Appealing to the Masses.
“Hey Tim”. These words flash across my screen, I find that this simple phrase piques my interest. Guiding my cursor to the link. The video I find myself watching is a modern-day adventurer in the form of a traveling videographer named Sam Kolder; The story told is a recollection of past years in his life, the key focus being the day Sam’s older brother “Tim” passed away. Aside from the vocal narration describing the day tragedy struck and how it left his emotional state in tatters. The viewers are met with a foggy image of a lone sailor on a boat, flashing to an underwater view of one man sinking while another screams his name reaching out in hopes of saving him. As the fog thickens then fades; a new image appears of Sam in front of his late brother’s tombstone.
The story begins to turn as the narrator’s voice along with the music builds into a fantastic narration of how Tim’s death has inspired him to live life to the fullest and never waste the chance to pursue his dreams.
The creative aspect of this film is it’s not only live action but jumps between watching the narrator go on adventures in reality and an animated version of himself going on the same epic journeys.
This visual shift in pace alone is enough to surprise the viewers due to the transitions of animation and live action being so subtle and smooth its almost unrecognizable until seconds later. The following minutes are filled with beautiful footage of scenic moments and exciting twists. Inspiring and pushing the viewer into an emotional climax as he ends the story with one last clip of him and his late brother jumping off a cliff.
This story could have been told in a variety of ways, but the selected medium was a digital video. I believe the importance of this story could not have been conveyed anywhere remotely close to how it was; if it had utilized any other medium. The story of “Hey Tim” was originally scripted and storyboarded out on paper. As drawings, in that initial setting the medium for the piece was paper. But that is not where it ended, I am confident that the story itself was still moving and greatly in-depth but as a story on paper that’s all it was. A simple script. By taking the development a step further and creating a video out of the book. The impact is dramatically greater. Not only because of its cinematic excellence but by turning it into digital media and altering the medium of the story, the available audience is exponentially increased.
The importance of YouTube being a carrier for this medium is crucial to the film’s success. The reason being that YouTube acts as a catalyst for millions of personally developed videos. And with a creative algorithm this piece can appear on virtually anyone’s screen as “recommended for you” because it covers so many topics. This video is not strictly about the creators personal Ethos or travel and adventure filming but a bit of everything. After watching this film the recommended videos can be tagged as animation, travel film, suicide, death and grieving, creative media, moving on, cliff jumping, burning man and more. Its massive appeal in multiple categories is what makes it unique to other digital pieces because its audience and fanbase are so wide spread versus other popular you-tubers that selectively stick to one genre for example; lifestyle vlogs or game reviewers.
Kolder has developed a strong fanbase that make it clear his audience is wide spread. From aspiring film makers to people suffering from similar trauma of lost ones, his comments section is full of outspoken individuals describing how his videos have changed their lives.
Media Consumers are enticed to watch Youtube videos over professionally developed and produced TV shows because at its base, Youtube is a direct consumer market for new age media, explicitly videos. Sam Kolders videos are popular because unlike Television, Youtube is a social environment. When watching TV, viewers can’t post a comment, like or dislike. The closest option to that is getting online and finding a website about the show and posting a personal opinion. Most importantly consumers can’t simply copy and paste a link to share with friends. Contacting another individual or making a post online is the quickest way to share a television show. Youtube creates a direct connection between the audience and creator. It creates a community of fans and Kolders fanbase / comments section of each video is a testament to that.
Another potential enticement of Youtube is the inspiration and emotional draw of it. Every famous content creator started off as just another human with a camera. The idea that some may have is
“If he can do it, I can do it.”
Youtube as a platform of hope has made Sam Kolder and many others famous. Without it, Kolder wouldn't have found the same success, been able to go on any of the adventures or funded his name into luxurious destinations. Because Youtube is how he developed his fanbase and quite frankly, viewers such as myself have the hope of doing the same thing.
The existence of Youtube also says something about us as humans. That we crave and need community and stimulation. Youtube videos create a connection from creator to consumer because the developer can directly address the audience. The audience can request and reply in the comments section. The feeling of Youtube fame is real because the stars feel close to the audience. Like some viewers who have watched their favorite filmers from the very beginnning and watched them develop and change over time. While TV and movie stars are an almost unattainable level of fame due to feeling so distant from the audience.
Regardless of what the viewers taste in film is, this type of story can appeal to virtually anyone because it has covered so many different areas of interest. And that is the exact purpose behind digital media and YouTube; to be an open catalog for the masses to access any kind of information or story.
