He and so many other creators from that early era of video content are trapped in it, unable to break into anything new but able to survive by just sticking to what people like. At least he hasn't done anything extremely embarrassing like Doug Walker did.
I guess you're right, it's just such a specific niche to be stuck in that it feels unique. I remember when Fred did stuff with Nickelodeon, everyone thought that that was going to become the career path for online personas - but then TV and movie people started doing things online, and the few people who managed to go in the other direction turned out to be unicorns.
Speaking of James Rolfe and Doug Walker specifically, both have tried to branch off into other directions- Rolfe tried to realise his filmmaking/directorial ambitions with the AVGN movie, Walker tried killing off NC, buying a studio and trying to launch a production company. Neither succeeded and they had to settle on repeating their old schticks on Youtube. (At least AVGN videos were funny and inventive for the time)
RLM is an interesting contrast- they had a massive success with the Plinkett reviews but managed to successfully shift into doing other shows instead of just running the character into the ground. I remember how disappointed people were in Half in the Bag for the first couple of years of its existence, constantly asking for the next Plinkett review. Episodes used to get somewhere from 40,000 to 100,000 views on YT
I've always seen the RLM format as the natural evolution of what Channel Awesome started. You have a movie review, intercut with a lot of clips of the source material and riffing on those clips, bookended with skits. What makes HITB a cut above CA is that the people doing it have legitimate film making chops, while CA contributors never broke out of the "low budget enthusiast" mold (RLM also uses far fewer clips because the copyright landscape is different than it used to be). Hell, they even do crossovers - just not with other YouTubers.
The RLM guys have also been amateur filmmakers since they were kids and most of them have/had jobs related to videography and editing, which means there's way more effort put into the video part of their videos. Doug and most other CA contributors were just random nerds filming theirselves in their bedrooms. Of course, RLM's reviews are also actual reviews instead of plot recaps with skits.
(Maybe it's just me but I believe the Plinkett reviews kind of ended up originating the video essay style of content)
Rolfe tried to realise his filmmaking/directorial ambitions with the AVGN movie,
And then he made his infamous Ghostbusters reboot misogyny review, and it got noticed by the New York Times. They wrote about him and his hatred of women. And that was the end of his movie-making career.
Dont get me wrong im glad he can live off of it but his content is so garbage now
He and so many other creators from that early era of video content are trapped in it, unable to break into anything new but able to survive by just sticking to what people like. At least he hasn't done anything extremely embarrassing like Doug Walker did.
Isn't that basically the fate of many an entertainer though? Most old rock bands come to mind
I guess you're right, it's just such a specific niche to be stuck in that it feels unique. I remember when Fred did stuff with Nickelodeon, everyone thought that that was going to become the career path for online personas - but then TV and movie people started doing things online, and the few people who managed to go in the other direction turned out to be unicorns.
Speaking of James Rolfe and Doug Walker specifically, both have tried to branch off into other directions- Rolfe tried to realise his filmmaking/directorial ambitions with the AVGN movie, Walker tried killing off NC, buying a studio and trying to launch a production company. Neither succeeded and they had to settle on repeating their old schticks on Youtube. (At least AVGN videos were funny and inventive for the time)
RLM is an interesting contrast- they had a massive success with the Plinkett reviews but managed to successfully shift into doing other shows instead of just running the character into the ground. I remember how disappointed people were in Half in the Bag for the first couple of years of its existence, constantly asking for the next Plinkett review. Episodes used to get somewhere from 40,000 to 100,000 views on YT
I've always seen the RLM format as the natural evolution of what Channel Awesome started. You have a movie review, intercut with a lot of clips of the source material and riffing on those clips, bookended with skits. What makes HITB a cut above CA is that the people doing it have legitimate film making chops, while CA contributors never broke out of the "low budget enthusiast" mold (RLM also uses far fewer clips because the copyright landscape is different than it used to be). Hell, they even do crossovers - just not with other YouTubers.
The RLM guys have also been amateur filmmakers since they were kids and most of them have/had jobs related to videography and editing, which means there's way more effort put into the video part of their videos. Doug and most other CA contributors were just random nerds filming theirselves in their bedrooms. Of course, RLM's reviews are also actual reviews instead of plot recaps with skits.
(Maybe it's just me but I believe the Plinkett reviews kind of ended up originating the video essay style of content)
And then he made his infamous Ghostbusters reboot misogyny review, and it got noticed by the New York Times. They wrote about him and his hatred of women. And that was the end of his movie-making career.
That whole episode read less like alt-right misogyny to me and more manchild THEY'RE RUINING MY CHILDHOOD ACTION FIGURES :((((((((((
Yeah, I haven't really checked back on his channel lately outside of when I feel nostalgic for old AVGN videos
What do you expect? He's done over 100 episodes. He long ago finished all the crappy games.
But he has a million subscribers. You just going to give that up?
I recommend you watch him playing his daughter's mary-oh maker levels. when he drops the nerd persona he's a really down-to-earth, cool guy