How Some YouTubers Are Elevating The Digital Medium
It's funny to think there was a time where I actively ignored YouTube. Partially because I lived too far away from the city for broadband, and partially because I was young and going out of my way to be contrarian, I spent years trying to avoid even making an account. Eight years later, YouTube is the place where I consistently consume the most video content. I get domestic and international news there, watch podcasts and interviews, and even study new things through the video platform. After years of attempts from family and friends, YouTube even sucessfully got me into sports via ESPN and Fox Sports 1's sports analysts helping me understand the "characters" and "stories" of basketball and football. (I will forever ignore baseball. Sorry not sorry.)
But as with most things you experience for a long time, it's hard not to start critiquing. It's not intentional--it's something instinctual that happens in the back of your mind. As the newness of the experience wears off, the complaints naturally become more pronounced. You roll your eyes at a certain kind of video format. You notice popular trends and tire of them quicker. In the case of YouTube, even small things such as the titling of videos and the thumbnail usage become mildly irritating. How a person handles these things varies. Some people shrug their shoulders and try to ignore it. Others eventually unsubscribe. And some brave the dreaded comment section to offer constructive (or destructive) criticism. I try to keep my interactions with comment sections to a bare minimum at best, but that hasn't stopped the criticisms from popping up in my head, and as a writer I can't help expressing them some way or another. Good thing I've got a captive audience!
Seriously though, the longer I use YouTube the more I notice what does and doesn't appeal to me. Outside of certain scenarios (like Twitch streaming) for instance, I can't take anymore videos that are just some dude sitting in front of his camera ranting at me. These are experienced YouTube personalities with years of experience and somehow their style is still reminiscent of five or six years ago, and it all feels too low-effort for me. Even their thumbnails have gotten annoying, with tons of icons and logos lazily shopped atop an exaggerated reaction face.
My frustration with these videos has made it all the more obvious which people have really started to elevate their work to a new level during this late era of YouTube. For this, I'd like to point out two different stars who cover completely different content.
First, let's begin with Danika XIX, or as she's more commonly known, Comic Book Girl 19. Danika's been doing videos on YouTube for most of this decade, and one of her oldest series is the Comic Book Girl 19 Show--a series where she does everything from deep dives into particular series or movies, to covering the news. Where most YouTubers would choose to be content with sitting in front of their computer to do this, Danika and her production crew created an entire talk show set--one where she interacts with a macho robot and an inquisitive, talking "Space Brain". These weird side characters are (perhaps intentionally) reminiscent of the best parts of Mystery Science Theatre 3000--after all, where else are you going to find a human talking to a masculinity-obsessed robot?
But what's more impressive is that's not the only trick in her or her team's bag. Danika's done a number of series over the years, from her "Epic History of the X-Men" documentary series, to Greater Creators, a series focused on iconic creatives across a wide spectrum of different art disciplines, to a book club covering her favorite science fiction novel, Dune. Though they can be simplistic, each time her and Team 19 seem to come up with vastly different sets geared to amplify whatever she's covering. Greater Creators is awash in white--from the tables and chair to the walls--perfect for illuminating her viewers about these geniuses of science fiction who don't get the credit they deserve. Meanwhile, her Dune Club Sessions is stripped down and goes with a black background and a simple yellow chair she sits in while she explains the characters and symbolism of the novel she's covering. It's meant to feel like viewers have been invited to a cool club with a vibe that's both relaxing and feeling like she's letting you in on the secrets of the universe. (At least, Frank Herbert's universe.)
Another creator who's work I'm addicted to is Natalie Wynn, or as she's more famously known, ContraPoints. Occasionally referred to as the alt-right whisperer, Natalie uses her background in philosophy combined with her experiences as a trans woman to create intricately laid out progressive arguments on social issues. Though the videos are created with the intent of having people on "the other side" watch them, they're still just as enjoyable to digest if you're undecided or were already on her side of the issue, like myself.
