Teens and Social Media: Real Human Contact

As someone who began making films at eleven years old, I have a special interest in the young media creators (the young filmmakers of today) that are creating so much of the content on YouTube, and the most enthusiastic of whom attended the Vidcon YouTube conference earlier this month.

When I was a boy, filmmaking was something with which my friends would participate, but few shared my passion.  Most of my friends would be along for the ride.  When the film was done, I'd present it to family and friends, and that was the end of the story.  We had a fun time, but the process ended there.

Teens who create on YouTube have an entirely different experience. Even the simplest cameras and editing software offer a level of sophistication that I could only dream about.  While many young directors still might work with their friends at hand, they also are part of an exciting worldwide community of like-minded teens like themselves - people with who they communicate regularly through chat, voice and video, and with whom they often collaborate.  The tools are only getting better, and their ability to work together is only improving.  I'm excited about where this will all lead - for everyone.

While many teens still dream of movie and television careers, many of the YouTubers dream of continuing to create online video for years to come.  Some have already reached the status of being a profit-sharing YouTube partner, and many, I'm sure, will take part or even invent new methods of monetizing online content.  

Many of the teens I saw at Vidcon shared a similar sentiment when they posted their summary videos on YouTube after the conference - it was the best experience of their lives.   Why?  As much as they worked with and got to know each other online, the time they spent together at Vidcon was the highlight of their experience.  As much as some adults may worry about the impersonal online world, I believe that most people - especially teens - don't perceive that world quite as disconnected from reality as some fear.

After all, social media is ultimately about real human contact.

[If you haven't seen it already, take a look at my video about making films as a kid, "Crazy Adventures: Why I'm Here!"]

Vidcon: So, What Does It All Mean?

I could go on for days and weeks about the atmosphere at Vidcon, the YouTube conference that just concluded here in Los Angeles - but I was just considering the lasting impressions left from the experience.

After spending three days immersed in YouTube culture, I'm more convinced than ever that this is really the beginning of a widespread revolution in human interaction.  As huge as YouTube has become, it's true power as a community still remains largely unknown beyond those of us who have chosen to be content creators. The YT world is empowering on so many different levels, it's almost overwhelming.

The difficulty that many people still have with social media, and social networking in general, is understanding how to use it effectively.  I know many people that realize that they should be involved in social media, but don't quite understand yet what that means or entails.  Complicating the matter is the fact that the rules are being invented daily.  Social media and social networking are strategies, not destinations, so they require a customized approaching depending on who you are and your goals and ambitions.

Vidcon consisted of 1,400 people, each building their own personal brand - each brand as unique as each individual.  Some are singers or musicians - others have tech shows, and still others are comedians.  There are some developed strategies in building a following on YouTube, but professional strategies - how to make money on YT - are still being developed.   The most successful YT partners are making a good living - but many other YouTubers are finding ways to put the platform to work to achieve their individual goals.  It's the ultimate in niche marketing - figure out what your brand is, and how to get the word out to the YouTube population, and you will find your specific audience.  If you're really lucky, you'll engage your audience and find ways of sustaining their interest. To some, that extends only to t-shirts and CD's, but also includes books, professional services, and consulting.  As the old cliche goes, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Having said all that - this is a world at the dawn of its creation.  To really be effective in this world, I think, content creators also need to help "spread the word" about the possibilities of social media.  After seeing the sea of talent (of all types and ages) at Vidcon, I'm convinced that the YouTube/social media environment (YouTube won't always be the only game in town) could be the most exciting entrepreneurial opportunity in generations.

It's not there yet, but  one way or another, it will be.

(and yes, I'm still on my Vidcon high.  Is it that obvious?)

VIDCON - DAY TWO

It's just before the evening concert here at Vidcon, so I thought I would take the opportunity to update my activities today.

This has been another day of bonding with the YT community, talking more with Renetto, while gaining some insight into the evolution of the YT experience over the last few years.  I attended a couple of sessions - one having to do with copyright protection, and another about the convergence (or lack thereof) of social media and Hollywood.

The copyright wandered endlessly without a moderator (or at least without an effective moderator).   The main questions revolved around YT's copyright protection scheme, which allows for copyright holders (or those that purport to be copyright holders) to protect an individual's video, and demand it's removal (or at least suspension) pending investigation.  For those in the profit-sharing YouTube partner program, the removal of a video is an impact on their ability to earn profits; for the rest of us, it's a major annoyance without a easy avenue for appeal.

I went to a YouTube-moderated session about technical improvements, both recent and future, and the discussion about other possible improvements to the site.  I'll have more on some of what I learned in a future vlog.  This session proved to be the most useful, with nuts and bolts information I could apply immediately.

The session on convergence offered - for me, anyway - the coolest moment of the day, as Internet Raconteur  Mikaleh stood up to berate an audience member who asked panelists Charlie McDonnel and Dave Days if they every had to to deal with resentment from struggling actors - the ubiquitous waiters who work for years to make it big - who might resent their "instant" success.  Mickalah pointed out forcefully that their success came out of hard, dedicated work over a period of years, and that anyone who felt otherwise was  simply to be be ignored (to which Charlie and Dave agreed).

In addition Renetto, I made a number of new friends - a couple of which I wanted to mention here.  Will, know on YT as TheCreativeJournal is a relatively new vlogger, like myself, and was having a great time discovering the community - vlogging his experiences.  I've been shooting, but quickly decided that my best bet was to cut together my experiences in one vlog....

I interviewed Camillo, a fourteen year old filmmaker (he'll appear on the vlog) who has been creating on YouTube for the past year as Hoptheborderstudios, and told how he clearly remembers getting on YouTube for the first time in 2006.  His family doesn't own a television - he gets all of his entertainment online.

Now, on to Day Three!