Another month, another crop of talented video-makers! February’s On the Rise nominees are in, and we need you to check out the four nominees below and choose your favorite. Cast your vote in the top right-hand corner of this blog.
Here’s how On the Rise works. We identify channels who’ve gained a lot of subscribers in the past 30 days but haven’t yet reached the 100,000 mark. You vote on your favorite, and we feature the winner on the YouTube homepage and the videos page, Facebook and Twitter. Past winners like emilynoel83, justjesse197 and joshsundquist have seen their subscriber numbers jump, thanks to your support.
This month we’re featuring four channels that have been moving from a simmer to a boil -- and for good reason! Check them out, and don’t forget to cast your vote by February 16, 2011, so we can feature the winner on the homepage on February 23.
fouradipuntnl
Pop music (and good-looking guys) need no translation. These two Moroccan-Dutch brothers formed the hip-hop group Fouradi back in 2009, and in 2010 their single “1 Ding” scaled the Dutch charts. Their YouTube channel has also garnered mad love.
RMG209
Graphic designer and heavy metal DJ Rick Gurnsey is the mastermind behind this genuinely comic, self-described “creepy” animated series. Once you start watching, it’s very hard to stop; imagine a Simpsons in which every character is Mr. Burns, and you’re partway there.
theDOMINICshow
Dominic “d-trix” Sandoval has turned his life into a one-man show. He’ll teach you to rap, he’ll spoof the Bieber phenomenon, he’ll sing (sardonically) the praises of mother’s milk. On theDOMINICshow, nothing is sacred, but just about everything is funny.
TornadoVideosdotnet
Reed Timmer has made a living chasing and filming tornadoes, and we’re willing passengers on his wild ride. When he’s not running away from an oncoming twister, he’s filming the gorgeous weather that’s about to produce one. Warning: not for the adrenaline-phobic.
If you’re inspired by what you see here, check out other awesome, up-and-coming channels. Visit our channel of On the Rise nominees, trending partners and winners, and look for more featured rising partners on the browse page.
Sarah Bardeen, Music Community Manager, recently watched "The Sway Machinery - Gawad Teriamou featuring Khaira Arby."
Showing posts with label partners. Show all posts
Showing posts with label partners. Show all posts
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Showtime’s “SHORT stories” recruits YouTube finest to make short films
For “SHORT stories,” Showtime contacted cutting-edge creators from across the Web and asked them to tell a tale in an innovative way. The series sports the work of some of YouTube’s top creators, so naturally we’re interested in learning a whole lot more about how “SHORT stories” came to be. Showtime's Trevor Noren tells us more.
1) What gave you the idea to use YouTube stars in this way?
YouTube has become a venue for animators and filmmakers to explore new ways to communicate a narrative. Whether it’s an established artist like Don Hertzfeldt or a talent the community has discovered, like Cyriak or Levni Yilmaz, YouTube has offered an opportunity for artists to experiment and find out what people respond to. That spirit of innovation seemed like a natural fit for our brand. Unique storytelling is the hallmark of what we do as a network: our shows challenge viewers with characters they haven’t seen before. “SHORT stories” is a way for us to bring our brand to a new audience while at the same time showing the work of these amazing artists to our subscribers.
2) What was the process of working with them?
Our mission statement to the artists was pretty simple: “Tell a story in a way people haven’t seen before.” We figured a directive that open-ended would create a huge range of results. They didn’t disappoint. Don Hertzfeldt made up a language. Michael Langan employed thousands of still images to show a run around his block. Cyriak used his hands to tell the story of evolution. Whether acquiring a film already in the works or commissioning something entirely new, we did not interfere with the artists’ creative process. The filmmaker explained what they planned to do and we let them run with it. As a result, we ended up with an incredibly diverse collection of films.
3) What have you learned about the YouTube community over the course of this project?
How much they embrace the bizarre. It doesn’t matter if they know exactly what the filmmaker is trying to say with their video. They recognize the dedication that goes into creating the piece and they recognize the personality and vision behind it. It’s really amazing and inspiring how open-minded the community is to new ideas.
4) Will you pursue more of these and if so, how are you finding the filmmakers?
“SHORT stories” will be ongoing. We’ve identified a few potential candidates. We’d like to keep who they are a surprise. That said, the YouTube community is already helping us identify potential filmmakers. Names pop up all the time in comments on the videos. Everyone from Czech great Jan Svankmajer to Mystery Guitar Man. The best way for us to find new talent is to watch and listen to the YouTube community.
5) What’s something no one would know about these videos by looking at them?
The sheer amount of time that went into the creation of some of the films. Inspired by a vintage nutcracker that looked like a fish, it took PES five years to find all of the objects that went into “The Deep.” For Michael Langan, stitching together all of the still images for “Dahlia” took one month for every minute of the film. “Pretty, Dead” by Jeff Scher consists of more than 3,000 individual drawings. The final products themselves are incredible, but when you really start to understand what went into creating them, it’s remarkable.
Trevor Noren, Creative Director, Digital Content, Showtime, recently watched “Shameless Trailer and Behind the Scenes.”
1) What gave you the idea to use YouTube stars in this way?
YouTube has become a venue for animators and filmmakers to explore new ways to communicate a narrative. Whether it’s an established artist like Don Hertzfeldt or a talent the community has discovered, like Cyriak or Levni Yilmaz, YouTube has offered an opportunity for artists to experiment and find out what people respond to. That spirit of innovation seemed like a natural fit for our brand. Unique storytelling is the hallmark of what we do as a network: our shows challenge viewers with characters they haven’t seen before. “SHORT stories” is a way for us to bring our brand to a new audience while at the same time showing the work of these amazing artists to our subscribers.
2) What was the process of working with them?
Our mission statement to the artists was pretty simple: “Tell a story in a way people haven’t seen before.” We figured a directive that open-ended would create a huge range of results. They didn’t disappoint. Don Hertzfeldt made up a language. Michael Langan employed thousands of still images to show a run around his block. Cyriak used his hands to tell the story of evolution. Whether acquiring a film already in the works or commissioning something entirely new, we did not interfere with the artists’ creative process. The filmmaker explained what they planned to do and we let them run with it. As a result, we ended up with an incredibly diverse collection of films.
3) What have you learned about the YouTube community over the course of this project?
How much they embrace the bizarre. It doesn’t matter if they know exactly what the filmmaker is trying to say with their video. They recognize the dedication that goes into creating the piece and they recognize the personality and vision behind it. It’s really amazing and inspiring how open-minded the community is to new ideas.
4) Will you pursue more of these and if so, how are you finding the filmmakers?
“SHORT stories” will be ongoing. We’ve identified a few potential candidates. We’d like to keep who they are a surprise. That said, the YouTube community is already helping us identify potential filmmakers. Names pop up all the time in comments on the videos. Everyone from Czech great Jan Svankmajer to Mystery Guitar Man. The best way for us to find new talent is to watch and listen to the YouTube community.
5) What’s something no one would know about these videos by looking at them?
The sheer amount of time that went into the creation of some of the films. Inspired by a vintage nutcracker that looked like a fish, it took PES five years to find all of the objects that went into “The Deep.” For Michael Langan, stitching together all of the still images for “Dahlia” took one month for every minute of the film. “Pretty, Dead” by Jeff Scher consists of more than 3,000 individual drawings. The final products themselves are incredible, but when you really start to understand what went into creating them, it’s remarkable.
Trevor Noren, Creative Director, Digital Content, Showtime, recently watched “Shameless Trailer and Behind the Scenes.”
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