Generation Next: Content for people who don’t watch TV

Traditional independent production companies are already making content for YouTube channels in the UK – you could well be working for one of them in the future. In this session, industry members discuss how you find the next PewDiePie, the economics of digital content and what the democratisation of media means for us all:

Randel Bryan, Director of Digital Content at Endemol Beyond (Rule’M Sports, Legends of Gaming), say that viewers “live vicariously through [YouTubers] – it’s such a close relationship. They are distribution companies, these YouTubers now have talent agents, just like regular talent. PewDiePie has more views than BBC Three and Four combined.”

Bryan says that “YouTubers are getting smarter, they are developing.” Being a YouTuber is no longer a hobby, but an opportunity to work with recognisable brands, who Bryan says will become “the patrons of the arts.”

Nick Cohen, VP of Content and Strategy and Brand partnerships at Little Dot Studios (Daily Mix, Dead Parrot, Relish) says that viewers are looking for content that bridges “the gap between YouTube and TV, with content like Drones in Forbidden Zones for 4 Shorts.”

Reflecting on his own view of how the digital world is changing the screen industry, Cohen says: “The old rules of television are starting to change. There are great creative ideas and if you’re willing to be a bit entrepreneurial about it, it’s really exciting.” He reflects on his own career: “I started out in news, 1-2 minutes, cut, get it out. The digital world is all those things mashed together with a few commercials thrown in. There isn’t a set rule for what works in online. People are finding that out at the moment.”

He adds: “High production values have a different meaning in the digital world – do you need access? Do you need people managing shoots? Much more about the scale and complexity of the production itself rather than the technology.”

Why is digital content important to brands? Cohen explains that YouTubers “have an audience and reach that appeals to a brand because that’s the people they want to get in front of – sponsorship, product placement, etc. Or they want you to help them in some way craft their story about what they’re all about – creative agency or brand direct.”

Colleen Flynn, Creative Director at K2 Productions (River Cottage Food Tube, Bangkok Airport) holds “the belief that the more we’ve dipped our toe in the digital world, the method of storytelling that has been told in television over the past 70 odd years has been refined. You’re telling a story with a beginning middle and an end, but it’s short form content. The nuts and bolts are all the same.”

She says that her company’s digital content mirrors their television output: “K2 Productions have a really strong documentary heritage. That storytelling style is what we’ve applied to all our short form content.” However, “the expectation of the level of skills required now is much higher. You could start and not know how to turn on a camera. Our expectation is – can you shoot? There is an expectation now that we want the newcomers to tell us what to do, in a way.”

Could television adapt to this new form of content creation? Flynn isn’t sure: “TV definitely isn’t being vast enough or savvy enough to tap into what’s happening with followers. TV could be utilising and meeting more in the middle – but there’s a hesitation there.”

Dan’l Hewitt, Managing Director, UK at Maker Studios (PewDiePie) says that the lack of regulation with online content has fostered a new creativity. He explains: “There aren’t any rules in this space. It’s a new type of creative expression. When I think about what their motivation is, what inspired them, it’s frustration. Baking, make-up, etc just isn’t represented anywhere. Therefore, the third, fourth wave of creative talent are coming through [looking to improve on what has come before].”

Improvement is constantly taking place in the digital sphere, because “The feedback [between the audience and the creator] is instant and at scale.” Creation is also a lot speedier: “The creativity of condensing a story into a vine or a three second video is phenomenal.” Would content creators produce longer-form and higher-quality content with more financial backing? Hewitt believes so, saying: “What would YouTubers be able to do with more resources and money?”

• Generation Next took place on Saturday 9 May at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly.