Latest / Mini Scroll / Hollywood vs. The Creator Economy: How This Tense Relationship Evolved to Put (Some) Creators on Top

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Hollywood vs. The Creator Economy: How This Tense Relationship Evolved to Put (Some) Creators on Top · Mini Scroll

• 0:00
  With summer coming up, we're entering my favorite season of
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  all. Margarita season.
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  I love a classic. Refreshing Margarita on a hot
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  summer's day to enjoy at barbecues, picnics and on
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  weekend getaways for the perfect marg I use.
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  Jose Cuervo, The world. 'S number one tequila brand a
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  big thank. You to Jose Cuervo.
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  For continuing. To support the pod.
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  And helping us produce content. For all of you.
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  Time to embrace Margarita. Season with Jose Cuervo.
• 0:27
  And remember to drink responsibly.
• 0:30
  On October 10th, 2024, legacy media brand The Hollywood
• 0:34
  Reporter dropped an article calling LA the city of social
• 0:38
  media stars. The article spotlighted 22 of
• 0:41
  the city's most popular creators, and while it aimed at
• 0:44
  capturing the pulse of modern celebrity, the.
• 0:47
  Post went viral for a whole. Different reason social media
• 0:51
  users piled on, mocking the cover image and saying they
• 0:54
  didn't recognize anyone. Comments like very proud to say
• 0:58
  I have no idea who any of them are and.
• 1:00
  Lol zero star power. Mundane and.
• 1:03
  Mediocre flooded the. Publication's mentions and users
• 1:07
  weren't entirely wrong. The list included some notable.
• 1:10
  Creators like Brittany Broski, Drew Afualo, Josh Richards.
• 1:14
  And Rhett and Link. But it still.
• 1:16
  Felt like an awkward attempt to stay relevant.
• 1:18
  Without quite. Hitting the mark as Madison
• 1:21
  Malone. Kirchner reports.
• 1:23
  For the New York Times quote, notably missing from the photo
• 1:26
  and an accompanying story on influencers local to Los Angeles
• 1:30
  were many of the. Larger lists.
• 1:31
  Most famous faces The reaction to the post, which has been
• 1:35
  viewed. More than 30. 5,000,000 times
• 1:37
  was a resounding. Chorus of who?
• 1:40
  This moment reveals a strange ongoing tension.
• 1:44
  Hollywood and the creator economy might share the same
• 1:47
  stage these days. But they're hardly.
• 1:49
  In Sync. For years, creators saw.
• 1:52
  Social media as a stepping stone to mainstream entertainment.
• 1:55
  With Hollywood. Feeling like a distant
• 1:57
  aspirational goal. But as Jen Zen.
• 2:00
  Have become culture's driving force.
• 2:02
  Social media content creators found themselves with renewed
• 2:05
  power and influence, a trend that is only expected to
• 2:08
  continue when Gen. Alpha takes the reins.
• 2:11
  With this shift. Legacy media, talent managers
• 2:14
  and production houses have started embracing creators,
• 2:17
  though not without some resentment.
• 2:20
  With the star power of celebrities.
• 2:22
  Fading. Unless they're active online,
• 2:24
  it's. Clear that the creator.
• 2:25
  Economy is on the rise, leaving. Hollywood to play catch?
• 2:28
  Up. But it hasn't always been this
• 2:30
  way. This is the.
• 2:31
  Story of these industries evolving, sometimes uneasy
• 2:36
  relationship. Of creators chasing.
• 2:38
  The Hollywood spotlight and Hollywood learning to thrive in
• 2:42
  the viral world from Centennial World.
• 2:45
  I'm Lauren Meissner and this is Infinite Scroll, a podcast about
• 2:49
  Internet. Culture, the Creator.
• 2:51
  Economy and how social media is shaping Jen Zed welcome back to
• 2:55
  infinite scroll everyone I am so.
• 2:57
  Excited today to be. Diving in to this kind of weird
• 3:01
  relationship that Hollywood and the creator economy.
• 3:05
  Have had now for. I would say.
• 3:07
  About a decade. There's been this tension.
• 3:09
  Where creators? Have kind of sought the
• 3:12
  Hollywood spotlight and Hollywood has traditionally
• 3:14
  rejected them, and now we're seeing that kind of flip back on
• 3:18
  its head, so I'm excited. To look at the history of that
• 3:21
  certain. Creators that have been kind of
• 3:23
  integral in helping build that relationship that have been
• 3:26
  breaking down that tension and some examples of.
