Eileen Rivera wants to help you make a YouTube video. She’s a production manager at YouTube Space in Los Angeles, one of seven locations (Mumbai, India, is the most recent addition and Toronto is up next) where proprietors of channels with over 10,000 subscribers are given access to space and expertise. The goal? Create something great. Rivera stresses that YouTube Spaces are for everyone. “We’re not just top creators here,” she says. “We’re for everyone.”
What is YouTube Space?
It’s the physical embodiment of YouTube. We want to be the home for YouTube creators. They can do three things: learn, connect, and create. Learning is the workshops. For connecting, it’s events; we have screenings, we have happy hours. We’re about to have Guillermo del Toro give a talk on writing. Create is me, that’s what I do. I can help you make what you want to make. Everything here is free, including equipment. We hope that the creators come to the space and feel like it’s home.
Why does YouTube do this?
We heard that our creators wanted to find each other. It’s a place to connect on neutral ground. We can give creators tools to innovate and experiment; it’s a place for them to jump out of their comfort zones and try new things.
Community is often mentioned when talking about content creation on the Internet. Why?
It’s the support. You know your peers and your audience are supporting you. You have this one-on-one connection with the audience. A creator can go online and see what’s driving them; the audience keeps them going. That validates that the content they’re making is important and impactful.
What’s the best way to get involved?
Come to an event and check us out. Get a tour. It’s the best time to meet other creators. We have a ton of events. Sign up for our newsletter. Maybe sign up for a class and learn how to use a Steadicam or a jib. We have a Chinese menu of options for all sorts of creators.
What advice do you have for new creators?
Everyone talks about authenticity, but it’s important to make something you really believe in. It shows if you don’t believe in something. If you’re passionate about something, do that. Your audience will find you. Be consistent, because your audience will want to see that consistency. Enjoy it. You never want it to feel like it’s a job. You want to be super jazzed about sharing your content. There will be highs and lows. Then there’s, “What’s next? How do I evolve?” You’re always going to want to better yourself. But as long as you’re authentic and consistent, that will shine through.
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