focusing on “evergreen” content that he hopes will outlive him.
