After more than a decade of making content online, MeganPlays has learned she doesn't need an elaborate creator setup to get the job done.
In fact, when Mashable asked the gaming creator what essential tech and tools she keeps in her bag, she had a pretty simple answer. "I raw-dog it," Megan said. "I just have my cell phone." Fair enough.
Megan has spent more than 13 years creating content online, building an audience through gaming videos on YouTube before expanding across platforms like TikTok, where she now has 5 million followers. But her mobile creator kit remains surprisingly minimal.
Here's what MeganPlays keeps in her bag.
Her phone
No complicated camera setup here. "I just have my cell phone," Megan said.
That's particularly useful for the more personal content Megan posts to TikTok, where her approach is intentionally loose. Rather than overthinking every upload, she films vlogs, tries filters, participates in trends, and posts whatever strikes her as fun in the moment.
As she put it when describing her TikTok strategy: "If it comes to mind, do it."
A magnetic phone light
There is one accessory attached to that phone: a small magnetic light. "I also have a little magnetic light on the back of my phone for selfies, of course," Megan said. Priorities.
There is, however, one downside. "It does make a ringing noise," she added.
Which brings us to a brand-new addition to Megan's creator bag.
A tiny microphone
Technically, Megan didn't arrive at Mashable's VidCon studio with a microphone. She left wanting one.
After spotting the mini Rode wireless mics we were using for interviews, she decided her minimalist setup could accommodate one more piece of tech. "You were telling me about these little mics," Megan said. "I'll pick one of these up. Add it to my bag."
Then she realized it could solve the problem of her noisy phone light. "Now I'm gonna have this mic," she said. "Oh my God, the ideas, they come to me."
Consider her creator setup officially upgraded.
Lip gloss
And finally, the actual nonnegotiable. "Lip gloss, obviously," Megan said. "Obviously lip gloss. Always gotta look good."
Phone. Light. Mic. Lip gloss. After 13 years online, that's all that MeganPlays needs.
From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage and meet The Mashable 101 to discover the internet’s most exciting voices.