In 2015, Eric Artell started hosting improv classes for Vine stars. By teaching those creators the principles of comedy, Artell helped them sharpen the humor in their videos.
Seven years later, Vine is gone, but Artell is still teaching creators to say “yes, and.”
For nearly six years, the actor has served as the Director of Creator Development for Collab, the L.A.-based network known for working with top social media stars like King Bach and Dang Matt Smith. One of his duties in that role is something he calls the “content brainstorm.” Working alongside Collab’s content team, Artell helps the network’s creative partners come up with new ideas and find inspiration.
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So far, Collab has run over 120 of these Labs. Regular attendees include Artell, Collab Chief Content Officer Will McFadden, and Jason Shapiro, the company’s creative lead.
The meetings vary in their scope and goals. Some creators come prepared with specific ideas they’d like to flesh out, while others require more direct guidance from Artell and his team members. No matter their needs, creators can get a lot out of these sessions. So can the network that hosts them. “It’s one of the things we do creators with that they really love,” Artell told Tubefilter, “and it helps build their loyalty with Collab.”
“When multiple creative minds come together like that, the results are powerful.”
According to Artell, the labs are perfect for creators who are hoping to “try a new direction.” If a Collab partner wants to experiment with a different format, a new platform, or a genre they haven’t tried before, the content team gives them space to explore those uncharted waters.
One creator who made a shift like that is Chris Equale, who rose up on micro-video platforms like TikTok and YouTube Shorts by sharing the adventures of his corgis Hammy and Olivia. Equale came to Collab in hopes of bringing his brand to the long-form side of YouTube. The network eased that transition.
“As a short form creator, our typical creation cadence is developed around introducing an idea and tying it all together in under 15 seconds,” Equale said in an email. “Collab’s creative brainstorming sessions helped me unlock how we can bring our short form magic into a longer format. Their team introduced a ton of thought-provoking topics that I would have otherwise missed out on entirely, and they came to the table with the full understanding of our content history, our character development, and story arcs. When multiple creative minds come together like that, the results are powerful.”
One of the ideas discussed during that session ended up becoming a reaction video starring Equale’s corgis. The clip, a successful blend of a dependable YouTube format and Equale’s “talking corgis” shtick, is one of Hammy and Olivia’s most-watched non-vertical videos.
Artell and co. also encouraged Equale to incorporate some pop culture into his channel. The creator clearly took that suggestion to heart, since his corgis just opened up Dr. Strange’s Multiverse of Madness.
Finding a home for well-traveled ideas (inside and outside the Multiverse)
Creators like Equale are eager to take advantage of the brainstorming service Collab offers, but Artell admits other creators engage with the labs when they are in a creative rut. Those sessions involve a lot more listening. A creator with those needs is “more like a sponge,” according to Artell.
The solution is an “idea jam” in which Collab and its creators throw potential video topics at the wall to see what will stick. Some ideas are new, but after 120 of these Labs, there is also lot of recycled material to choose from. What wasn’t a good idea for one creator a month ago could be great for a different creator today.
In the sessions, Artell also tries to identify what each individual creator is truly jazzed about. He helps them see it. “The [creators] who have the greatest staying power are doing content they enjoy,” he told Tubefilter, “so we find their pastimes and hobbies in the sessions.”
Saying “yes, and” to “yes, and”
Anyone who has ever taken an improv class knows that saying “yes” to scenic details is an important part of the experience. Artell applies this principle to the creator experience by pushing Collab partners out of their comfort zones. Videomakers who “open their minds up” are better prepared for any of the challenges they will face in the next phases of their careers.
That attitude is especially important at Collab, which connects with many creators who are teenagers or newcomers to digital fame. If those partners are unaccustomed to the collaborative and critical nature of Hollywood writers’ rooms or literary writing workshops, Collab’s brainstorms can open them up to “collaboration,” “multiple ideas,” and “constructive creative environments.”
The pedagogical nature of the labs is a huge selling point for any creator who is at the start of their career. “A lot of them have never been directed by a director,” Artell said. Productive sessions can get those newcomers ready for their close-ups.
The results speak for themselves: Collab creators are unlocking exciting opportunities. Perhaps the company’s superstars would have made it to the top without any brainstorms, but with their network’s help, they’re open to seeing the possibilities in all the new and usual ideas around them.
