Why Do People Create on YouTube?

In response to my recent post, "Talent in the Age of Social Media," which discussed the nature of fame on YouTube, Ken G. responded:

I think there's also a couple of distinctions to make here. While some people on YouTube are looking to build on that into traditional fame in movies, tv, recordings, whatever, there's far more who have no desire for traditional fame - only a creative outlet while they enjoy their "regular" civilian lives.

There are a range of motivations that lead individuals to create for YouTube (as opposed to those who simply use YT as a place to post home videos).   I believe that a large majority (though certainly not everyone) fall roughly into three major categories.

Some, as Ken suggests, enjoy YT strictly as a creative outlet.  Subscriptions and a YT "career" aren't a priority or even a consideration.   Regardless, some of this group might reach a level of recognition (perhaps including what might be called "fame") -  and may in fact include the best and most creative of those referred to as YouTube "stars." Sometimes, if you enjoy what you're doing, your audience enjoys it, too.  This group is probably the most diverse in terms of age, from the youngest to the oldest users, and generally include the majority of vloggers, artists and musicians.

Others hope to use this world as both a place to build YT fame and as springboard to wider fame - these celebrity culture addicts, perhaps, see YouTube as the best "shortcut"available.  They might have a level of skill in music or comedy, but their motivations are based more on growing a following than developing their craft or a quality video "product."  They might, in fact, succeed working the system to reach a level of visibility and even limited "stardom" for a while, but like any of those who seek fame for fame's sake,  that sort of goal could lead, inevitably, to personal disaster.  At the very least, they're the sort of YouTubers with a huge following, but few actual per-video views.  If you actually see their videos, you're likely to scratch your head and wonder why.

There's also a lively third group that looks at YouTube and the social media environment as both a means of expression, and as a platform offering an ideal foundation on which to build their creative future.  They're not looking at achieving fame necessarily - but at using the overall social media platform as an opportunity.  This category can overlap quite effectively with the first category - perhaps consisting of the best of the social media / YouTube entrepreneurs.

There are, of course countless sub-groups and fringe categories that make up the YouTube world - but I'd like to hear your opinion - are these fair definitions?

Fail: China's Success Ensures Google Ban Won't Succeed

The repeated attempts by China to ban Google's search engine [see yesterday's Mashable article] seem to be a futile attempt, to use the old cliche, to put the genie back in the bottle.

The steps that China is making toward the modernization of its economy and its desire to be technological leader continue to create conditions allowing forms of entrepreneurship that would have been unthinkable just a couple of decades ago.  The continued progress of Chinese society and the Chinese people, I believe, will require the same access to information and an understanding of online commerce that is critical in our own society. It seems as if the current Chinese government's attitude toward the control of information is almost archaic in the modern world, and doomed, ultimately, to failure as the entrepreneurial society continues to develop.

Unless a society is kept technologically primitive (as is the case in North Korea), it is virtually impossible to control information with the heavy-handed mindset that guided totalitarian regimes throughout most of the 20th century.  While it's true that this same free access to information may also allow for the spread of extremist thought [see "YouTube Banned in Russia" at Mashable], the overall advantages, I think, will far outweigh what is sometimes referred to as "the price of living in a free society."

Talent in the Age of Social Media

[Accompanies a Vlog of the same name, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjePFLsQ3FE]

At lunch yesterday, i was describing to a couple of friends the evolving social media landscape of the YouTube community, as contrasted with the general perception outside the community, and the ways in which of the most successful YouTubers are earning an income in that arena.  We discussed the state of the  current programming - which is, technically speaking, very creative but still fairly primitive as compared to television and motion pictures.  To some extent, that's part of the characteristic of this world - the availability of cameras and editing technology that allows virtually anyone to create and build a following.  Generally speaking, what an audience freely accepts on YouTube would be rejected in other platforms. In much the same way, a great television program wouldn't necessarily be considered a quality motion picture.

The discussion turned to the staying power of the top YouTube personalities - or any of the partners that have reached the minimal following necessary to qualify for that profit sharing arrangement.  With YouTube still being in its early childhood phase at five years old, it's an intriguing question to ask about the fate of popular YouTubers in a few short years.   Will they evolve with their audience and build upon their initial success?  Will they have the ability to maintain a following by keeping their channels creative and continue to provide features that make their channels successful?  Will some YouTubers prove to be fortunate reflections of their time, brief cultural icons of the YouTube community - but ultimately nothing more?