• 3:30
  Creator LED projects that. Were fairly mainstream, but
• 3:33
  before we get into that, as always, Please remember to rate,
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  review and subscribe. It helps me so much.
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  It helps me grow. Please rate US on Spotify where
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  you're trying to get more Spotify star reviews and we are
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  trying to reach 10,000 subscribers on YouTube by the
• 3:45
  end of the year. Please also sign up to our
• 3:47
  newsletter called Infinite scroll on Fridays.
• 3:50
  We round up the five biggest thing pieces on the Internet
• 3:52
  from that week, and I just have one review.
• 3:55
  To read today it. Is an Apple review from Canada.
• 3:57
  Michelle BP says so. Much value I work in social
• 4:01
  media and this is my addiction because it's.
• 4:03
  Packed with value, she's. Smart and interesting I'm.
• 4:06
  Obsessed, that is. So sweet, thank you so much.
• 4:10
  I always get really. Excited when I hear.
• 4:12
  That you guys work. In social or marketing and that
• 4:15
  the pod helps you guys with your jobs.
• 4:23
  If you think back to the late 2. Thousands and even the early 20
• 4:26
  tens, it's clear how much the social media landscape has
• 4:29
  changed. Back then, social media wasn't
• 4:32
  seen as a viable career path, and while it still isn't for
• 4:35
  many of us, it's definitely become more legitimate over the
• 4:39
  past decade. During that era, people seemed
• 4:41
  to post on platforms like YouTube for two main reasons.
• 4:45
  First, there were Hollywood. Hopefuls, those dreaming of
• 4:48
  acting or directing using. Tube as a portfolio to showcase
• 4:52
  their. Skills in performing, editing or
• 4:54
  directing, the second group posted.
• 4:56
  For a less calculated. Reason just to have fun or share
• 5:00
  funny moments. Though Shane Dawson is arguably
• 5:03
  one of the most problematic figures online, he is a
• 5:06
  significant example of this early era and how people were
• 5:10
  using the platforms at this time.
• 5:12
  Shane started YouTube. In 2008, building his platform
• 5:15
  primarily through skits that often included extremely racist
• 5:19
  and inappropriate, relying heavily on stereotypes, his
• 5:23
  content pushed boundaries, often too far, earning him a
• 5:26
  questionable reputation back when he was building his
• 5:30
  platform. However, there was far less
• 5:32
  vitriol directed. At Such Behaviors Online, in a
• 5:34
  video titled Shane Dawson and the Art of the Constant Rebrand,
• 5:38
  commentary creator Jimmy Robbins analyzed Shane's extensive
• 5:42
  career, arguing that his initial success was driven by constantly
• 5:45
  adapting his content or his ability to observe his
• 5:48
  willingness to take risks and invest in projects that weren't
• 5:51
  immediately successful. For example, in the early 20
• 5:54
  tens, as watch time became crucial to the YouTube
• 5:56
  algorithm, Shane shifted away from shorter comedic.
• 5:59
  Sketches to focus. On personality driven content in
• 6:02
  daily vlogs and collaborations, he also launched a second
• 6:06
  channel. As a sort of.
• 6:07
  Experiment and tested different content strategies even though
• 6:11
  Shane found success on. YouTube He was very.
• 6:13
  Vocal about wanting to move away from social media at some point,
• 6:17
  in a 2017 interview with Forbes, Shane expressed his intentions,
• 6:21
  saying quote, I love creating, directing, all of it.
• 6:24
  So I didn't get into YouTube because I wanted to be a famous.
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  YouTube, YouTube. YouTube.
• 6:28
  Wasn't even a thing. I was like I want to be a.
• 6:30
  Director So I've got to put shit out there to show people.
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  I can direct. As Shane gained popularity on
• 6:36
  YouTube, more opportunities came his way, including the chance to
• 6:39
  direct. Not cool.
• 6:40
  In 2014, a dream come true. For him, but the.
• 6:44
  Production wasn't exactly typical.
• 6:46
  Not cool was. Part of a Stars original series
• 6:49
  called The Chair. Where two amateur directors were
• 6:51
  given the same script and tasked with making their own films.
• 6:55
  Viewers then. Voted for their favorite.