What's especially noteworthy Natalie's videos is we see her grow from the kind of YouTuber who simply talks in front of a camera to one who's willing to elevate her videos, gradually creating more and more complex videos until we reach her current level of performance. At this point, the ContraPoints YouTube channel exists to drop a 30 to 45 minute short film once a month, with production values that are off the scales compared to the average YouTuber. They have their own soundtracks, they contain elaborate costume and set changes that play to Natalie's baroque sense of style and fashion, and in the past have even had multiple characters arguing different points among one another. Though she doesn't update nearly as often as most YouTubers, each new video is an experience unto itself. They aren't just copy-paste with the only real difference being whatever information is timely at a given moment, which makes them something a lot of YouTube content simply isn't: rewatchable.
It's no coincidence that my two examples so far are women. Partially because of unfair societal expectations, partially because of Western culture in general, women have a honed gift for visuals, and years of this results in an overall sense of aesthetics that has brought the quality I expect in YouTube to be higher than it was in 2013.
Having said that, it's not only women who've managed to level up when it comes to the (not so) Wild West of YouTube. When former IGN journalist and PlayStation Beyond podcast host left IGN alongside his friends Colin Moriarty, Nick Scarpino, and Tim Gettys, they got together and formed Kinda Funny--a company that could not only cover video games, but also allow them to cover their stances on broader news topics as well.
Over the years, Kinda Funny has grown both it's staff and the number of shows they do on a weekly basis. Their two YouTube channels now cover reviews of films, internet news on a broad scale, they do geek debate shows and much more. And for most of their shows (many of which introduced just this year), they have unique sets meant to evoke a specific feeling. KF/AF resembles a 90's sitcom set, while Kinda Funny Games Daily has a more professional vibe--even though it is often just two people talking at a small table, they've put thought into everything from the color scheme to evoking a sense that it is a games show without having to toss up a bunch of games paraphernalia everywhere.
Of course--this kind of work isn't possible for every YouTuber. Beginners, or those working with low funding, simply aren't going to be capable of competing on this level without some serious shortcuts. Certainly if I were to start a YouTube series of my own, it'd definitely start out as basic as some other channels that will remain nameless, before hopefully I transitioned into doing more creative and aesthetically attention-grabbing work. But as a viewer it's excellent to see there are people aiming to pull things away from the era of "Person Talking Into Microphone At Their Desktop".
But as with most things you experience for a long time, it's hard not to start critiquing. It's not intentional--it's something instinctual that happens in the back of your mind. As the newness of the experience wears off, the complaints naturally become more pronounced. You roll your eyes at a certain kind of video format. You notice popular trends and tire of them quicker. In the case of YouTube, even small things such as the titling of videos and the thumbnail usage become mildly irritating. How a person handles these things varies. Some people shrug their shoulders and try to ignore it. Others eventually unsubscribe. And some brave the dreaded comment section to offer constructive (or destructive) criticism. I try to keep my interactions with comment sections to a bare minimum at best, but that hasn't stopped the criticisms from popping up in my head, and as a writer I can't help expressing them some way or another. Good thing I've got a captive audience!
Seriously though, the longer I use YouTube the more I notice what does and doesn't appeal to me. Outside of certain scenarios (like Twitch streaming) for instance, I can't take anymore videos that are just some dude sitting in front of his camera ranting at me. These are experienced YouTube personalities with years of experience and somehow their style is still reminiscent of five or six years ago, and it all feels too low-effort for me. Even their thumbnails have gotten annoying, with tons of icons and logos lazily shopped atop an exaggerated reaction face.
My frustration with these videos has made it all the more obvious which people have really started to elevate their work to a new level during this late era of YouTube. For this, I'd like to point out two different stars who cover completely different content.
