Movie Star vs YouTube Influencer
If you ask a bunch of teens about their aspirations you’re sure to hear YouTube Influencer. Many of us older folks will quickly make fun of this. But is it really any different than dreaming of becoming a movie star when we were young?
First lets look at movies.
Large studios create all the content as well as decide when and where it’s going to be seen. They pick the ideas, hire the writers, and promote the actors. They are in complete control.
Beyond the blind luck of being in the right place at the right time you need a level of privilege or inner circle friends to get accepted into the movie world. Basically, you needed to be picked by somebody with power to have any chance of success.
The movie stars seem to have a lavish lifestyle that is unimaginable to most of us. I suppose that’s the appealing part.
Most actors will never see success past the level of local stage productions, but they can entertain a lot of people doing something they enjoy.
Now lets look at YouTube.
Anyone can create a YouTube channel, the only question is whether or not we can do it well. There are essentially no barriers to entry since we can start with nothing more than a mobile phone and an idea.
We don’t need permission to get our content out in the world. We create it, release, it, and promote it as we see fit.
Millennials prefer watching YouTube two to one over traditional TV according to data from Omnicore and many others. YouTube stars also have a greater influence that traditional celebrities according to Forbes.
A few years ago I asked my son about his fascination with YouTube and he said “It’s just like TV except I can choose what I want to watch.” He even sees Netflix as old fashioned because it’s pretty much another version of traditional TV.
There’s a level of authenticity to people who create content about things they love. I’m still not too sure about watching people play video games. However, I’ve spent countless hours watching people putting a puck or ball in a net. Is it really all that different?
Most YouTubers will never create anything that grows to a large scale, but they can entertain a few people and develop useful skills along the way.
In summary.
We all know that dreaming of being a movie star has always been a long shot at best. Some of us may not understand the fascination with YouTube but we should be familiar with the dreams of being young.
In the end, it doesn’t matter if we make it to the big time or not. The reward should be in the little things discovered on the journey. The skills and knowledge gained along the way can enrich our lives in many different ways.
Becoming a superstar at anything may not be likely but we should be encouraging anyone trying to achieve a dream, regardless of the dream. We should applaud them for taking their future in their own hands. We should support them for putting a piece themselves out in the world.
What was your big dream as a child? What is your big dream now? What are you doing today to get a little bit closer to that dream? Leave a comment below.
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