JasonMundayMusic is August’s On The Rise Star

Congratulations to JasonMundayMusic, who won August’s On The Rise poll after receiving the most votes from the YouTube community. Thanks to your support, Jason Munday (and his friends) will be featured on the YouTube homepage all day today.

As the self-proclaimed “nerdiest YouTube musician,” Jason’s repertoire includes songwriting, singing, producing, and sound engineering. His long history of musical projects on YouTube include hit YouTube bands Ministry of Magic and The Oceanic Six, whose songs were inspired by pop culture. Jason credits Ministry of Magic (a collaborative project with YouTube stars Luke Conard and Ryan Seiler) with opening the trio up to the potential of a YouTube music career with hits such as “Don’t Leave,” “On The Other Side,” and “This Town.” The band members have since chosen to pursue individual careers and Jason’s current solo project, Skyway Flyer, artfully combines the big arena sounds of the 80s with modern dance rock. Check out the video below for an overview of Jason’s work, past and present.



Here’s a word from Jason about his YouTube history, channels, and collaborations:

"I've been a YouTuber for several years, a musician for over a decade, and a nerd for as long as I can remember. Being a YouTube musician is now my full time job, and I'm proud to say that I've got to be one of the nerdiest! I started writing nerdy music with Luke Conard and Ryan Seiler over 4 years ago, and as Ministry of Magic, we were extremely fortunate with our online following and support. Thanks to our fans, I've been able to quit my full time job, move to Los Angeles, and pursue my dream of music and video making. I've since been able to focus so much more time and energy toward many different music projects and being out in LA amongst a vast ocean of music & film industry people, not to mention the growing YouTuber population, I've been able to network and make friends that are always looking to collaborate and even just help each other out. I always try to excel at whatever it is I'm focusing my efforts towards, and I find it fascinating to be able to look back at where I started and the place I've reached and simply look forward to where to future will take me. I'm inexpressibly grateful for all the good fortune I've had and as long as there are people enjoying what I do, I will continue to create it!”

If you’ve enjoyed monthly On The Rise blog series and want to see more rising YouTube partners, check out our On The Rise channel or look for our playlists on the browse page. Keep an eye out for next month’s blog post, as your channel may be the next one On The Rise!

Devon Storbeck, Account Manager, recently watched “Ready For Anything" (Live!) - Skyway Flyer.”

More about → JasonMundayMusic is August’s On The Rise Star

YouTube is what you make it

Did you ever think you’d be a part of a revolution? Wonder if your contributions to the world would add up to something greater?

As we take the stage today at VidCon 2011, I can tell you for certain that they have. This two day gathering of annoying oranges, ukulele stars, voracious vloggers, super fans and thousands of other YouTubers like you is about changing the media landscape—one upload, view and mashup at a time. Not satisfied with just watching media, you've become the media. Not satisfied with flipping channels complaining there’s nothing on, you’ve created new ones with hundreds of millions of viewers, some of which will become as well known as networks like MTV, CNN and ESPN.

To all the people who are creating content on YouTube, THANK YOU. You have built the site into what it is today and we’re as committed as ever to providing you with the tools you need to make high quality videos and drive audiences to your channels. Initiatives like YouTube NextUp, the YouTube Creator Institute, and the revamped Creator Hub are part of this effort, as is the work we’re doing to make YouTube easy to watch on TV. And keep the feedback coming on Cosmic Panda—we look forward to re-inventing with you how YouTube works and feels in the future.

If you weren’t able to make it to VidCon this year and are eager to catch some familiar YouTube faces, we’ll be livestreaming a special VidCon performance on Saturday at 5pm PT. Come by and check it out!

Salar Kamangar, Head of YouTube, recently watched “VidCon 2011 Approaches.”

More about → YouTube is what you make it

Introducing Smarter Every Day, your July On The Rise winner

Congratulations to Smarter Every Day (aka destinws2), who received the most votes in July’s On The Rise poll to become this month’s winner. Smarter Every Day will own the homepage spotlight all day today, thanks to your support.

Smarter Every Day is the result of Destin's fascination with the scientific method and his job as a rocket tester, bringing science to life with experiments like tracking movement patterns of chicken’s head and a DIY high-speed camera. Destin aims to have the channel leave you a little smarter about the science behind our world, while also hoping to motivate his children to explore and even to help with their college education. To kick off your experience with Smarter Every Day, Destin put together a Rube Goldberg system of rockets that’s eye-popping for both the visuals and the fact that he made it in 36 hours.