• 6:58
  Shane's competition was Anna Martimucci, whose film was
• 7:01
  Hollidaysburg. In addition to directing, Shane
• 7:04
  starred in Not Cool as the Hawkeye, naturally, and
• 7:07
  allegedly made significant changes.
• 7:09
  To the script reports. Surfaced of Shane being
• 7:11
  difficult to work with during filming, so much so that
• 7:14
  compilations like Shane Dawson being a jerk during the
• 7:17
  production of his movie not. Cool have racked up.
• 7:20
  Over 1,000,000 views These clips show him ignoring his team's
• 7:24
  advice and acting Rather entitled on set and behind the
• 7:27
  scenes. Not Cool performed terribly
• 7:30
  among critics, with the movie receiving 14% on Rotten
• 7:34
  Tomatoes. The LA Times.
• 7:36
  Described it as quote A. Stab no a frantic machete swipe
• 7:40
  at a comedy that only date rapists, racist and sociopaths
• 7:46
  could love. Despite the poor.
• 7:47
  Reception Shane won the competition and took home a
• 7:51
  $250,000 prize to fund another film.
• 7:54
  Many attributed his win to his loyal fan base.
• 7:57
  Producer Zachary. Quinto, who worked on the chair,
• 8:00
  even called Not cool. A quote vapid.
• 8:02
  Waste of time and expressed his preference for Hollidaysburg in
• 8:06
  an interview with Variety, while Shane has since directed and
• 8:09
  written other projects like his YouTube documentaries.
• 8:12
  Shorts the lottery. And it gets worse.
• 8:15
  None have been on the same scale in his video Jimmy.
• 8:18
  Robbins speculates. That Shane's behavior behavior
• 8:20
  and disrespect towards mentors on the Not Cool set may have led
• 8:24
  to him being blacklisted from Hollywood.
• 8:26
  Nevertheless, Shane continued to see YouTube as a stepping stone
• 8:30
  to something bigger. Though this.
• 8:32
  Vision would never quite pan out each time he ventured into new.
• 8:37
  Projects whether a. Film or a book?
• 8:39
  He struggled. To break the mainstream audience
• 8:41
  only resonating with those already invested in the digital
• 8:45
  space. Soon, Shane transitioned into a
• 8:48
  new. Era of his career.
• 8:49
  Where YouTube was no no longer a means to an end, but his main
• 8:52
  focus. By the mid twenty 10s he had
• 8:55
  rebranded himself as YouTube's Oprah Winfrey, producing high
• 8:59
  production docu series that garnered millions of views.
• 9:02
  He no longer needed to push boundaries or rely on the
• 9:05
  problematic personas that had once defined his content.
• 9:08
  However, as the digital. Landscape evolved Shane's past
• 9:12
  actions ultimately sealed his fate as a creator in 2020, he
• 9:17
  faced a massive cancellation after multiple.
• 9:20
  Surface. Videos and photos began
• 9:22
  circulating of Shane engaging in racist jokes, blackface,
• 9:25
  sexualizing animals and minors, and saying the N word.
• 9:29
  As a result, today he hosts a podcast that.
• 9:32
  Pales in popularity compared to his docu.
• 9:35
  Series. He has been relegated to a
• 9:37
  corner of the Internet where he has minimal influence and is
• 9:40
  often not taken very seriously. While Shane has always been
• 9:43
  known for going bigger and bigger with his content, he's
• 9:46
  finally settling for avoiding as much attention as possible.
• 9:49
  And I think that's very much intentional.
• 9:51
  Ironically, it makes more sense at this point for Shane to
• 9:54
  unlearn everything he knows by sticking to making content for
• 9:57
  his dedicated fans instead of trying to be a central part of
• 10:00
  YouTube culture. All in all, Shane is an example
• 10:03
  of a creator who could never quite break into the mainstream
• 10:06
  in a meaningful way while his personality, content and online.
• 10:10
  History played a role, another crucial factor.
• 10:13
  Has hindered many creators. From successfully.
• 10:16
  Transitioning to Hollywood timing, it was only around the
• 10:20
  mid to late twenty 10s that social media stars became seen
• 10:23
  as a more legitimate career and stepping stone towards.
• 10:27
  Hollywood through this period. As more and more brands started
• 10:30
  tapping creators for collaborations and marketing
• 10:32
  deals, the production quality heightened and the opportunities
• 10:36
  got bigger. It was during this time where we
• 10:38
  saw creators like James Charles burst onto the scene and hyper
• 10:41
  produced content became the norm.
