What’s goin on, Cmd+Shift+Create fam?!

This week we celebrate a milestone as we surpass 400 dedicated readers in our community! As I am very particular about who I keep subscribed to this newsletter (if you’re reading this, you’re crushing it 😎), having major growth has never been a priority of mine. While I want to bring more readers into the Cmd+Shift+Create fam, I understand that building a truly engaged audience is key in trying to take this newsletter to the next level. So as I reach that 400 number, I want to thank everyone for joining this community and making my passion for writing and creation feel validated. I’ve literally always wanted to be a content creator, but never knew how. Through this newsletter, I can not only consider myself a creator, but I now understand the intrinsic difficulties and frustrations that come along with making a passion in something like content creation your full-time job. So thank you to all those who are reading this now, I literally wouldn’t be doing this without your support. ❤️ 

-Luke (PS - click this link to follow me on IG, I just made a new profile!)

PPS - if these issues look a bit different going forward it’s because I’m testing new formats, so stick with me here!

YouTubers Collab with A24 Yet Again 🤯 

Calling all scary movie fans! We now have something to look forward to that’s not riddled with jump scares and classic tropes. YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou are back on the scene with A24 to create yet another movie.

• Danny and Michael Philippou, better known by their YouTube name, RackaRacka, are two brothers from Australia who are crushing it on the indie horror movie film front.

• Their first feature film, which blew Sundance goers out of the water, was picked up by A24 after a heated bidding war between some of the biggest-name horror movie houses in the industry.

• Their first film, Talk to Me, was A24’s highest-grossing horror film domestically, bringing in over $92M globally.

• With a hit film under their belt garnering love from horror movie icons such as Jordan Peele, Stephen King, Ari Aster, Stephen Speilberg, RackaRacka set out to launch another film titled, Bring Her Back.

• After watching Talk to Me (legit my favorite horror movie to date), I don’t think I want to bring anyone back knowing their twisted minds. 😂 

• While the crew is keeping things under wraps for this film, we do know that Sally Hawkins (star of Shape of Water) will be joining the cast as a lead role, so we’re definitely set for a solid performance.

With Danny and Michael making the jump from YouTube to the big screen, they can be an example for other creators that the career as a creative and an entertainer doesn’t just live and die on your preferred platform. As creators, we have an intrinsic pulse on society and entertainment, allowing us to expand our work to even more eyes, and in the case of the Philippou’s, even break into Hollywood.

YouTube Advertising with Creators 🤔 

This isn’t the biggest shift in the world, but no one is talking about it and it’s kinda been blowing my mind this week. Cooking creator Max the Meat Guy launched a beef jerky with a discount, but YouTube doubled down by adding even more to this discount???

• This is the first time I’ve seen YouTube partner with a creator to add a discount on a product, are we seeing a shift in the way that YouTube plays with creators and their products? 🤔 

• Before we explore a bit more about this unique partnership, let’s check out the caption of this YouTube Short:

  • The caption kicks off with “Thanks to YouTube for sponsoring this video and discount. 20% off from YouTube and MaxJerky is giving you another 30% off for a 50% total discount….”

  • Towards the end of the caption, we get a bit of insight into who this is for, and how you can purchase. And this is where my interest is piqued: “For YouTube Shopping users only. Shop the Real Deal on YouTube!”

• So the language “Shop the Real Deal” led me down a bit of a rabbit hole where I found multiple videos of creators that are sponsored by YouTube Shopping, where the hashtag “#ShopTheRealDeal” seems to have been born.

• While it’s no secret that YouTube Shopping is making waves and attempting to compete with the dying (because of the ban) TikTok Shop, it’s interesting to see YouTube take this route to promote the feature.

• I believe that this is the best way to attract both consumers and creators to this new feature as it’s a natural integration to a creator’s normal short form content, with the added bonus of discounts for consumers.

Have you guys seen these promos out in the wild? Checking out Max the Meat Guy’s integration confused me while also sparking some intrigue (and hunger… bone marrow-injected beef? F me up fam.).

Craftsmanship Meets Cinematography 🛠️ 

Meet Jordan Studdard,

Jordan is not only an incredibly talented storyteller, but he runs in strides with the greats such as Ryan Trahan, Casey Neistat, and beyond. While Jordan is buddies with some of the most popular creators on the platform, he stands in a lane of his own when it comes to his cinematography, craftsmanship, and storytelling.

With only five videos on his channel, Jordan is here to impress with each upload. From a video showcasing him building his studio to creating Ryan Trahan’s Penny Series finish line, to cutting off his own fingers, and beyond; Jordan doesn’t just focus on the big picture, he uses the intrinsic details to craft a narrative that leads you to the bigger story.

Jordan’s videos are, in a way, cathartic and almost meditative. They’re so carefully crafted to pull you in as a viewer and let you sit with the story as it unfolds. Not dissimilar to an expertly directed movie, as a viewer, we come in with one idea, get taken on a journey through Jordan’s mind, and come out with a completely new takeaway.

Whether that be creating a map for his inner child and showcasing iconic spots in NYC, or putting together his studio while expertly taking you through stories that relate to his journey and content, Jordan is a master storyteller who will captivate you throughout all of his videos.

If you’re looking for creative inspiration for creating narratives, effectively telling stories, or learning how not to lose your fingers, look no further than Jordan and his killer content.

Shout out to Jordan for keeping creatives inspired, go check out his channel and give him a sub!

Hope you enjoyed this week’s post. See you next week ✌️