Here’s a word from Destin about Smarter Every Day:

Imagine a Junior High school science fair except the kids have Master's degrees in Rocket Propulsion and have access to much cooler resources. Since I could talk I've always asked ‘why,’ and I frequently setup experiments to answer just that question. I love to explore creation using the tools of the Scientific method as my map and compass. The saying I've taught my children is that ‘in a world of talkers we are to be thinkers and doers.’ I am very thankful for those who took the time to vote for ‘Smarter Every Day’ in the On The Rise video contest. Come join the fun and contribute science projects you'd like to see in this science fair!

If you’ve enjoyed monthly On The Rise blog series and want to see more rising YouTube partners, check out our On The Rise channel or look for our playlists on the browse page. Keep an eye out for next month’s blog post, as your channel may be the next one On The Rise!

Devon Storbeck, Account Manager, recently watched “Magnet making Current - Smarter Every Day 16.”

More about → Introducing Smarter Every Day, your July On The Rise winner

Celebrating the creativity of YouTube’s Partners

College friends make trick basketball shots into a career. A small blender company gets international attention by blending glow sticks and iPads. A musician goes from bagging groceries to beatboxing around the world. One of the most inspiring things about YouTube is the way people across the U.S. and around the world use it as a way to express their passions—and to turn those passions into careers.

There are more than 20,000 people in the YouTube Partner Program, and numerous other companies and organizations use YouTube to draw attention to their causes and promote their businesses. Hundreds of people are making six-figure incomes on the site, enabling them to hire editors and producers and create even more original content. We’re helping our Partners grow their careers by running programs like YouTube NextUp and Creator Institute, and working to make the site a better and better place for people to grow businesses and build audiences.

To shine a light on the many inspiring things happening on YouTube, we’ve put together a report sharing the stories of 20 YouTube Partners who are changing lives, businesses and in some cases, history. You can download a PDF version of “YouTube: Celebrating the next generation of creative video” or visit it online at youtube.com/awesomeytpartners. YouTube is a very special place because of the passion of our Partners and the positivity they bring, and we hope you’ll find these stories as uplifting as we do.

Tom Pickett, director of content operations and online creators, recently watched “WWII hero and alumnus Louis Zamperini visits USC Annenberg class."

More about → Celebrating the creativity of YouTube’s Partners

Introducing June’s On The Rise Nominees

It’s already mid-June, which means summer in the U.S. and a new set of On The Rise program nominees are here. We’re proud of our talented partners, and we invite you to check out these folks and vote for your favorite in the poll at the top right corner of the blog.

Here’s how it works: we identify channels who have grown their subscriber base in the past 30 days but haven’t yet reached 100,000. You vote on your favorite on the poll, and at the end of the week, the nominee with the most votes wins exposure on the YouTube homepage and videos page, as well as posts on Facebook and Twitter. Past winners like joshsundquist, theslowmoguys, and cutegirlshairstyles have seen their channels grow, all thanks to your support.

This month’s nominees showcase a range of video that will teach you, entertain you and thrill you. Take a look at their featured videos below, and cast your vote by June 22 at 6:00pm PT. Please note that only votes in the poll on the blog will count, and we’ll announce the channel with the most votes on this blog and the YouTube homepage on June 29.

Vihart
Vi Hart describes herself as a “recreational mathemusician.” She has a passion for music and hobby for mathematical art. On YouTube, Vi walks her audience through whimsical lessons that evolve from staged math class doodles. Who said math couldn’t be fun?



ThePianoGuys
Paul and Tel weren’t even thinking of YouTube when they opened their Yamaha Piano dealership in St. George, Utah, 10 years ago. But after seeing a steady flow of talented musicians coming through their store, they decided to combine their love of pianos with their passion for filmmaking. Their goal is to introduce the world to more talented pianists, and their YouTube channel is already a destination for musicians and music-lovers alike.



TommyandGracie
It’s hard not to love kittens and puppies, and Tommy the chihuahua and Gracie the cat — best friends since they were young — sure are cute. Lucky for us, their owners have documented their play-fights and antics on YouTube for all to enjoy.



