Vlogging Before Vlogging was a Thing
Throughout my whole Digital Media coursework, one of the projects that I have learned from the most was this project. Exploring a digital author has allowed me to relate better to what engages my teen students.
When I first approached this project I wanted to see who my teens thought was the most influential vlogger or social media person out there. To gain this knowledge I informally polled 50+ students over the course of one day (as they came to sign in for directed study in my library) and asked them who should I be paying attention to? My only criteria was that I would like it to be someone who was not famous via another talent, for example as a musician (I had a lot of Taylor Swift and Kayne West responses). The person who overwhelmingly came up over and over was Emma Chamberlain.
While I had heard her name once or twice before in conversations, I had not yet explored her brand on social media and YouTube. As I dove into exploring her I was surprised at her amount of content and her brand as an everyday teen with ramblings on topics from clothing, to taste tastes, to exploring things she is and is not interested in. Her style of filming, and even more importantly of editing, has heralded her as the “most important YouTuber” out there. Since 2017 when she first started her channel (as something to do after failing her driving test — it was her means to escape a bad point in her life), she has created a style and brand that hundreds, if not thousands of other YouTubers emulate. She is down to earth, unpolished, sharing the “good, bad, and ugly” and talks a mile a minute. Her editing highlights what she finds funny through the use of pauses, zooming, and text.
I found myself engaged in many of her videos, laughing out loud and relating back to when I was a twenty-something. I also enjoyed looking at some of her earlier vlogs and comparing them to her more recent vlogs (from age 16–20). It was interesting to see her growth and change in interests and styles and I think this is what a lot of her viewers also relate to. In fact I found myself hopping back to watch some videos on my own time, and while I could consider them research, honestly, I was just watching them because I enjoyed them and found them fun.
Through analyzing Chamberlains vlog “Bed” I picked up on many of the tips found in Create to Learn that help to engage a vlog audience. The parasocial relationship that Emma creates with her audience is seen in many ways such as her direct emotional connection that she creates through the emotional intimacy of using close-ups and direct address as well as how and where she chooses to frame her vlogs. Many of these choices that Emma first used back in her early vlogs has led many to credit her with coming up with this style of vlogging. Looking at how she uses these facets to interact with her audience has given me a lot to reevaluate on how I create content to engage and connect with a teen audience.
Overall this project was definitely one that changed my outlook on how I create content. I have enjoyed learning about Emma and her style, but even more importantly it has given me a chance to reflect on myself as a digital author and the content that I create.
Resources:
Balleys, C., Millerand, F., Thoër, C., & Duque, N. (2020). Searching for oneself on YouTube: Teenage peer socialization and social recognition processes. Social Media+ Society, 6(2), 2056305120909474.
Bromwich, Jonah Engel. “What if Being A YouTube Celebrity Is Actually Backbreaking Work?” New York Times, 11 July 2019, p. D1(L). Gale OneFile: Business, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A592874369/GPS?u=mlin_b_bpublic&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=90960a2c. Accessed 23 Feb. 2022.
“Emma Chamberlain Is Changing YouTube for the Better by Keeping It Real.” TODAY.Com,https://www.today.com/style/emma-chamberlain-changing-youtube-better-keeping-it-real-t163982. Accessed 24 Feb. 2022.
“Emma Chamberlain Makes Peace With Her Internet Baggage.” W Magazine, https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/emma-chamberlain-youtube-fashion-interview. Accessed 23 Feb. 2022.
“Emma Chamberlain.” Wikipedia, 23 Feb. 2022. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Emma_Chamberlain&oldid=1073552404.
Hobbs, Renee. Create to Learn: Introduction to Digital Literacy. Wiley, Blackwell, 2017.
YouTube // Emma Chamberlain
instagram // Emma Chamberlain
spotify // @emmachambie
coffee company // www.chamberlaincoffee.com
podcast // “Anything Goes” available anywhere you find podcasts
