I’m looking for some small content creators who’s content has not been influenced by the potential of making money. In the early days of YouTube there was mostly trash, but then a few small channels started using formats, using specific styles and actually standing out above a pile shit.
I used to love how these creators made their content for their viewers, they were so very different from anything we had in those days. Things have changed, I get it, everybody and their dog are trying to make money on the internet. Content creators need to pay bills, feed families and maintain/improve their quality. Honestly, I get it. But it sucks, I feel like 90% of the content I come across are contractually based to release at a specific time or interval. Meaning content creators are just milking their audience and sponsors. I’m not saying this type of content isn’t good, it’s just how it feels 10x less genuine and from the heart of the creator. (I feel LTT belongs in this category as well) It feels like cable television with extra steps and a personal algorithmic touch.
What people tend to forget is how little resources you need to make good quality content on youtube. It’s never been easier to just start recording on our 4K+ smartphones. Yet, it’s never been this hard to consistently find early internet ethos content creators.
So Lemmy, can you tell me about some small content creators whichhave the passion and drive we used to see?
I’ll leave a few channels here which I enjoyed the most this past month.
Nokeric - Of the rails sketches
Joel Haver - Short sketches but also long form deep thought (Larger channel)
All of them with sponsorblock, which you then whitelist based on tolerability and quality.
I find that most content producers don’t really actually let the sponsors get in the way of content in any capacity other than quantity (as in they produce too much for the channel’s good). There’s a small number of exceptions, but those usually stink enough that you spot it a mile away, and most of them intentionally. This isn’t TikTok or Insta, Creators actually do want you to know when they didn’t make something out of their own accord.
Some try to be more subtle with their one-off events… And into the blacklist they go back when they do. Unfortunately one of those was Kurszgesagt a month ago, with their blatantly biased and fearmongering video on Bioweapons, which was largely based on one non-scientific source. Funny enough, they did seem to a leave a hard to notice hint that the video was off, I mean, aside from the content. The hint was that: The video had no birds. You know, their mascots.
Them being sponsored is not the issue here, contrary to popular belief, you can actually be sponsored AND unbiased. But listen to many different creators and you’ll notice a trend in burnout, chasing the next viral video, having to meet deadlines for sponsors, etc. All these things can and will deteriorate the viewing experience.
I follow plenty of creators, doing so full-time and only with the support of their fans, it’s a well thought out, proven system and it works. Almost all of them started before any monetisation was possible as well. It’s amazing how something like that is even possible.
All that being said, there’s a definite decline in passion and drive across the board. I still enjoy all the new produced content, but in the same way I enjoy a movie or TV show. Much less in a “we’re a community of like minded people” kind of way.
My problem with sponsorship isn’t about bias, it’s about annoying sponsored segments.
+1 to sponsor block. It’s a game changer in today’s YouTube.
That being said, it is still frustrating that most YouTubers nowadays censor the fuck out of their videos in fear of being cancelled by the YouTube algorithm or the sponsors. I appreciate when I come across a channel that still has the balls to say “fuck” or use normal words that people now suddenly view as “trigger” words like “kill” or use a squirt gun without censoring it.
I don’t mean that every video needs to be laden with profanity and shock content, but just that I want it to be normal, relaxed, and genuine. Not some stupid squeaky clean version of content that only 10 year old children in Catholic school are allowed to watch. I’m a grown ass adult goddamnit.
Cold Ones is a bit of an obnoxious channel, but I appreciate that they don’t bend to the will of YouTube’s stupid censorship for the most part.
Generally though I prefer to watch reaction YouTubers. Sixteenleo has fantastic long form content (hour+ long videos) doing deep dive reaction videos. He doesn’t have a loud, obnoxious vibe that many channels do either. I like his relaxed vibe and long form content.