Hrlmglobetrotters
The famed Harlem Globetrotters have thrilled audiences around the world for the past 84 years in more than 25,000 exhibition games. Their channel showcases clips of their shows, impersonations and interviews with members who continue the team’s tradition of combining theater with basketball.



If you’re inspired by what you see here, check out other up-and-coming Partners by visiting our On the Rise channel, which features nominees, trending partners and winners. Look for more featured rising partners on the Browse page.

Devon Storbeck, YouTube Partner Support, recently watched “Geese Surf Glenwood Wave @ 25,500 cfs!!”

More about → Introducing June’s On The Rise Nominees

The inaugural YouTube U.S. NextUp class gives their commencement address

Editor’s note: We just wrapped up the first ever Creator Camp as part of the YouTube NextUp program in the U.S., and we felt like we should hand it over to the class itself to tell you all how the week went - in (mostly) their own words. The class filled in the blanks for this blog post - you can follow each link to see who contributed that phrase. Huge congratulations to the first ever YouTube NextUp class!

We’re a group of 25 YouTube Partners who were bodacious enough to be selected for the first ever YouTube NextUp program. We received $35,000 from YouTube to take our career to the next level, and were invited to attend a special Creator Camp in New York to perfect our skills.

That first ever YouTube Creator Camp wrapped up last Friday, and it can best be described as stinkin awesome. The week started with a group of alien individuals getting to know each other, and by the end of it, we were our own YouTube wolf pack.

New York city provided a frenetic backdrop to our experience. For some of us, it was our first trip to the Big Apple, and it was common to hear people saying “this isn’t anything like Dallas”. Or sometimes “do you smell that?”

It’s hard to pick out highlights in a week that was so overwhelmingly intense, but they have to include the time when Luke Conard wore a full face of makeup and also the moment when I held back tears after being handed the biggest check I have ever received as an independent filmmaker.

We worked hard during the week and learned a lot. One of the most important lessons we came away with was to bring along Chescaleigh if you want someone to eat a fish eye at a Chinese restuarant, and also that it's a marathon, not a sprint. And we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out that humping the air on occasion was really important too.  (Ok, ok, the main thing we all learned was the importance of collaboration!)

During the final presentation, we learned that our videos have collectively been viewed more than 30 million times this year alone - which made us feel like rock stars.

Shooting the collaborative videos was a crazy and amazing experience. You can see some a sneak preview of our projects below - we think you’ll agree it’s pretty epic, with dashes of sentimental mushiness.

What will the future hold for us, as the first YouTube NextUp class? We’re sure it’s going to involve tons of amazing video collaborations and probably a little bit of sweet sweet YouTube money. (Editor’s note: Each of our YouTube NextUp participants received $35,000 to take their YouTube channel to the next level).

So tune in - watch our videos as they progress towards respectability, and we’ll do our best to keep producing the same genuine, creative and fun-filled videos that you’ve grown used to. The YouTube community is full of awesome and creative people, and we really want to make sure we continue to rock it out in future. Here’s to ever-growing view counts and a happy YouTube future.

YouTube NextUp Class of 2011, recently watched “25 winners, 25 videos, countless memories - YouTube NextUp NYC 2011 Recap.”

More about → The inaugural YouTube U.S. NextUp class gives their commencement address

CuteGirlsHairstyles wins May’s “On The Rise”

Congratulations to Mindy of CuteGirlsHairstyles, the YouTube Partner that won May’s edition of On The Rise with a record number of votes on the YouTube blog. On The Rise is your chance to decide which growing partner will get a day in the spotlight on the YouTube homepage, and based on your votes, CuteGirlsHairstyles is featured on our homepage today.

CuteGirlsHairstyles began years ago when Mindy’s eldest daughters were 18 months old. She started experimenting with new hairstyles to avoid standard pigtails, keeping a photo collection to keep track of the styles. She then created a blog to share the techniques and expanded her network to YouTube, where her video hairstyle tutorials like “Waterfall French Braid,” “Twists into Side Flip,” and “Side Ponytail Combo” quickly caught on.



Here’s a word from Mindy:

“I am a wife, a mom to six children (five of them girls), a hairblogger, a school board member, passionate about adoption, and full-time CEO and Logistics Director of our "organized chaos!” YouTube has become a major driver for our hairstyles, with thousands of subscribers coming from all over the world. For me, providing these tutorials brings satisfaction in knowing that girls worldwide are receiving a boost to their self esteems from all the daily compliments. It is also nice knowing that my daughters and I are helping moms and daughters find bonding time together each day. We sincerely want to thank our YouTube subscribers and fans for voting CuteGirlsHairstyles as May 2011's YouTube 'On The Rise' winner!"