• 10:44
  With this it became. Clear.
• 10:45
  That there was an opportunity, one that could.
• 10:47
  Merge the success of the digital world.
• 10:50
  With traditional entertainment formats like TV and film.
• 10:53
  Enter the era of the. YouTube show Now it would be
• 10:57
  unfair to assume that Hollywood was behind.
• 11:00
  All of the YouTube. LED series and shows that took
• 11:03
  over the platform through the mid twenty 10s.
• 11:06
  Like Shane, some creators wanted to.
• 11:08
  Prove that they were a fit for. Hollywood and could be.
• 11:10
  Trusted with. Directing and starring in
• 11:12
  different roles. Of course.
• 11:14
  One of the most iconic networks in this space was Awesomeness
• 11:17
  TV. It was launched in 2012 by Brian
• 11:20
  Robbins and Joe Divola, both of whom had backgrounds in TV.
• 11:24
  Robbins worked on All That for Nickelodeon and spearheaded the
• 11:27
  production of Fred the Movie. While Divola had success.
• 11:30
  Developing teen and tween oriented shows like the Amanda.
• 11:33
  Show with their expertise they created awesomeness.
• 11:36
  TVA multi channel network aimed at young audiences hoping to
• 11:40
  capitalize on the shift away from TV and producing shows
• 11:44
  teens and tweens actually wanted to watch online.
• 11:47
  In May 2013. DreamWorks Animation acquired
• 11:50
  Awesomeness TV for 33 million. Dollars highlighting the viral
• 11:54
  space's growing. Potential.
• 11:56
  At the time, The Guardian reported the network's
• 11:58
  impressive numbers. Quote its main channel has more
• 12:01
  than 900,000 subscribers on YouTube and 176 million views,
• 12:06
  but it's wider network has 25,000,000 subscribers, nearly 2
• 12:10
  billion views and 65,000,000 monthly visitors.
• 12:14
  Robbins and Awesomeness. TV later took.
• 12:16
  Some of the sketch comedy content from YouTube and sold it
• 12:19
  as a. Variety.
• 12:20
  Show to Nickelodeon The show, also called awesomeness TV, was
• 12:24
  hosted by Daniella Monet, known for her role as Trina Vega on
• 12:28
  victorious. It ran for two seasons from 2013
• 12:31
  to 2015, but wasn't renewed after DreamWorks animations TV
• 12:35
  deal with Nickelodeon ended. Ultimately, part of Awesomeness
• 12:38
  TV success came from its slate of short form shows, which
• 12:42
  ranged from reality style content featuring.
• 12:45
  Popular creators to scripted. Series that gave influencers a
• 12:48
  chance to showcase their acting skills.
• 12:50
  One of the channel's most. Popular series is Foursome.
• 12:53
  A romantic comedy starring YouTube Jen McAllister alongside
• 12:57
  social media. Stars like Ricky.
• 12:59
  Thompson and Logan Paul. The first episode has racked.
• 13:02
  Up 95 million views since its release in 2016, the show would
• 13:07
  go on to run for Four Seasons, with its final episode airing on
• 13:10
  October 24th, 2018. Other shows included guidance
• 13:14
  featuring Michelle Trachtenberg, Who is Georgina from Gossip
• 13:17
  Girl, and influencer Amanda Steele.
• 13:20
  Awesomeness TV would also go on to produce full length movies
• 13:23
  like Dance Camp. Which starred Jake Paul.
• 13:25
  Among others, Awesomeness TV, now simply known as Awesomeness,
• 13:30
  has changed significantly since the mid twenty 10s.
• 13:33
  It's now part of Viacom Digital Studios under Paramount Global
• 13:37
  and focuses on producing content for subscription platforms
• 13:40
  targeting Gen. Z audiences.
• 13:42
  One of its most iconic projects includes the Netflix film To
• 13:46
  All. The boys I've loved.
• 13:47
  Before YouTube Originals launched in 2016, Scene became
• 13:51
  another hub for original content on the platform users.
• 13:55
  Could access YouTube original. Programming through YouTube
• 13:57
  Premium, formerly known as YouTube Red.
• 14:00
  A subscription service with various perks.
