Hypermedia in YouTube — Vsauce —
Vsauce is a YouTube channel created by Michael Stevens in 2010. This channel was initially focused on video games featuring several different hosts, but once it’s segment titled IMG! started taking off, Stevens became the sole host of the show. The channel at first was a mix of information and online trends, memes and comedic videos, but soon started to shift towards educational and scientific segments. As these segments became more and more popular the channel only posted videos that were in the realm of science and education, bringing with it a whole new approach to visual learning on the internet. The types of videos Vsauce produces are truly unique, Stevens takes complicated science and math (plus more) concepts and explains them in quirky, understandable ways, allowing people of all ages to follow and understand what is going on. The topics range from videos like “How to Count Past Infinity” to “What If Everyone Jumped at Once?”, all the way to “Is Your Red the Same as My Red?” and many more. The topics Stevens tackles are usually fascinating and fun to learn about, some of his videos may be a little too advanced for younger viewers but even when you don’t know entirely what he is talking about, you can always take away his love and enthusiasm for learning and experimenting.
Steven’s perfect mixture of entertainment and education on the journey to answering some of the most interesting mysteries of our universe have resonated with teachers and educators alike. Vsauce has become prominent in remediation of both the textbook and the classroom lecture that his videos are shown in classrooms all over the world. This channel isn’t only geared towards the student or the classroom, there are plenty of casual viewers who tune in to learn from Vsauce as well. According to Bolter, “older media can remediate newer ones within the same media economy. Today, the traditional cinema is attempting to maintain its status by employing computer graphics in conventional linear films.” In this case, Vsauce is employing computer graphics to create visual representations and examples so the viewer can absorb the information easier. “Each medium seems to follow this pattern of borrowing and refashioning other media, and rivalry as well as homage seems always to be at work.” We see this so much today with the rivalry between Television and media outlets like YouTube, Netflix, and Hulu. Most importantly, Vsauce is making learning fun through animation and visuals. “The medium is supposed to function as a window through which the viewer can see the objects represented.” Growing up it wasn’t abnormal to watch educational videos on certain topics, but it is quite hard to recall any videos that were enjoyable to watch. Vsauce takes these boring topics, and with his quirky personality, leads you on a visual and mental journey through the wonders of life and science.
Vsauce was born on the platform YouTube, a free digital platform for creators to showcase their content and have it available to anyone around the world who has access to internet. Through likes, comments, and subscriptions Vsauce quickly climbed the ladder of success in the YouTube community, currently sitting at over 13 million subscribers. Without the help of YouTube’s incredible ad revenue program, many large channels wouldn’t be able to sustain themselves. Michael Stevens stated in an interview that most of the revenue produced for the show comes solely from advertisements, “Yeah, ad revenue is predominantly where it all comes from. It’s enough to be sustainable. That’s afforded Vsauce the ability to not have to do too many other sponsored things. We’ll do a few when there’s a really cool opportunity, like with Novo Nordisk, which is the first time I’ve done videos for a separate channel.” The first two steps in earning online revenue with YouTube is to open an account and turn on account monetization. Enabling monetization requires accepting YouTube’s advertising guidelines and connecting to an AdSense account for payment. Once you have a predominant subscriber base and high viewership the money tends to add up. This method has not only helped its creators, but it has greatly helped YouTube as a platform. YouTube is taking over how people watch TV and consume media, it is television, with its new implementation of YouTube Red, for $10 a month you will have ad free viewing and access to movies and shows created by your favorite channels. The money from the YouTube Red subscriptions, in the same way ads were treated, will be distributed between the creators and YouTube. Aside from revenue, YouTube Red is revolutionizing and remediating how we consume our media. Vsauce has taken full advantage of this new program and started his own educational and experimental show, like the infamous Bill Nye, where the format of the series is based heavily on Vsauce, with Stevens presenting documentary-style episodes which focus on interesting aspects of human behavior, particularly the brain and the influences of consciousness; hence the show title “Mind Field”. Every episode contains an experiment, in which either volunteers or Stevens himself participates, that relates to the topic of the episode. For example, in episode one, Stevens locks himself in an empty room for three days to investigate the effects of solitary confinement on the brain.
Education institutions are adapting to these developments of new media into their systems. The use of social media, namely YouTube, in education provides students with the ability to get more useful information, and to connect with learning groups and other educational systems that make access to information and education convenient. There is valuable knowledge to be gained through YouTube and social media such as analytics and insights on various topic and issues for study purposes. This is where Vsauce since on the spectrum of new media education. It is crucial to be active in many different social platforms as an educational institution, with YouTube’s educational aspects, student training strategies and methods of learning are advancing in the digital world. This is a prime example of hypermediacy and remediation. Vsauce’s transparent combination of visual animation, audio voice overs, writing and design takes you out of the traditional classroom and immerses you into a digital one. Vsauce is changing the way we absorb information and revolutionizing the digital classroom. His videos never tend to exceed more than 10–15 minutes, so you are learning about topics quickly, simply, and efficiently. His visual representations enhance your learning experience and immerse you in a digital realm of hypermediacy, he is not only teaching you about some of these topics, but he too is demonstrating and experimenting right in front of your eyes, so viewers can vicariously experience the topics along side him.
When you’re watching Vsauce you can sense the authenticity that comes with his presentations. You can tell how truly passionate about what he does, he states in an interview that, “If you were to run into me on the street and ask about the details in one of the videos, I would talk with you for an hour about it, as opposed to someone who had a script written for him.” Vsauce puts in the hours, puts in the time to bring his viewers something new, exciting, and out of the ordinary. There are people all around us that are infected with curiosity and are constantly on the search for answers, Vsauce is a hub for those information seekers. Its success resonates through its viewers, when viewers share things and become fans of videos, it reflects who they are, whether they are information seekers longing to learn, driven by their own curiosity, or someone who wants to be inspired.