If you’re enjoying our monthly blog series and want to see more rising YouTube stars, head over to our “On The Rise” channel and check out our playlists on the browse page. Check back next month, as your channel may be the next one featured!

Devon Storbeck, Partner Support, recently watched “Beachy Combo | Beautiful Hairstyles.”

More about → CuteGirlsHairstyles wins May’s “On The Rise”

YouTube Creator Institute is in session — with live streamed guest professors

Three months ago, we launched the YouTube Creator Institute with two institutions to provide aspiring content creators the fundamental skills to be successful on YouTube. The classes for the programs at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Columbia College Chicago begin this month, and include guest lectures from acclaimed directors, producers, comedians, musicians and industry leaders.

We’d like to share the Creator Institute experience, so we invite you to ask questions for live streamed classes with some of these special guests throughout the summer. Here’s a rundown:

May 25: Jon Landau, Academy Award-winning Producer of Avatar and Titanic
Submit a question | Watch Live May 25 @ 7pm PT

May 31: Melissa Rosenberg, Acclaimed Writer and Producer of the Twilight Saga, Dexter and many others
Submit a question | Watch Live May 31 @ 7pm PT

June 1: SuzAnn Brantner, Head of Alternative Distribution and Marketing for Music, Film and Books at William Morris Endeavor
Submit a question | Watch Recorded Lecture from June 1

June 2: MysteryGuitarMan and FreddieW, YouTube Partners with millions of subscribers and views
Submit a question | Watch Live June 2 @ 7pm PT

June 14: McG, Director of Terminator Salvation and Charlie’s Angels, and Executive Producer of Supernatural, The OC and many others
Submit a question | Watch Live June 14 @ 7pm PT

July 7: Barely Political, one of YouTube’s most subscribed channels and creators of Obama Girl, Key of Awesome and Autotune the News
Submit a question | Watch Live July 7 @ 4pm PT

This program, in addition to YouTube NextUp, are part of the YouTube Next mission to supercharge creator development and accelerate Partner growth and success. Each program has a uniquely-created curriculum, featuring the skills of each university to provide YouTubers with storytelling and production techniques, as well as new media skills to be successful in today’s media.

You can visit youtube.com/creatorinstitute for more info around notices and links to guest lectures. Stay tuned for more surprises and more ways to get involved in YouTube creator programs this summer.

Bing Chen, YouTube Creator Institute Lead, recently watched “Never Enough - D-Pryde (Produced By: Scena) (Original).”

More about → YouTube Creator Institute is in session — with live streamed guest professors

Meet April’s On The Rise nominees

Every month, we identify four channels that are experiencing big gains in subscribers but haven’t yet reached the 100,000 mark. Then we ask you to vote for your favorite. We’ll reward the winner with exposure on the YouTube homepage and the videos channel as well as posts on Facebook and Twitter. It’s all about giving a kick start to the next generation of Partners who will go on to do big things on YouTube. Past winners like emilynoel83, justjesse197 and joshsundquist have seen their subscriber numbers jump, thanks to your support.

This month, our nominees are all artists of one kind or another. They may express it in pen and paper, slow motion film or beehives -- but each, in his or her own way has something unique to say. Check them out, and then cast your vote in the upper right-hand corner of this blog by April 20; we’ll announce the winner on April 28.

PacificPastime
If you’re looking for portraiture, look no farther. The 22-year-old California-based artist known as PacificPastime can conjure up just about any celebrity with just a few colored pencils and a piece of paper. Her sped-up videos make it look a bit like magic.



outofabluesky
The man behind outofabluesky, McCartney Taylor, has a thing for meteorites and engineering. But when it comes to bees, he’s really in his element -- offering short videos on everything you need to know about a hobby that’s become wildly popular in recent years. Bring on the honey!



HollywoodBubbleInc
Hollywood Bubble Inc. is a Hollywood-based production company led by Ruben Garay and Jimmy Sereno. The guys produce a short film each week as well as tutorials on how to replicate big-budget action scenes yourself -- on no budget at all. They invite the community to post their efforts as video responses and reward them with feature spots.



theslowmoguys
They claim they’re lazy, but The Slow Mo Guys seem to be anything but. They gather equipment and set up situations to film, then slow that film down to show you how the intricacies of how matter actually behaves: tiny revelations in slow motion.