• 14:02
  Ranging from ad free streaming to offline play, YouTube's
• 14:05
  original programming was wildly popular, including docu series
• 14:09
  like Justin Bieber seasons and comedy shows like Liza on
• 14:13
  Demand. Additionally, there was
• 14:15
  unscripted content featuring creators and celebrities,
• 14:18
  including Kevin Hart, Paris Hilton Beast, Leelee Ponds and
• 14:22
  Bretman Rock. However, YouTube Originals shut
• 14:24
  down in 2022, with the company citing more.
• 14:27
  Lucrative opportunities available elsewhere.
• 14:30
  On the platform. Quote with rapid growth.
• 14:32
  Comes new opportunities and now our investments can make a
• 14:35
  greater impact on even more creators when applied towards
• 14:38
  other initiatives. A statement from YouTube.
• 14:41
  Red together these factors. Contributed to our decision to
• 14:44
  reduce our YouTube original slate.
• 14:46
  Going forward, we will only be funding programs that are.
• 14:49
  Part of our black voice. And YouTube Kids funds.
• 14:52
  The decision to shut down YouTube Originals highlighted
• 14:55
  just how much the online landscape had evolved since the
• 14:58
  mid twenty 10s. Creators no longer necessarily
• 15:01
  needed backing from production studios, and many didn't feel
• 15:04
  like they had to translate their online fame into mainstream
• 15:07
  careers. By then, influencing had been
• 15:10
  solidified as a legitimate career.
• 15:12
  Path provided you're adaptable. While many creators were no
• 15:15
  longer aiming for Hollywood, that didn't mean they weren't
• 15:18
  interested in pursuing longer perform content or pushing
• 15:21
  themselves creatively. So it's no surprise that
• 15:25
  creators began taking the lead in directing, writing, and
• 15:28
  producing their own shows. 1 stand out example.
• 15:31
  Of a creator LED show is Joey Graceffa's escape.
• 15:34
  The night. A series that.
• 15:36
  Became infamous in part due to controversy surrounding Gabby
• 15:40
  Hannah, but more on that later. Escape the Night premiered on
• 15:43
  June 22nd, 2016 and was a YouTube.
• 15:46
  Original Show. That essentially blended horror
• 15:48
  and murder mystery in a reality style format.
• 15:52
  The. Characters all played by.
• 15:53
  Social media influencers must solve puzzles and collect.
• 15:57
  Artifacts to survive. The night.
• 15:59
  Think of it as a mixture of the game clue, an escape room, and a
• 16:02
  reality show. Ultimately in each.
• 16:04
  Episode 2 guests got. Voted into a challenge with the
• 16:07
  loser being eliminated via their fictional death, Joey starred in
• 16:11
  all Four Seasons, all of which were inspired by different
• 16:14
  historical. Periods the show tapped.
• 16:16
  Big names over its run from Tana Mojo to Rosanna Pansi.
• 16:20
  You know to Liza Koshy quote. The beauty of the show is that
• 16:23
  Graceffa invites. Other popular Youtubers to act
• 16:26
  as the guests. They bring their own audiences
• 16:28
  to the show and gain. Exposure to Graceffa's.
• 16:31
  Audience The guest spots benefit both sides, Tom Ward explains
• 16:35
  for Forbes. That being said, it's no.
• 16:37
  Surprise that the show was such a.
• 16:38
  Success becoming the longest running YouTube original series
• 16:42
  at the time, Joey is currently in the process of bringing the
• 16:45
  series back, but in a short film format this time around.
• 16:48
  While there's no denying the success of the show and the
• 16:51
  culty fan base it developed, it has been embroiled in
• 16:55
  controversy. On June 27th, 2021, Gabby Hannah
• 16:59
  released a Now. Deleted YouTube video detailing
• 17:01
  her. Experience on the set of escape
• 17:03
  the night as part of a new series on her channel that aimed
• 17:06
  to redeem her public image, though Gabby admitted that she.
• 17:10
  Used to be very difficult. To work with because of mental
• 17:12
  health struggles. She went on to accuse Joey and
• 17:15
  his former boyfriend Slash, the senior producer of the show
• 17:18
  Daniel Preeta, of mistreating her on the set.
• 17:21
  Namely, they didn't accommodate her dietary needs nor her
• 17:24
  costume requests. Essentially, she claims that
• 17:27
  Joey Daniel and the show exacerbated her relationship
• 17:30
  with food and history of disordered eating while.