Even by looking at the rising and falling fortunes of popular YouTubers over the last five years, it's still a challenge to consider this world a few years down the line as it matures and brings in an even wider audience.  It's a greater challenge to take into account the young age of some successful YouTubers, as their changing lives and circumstance impact their ability to create relevant contact.

Ultimately, I think, talent will prevail.  Ten years down the line, we'll recognize some legendary talents unique to this platform, while others will exist only in faded memory - if at all.

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!"]

Forced Digitization?

I really think that the full digital transition of our society is rapidly becoming inevitable.

I've been  having increasing issues just trying to receive newspapers at my home.  I receive the Los Angeles Times seven days a week, and the New York Times on Sunday - yet the carrier who delivers both papers can't seem to dependably deliver them  - or mis-delivers the papers to another door - this despite the fact that I'm the only apartment in the vicinity that seems to receive a newspaper at all...

By contrast, I can receive the digital facsimile edition of both papers at a steep discount, , and be guaranteed delivery every morning.  With the Ipad (poor me may be forced to buy one!), I can read the papers as casually and easily as I can the paper edition.    I'm seriously starting to wonder why I'm bothering the hassle of fighting with customer service and paying a premium for it!

I wonder if the newspaper will one day go the way of the telegraph - and perhaps used in paper form only as keepsakes for special occasions....

YouTube Pondered

One of the challenges of both learning and anticipating the social media world is the very fact that it's constantly changing and reforming.  Another challenge is the fact that the applications of social media are as varied as the individuals that use them.

In the case of YouTube, I've now created sixty videos of varied format (and, yes, quality), to better understand the environment - and what I might want for it (for that matter, where I fit in the YT universe). In some ways, I'm still not certain of my ultimate "product."  While I'm very much convinced of my theory that YT and social media is a third creative platform, I'm not entirely certain of my long-term destiny in this world..

As I was pondering this blog entry, one of my vlogging mentors, Andymooseman "liked" a video from a couple of years ago from another YT friend, Kenrg that perhaps best explains this difficulty I'm experiencing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQniA1dyXrA

What's a Documentary on YouTube?

Having spent a years creating for traditional media, I find the experience of creating non-fiction for YouTube an entirely new challenge.  Though production and editing skills come in handy, the requirements of the genre are entirely different - for a wide range of reasons.  Almost ever genre appears on  YouTube, but in terms of offering audience-friendly documentary video, there are special considerations (Since many vlogs on YouTube are non-fiction by nature, I'll limit my discussion to the documentary form).

First, lengths are short in this world.  Though some create (or adapt) longer videos by posting multi-part videos, more effective programs are between 1:30 and 3:00 in length.

Effective YouTube videos offer a means of engagement, usually through the individual creator; in other words, the filmmaker is part of the story - he or she is taking you on a journey.  Even if the filmmaker doesn't appear in the video, the audience perceives this as a personal form of expression.  YouTube channels maintained by entities (i.e. corporations or comedy groups or otherwise more impersonal entities) can be successful, but are by their nature less engaging.

The technical considerations, for the professional, might seem difficult to accept.  Many successful YouTubers have only most rudimentary production skills - what they do have is the will and spirit to create.  While many are very interested in improving their game, production-wise, they're also interested in maintaining the ability to express themselves simply and directly.  To the YouTube audience, that is most important.

Renetto, whom I've mentioned here before, is a true documentarian in this world, and has developed a large, loyal following over several years on YouTube   He now shoots with the HD Cam on his iPhone 4 - he records and comments on his everyday life, including his family and his teenage kids.  He's honest, opinionated, and, after having had the chance to speak with him at  the "Vidcon" YouTuber's conference a couple of weeks back, I feel he's a true sage of the YouTube community.   Another YouTuber, ShayCarl, also records his family's life - he has a younger family, and offers a hipper take on the idea (think the popularity of reality television versus the traditional documentary).  He's currently one of the top personalities on YouTube.  Both offer a good representation on non-fiction in this genre.

Like everything in the YouTube world, the documentary world here is just taking shape.  Though I actually started creating on here with the idea that I was exploring a new world, I've since come to understand that I'm merging my old one, too!