If you’re inspired by what you see here, check out other up-and-coming Partners by visiting our On the Rise channel, which features nominees, trending partners and winners. Look for more featured rising partners on the Browse page.

Sarah Bardeen, Music Community Manager, recently watched “Fredrik - Flora (full album stream).”

More about → Meet April’s On The Rise nominees

The DigiTour: Live from Google HQ!

You’ve subscribed to them by the millions, commented thousands of times on their videos, and “liked” them over and over - and now you can see them live, in a city near you. The stars of the YouTube music world are hitting the road for The DigiTour, presented by YouTube. It’s the most comprehensive concert series yet featuring exclusively the stars of the YouTube music world - performers with one billion combined views and more than six million subscriptions.

The DigiTour will run for six weeks across 27 cities in North America, bringing together talented artists who got their big break on YouTube. Artists like Dave Days, The Gregory Brothers, David Choi, DeStorm, MysteryGuitarMan and Ricky Ficarelli will bring their unique sounds and high energy acts to the big stage - and you might also get to discover some new YouTube acts. To give you a taste of what’s to come, the nationwide tour will be previewed with a special live-streamed concert from Google HQ on Friday, April 8, from 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. PT. Tune in to www.youtube.com/youtube to watch the event.

After their first official stop in LA, the tour will hit Phoenix, Oakland, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte, Atlanta, Orlando, Miami, Washington D.C, New York City, Detroit, Chicago and many other cities. Tickets are on sale now at www.thedigitour.com.

Here’s a taste of what to expect:


If you’re a YouTube Partner in any of the concert cities, stay tuned for more information on YouTube’s new Creator Clubs initiative that we’re starting to roll out across the country. To make it easier for YouTube Partners to stay in touch and collaborate, we’re helping Partners to organize their own Creator Clubs events to share information and ideas, and the club will kick off in each of these towns as The DigiTour visits. We hope some of our newer Partners will be inspired by seeing their YouTube heroes on the big stage.

For more information on The DigiTour lineup, updates and ticket information, visit www.thedigitour.com or follow them on Twitter here. Buy your ticket today!

Margaret Healy, Strategic Partner Manager, recently watched “The DigiTour Announcement!!!”

More about → The DigiTour: Live from Google HQ!

Become a YouTube star in Europe

Thousands of online video creators across Europe are taking their creative talents to YouTube, generating big followings and earning money as part of the YouTube Partner Program. We want more people from across Europe to join in!

That’s why we’re hosting the first ever European YouTube Partner events dedicated to the producers, directors, writers, artists, video and media professionals of the future. The events will take place in six cities across Europe between March 31 and April.

At 'Becoming YouTube Stars', online video creators will:

• Learn how to create and promote their content on YouTube
• Find out about how to become a YouTube Partner and generate revenue
• Get a sneak peak at upcoming product releases and partner dedicated features
• Hear from a panel of successful YouTube Partners about how they’ve built their channels

Details of all the events are below:

• Madrid - March 31, 2011, at Hotel Silken Puerta América Madrid - RSVP here.
• Paris - April 4, 2011, at Les Docks de Paris - Dock Eiffel - RSVP here.
• Berlin - April 6, 2011, at Postbahnhof - RSVP here.
• Amsterdam - April 8, 2011, at Amsterdam Convention Factory - RSVP here.
• Rome - April 11, 2011, at Salone delle Fontane - RSVP here.
• London - April 14, 2011, at Ravensbourne Design College - RSVP here.

Spaces are limited, so register now to secure your seat.

Sara Mormino, Head of YouTube Online Content Partnerships EMEA, recently watched “Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie.”

More about → Become a YouTube star in Europe

YouTube NextUp: Are you the next big thing on YouTube?

Last year, our top YouTube partners generated more than 100 billion views and drew in millions of dollars through our revenue-sharing Partner Program. Talented Partners drew huge audiences with channels that showed people how to crochet flowers, apply the perfect lipstick - and sometimes just how to have fun.

