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It’s hosted by our very own Joshua Cohen (that’s me) and Lauren Schnipper. Subscribe to Creator Upload on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Last week, Whalar introduced a plan to build sprawling, members-only campuses dedicated to content creation. And, for just a second, it was 2012 again, and YouTube was getting ready to launch its first Space in London.
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There’s a lot about Whalar’s initiative (called Lighthouse) that’s similar to Spaces. It too offers state-of-the-art production facilities–everything from soundproof video and podcast studios to editing bays–where creators and their teams can come and make high-quality content. This was the original idea for YouTube Spaces: that it would provide Hollywood-level sets and equipment for creators to upscale their content.
But it turned out the majority of creators didn’t want Hollywood programming on their YouTube channels. So, while YouTube’s workspaces were valuable for some creators, it wasn’t enough value to justify YouTube keeping them open.
Does that mean Lighthouse is doomed to fail too?
I don’t think so. For one, the creator economy is in a radically different place now than it was in 2012. More and more people are considering creating content for a living as a craft. I went to VidSummit in October and it was three entire days of people like MrBeast and Michelle Khare talking about the craft side of content. Not the fame, not the fans, not even really the business side, but the pure craft of making videos online.
More and more creators are looking for professional development, and that’s a major component of the Lighthouse. Creators who join the Lighthouse will pay an annual tuition of $5,750, and in exchange will get access to its campuses and production equipment, yes, but crucially they’ll also get a whole bunch of development programming from industry pros and fellow creators (like Colin and Samir, who are co-chairing Lighthouse’s creator council).
Lighthouse is an environment for people who want to learn to make videos better. It’s more like VidSummit than what YouTube Spaces used to be, and I think that’s a good thing.
I get into all this and more with my co-host Lauren Schnipper in the latest installment of Creator Upload. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or whenever you listen. You’re gonna dig it.
