MrBeast (Youtube Content Creator) – 20 Questions with MrBeast! (Dec 2021)

Chapters

Abstract

MrBeast’s YouTube Odyssey: From Secret Hobby to Global Phenomenon

MrBeast’s YouTube journey has been a blend of entertainment, philanthropy, and innovation. His unique approach to video production, combining generosity with self-imposed challenges and quirky activities, has earned him a massive following and made him a global phenomenon. MrBeast describes his content as “giving away money while torturing himself and occasionally his friends, along with doing random weird things.”

MrBeast’s Emergence and Philosophical Approach to Content

Initially hidden from his parents due to their academic concerns, MrBeast’s content philosophy blended generosity with self-imposed challenges and quirky activities. A pivotal moment occurred when he secured a brand deal surpassing his mother’s annual salary, earning her support. MrBeast’s mother initially expressed concerns about his grades and wanted him to focus on school. When he did a brand deal that earned more than her entire salary, she became supportive and eventually joined his team.

Endurance and Ingenuity: The Essence of MrBeast’s Challenges

MrBeast’s journey is marked by a series of physical and mental challenges, including counting to 100,000, saying PewDiePie and Logan Paul’s names 100,000 times each, and completing a mile in the world’s largest shoes. These feats demonstrate his physical resilience and penchant for pushing boundaries. His desire to collaborate with extreme performer David Blaine exemplifies his commitment to creating engaging and unforgettable content.

Technical Choices and Creative Process

MrBeast’s preference for average-quality cameras over cinematic ones underscores his focus on authenticity. He emphasizes the importance of selecting equipment based on the specific needs of each video, aligning with his overall goal of producing high-quality content. His creative process involves a rigorous selection criterion, prioritizing originality and entertainment value, often leading to the scrapping of one in four initial ideas due to practicality or safety concerns.

Subscriber Milestones and Ambitious Goals

Reflecting on YouTube’s evolution, MrBeast acknowledges significant milestones like Fred reaching 1 million subscribers and PewDiePie’s 100 million. His own ambition is not just to reach subscriber targets but to consistently create the best content possible, a philosophy he maintains for the duration of his career. MrBeast recalls Fred reaching 1 million subscribers and Smosh reaching 10 million subscribers as significant milestones. PewDiePie’s achievement of 100 million subscribers further expanded the scale of YouTube success. MrBeast aims to reach 100 million subscribers and believes he is on the right track.

Team Seas: Symbolizing Environmental Consciousness

The Team Seas project, a collaboration to remove 30 million pounds of trash from the oceans, symbolizes MrBeast’s commitment to environmental causes. It demonstrates the power of collective action and aims to inspire technological advancements in ocean conservation. MrBeast emphasizes the importance of caring about the ocean and its health. For every dollar raised, Team Seas will remove one pound of trash or plastic from the ocean, aiming to remove 30 million pounds by the end of the year. While Team Seas alone won’t solve all ocean issues, it’s a way to show the younger generation’s concern and inspire positive change. Small actions can add up and inspire new technologies and sustainable practices.

YouTube’s Evolution and MrBeast’s Place in It

MrBeast gives YouTube a perfect rating for its transformative impact on his life, while longing for the simpler times of old YouTube. He notes the discontinuation of YouTube Rewind as a sign of the platform’s growing diversity. His expanding team, necessary for projects like the Squid Game video, reflects the increasing scale of his endeavors. The Squid Game video was a long-term project and the sets are currently being dismantled. MrBeast rates YouTube a 10 out of 10 due to its positive impact on his life. He acknowledges YouTube’s need for competition to improve but is satisfied with the platform’s current state. Regarding the removal of the dislike counter, MrBeast sees both pros and cons: it curbed harassment but also provided valuable feedback. He leans towards disliking the change but understands its necessity. He misses the edgier content of old YouTube, where creators had more freedom. He suggests experimenting with new content ideas, such as using a million Legos to stop a bear from attacking a cow. The UI of old YouTube evokes memories of specific creators and videos, like Ray William Johnson and Call of Duty commentaries.

Guidance for Future Creators

For aspiring creators, MrBeast stresses the importance of passion and perseverance. He encourages them to create content that aligns with their interests and to strive for excellence, despite challenges. He emphasizes that the best way to achieve subscriber and view goals is to focus on making the best possible videos. His ultimate goal is to create the best YouTube videos possible, regardless of subscriber count or viewership. MrBeast shares a valuable piece of advice: “You’re crazy until you’re successful, then you’re a genius.” When creators are grinding as small channels, people often dismiss their dedication and passion as obsessive or unrealistic. However, once they achieve success, their drive and tenacity are praised, highlighting the hypocrisy of those who doubted them. MrBeast encourages creators to keep going despite criticism, knowing that success can change the narrative. Marques Brownlee provides advice for creators watching the video: Make videos that you would want to watch yourself. Strive to make the best videos you possibly can. Keep at it and never give up.

Notes by: ZeusZettabyte