We believe that the successful singers, dancers, actors, producers, musicians and make-up artists of the future are practicing their craft on YouTube today. As we said recently, Partners are the heart of our platform, and we want to see even more of them take the next step in their YouTube careers and turn their video hobbies into careers or even businesses.

Today we’re announcing YouTube Next’s second initiative, designed exclusively for up-and-coming YouTube Partners: YouTube NextUp. YouTube NextUp is about accelerating the growth of the next big YouTube stars. Up to 25 Partners from around the United States will be selected for the development program, which offers:

• $35,000 in funding to produce a new project, purchase new tools or advance their overall YouTube careers
• A spot at a four-day YouTube Creator Camp in which they’ll benefit from 1:1 mentoring and learn an array of production techniques from leading industry and YouTube experts
• Promotion of their final work and channel
• The opportunity to become better connected with a special community of aspiring and talented content creators from around the world

We’re asking existing YouTube Partners to apply with a short (up to three minute) video that best represents their craft and the initiatives that they’d like to pursue on YouTube--whether it be a new brand of talk show, short film, or other type of new content. We’re also asking for short written responses that explain how they’ll use the $35,000, why they want to be part of the program, and what they hope to learn at the YouTube Creator Camp. Partners can apply at youtube.com/youtubenextup by midnight PT on March 27, 2011.

Our Partners succeed thanks to the support and interest of the YouTube community, so we’re encouraging the community to cast their votes on the long list of finalists from March 29 to April 8 at youtube.com/creators, to indicate who they want to see among the next generation of stars. And after this public voting ends, a final shortlist of Partners will go forward to the final round, judged by a panel of YouTube representatives. Final YouTube NextUp winners will be announced on April 20 at youtube.com/creators.

Who should apply? Up-and-coming Partners (those with less than 300,000 subscribers) who are committed to advancing their YouTube careers and to produce the next generation of fresh, compelling content. Last week, we announced another initiative from YouTube Next, the YouTube Creator Institute - please note that eligible Partners need to choose whether to apply for either that program or YouTube NextUp - sorry, you can’t apply for both! Full program and application rules are here.

Stay tuned for more YouTube Next initiatives over the coming months--both for Partners and creators in the United States and abroad. We’re excited to see what novel new online experiences and genre-pushing productions our talented Partners come up with. Apply today!

Heather Wall, New Business Development, recently watched “Star Wars According to a 3 Year Old.”

More about → YouTube NextUp: Are you the next big thing on YouTube?

What goes into making a great party? Howcast finds out

Howcast’s new series, Party Builders, seeks to highlight the hottest events happening around the world -- not just their glossy outsides and chaotic backstage areas, but the entire planning process leading up to the parties. Series producers Darlene Liebman and Paul Leo and Howcast Editorial Director Bene Cipolla tell us more.

1) How do you choose which parties to cover?
We look for large-scale productions with a "wow factor." We search for intriguing components, exciting performances, exhilarating settings, and compelling backstories.

2) What should YouTube users know about throwing awesome parties?
Planning is key! Pick a killer prep team and get organized. But no matter how much you plan, you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Something unplanned will pop up, and you'll need to just roll with it. Deep breaths!

3) What are some tips to making great videos at parties?
Think about what you want to capture -- and how you want to set up your shots -- ahead of time. If the event is at night, be sure to use a camera that's good in low light. Study the schedule so you know where to be and when, and consider using more than one camera and multiple crew members to capture as much as you can. Remember that this is a live event -- there are no redos!

4) What's something about the series that no one would know by looking at it?
Each four-minute episode was created from more than 40 hours of footage!

5) What is your favorite episode shot so far and why?
Our favorite is probably episode 3 for two reasons: First, because Doha's setting is incredibly dramatic and the scale of the event was just massive, and second, because we found the overall message of bringing communities together through film really impactful.

More about → What goes into making a great party? Howcast finds out

Supercharging the “Next” phase in YouTube partner development

2010 was a big year for content creators on YouTube. Our Partner Program grew to over 15,000 partners worldwide; presidential parodies and clever online-only ads became viral sensations; “annoying” but lovable fruits and unassuming Alabamans transformed uncomfortable situations into triumphant social memes. What became clearer than ever was the YouTube community’s ability to constantly bring new entertainment and experiences into the mainstream. And, many of our partners were making enough money doing what they love to buy a new house, or even make a career out of their videos. In fact, the number of partners making over $1,000 a month is up 300% since the beginning of 2010 and we now have hundreds of partners making six figures a year. But frankly, “hundreds” making a living on YouTube isn’t enough and in 2011 we know we can and should do more to help our partners grow.

