Making Real Money on YouTube

Photo: Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times

Only several hours after I posted yet another sermon on the coming changes in the media landscape and how we all need to be exploiting them, I just read this New York Times article on how Michael Buckley along with a small group of saavy new-age media makers are making real money through YouTube's partner program which pairs advertising with original content.

And when I say "real money" I'm talking up to 6 figures. $100,000 generated entirely online with nothing more than a clear thought out WELL-EXECUTED vision carried out with "a $2,000 Canon camera, a $6 piece of fabric for a backdrop and a pair of work lights from Home Depot".

I don't know what you are making at your current place of employment, but I bet it's not close to that. ( And if it is, I bet it involves a lot more hassle, long hours and considerably less fun.)





Read the Article for yourself. This isn't some far off fantasy just in MY head. This is a new reality right here and now, baby. Ladies and gentleman, the game has indeed changed.

The only question is will YOU be a player in the NEW game or are you gonna let the Golden Age of New Media just pass you by? There's only one answer if you're Down and Dirty...

"Hell's no!"

-Ant.

From YouTube to the Boob Tube

This is an interesting little tidbit. An amateur videographer captured an incredible wild life sequence while on Safari and it was uploaded to YouTube where it quickly became one of the most popular clips on the site with millions of hits.

The sequence shows a 3-way confrontation between a herd of water buffalos, a pride of young lions and a very sneaky crocodile. A lot of people don't realize that professional wildlife photographers spend most of their lives planning, waiting weks and months and praying to capture such a rare and spectacular moment in nature and this lucky video hobbyist just stumbled upon it.

Not only that, but the clips popularity on YouTube got the interest of Nation Geographic who bought it and turned it into a one-hour special called "Battle at Kruger" which is now showing.

I was a little skeptical about how they would milk an 8-minute clip to make a one-hour show. And while there was the plenty of the expected repetition of of the footage, it actually offerd plenty of new insight and clearly put the YouTube clip into context. (And a YouTube clip actually seen in context is always a good thing.)

Check out the original uncut sequence here:

Read an article on the history of the clip here.