• 17:33
  She criticized the producers. She was also candid about her
• 17:36
  own behavior, acknowledging that she could have been more
• 17:39
  understanding. Quote I had a very emotional
• 17:41
  reaction to a very emotionally triggering situation and I could
• 17:45
  have handled myself better. That's why I apologized for it.
• 17:49
  She. Said at one point in in the
• 17:50
  video. But to not apologize back, to
• 17:52
  not take ownership of anything you did to contribute to that,
• 17:55
  you didn't respect me as a person, as a friend, as a
• 17:58
  creator and as a talent on your show.
• 18:01
  Joey and Daniel later responded to Gabby's allegations, denying
• 18:04
  them and sharing their. Side of the story through a
• 18:07
  series of. Posts and videos in a video
• 18:09
  titled Gabby Hannah needs to. Stop.
• 18:12
  Joey addressed a number of her claims.
• 18:14
  He showed emails and footage proving the cast and crew were
• 18:17
  sent medical. Paperwork days prior to their
• 18:20
  first. Of filming, which included
• 18:21
  dietary requirements, Joey said Gabby did not fill out the
• 18:25
  paperwork until the first day on set, hence why her needs were
• 18:28
  not allegedly met. Despite that, Joey claimed
• 18:32
  production made a special. Trip to Whole Foods.
• 18:34
  To buy Gabby 3 meals that suited her needs.
• 18:37
  Joey also addressed complaints about her costume, revealing via
• 18:40
  e-mail screenshots that Gabby did not show up to her costume
• 18:43
  fittings and thus the wardrobe department was left to design
• 18:46
  her costume with the limited information they were provided.
• 18:49
  Several former cast members came forward in defense of Joey and
• 18:52
  Daniel, including Rosanna Pansino, who shared a lengthy
• 18:55
  Twitter note insisting. The producers quote were.
• 18:58
  Extremely patient and accommodating and the.
• 19:00
  Crew was very. Professional, organized and hard
• 19:03
  working. In a video posted to her YouTube
• 19:06
  channel last month, a long overdue apology, Gabby Hannah
• 19:09
  did issue a blanket statement for her behavior.
• 19:11
  Over the years. So the first bunch of people
• 19:15
  that I'd like to say thank you and I'm sorry too, is anyone
• 19:19
  I've ever worked with from collaborators, producers,
• 19:23
  management agents, anyone from Pennsylvania on set to director
• 19:28
  special. I'm sorry.
• 19:30
  It goes out to MTV and YouTube and YouTube Originals.
• 19:34
  Joey went on to comment on the video writing.
• 19:36
  Thank you Gabby, I'm happy to see you in a better place now
• 19:39
  besides escape the night. There were other popular you
• 19:42
  tuber LED shows. Keon Lolly and JC Kalin,
• 19:45
  originally of O2L fame. Created the reality house.
• 19:49
  Essentially an influencer version of Big Brother
• 19:52
  premiering in 2019, the show produced.
• 19:54
  By the duo gave creators. A chance to win 10s of thousands
• 19:58
  of. Dollars, the Reality House
• 19:59
  proved to be very successful with business.
• 20:02
  Insider reporting that their YouTube channel, Kian and JC
• 20:05
  gained 300,000 subscribers within six months of the show's
• 20:09
  launch. Since then, there have been
• 20:11
  three seasons, with the prize money increasing from $25,000 in
• 20:15
  Season 1 to $50,000 in Season 2 and up to $100,000 in Season 3.
• 20:21
  The show has featured. Extremely famous influencers
• 20:24
  like Trisha Paytas, Tana Mojo, and Sarah Baska.
• 20:28
  Initially, Kian and JC funded the first season themselves,
• 20:31
  covering the $25,000 prize money out of pocket.
• 20:34
  However, after filming began, SeatGeek stepped in as a
• 20:37
  sponsor, and Kian and JC later brought in a production company
• 20:41
  to handle filming for future seasons.
• 20:43
  That said, it's clear that many creators can now independently
• 20:46
  fund their own projects, reaching millions without the
• 20:49
  need of traditional industry support.
• 20:51
  With this. Popular platforms have made it
• 20:54
  so that people no longer need. To wait for Hollywood.
• 20:56
  Stamp of. Approval to succeed.
• 20:58
  We all know how. Quickly, creators can build.
• 21:00
  Massive audiences launch brands and even create scripted or
• 21:04
  unscripted content on their own terms.