Today, we are happy to announce a significant increase in our commitment to our aspiring and successful creators on YouTube.

• YouTube Next. YouTube Next is a new team tasked with supercharging creator development and accelerating partner growth and success. The team will also spearhead a series of YouTube Next-branded programs and services that will build off past partner development initiatives such as the Partner Grants Program that advanced partners funds based on future YouTube revenue share and the recent $1,000 credits at B&H Photo given to partners to purchase new camera equipment. The YouTube Next team and programs will expand our partner meet-ups and community events, increase investment in partner education and training and launch new capabilities in audience development.

• Next New Networks. We are extremely excited to announce the acquisition of Next New Networks. Since launching in March 2007, the Next New Networks team has built a highly effective platform for developing, packaging and building audiences around original web video programming, attracting over 2 billion views and 6 million subscribers across their partner networks of channels and shows. Within YouTube, Next New Networks will be a laboratory for experimentation and innovation with the team working in a hands on way with a wide variety of content partners and emerging talent to help them succeed on YouTube. We are thrilled with the new capability the team brings and the positive impact it will have making our YouTube partners more successful.

At YouTube, we’re focused on building a great technology platform for creators, and so we leave the actual creation of great videos to the people who do it best: our partners. This new group and the addition of the Next New Networks team doesn’t change that. But being a great platform for creators also means helping our partners get the tools and guidance they need to develop higher quality videos and drive bigger audiences to their work.

2011 promises to be an exciting year for the online video industry. We look forward to announcing more YouTube Next initiatives throughout the year, chronicling the impact on partners and highlighting the results on this blog for everyone to enjoy.

Tom Pickett, Director of Global Content Operations and YouTube Next, recently watched “GoPro HD: Human Flight - World Base Race 2010 with Neil Amonson.”

More about → Supercharging the “Next” phase in YouTube partner development

On the Rise: We need your votes!

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."

More about → On the Rise: We need your votes!

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.”

More about → Showtime’s “SHORT stories” recruits YouTube finest to make short films

JoshSundquist is January’s “On the Rise” star

Congrats to Josh Sundquist, who edged past Luke Conard in the final hours to win this month’s edition of On the Rise, the program where you decide who goes on the homepage based on a shortlist of channels that’ve experienced fast growth in the last month. Josh is on the homepage today, thanks to your support.

Josh’s list of talents seemingly has no end. He’s an author, a skier, a rapper, a motivational speaker and, naturally, a skilled videographer:



Here’s more from the man himself:

“The growth of my channel is due entirely to the awesomeness of the YouTube community. I especially want to thank iJustine. Even if I wanted to, I could not possibly exaggerate how much she has helped my channel. Also thanks to KsicsFaces for his vids about me, to the VlogBrothers for the stage time at VidCon 2010, to ShaneDawsonTV and Smosh for tweeting my vids, to WillOfDC for promoting my tour, to sxephil, LinzLoves and WHATTHEBUCK for tweeting my book, to Catrific and ItsMeJennaE for putting me in their box, to MissGlamorazzi for her shout-out, to Lisa Harbin for all her behind-the-scenes assistance, and most importantly, to you, my viewers. Without you all watching, talking into a camera would be a very weird hobby. Which is to say, more strange than it already is.”

And that’s not all. Due to the fun we’ve had since starting this program, we’ve created a channel to house regular playlists of even more rising YouTube stars -- because so many more channels deserve a wider audience. These playlists will be featured on the browse page and Tweeted, and will be updated several times a week. Make sure to check back often as your own channel might be featured!

Mia Quagliarello, Community Manager, recently watched “Amputee Rap.”

More about → JoshSundquist is January’s “On the Rise” star

The Onion’s A.V. Club “Inventory” lists become YouTube videos

The folks at the A.V. Club (the pop culture wing of The Onion) have a new series debuting on YouTube this week called “Inventory,” based on the popular lists by the same name at avclub.com. If you chug pop culture, but like it served up with a twist, “Inventory” will delight every nerve in your nerdy body.



