WP2: Matt’s Interview
Matthew Sorgie, a.k.a @matthewsorgie on most platforms, is a talented fine artist who got huge on TikTok and Instagram within the past couple of years. With several hundred thousand followers on both platforms, he was more than qualified to speak on my topic. He is now my classmate in the animation major of SCA here at USC, and he graciously let me ask him about his experience as a content creator and artist.
https://www.instagram.com/matthewsorgie/
If I’m honest, when I first traded Instagram pages with him when we first met, my eyes widened at the shocking sight of 200 thousand followers. I thought to myself “woah, this guy actually made it,” as a twinge of jealousy rushed over me. Obviously, that was just a knee-jerk reaction after being accustomed to numbers closer to hundreds or a few thousand.
Even now, it makes me cringe thinking about how that was our first impression. I was curious how he felt about it, having such a large audience centered around him and his art. He began with an overview of when he first started posting more personal pieces.
“I would say when I was in high school and I was just posting pretty much my main Instagram and a little bit on YouTube when I had the time, it was less numbers because it was like I didn’t have so much time to invest in that. But still, it’s on your mind. It’s like, how many likes did this post get? And I think with YouTube, too, it’s like, how many views? Because it’s like you have one thing that does really well then that’s the thing to, like, top.”
I responded, relating. “It’s like always trying to top yourself, because I always find myself adjusting what I post to what I see does better, even, like, subconsciously.”
“Yeah. Oh, absolutely. I think that’s interesting because I remember being really young, like middle school, and being frustrated because if I posted fan art, it would get so many likes. Something that I had done on my own just would never do as well just because somebody’s like, oh, I like this character and you just drew them so they’ll like it.”
He mentioned to me during our conversation how he had his start online posting drawings of Disney characters and watching art tutorials on YouTube. When you post something you know people will like, it sets you up for an expectation that it will do well in terms of likes and interactions. To him, he says it “really messes with your reward system,” which it totally does. You feel more inclined to stay inside of a box when you’re getting good statistical feedback on one type of post.
“When you build a following of people who expect one thing from you and when you can’t keep that up, they don’t want to keep that up anymore. And then it’s like, I feel like it gets in your head.”
This, to me, was the perfect way to describe the primary struggle with making content and art on a weekly or daily basis for others. The priority is the response rather than the creation.
“I feel like when I was in the thick of it, especially my daily drawing was like, I felt like there were just eyes everywhere. Because you have, like, a safe space, like a sketchbook, and that’s supposed to be, like, your time to just have fun, not have anybody think about what you’re doing. Like, experiment, make ugly stuff, you know what I mean? And then when I felt like I had to post every day and maintain my following, keep people engaged, I felt like whatever I made needed to be posted.”
It wasn’t just the fact that he posted nearly every day, but that he was making separate content across three different platforms simultaneously. “I think that was like a big reason I felt like I was burning out was because I was trying to be active on, like, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok.”
I was impressed he kept up with it for as long as he did. It’s a miracle that full time content creators don’t drop dead from spreading themself so thin. You have to be your own boss, assistant, coordinator, editor, and finally make the content you’re actually passionate about. “It’s, like, impossible to keep up with. Truly! Like, one person. It’s ridiculous.”
I’ve also experienced this self imposed pressure. Even when drawing the gross sketchbook pieces I was trying to make specifically for myself, I would have a thought in the back of my head telling me that it would make a good post. The difference between us is the fact that there would be zero consequences if I did or didn’t post the drawing, but for Matt, it was a different story.
Matt’s followers are very involved in his personality alongside his work. He was, after all, a full time content creator for a period of time. He told me: “People get so used to a certain person’s schedule, you slip up one day and they’re like.”Um, Where are you? It’s Wednesday, hello?”
This screenshot was just from a few days ago despite the fact he went on a hiatus in August of last year.
Matt’s followers are very involved in his personality alongside his work. He was, after all, a full time content creator for a period of time. He told me: “People get so used to a certain person’s schedule, you slip up one day and they’re like.”Um, Where are you? It’s Wednesday, hello?”
I commented on how odd of a dynamic it was between the viewers and the creator. It’s so weird how he would hypothetically have to tell his audience that he was planning on taking a break- it’s like they’re his boss and his success rides on their approval. I added how he should “just, like, leave without saying anything”.
“No literally, that’s what I did. I just wanted, like, no questions asked, just to cold turkey it. And so, I stopped posting I think like in june? And still I get messages sometimes from some people”
This screenshot was just from a few days ago despite the fact he went on a hiatus in August of last year.
Even though the constant stream of messages he gets are overwhelming, they all come from a genuinely loving place. He even told me himself, saying “on Instagram, truly, I’ve received nothing but kindness and I am so grateful for it.” Alongside a lot of the stress, Matt emphasized how many amazing opportunities he had and people he met because of his time of Internet fame.
In any case, that sort of community and interaction sets the user up on a pedestal. Matt described his following simply as “a niche group of people who know that I exist,” finding it hard to conceptualize the vast amount of people he has the attention of. Online, it’s hard to find a balance between ‘god of the arts’ and being a casual artist.
Sources:
Sorgie, Matthew. Personal Interview. 4 March 2022.