• 21:07
  However, while some creators still crave the.
• 21:09
  Validation of Hollywood's recognition, Whether through
• 21:12
  acting roles, production deals or mainstream media exposure,
• 21:15
  the industry remains. Selective about who it.
• 21:18
  Chooses to embrace race despite their massive followings, not
• 21:22
  every creator is welcomed into the fold.
• 21:24
  Hollywood tends to. Favor those who fit.
• 21:26
  Its narrative or business goals often overlooking even the most
• 21:30
  popular influencers. Mr. Beast illustrates this
• 21:34
  tension well. Now we have.
• 21:35
  Talked a lot. About Mr. Beast on this podcast,
• 21:38
  in fact, earlier. This year we did a deep.
• 21:40
  Dive into his career. So if you're interested in all
• 21:43
  of the Mr. Beast. Lore definitely check that out.
• 21:47
  As we've come to expect from him, many of Mr. Beast's videos.
• 21:50
  Are highly produced and often lean into competition style
• 21:54
  formats. Some of his biggest hits include
• 21:56
  the Squid Games remake. Last to leave circle.
• 21:59
  Wins $500,000 and. 50 Youtubers fight for. $1 million while.
• 22:05
  These videos are popular. Amassing hundreds of millions
• 22:07
  of. Views.
• 22:08
  They aren't. Exactly original and don't
• 22:11
  showcase much of Jimmy's personality or focus on
• 22:14
  storytelling. That is not even to mention his
• 22:16
  beast Philanthropy content. While the money Jimmy has given
• 22:19
  away and the work that Beast philanthropy does has helped
• 22:22
  many people around the world, much of his content has faced
• 22:25
  criticism for essentially being tragedy porn.
• 22:28
  Critics argue that Jimmy positions himself as a savior of
• 22:31
  sorts, making content to help marginalized and low income
• 22:35
  communities without adequately addressing the underlying issues
• 22:38
  of economic and. Class disparities.
• 22:40
  As we concluded in our previous deep.
• 22:42
  Dive Mr. Beast's main motivation is going.
• 22:45
  Viral if you pay. Attention to how Jimmy.
• 22:48
  Talks about his career. In interviews, documentaries and
• 22:51
  even on social media, one message stands out more than his
• 22:55
  well known helping people mantra he's all about making.
• 22:58
  The best videos possible. And the.
• 23:01
  Best videos are the. Ones that guarantee the.
• 23:03
  Highest rates of viewer. Retention and virality while
• 23:07
  Jimmy has. Successfully carved.
• 23:09
  Out a niche on. YouTube he has also.
• 23:11
  Wanted to try to break into mainstream Hollywood.
• 23:13
  For instance, in a conversation on the Colin and Samir podcast,
• 23:17
  Jimmy did. Reveal that he has tried to
• 23:19
  work. Work with streaming platforms in
• 23:20
  the past. But has.
• 23:21
  Faced a number of roadblocks, Ryan Broderick offered his
• 23:24
  analysis of the interview back in 2023 for his newsletter
• 23:28
  Garbage Day. While Jimmy explains his
• 23:30
  frustration about working with a streaming platform, he
• 23:33
  simultaneously remains quote adamant that he doesn't have an
• 23:36
  ego and just wants to make cool stuff, but then pretty quickly
• 23:40
  starts rambling. About how he keeps.
• 23:42
  Getting accused of gaming YouTube.
• 23:44
  Because he is, according to Broderick.
• 23:47
  The journalist also adds that this.
• 23:49
  This was a telling moment. Rumors had been circulating for
• 23:52
  a while that. Hollywood was.
• 23:53
  Hesitant to work with Mr. Beast, with many producers and industry
• 23:57
  professionals doubting his ability to create something
• 23:59
  successful. Outside the viral space.
• 24:02
  Quote being unnaturally viral is all Mr. Beast really is at this
• 24:06
  point and it tarnishes everything he does based on how.
• 24:09
  Touchy he gets. Every time he tries and fails.
• 24:12
  To be taken seriously, he's clearly aware of how.
• 24:15
  Limiting this has become for him.
• 24:18
  Yes, he dominates you, but he also can't.