1) What was the genesis of the Inventory program?
Inventory started as a weekly feature on avclub.com in 2005 -- we've done something like 300 of them now! We wanted to challenge ourselves to do a list-type feature in our own way, without being trite or boring like so many lists are. We never wanted to do anything like "10 sexiest movie scenes" or anything; we'd rather do "14 movies featuring tragic masturbation scenes." (Like the one in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. You know what I mean.) It quickly grew into our most popular feature; our readers love to comment on what we missed, and what they agree/disagree with.

2) How does YouTube help in your process, if at all?
We use YouTube all the time to embellish the text Inventory pieces. We'll very frequently reference movie scenes or particular songs, and it's great to be able to show and tell. Sometimes the Inventories are really long -- I've had people tell me that they spent hours just reading one and watching all of the accompanying YouTube clips. Probably while they're supposed to be working.

3) How can the YouTube community get involved in the show, making recommendations or other?
We're often inspired by commenters with new Inventory ideas, and we've always positioned Inventory as an incomplete list of whatever we're talking about. If we have 24 great films too painful to watch twice, for example, we'll learn of a dozen more that could've been on the list from our commenters. We like to think of the feature as the beginning of a conversation, not the end of it.

4) What's a little known fact about Inventory that you'd never know by watching it?
Maybe that we argue amongst ourselves about what should be included. Sometimes people read Inventory as a definitive list of things, not realizing that there are half a dozen people in a room, often vehemently disagreeing on whether something should be included.

5) What question would you ask yourselves if you were doing this interview?
Are you hungry? Can I get you a snack?

Josh Modell, General Manager, The A.V. Club, graciously answered these questions but points out that “pretty much everybody in The A.V. Club had a creative hand in these video segments.”

More about → The Onion’s A.V. Club “Inventory” lists become YouTube videos

Partners, please join us for the first virtual meetup

January is a generally a cold month, so rather than getting out your winter coat and travelling to a partner meetup, we thought we’d kick off 2011 with live event on the YouTube channel. This meetup will be product-focused and near and dear to many of your wallets: we’ll cover how to make money on YouTube, advertising options, and some new innovations coming your way soon.

YouTube Product Manager Phil Farhi will be leading the discussion, so make sure to round up all your money- and ad-related questions on the YouTube channel now. You’ve got until Monday, January 17, to submit your question, and then we encourage you to watch what Phil’s got to say during the live event.

Date: Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Time: 2 p.m. PST
Web address: Live streaming at www.youtube.com/YouTube

During the stream, you’ll be able to ask follow-up questions via Twitter using the hashtag #YTPartner. We’ll monitor these tweets and address as many questions as we can during the live stream.

Looking forward to meeting up online!

Margaret Healy, Strategic Partner Manager, recently watched “Kauai - The Lost World - Canon 5D Mark II.”

More about → Partners, please join us for the first virtual meetup

On the Rise: Help these users get on the homepage!

Check it out, people! This month’s “On the Rise” nominees are in -- and we need your help to choose a winner.

Just to remind you how this works: we identify a handful of channels who’ve rapidly increased their subscriber base in the last 30 days but haven’t yet hit the 100,000 mark. You watch their videos, and then vote for your favorite in the top right-hand corner of this blog. You have until noon PT on January 14, 2011, to make your choice. Once we have a winner, we’ll give them a big leg up with a feature on the YouTube homepage and videos page, as well as love on Facebook and Twitter. Past winners emilynoel83 and justjesse197 more than doubled the number of subscribers gained during the month of their spotlight versus the previous month, and Emily is close to hitting the 100,000 subscriber milestone herself.

And now, in alphabetical order, here are the nominees for the homepage spotlight on January 22:

Michael Aranda
You never quite know what you’re going to get with a Michael Aranda video: one minute he’s dropping knowledge, the next he’s freak-dancing -- or turning his car into an art project.



Luke Conard
Catchy pop songs. A sense of humor. Adorably goofy videos....What’s not to like about Luke Conard?



Tori Kelly
Tori Kelly’s just 18 years old, but she plays piano and guitar and sings like nobody’s business. Check out one of her original songs.



Josh Sundquist
Josh Sundquist has quite a personal story: overcoming childhood cancer and a leg amputation to become an athlete, inspirational speaker and author. Check out his sweet and affecting animations.



Mia Quagliarello, Community Manager, recently watched “Taylor Momsen escapes paparazzi.”

More about → On the Rise: Help these users get on the homepage!