First, let's begin with Danika XIX, or as she's more commonly known, Comic Book Girl 19. Danika's been doing videos on YouTube for most of this decade, and one of her oldest series is the Comic Book Girl 19 Show--a series where she does everything from deep dives into particular series or movies, to covering the news. Where most YouTubers would choose to be content with sitting in front of their computer to do this, Danika and her production crew created an entire talk show set--one where she interacts with a macho robot and an inquisitive, talking "Space Brain". These weird side characters are (perhaps intentionally) reminiscent of the best parts of Mystery Science Theatre 3000--after all, where else are you going to find a human talking to a masculinity-obsessed robot?
But what's more impressive is that's not the only trick in her or her team's bag. Danika's done a number of series over the years, from her "Epic History of the X-Men" documentary series, to Greater Creators, a series focused on iconic creatives across a wide spectrum of different art disciplines, to a book club covering her favorite science fiction novel, Dune. Though they can be simplistic, each time her and Team 19 seem to come up with vastly different sets geared to amplify whatever she's covering. Greater Creators is awash in white--from the tables and chair to the walls--perfect for illuminating her viewers about these geniuses of science fiction who don't get the credit they deserve. Meanwhile, her Dune Club Sessions is stripped down and goes with a black background and a simple yellow chair she sits in while she explains the characters and symbolism of the novel she's covering. It's meant to feel like viewers have been invited to a cool club with a vibe that's both relaxing and feeling like she's letting you in on the secrets of the universe. (At least, Frank Herbert's universe.)
Another creator who's work I'm addicted to is Natalie Wynn, or as she's more famously known, ContraPoints. Occasionally referred to as the alt-right whisperer, Natalie uses her background in philosophy combined with her experiences as a trans woman to create intricately laid out progressive arguments on social issues. Though the videos are created with the intent of having people on "the other side" watch them, they're still just as enjoyable to digest if you're undecided or were already on her side of the issue, like myself.
What's especially noteworthy Natalie's videos is we see her grow from the kind of YouTuber who simply talks in front of a camera to one who's willing to elevate her videos, gradually creating more and more complex videos until we reach her current level of performance. At this point, the ContraPoints YouTube channel exists to drop a 30 to 45 minute short film once a month, with production values that are off the scales compared to the average YouTuber. They have their own soundtracks, they contain elaborate costume and set changes that play to Natalie's baroque sense of style and fashion, and in the past have even had multiple characters arguing different points among one another. Though she doesn't update nearly as often as most YouTubers, each new video is an experience unto itself. They aren't just copy-paste with the only real difference being whatever information is timely at a given moment, which makes them something a lot of YouTube content simply isn't: rewatchable.
It's no coincidence that my two examples so far are women. Partially because of unfair societal expectations, partially because of Western culture in general, women have a honed gift for visuals, and years of this results in an overall sense of aesthetics that has brought the quality I expect in YouTube to be higher than it was in 2013.
Having said that, it's not only women who've managed to level up when it comes to the (not so) Wild West of YouTube. When former IGN journalist and PlayStation Beyond podcast host left IGN alongside his friends Colin Moriarty, Nick Scarpino, and Tim Gettys, they got together and formed Kinda Funny--a company that could not only cover video games, but also allow them to cover their stances on broader news topics as well.
Over the years, Kinda Funny has grown both it's staff and the number of shows they do on a weekly basis. Their two YouTube channels now cover reviews of films, internet news on a broad scale, they do geek debate shows and much more. And for most of their shows (many of which introduced just this year), they have unique sets meant to evoke a specific feeling. KF/AF resembles a 90's sitcom set, while Kinda Funny Games Daily has a more professional vibe--even though it is often just two people talking at a small table, they've put thought into everything from the color scheme to evoking a sense that it is a games show without having to toss up a bunch of games paraphernalia everywhere.
Of course--this kind of work isn't possible for every YouTuber. Beginners, or those working with low funding, simply aren't going to be capable of competing on this level without some serious shortcuts. Certainly if I were to start a YouTube series of my own, it'd definitely start out as basic as some other channels that will remain nameless, before hopefully I transitioned into doing more creative and aesthetically attention-grabbing work. But as a viewer it's excellent to see there are people aiming to pull things away from the era of "Person Talking Into Microphone At Their Desktop".
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