• 24:20
  Figure out how to. Cobble together enough lowest
• 24:23
  common denominator content. To escape it, Roderick writes,
• 24:28
  of course. This stands in stark contrast
• 24:30
  with how Hollywood has embraced other social media influencers
• 24:34
  like Emma Chamberlain. When Emma started her YouTube
• 24:36
  channel in 2016, she wasn't necessarily chasing influencer
• 24:40
  stardom, but rather using it as an outlet during a tough time at
• 24:44
  school. As Emma explained to The New
• 24:46
  York Times in 2019, she began to post on the platform after her
• 24:50
  dad encouraged her to find something outside of school that
• 24:52
  she enjoys. She told a similar.
• 24:54
  Story in her video. Titled Why I left.
• 24:56
  School saying she was having a bad time at school in her
• 24:59
  sophomore year and ended up becoming depressed.
• 25:02
  Ultimately, YouTube and vlogging were a source of happiness for
• 25:05
  her OF. Course, the videos that
• 25:07
  propelled her to viral stardom were all over.
• 25:09
  Edited and fast-paced, her instinctual style was defined.
• 25:13
  By rapid fire jump. Cuts slow MO zoom insurance and
• 25:16
  real time footage of her editing while lounging in bed in a
• 25:19
  hoodie. Her approach has evolved.
• 25:21
  Since then, with her latest videos being more mellow and
• 25:24
  conceptual with montages rather than rapid.
• 25:26
  Cuts. But as the New York Times notes,
• 25:29
  Emma's original style lives on, successfully creating quote an
• 25:33
  entire sub genre of videos that mimic her style and a.
• 25:36
  Host of Youtubers who talk or edit just like her.
• 25:40
  While at first it was difficult for her to.
• 25:42
  Break into the mainstream space she has definitely made a name
• 25:45
  for. Herself in the fashion.
• 25:46
  World being Vogue. Starling interviewing
• 25:49
  celebrities at the Mac. Gala for years at.
• 25:51
  This point. She has proven herself.
• 25:53
  As the Gen. Z trailblazer and trendsetter
• 25:55
  that Hollywood just couldn't resist.
• 25:58
  Mr. Beast's story, though. Feels more like Shane Dawson's.
• 26:01
  Both chased viral fame, but where Shane experimented with
• 26:04
  different strategies, from posting daily to launching new
• 26:07
  channels, Mr. Beast capitalized on audience retention with huge.
• 26:12
  Giveaways high. Production value and gripping
• 26:15
  openings in every video now like Shane's foray into the
• 26:18
  mainstream and was not cool. Mr. Beast has his.
• 26:21
  Chance with Beast Games, a new Amazon.
• 26:24
  Backed reality show. Promising a $5 million prize,
• 26:28
  however. The show has already.
• 26:29
  Sparked major controversy in September.
• 26:32
  A lawsuit was filed. Against Mr. Beast's production
• 26:35
  company and Amazon on behalf of participants alleging
• 26:38
  mistreatment, lack of basic provisions and even harassment
• 26:42
  on set, as Tom Spangler writes for Variety.
• 26:45
  The suit accuses the. Production team of creating
• 26:48
  conditions that led to to quote emotional breakdowns with
• 26:51
  contestants saying they were denied meals and rest 1
• 26:54
  contestant. Stated quote I expected.
• 26:56
  To be. Challenged, but I.
• 26:57
  Didn't think I would be treated like nothing.
• 27:00
  As one of the women, I can say it absolutely.
• 27:02
  Felt like a. Hostile environment for us.
• 27:04
  We honestly could not have been. Respected less as.
• 27:07
  People, much less employees if they tried.
• 27:10
  Ultimately, creators like Mr. Beast and Shane Dawson show us
• 27:14
  that while Hollywood now demands a following for brand, building,
• 27:18
  a long digital footprint isn't always an asset.
• 27:22
  For creators. Trying to make the.
• 27:23
  Leap to Hollywood. It's not.
• 27:25
  Just virality that opens. Doors.
• 27:28
  It's bringing something truly new and original to the table,
• 27:31
  something that many influencers have long.
• 27:34
  Struggled to achieve Infinite Scroll is a podcast.
• 27:38
  Produced, presented and Co written by me Lauren Meissner
• 27:41
  for Centennial World. This episode was researched.
• 27:44
  And written by Annabelle Ben David.
• 27:46
  Editing is by Danny Fenick. Thank you so much for listening.
• 27:49
  I love you guys so much and I will talk to you next.
• 27:52
  Week bye.